Chapter 12
As Karl reached his apartment building, his phone buzzed again. This time, it wasn't from the Common Sense Manipulation App but from his email. He hesitated for a moment before unlocking his phone and opening the notification.
His eyes darted across the screen as he read the email subject line:
"Congratulations! You've Been Selected for an Interview at FlipFry Feast!"
Karl groaned audibly, pinching the bridge of his nose. "FlipFry Feast? Seriously?"
He opened the email to confirm his suspicion. The fast-food chain, known for its ridiculously cheerful mascots and subpar meals, had responded to one of his many job applications. Out of the dozens of resumes he had sent to respectable companies, this was the one that got back to him.
He read further:
---
Dear Karl,
Thank you for applying to FlipFry Feast! We are excited to invite you for an interview for the position of Crew Member. The role includes:
Customer service
Food preparation
Cleaning and maintenance
The hourly wage is $10, and we believe this is a fantastic opportunity to join our vibrant team. Please confirm your availability for an interview this Friday at 10 AM.
Best regards,
Molly Picket
Hiring Manager, FlipFry Feast
---
Karl stared at the email for a moment, his jaw tightening. He wasn't expecting much, but the pay was laughable compared to his previous job. Still, he couldn't afford to be picky. His bank account was dangerously low, and rent was just around the corner.
"Well, beggars can't be choosers," he muttered, reluctantly typing out a reply to confirm the interview.
As he hit send, another thought crossed his mind. Would working at FlipFry Feast give him any advantage in completing quests? He could probably influence plenty of people there, considering the high foot traffic.
"Silver linings, I guess," Karl mumbled as he tossed his phone onto the couch and collapsed beside it.
---
The next day, Friday, arrived faster than Karl anticipated. Dressed in a clean, albeit slightly wrinkled, shirt and pants, he stood outside the FlipFry Feast location. The bright, overly cheerful signage almost made him turn around, but he steeled his nerves and pushed the door open.
Inside, the atmosphere was chaotic. Kids screamed for toys that came with their meals, workers hustled behind the counter, and the smell of grease clung to the air.
"Ah, you must be Karl!"
A stunning, voluptuous blonde woman with long, wavy hair and a warm smile approached him. She looked like the perfect MILF ideal, exuding both confidence and charm.
"We're so happy to have you here for the interview! Let's head to the back and get started," she said enthusiastically, motioning Karl toward a small office.
---
The interview itself was painfully generic. Molly asked basic questions about his work ethic, availability, and customer service experience. Karl answered them all with just enough enthusiasm to seem interested.
"Well, Karl, I think you'd be a great fit for our team!" Molly said at the end of the interview. "We'll give you a call later today to confirm your start date."
"Thanks, I appreciate the opportunity," Karl replied, forcing a smile.
As he walked out of the restaurant, he couldn't shake the absurdity of the situation. Just weeks ago, he had been working a desk job with a decent salary. Now, he was about to flip burgers and mop floors for minimum wage.
"From spreadsheets to spatulas," Karl muttered bitterly.
His phone buzzed again as he neared his apartment. Opening the notification, he saw a new quest from the Common Sense Manipulation App.
---
[Tutorial Quest 14/20]
Objective: Alter the way people perceive value in fast food.
Example: Make them believe fries are a luxury item.
Reward: +20 Uncommon Points
---
Karl stared at the screen for a long moment before breaking into a grin.
"Well, looks like I'm about to turn FlipFry Feast into a five-star dining experience," he said, laughing to himself.
With newfound determination, Karl closed the app and headed home, ready to plan his next move.
---
Karl stepped into his apartment and immediately lit a cigarette, the smoke curling up toward the cracked ceiling. He leaned against the windowsill, staring out at the city below. The dim lights of the streetlamps barely illuminated the litter-strewn sidewalk, and the distant sound of a police siren only added to the grim atmosphere.
He took a long drag, exhaling slowly as he let his thoughts wander. His life felt like it was perpetually circling the drain. College dropout, fired from his last stable job, and now about to don a FlipFry Feast uniform. It wasn't exactly the life he'd envisioned for himself.
The Common Sense Manipulation App had brought a spark of intrigue into his mundane existence, but it also came with absurdity. So far, the quests had been relatively harmless, even amusing. But a nagging voice in the back of his mind kept whispering, What happens when it's no longer harmless?
He flicked the ash from his cigarette into a chipped mug he used as an ashtray and let out a humorless chuckle. "I can barely manipulate my own life, and now I'm tasked with manipulating the people's common sense. What a joke."
Karl was pulled from his spiraling thoughts by the shrill ring of his phone. He glanced at the screen, his expression darkening when he saw the caller ID: Dad. Or, more accurately, his stepdad, Robert.
With a sigh, he swiped to answer. "What's up?"
"Hey, Karl!" Robert's voice was as warm and upbeat as ever, almost annoyingly so. "How've you been, son?"
Karl forced a neutral tone. "Fine. What do you need?"
"Well," Robert began, a careful edge to his words, "I just wanted to let you know that your sister, Emily, is graduating next week. Top of her class, can you believe it? She's worked so hard for this."
Karl clenched his jaw but kept his voice steady. "That's great for her."
There was a pause, and then Robert continued, a little more hesitantly. "It'd mean a lot if you called her to congratulate her. You know how much she looks up to you."
Karl almost laughed at that but held it in. "Yeah, sure. I'll give her a call."
"Thanks, Karl. And hey, we're having a little celebration at the house after the ceremony. Nothing too big, just family and a few close friends. You should come."
"Yeah," Karl replied curtly. "I'll think about it."
"That's all I ask," Robert said, his voice lightening. "Take care of yourself, son. We're proud of you, no matter what."
Karl didn't respond to that. "Thanks. I'll talk to you later." He ended the call and tossed his phone onto the couch, letting out a long, frustrated exhale.
---
Lighting a cigarette, Karl leaned against the windowsill, staring out at the dimly lit street below. The phone call replayed in his mind, stirring a mix of emotions he'd rather not deal with.
"She looks up to you." Robert's words echoed mockingly in his head. What a joke.
Emily didn't look up to him. She never had.
Growing up, she'd been the golden child, the perfect little angel in their parents' eyes. But Karl had always known the truth. Behind the sweet smile and straight-A report cards, Emily had been a master manipulator. She knew exactly how to twist situations to make him look like the bad guy.
When they were kids, she'd blame him for things she'd done, knowing their parents would believe her over him. When they were teenagers, she'd pick fights over nothing, just to see how far she could push him. And when he finally snapped? She'd cry crocodile tears and play the victim.
Even now, as adults, she hadn't changed much. The last time they'd spoken, she'd made a snide comment about his job situation, loud enough for everyone at the dinner table to hear.
"You know, Karl, maybe if you tried as hard as I do, you wouldn't be stuck working dead-end jobs."
Her words still stung, even months later. The relationship between Karl and Emily not as good as the one between Lucas and Lena in Ultimate Spin System: Ero Spin?