Bro:Ther

Shinku stepped into his apartment, freezing at the sound of giggles coming from his living room. His eyes widened as he saw Screw, his small mechanical dog, wagging its tail and bouncing happily on Kirria, who was doubled over in laughter.

"Who is this little guy?" Kirria asked, her voice light with amusement while scratching behind Screw ears made of synthetic fur.

"That's Screw," Shinku replied. "Looks like he likes you."

“He’s adorable!” Kirria beamed, holding Screw up to inspect his tiny paws. “The officers really get to live it up, huh?"

Shinku chuckled. “We get by. Speaking of family, how can I contact your mom? She’s probably worried about you.”

Kirria’s head tilted. "My mom... She saved up for a phone after working in the mines. Can I call her from yours?"

"Alright," Shinku said, handing her his device.

The beep of the phone echoed as Kirria dialed the number. Moments later, a voice answered, breathless with concern. "Hello, who is this?"

"Hey, mom!" Kirria greeted. “I’m safe!”

The voice on the other end softened with relief. "Kirria! I was sick thinking about where you were! And these groceries appeared all over the floor from thin air! What happened?!"

Kirria responded quickly. "Don’t worry, mom! These really nice officers helped me get everything we needed from the store, and they even fed me! They transported the groceries to you with some cool police tech they have!"

Her mother’s voice softened. “I’m glad you’re okay, but when are you coming home?”

Kirria hesitated. "Mom, it’s pretty late... Could I pretty please stay the night? Officer Shinku is going to tell me all about his work in Cybersecurity! He lives in the same prefecture as us, he’s not far!"

There was a brief pause before her mother replied, "Very well. Just let me speak to him."

Kirria handed the phone to Shinku, who took it with a polite smile.

"Hello, I’m Shinku. Is it okay if she stays the night?”

Her mother hesitated, but then responded with a warm chuckle. "Sure, Officer Shinku. She’s quite eccentric, so be ready for that. My name is Ukiri, by the way."

Shinku chuckled. "I don’t mind, Ukiri. I’ll make sure she’s okay."

Ukiri became curious. "Could you send me a photo of yourself? I’m a bit superstitious, you see."

Shinku blinked, taken aback. "Uh, sure, I understand. I’ll send one to you."

Ukiri continued. “I’ll send you my address so that you know where to drop her off also.”

He quickly sent a photo of himself and waited. A few moments later, Ukiri’s voice returned. "Oh wow, you look just like her! You practically have the same hair color! Officer Shinku, you look like you could be related!"

Shinku couldn’t help but laugh. "That’s flattering."

Ukiri’s voice softened again. "Alright, goodnight, you two."

"Goodnight, mom!" Kirria shouted.

Shinku smiled. "Goodnight."

Later that evening, Kirria sat cross-legged on a stool in the bathroom. Shinku had pulled out a hairbrush, carefully running it through Kirria’s long, white hair.

Later that evening, Kirria sat cross-legged on the bathroom counter as Shinku ran a brush through her long, white hair.

"Why are you doing this?" Kirria asked, watching his movements curiously.

"I didn’t want to send you back with your hair a mess," Shinku replied, focusing on the strands in his hands, carefully untangling her hair..

Kirria smiled as she studied her reflection. "It looks really nice! My hair’s never looked this good."

Shinku chuckled, a sense of pride swelling in him. "So you like it? I saw this style on the internet. I wanted to try it on myself, but my hair isn’t long enough."

Shinku’s normally composed demeanor seemed tinged with a quiet heaviness.

“You’ve been different ever since you talked to Tackle,” Kirria said softly, ”What happened, Shinku?”

Shinku paused, his hands slowing as he untangled a particularly stubborn knot. “I… asked her on a date,” he admitted. “Basically.”

Kirria’s eyes widened. “A date? What’d she say?”

He let out a bitter chuckle, setting the brush down for a moment. “She said she’d never accept me in that way. Because I’m not fully human.”

“Huh?” She responded confusedly.

Shinku nodded. “I told her I felt just as human as her. And she said I could never be compared.”

His words hung heavily in the air, and for a moment, neither of them spoke.

Shinku started. “I don’t mean to seem so out of it—“

“Thanks, Shinku…!"

Kirria plumped up her new hairstyle, adjusting her bangs to perfection. She then turned to Shinku and hugged him tightly.

She hopped off the stool and dashed toward his bedroom. “But tell me about your job now!”

"Woah, hey, slow down!" Shinku laughed as she practically bounced past him, he followed her.

Kirria was already perched on his bed, a notebook she grabbed from the room in hand. “Okay, tell me everything! What’s it like being a cybersecurity officer?”

Shinku spent the next hour explaining the ins and outs of his work, from protocols to the advanced tech they used. Kirria scribbled furiously, her eyes wide with excitement. She hung on every word he said.

"And that’s why we use these kinds of handcuffs instead of the old metal ones," Shinku explained.

"But what makes you so interested in all this?" Shinku asked, glancing at her as she wrote furiously.

"I want to join you guys someday as a cybersecurity officer!" Kirria said, her voice brimming with determination. "My mom saved up and enrolled me in an online computer justice school for humans. It's tough, but I’m doing my best to learn."

Shinku was taken aback. "Wow! I used to be a paralegal at a computer law firm before I became an officer. I can definitely give you some advice."

Kirria beamed. "Thank you so much! I’m studying for the entrance exam for the force when I turn 18. I know this is kind of crazy, but... Could you take me on a few cases? I really want to see what a day in the life is like!"

Shinku considered her request. "Hmm…You know what? Why not? It won’t hurt to show you the ropes early. You seem really smart."

Kirria’s face lit up with joy. "Yay! Thank you!" She bounced up and down.

Hours passed as Shinku and Kirria talked, with Kirria jotting down notes while munching on cotton candy that Tackle had given her earlier. The room was filled with conversation and the flicker of lights, but as the clock ticked closer to midnight, Shinku glanced at the time and yawned.

“It’s getting pretty late,” Shinku said, stretching. "You could sleep on the couch if you want,"

Kirria hesitated, looking down where she sat. "But... The bed is so warm. Can I sleep here, please?!”

Shinku raised an eyebrow but then nodded. "That's fine. But just so you know, Screw sleeps in the bed too."

“That’s fine,” she said with a giggle, bouncing out of joy.

Shinku then turned off the light, preparing for bed. “Hey, would you mind plugging me in before I sleep? Screw usually does it, but since you’re here…”

Kirria blinked, confused. “Plug you in?”

Shinku handed Kirria the cord. “I’m part human, part computer. Plugging in at night gives me an energy boost for the next day. I’ll be even more ready for the cases we hopefully go on tomorrow”

Kirria searched around Shinku, confusedly. "Where's it go?!"

Shinku tapped behind his ear. “Just behind the ear, there’s a small opening” She carefully plugged it in where his chip was located. “Got it!”

The two of them lay in the bed, the silence of the night settling in. Kirria let out a deep sigh.

"Is everything okay, Kirria?" Shinku asked softly.

She began. “I was thinking about what you said earlier, about Tackle. And…”.

"Did you know that humans have something called brothers and sisters?" she asked, her voice almost wistful.”

"Siblings, yes," Shinku replied, his gaze softening. “How come?”

Kirria nodded. "It’s when two people come from the same parents and develop a bond. For computers, it's different. You all share the same parent, but you don’t really know each other. You’re related, but not in the same way. You don’t form sibling bonds."

Shinku listened quietly. "Yeah."

"I’ve never had a brother," Kirria murmured, "but I’ve always wanted one. What you did for me today... it’s exactly what a big brother would do for his little sister.”

“And to show that type of care, it’s more than a machine ever could. What Officer Tackle said isn’t fair to you.”

You’re human to me, Shinku,” Kirria continued, her voice softening. “You look like one, you act like one, and if being human is how you feel, then who should tell you otherwise?”

“Thank you for being so nice to my mother and I.” Kirria whispered, her eyes fluttering closed. ”Goodnight, big brother."

Big brother?

"Goodnight, Kirria," Shinku replied, his voice filled with fondness and a smile on his face.