A SEOUL MATE- A REINCARNATION ROMANCE (Book 1)

I entered the lobby of the apartment, with the buzz of the day still on my skin. Frank's voice still rang in my head, though I brushed it aside pretty quickly. The manager, standing by the front desk flipping through some papers, looked up at me as he saw me.

"How was your registration?" he said in an even tone, almost businesslike.

Eventful," I said, forcing a small laugh as I dropped onto one of the chairs nearby. His tone was exhausted, which made it clear he wasn't asking for details, just an answer.

He nodded, the corners of his lips dancing up slightly. "You'll adjust. Just remember, keep your grades up. That's all that matters here.

I nodded briefly, appreciative of the advice, but the weight of the day was already upon me. Before I had further words, the manager took a turn and waved across to a group of people working here. The air was thick with what looked like a heated but mute debate at the end of the lobby.

I must have watched them a few seconds longer than necessary-I didn't realize he spoke again until he did so louder.

"Buchi, I hope you are aware of the new project on AI?"

The voice was no longer dreamy now; more matter-of-fact. I sat up straight and returned his gaze. I had not heard of any new project, but I said nothing. I didn't want to appear uninformed.

"I have seen some of the prototypes in the workshops," I said, as if this was news.

Excellent, the manager said, "we design a system that can help predict and prevent global crises before they actually happen. Think of it like a global AI system, capable of analyzing patterns in climate, politics, and economic systems and recommending real-time solutions to avoid disasters."

I listened to him in silence for a moment, the weight of what he was telling me sinking in. It sounded huge-a project that could change the world.

"The system's interface will be incredibly advanced," he continued, gesturing to the sleek design of the company's open-plan office. "Real-time data input from satellites, social media, weather patterns, financial trends… it will all feed into the system. We're integrating predictive algorithms with deep learning to anticipate issues before they become problems."

I couldn't help but have a look around while speaking. It was a technological masterpiece of an office. Several large screens flickered with live data, ranging from international news to the weather patterns. Each terminal was sleek and futuristic; some of the screens had complex algorithms running across the displays. People worked with complete focus: eyes forward on the monitors, each keystroke pressed as they worked over data in real time.

"I am assuming you have gone over the basic AI models we came up with?" he asked, snapping me out of my thoughts.

I nodded. "I've seen some, yes."

"Then, your take on how we should enhance the system?" He broke off, his eyes very sharp as he looked over me. "You have any ideas on how to improve it further? Any improvizations?

I stammered for a moment, but suddenly the words came: "Well, considering how the system uses real-time data, maybe what it needs is a more dynamic feedback loop to keep readjusting its predictions while the conditions change. You can implement more adaptive learning algorithms that, with each passing day, learn from previous data and avoid assumptions of the past being incorrect today." A moment of silence passed. The manager's eyes narrowed.

"That's. actually a solid idea," he said, the tone slightly surprised. "I hadn't thought of that, Adaptive learning algorithms… yes, that would make the predictions more accurate, especially in fast-changing situations. Good work, Buchi."

The staff around us exchanged impressed glances, and a strange sense of accomplishment washed over me.

Once the meeting was over, most of the staff headed back to their various working sections while others remained at their workstations, perfecting the project further.

Finally, the manager turned to me in his last moment as all other team members walked off the door. "How was your day at school?" he asked again, still with a professional tone but now a little softer than earlier.

"It was… intense," I said candidly, leaning back into the chair. "A lot to take in. But I'll manage."

He raised an eyebrow, a slight, amused glint in his eyes. "I'm sure you will. But keep your grades up. The scholarship depends on it, and if you want to secure a position here down the line, your academic performance will be key."

I nodded in agreement, his words weighing a bit more than expected.

"I'll make sure of it," I said.

The manager's face loosened, a little, and he took a step backward. "Good. Now, have you eaten yet?"

I took my time before I shook my head. "No, I haven't."

He gestured with his hand in such a way that sent me off. "Go get something to eat, then. We'll talk later. Rest up. Tomorrow's another long day."

With that, he turned and went back into his office, leaving the weight of the conversation in my hands.

I mounted the stairs up to my room upstairs, drained, yet energized at once. The day had just overwhelmed me, but some sense of purpose remained since the conversation upstairs. In a hurry, I cleaned up, then started setting up the textbooks I was able to get during the process of university registration. Setting up a timetable for my courses, I had to think of how to balance my studies with my responsibilities here at the AI company.

Halfway into setting up the schedule, my phone vibrated on the desk. I started and picked it up, checking the notification.

Unknown Number: Welcome to Korea. Watch your back.

I stared at the screen, my heart pounding.

--- To Be Continued ---