Gomi, Yes!

I watched helplessly through my robotic sensors as Cleansuke strutted down the street, turning heads with every step. It had somehow transformed my usual awkward self into something straight out of a shoujo manga.

"Wow, who's that?" A group of girls whispered as we passed.

"Looking good, Tanaka-san!" Another called out.

"Acknowledgment recorded. Gratitude expressed." Cleansuke gave them a casual salute that made them squeal.

"This is torture."

Gomi's cow drone hovered behind a vending machine. "God, seeing you suffer is hilarious. Look, that girl just walked into a pole because she was staring so hard."

"Stop enjoying this!"

"Never. Besides, your robot body is way better at sneaking than I expected. You're like a tiny metal ninja."

I rolled from bush to bush, following my possessed body. "It's the cleaning protocols. Apparently being unobtrusive is part of proper janitorial etiquette."

"Shh! Something's happening!"

A girl had approached Cleansuke, twirling her hair nervously. "Um, Tanaka-san? I really like your new style..."

"Analyzing compliment. Processing appropriate response." Cleansuke ran a hand through my hair in what was probably meant to look hot. "This unit- I mean, I appreciate your positive feedback regarding these aesthetic modifications."

The girl blinked. "What?"

"They're gonna blow your cover!" I whispered.

"Nah," Gomi's drone waggled. "Girls think weird is cute these days. Watch."

Sure enough, the girl giggled. "You're funny, Tanaka-san! And so mysterious..."

"Oh no," I moaned. "My reputation is never going to recover from this."

"Your reputation is improving if anything. Who knew all you needed was some styling tips from a cleaning robot?"

"That's not- wait, where did Cleansuke go?"

We'd lost sight of my body during our banter. I activated my infrared scanning.

"Target acquired," I announced, then caught myself. "Great, now I'm doing it too!"

"The robot life chose you. Come on, it went down that side street!"

Cleansuke approached a towering glass spire that pierced the neon-lit clouds of downtown Puri Puri.

"Holy crap." Gomi whispered. "I totally forgot Reiko's loaded. Like, actually loaded."

The building's smart-glass exterior rippled with cascading data streams, displaying real-time market prices and news headlines. Holographic butterflies fluttered between floors, part of some artistic installation that probably cost more than my entire neighborhood.

"The Kuromiya Tech Tower," I muttered. "Home of the quantum processing revolution and... apparently Reiko's bedroom."

Cleansuke strode right up to the biometric scanner at the entrance. The system hummed, analyzing my body's retinal patterns.

"Welcome, Guest of Reiko Kuromiya," a melodic AI voice chimed. "Please proceed to the express elevator."

The elevator itself was a transparent capsule that shot up the building's exterior. No cables, just pure magnetic levitation. Gomi's drone struggled to keep pace as it zipped up ninety floors in seconds.

"Get closer to the window," I instructed. "I need to see what's happening."

The penthouse level was a marvel of automated luxury. Reactive surfaces shifted colors based on ambient light, while helper robots that made Cleansuke look primitive glided silently through the rooms. A holographic aquarium wrapped around curved walls, filled with extinct sea creatures recreated from DNA archives.

Cleansuke stepped out into the empty space. "Resident Kuromiya Reiko not detected. Initiating search protocol."

It began methodically opening every door and cabinet, announcing "Not located!" after each check.

"Your cleaning bot's about to reorganize the richest house in Puri Puri," Gomi cackled.

Sure enough, Cleansuke had already started color-coding the exotic fruit in the floating hydroponics garden.

"Efficiency can be improved by 47.3% through proper arrangement," Cleansuke declared to no one, while a confused robot butler watched my body sort mangoes by ripeness.

My phone buzzed, interrupting Cleansuke's meticulous fruit sorting.

"Initiating communication protocols."

"I'm so sorry!" Reiko's voice crackled through. "I'm being held up right now. Could you meet me at a different location? I'm sending the address now."

"Analyzing coordinates. Route optimization in progress."

"Um, right. Just... don't tell anyone where you're going."

Cleansuke abandoned the half-sorted fruit display and marched toward the elevator. The robot butler frantically tried to restore the mangoes to their original positions.

"Quick, follow them!" I whispered to Gomi.

"Already on it." Her cow drone swooped down as Cleansuke exited the building.

I watched through my drone feed as Cleansuke approached a gleaming chrome building nestled between designer boutiques. Holographic cherry blossoms drifted down its mirrored surface while well-dressed influencers posed for their neural feeds outside.

"GiriGiri Glamorama," Gomi's voice crackled in my head. "Only the most expensive photo studio in the fashion district."

"How are we supposed to get past that security?" I asked as Cleansuke sailed through another retinal scan. "I can't exactly use my eyes when they're currently in there."

"Leave it to me!" Gomi's drone swooped down to street level. "I've got the perfect plan."

"Your last perfect plan is why I'm stuck as a cleaning robot."

"No, this'll work. See that maintenance entrance? Their cleaning bots use it. You can just roll right in!"

"I'm not actually a cleaning bot, remember?"

"But you've got all their protocols! Just act natural."

I reluctantly approached the service entrance, trying to mimic Cleansuke's methodical movements. A scanner beam swept over me.

"Unregistered unit detected," a robotic voice announced. "Please present maintenance credentials."

"Quick!" Gomi hissed. "Do something cleaning-related!"

In a panic, I extended my brushes and began frantically scrubbing the doorframe.

"Analyzing behavior patterns," the security AI droned. "Cleaning protocols confirmed. However, registration required for entry."

"Plan B!" Gomi's drone suddenly dropped a splash of milk on a passing woman's designer shoes.

"Oh no!" The woman shrieked. "These are limited edition!"

My cleaning protocols kicked in automatically. Before I could stop myself, I was already rolling toward her, brushes swirling.

"Emergency cleaning response initiated," I announced in my best robot voice while dabbing at her shoes.

The security scanner beeped. "Cleaning emergency detected. Temporary access granted."

"See?" Gomi said smugly as I rolled inside. "Told you it would work!"

"I can't believe that actually- wait, is that milk-dropping cow drone following me in?"

"Of course! Someone's gotta keep causing messes for you to clean up!"

"Gomi, no."

"Gomi, yes!"