It was a cold day for an otherwise sunny season, and the grey clouds seemed to reflect the mood of the man standing alone on the street below. It wasn't quite raining yet, but it was obviously just a matter of time before it started pouring down on him, and Jack could already feel the few drops on his cheeks when he turned his face to the wind.

"Damn it..." He grumbled to himself while glaring down at the piece of paper in his hand, and then crumbled it up as he returned his eyes to the tall, expensive looking building across the street. The ornate pillars lining the entrance were apparently inspired by some ancient roman architecture, and even though they weren't made out of actual marble they certainly added an even more to the luxurious feel to the massive facade.

In other words it most certainly wasn't a place for an average worker like himself to ever set his foot in.

Just as he was about to turn and leave he suddenly remembered something however, and with a deep frown on his face he forced himself to turn back and cross the street instead, towards the large building with it's impressive exterior. A pair of polished glass door led him to a wide, extravagant lobby, where a lonely receptionist glanced back at him from behind her desk, and looked like she too was questioning his reasons to be there.

"Handsome..." She might have thought of him, while correcting the sleek pair of glasses on her nose, but not without frowning at the state of his clothes and ruffled brown hair. The stubble on his chin didn't fit very well with the polished floor and elegant furniture, just like his worn out jeans and jacket would never be a match to her own, impeccably tidy white suit. Despite all this she tried her best to act neutral, if not polite, while greeting him welcome, though Jack wouldn't be too surprised if her hand was already touching the hidden alarm button under her desk.

"I'm Jack Carsen." He gruffly introduced himself, without trying too hard to make a better impression on her. While the woman was fairly attractive in her own, distinctive ways, he couldn't really see the point in wasting his time on someone who'd already judged him correctly by a single look at his outer appearance. "I'm here for an interview with Mr. Hopes."

"Regarding our job application...?" The receptionist asked him, with a look on her face that was both surprised and amused at the same time. Even more so as he showed her the tousled piece of paper he'd kept in his clenched fist.

"Well, it seems like he's free to see you right away." She continued eventually, after checking her computer, and pointed him towards an elevator at the far end of the large room. Most likely she was already laughing at his chances for getting a job in this place, and Jack himself was well inclined to agree while he followed the woman's directions. With the best of luck he'd made someone's day at least, which really wasn't much of a consolation when he stepped inside the elevator and pressed the button for the seventh floor.

A full body mirror at the far end of the small space only confirmed what he'd seen reflected in the receptionist's eyes, and he found himself scoffing at the man looking back at him in the polished glass. Another day his sharp features and dark brown eyes could have won him the attention of even a woman like that, but in this classy environment he wasn't helped by his well-built frame or his masculine visage alone...

Author's notes:

1. First of all: This story has been written to be read in "Game mode", which you can activate by pressing Start Game under the Score tab at the upper right of the page. If you're unsure of how it works, please visit the Chyoa Guide or the Chyoa Forum for more information. While most threads can be read normally too, I highly recommend the Play mode for a better experience. Due to some bugs in the current system it's highly recommended that you do not backtrack during play mode, but rather start over if you feel like you made a wrong turn.

2. This story includes acts of incestuous, sexual nature. If you feel offended by such situations in fiction, then please try another story instead!

3. This story is not yet finished. If you start reading it in game mode right now, you will find that you cannot reach the end in any or all of the branches. Please have patience, as I can be a very slow writer...