R.I.P. Brainy

The bond between Issei and me has grown stronger over the last few days. And just like he promised, he successfully convinced Brainy to give us both some time off for the holidays. It's not like we're prisoners in this dating show, but she can be very demanding when she wants to be.

The small humanoid robot even had a backup plan; she was going to use the pre-recorded footage of Sam's past dates to keep the show on air during our absence. I'm not surprised; she takes the production of the show very seriously after all.

We didn't reveal our plans to Brainy, but I did tell Naomi that I will be spending Christmas Eve with Issei. She was so supportive of us and promised she would keep it a secret.

It's now noon, and I'm standing in front of Issei's house, which was situated in the middle of the snow-filled woods. I look silly, wearing a dress in a place like this; I scold myself for not checking the weather before arriving here.

 It started snowing too.

The house itself is black, two stories tall, sleek, and simple. The monochromatic exterior manages to fit perfectly with the white snow. While the design is minimalist, I think it perfectly represents Issei's personality—a man who appreciates simplicity and refinement.

The path that leads to the front door has been cleared. I can't help but notice the multitude of Christmas decorations scattered across the snow-covered terrain: trees made out of green, floating lights, holograms of Santa and his reindeer, and lots of presents.

Next to the house, I could see a flying vehicle parked next to a giant Christmas tree. However, the bird-like vehicle looked very familiar.

Is that Twinkle? 

At first glance, I was unsure, but as I drew closer, I realized with a doubt that it is indeed Naomi's vehicle! I wonder what she's doing here. We weren't supposed to be filming anything today after all.

As I'm making my way towards the entrance, my eyes are drawn to a trio of snowmen. Their cheerful faces are brought to life by the classic arrangement of carrots, sticks, and coal. It's such a cute scene!

The large one, standing tall and proud, most likely represents Issei himself, while the medium-sized one could be a representation of one of his daughters, and the small figure beside them has to be the youngest member of the family.

While I approach the front door, I am faced with a multitude of screens! Some were displaying the weather and time, while others seemed to be waiting for passwords or fingerprints. One screen in particular had caught my eye: It had a color wheel. 

Curiosity got the best of me, and I tapped it, selecting a random shade. 

Then suddenly, the whole house turned yellow!

"Oh no!"

I panicked for a second and quickly changed it back to black, hoping nobody had noticed. 

There was no doorbell in sight, so I just gave the door a couple of knocks and waited.

And waited, and waited... and waited...

After what felt like an hour, the door automatically opens, revealing Naomi's smiling face. She had on the same white lab coat that she had been wearing that first day we met.

"Airi!" Naomi greeted me excitedly. "Come in!"

"It's nice to see you again, Naomi." I say, confused. "But I think Issei must have given me the wrong address." I then access my menu to double-check.

"No, no, he gave you the right address!" She smiles, gesturing me to come in.

The interior of the house was no different from the outside; it was well decorated for Christmas as well. There were also plants of different shapes and sizes that were scattered around the hallway. The floor beneath my feet, which had the appearance of a shiny marble, reflected the bright light that streamed in through the big windows.

"Issei is going to be a little late, but he's given me the task to keep you company." Naomi spoke quietly.

"Why are you whispering?" I say as I walk closely behind her,

"Because—"

And before she had the opportunity to explain, a set of rapid footsteps echoed through the corridor of the house, interrupting our conversation. The sound grew louder until a young, blonde girl with blue eyes, the spitting image of Naomi herself, came into view. She wore a vibrant pink dress that was covered in white snowmen.

"Naomi, do we have visitors?"

Upon laying her eyes on me, the girl's expression changed. The joy was drained from her face, and it was now replaced by a look of fear.

"What is she doing here?" her voice trembling as she points a finger at me.

Huh?

The little girl then hides behind Naomi, clutching at her lab coat.

"Please, don't be scared," I say as I slowly drop down to my knees. "My name is Airi. What's your name?" The girl doesn't respond.

"Be nice to her, Yukako! She will be spending Christmas Eve with Issei." Naomi explains.

The little girl's eyes grew wide with anger. "He's ruined everything! I can't believe this! I HATE HIM! I HATE HIM. I HATE HIM," she exclaimed, her voice high-pitched.

Before I could even begin to process the outburst, she had dashed away from us, her footsteps echoing down the hallway. Naomi watched her with amusement.

"You'll have to excuse her behavior," Naomi sighs. "She's not always like this." The blonde woman turned to me, her gaze sympathetic.

"Is she...your daughter?" I decided to ask. "You two look very similar."

"Oh no!" Naomi lets out a laugh. "I'm actually her sister."

"Listen, I might not look my age, but I'm actually 319 years old. I'm way too young to be a mother!" She continues to laugh.

"Wait! So you're also from the past, just like me?" I stop and stare at her. "Why didn't you say anything until now?"

Naomi sighs and avoids eye contact.

"Let me guess, you've also known Issei before this dating show, too?" I shake my head while Naomi still avoids my gaze.

It was becoming evident that there was a shared history between Naomi and Issei. Were they ex-lovers? Maybe they were even married and got divorced? This is suspicious.

"The more I learn about him, the more I realize how much of a cheater he is." I roll my eyes, but Naomi doesn't reply. Why am I getting jealous all of a sudden anyway?

"Airi—"

"But don't worry, Naomi! I won't tell anyone." I nod. "I don't want you to get in trouble with your job." I say while she looks at me confused.

"I think it's best if Issei explains everything." Naomi laughs as she gestures for me to follow her further into the house.

"Stop right there!" 

A familiar voice could be heard from across the hallway. "You thought you could sneak out behind my back and meet here?"

It was Brainy! 

Oh, uh! I'm in trouble!

Naomi, however, wasn't pleased to see her. The blonde woman approaches the small humanoid robot and crosses her arms.

"You know what, Brainy? I'm getting tired of you! I was going to wait for Issei to arrive, but I've had enough of your temper tantrums!" 

Naomi then grabs her and unscrews her tiny head around a few times and throws it away. I screamed as loud as I could as I watched her head bounce off the glossy, hard floor.

Did I just witness Naomi committing murder? 

What do I do now?

 Should I run away, or should I call the Intergalactic Police first?

[Warning!] [Warning!]

[Emergency Protocol Initiated!]

[Warning!] [Warning!]

"Airi, please calm down!" Naomi chuckles.

"Brainy was just a remote-controlled humanoid. Basically a toy, look!" Naomi then throws what is left of Brainy's body away.

"Yukako, I know you're there! Come out!" the blonde woman shouts. 

After a few seconds, the little girl peeks in and comes in; her expression is full of guilt.

"Meet the real Brainy." Naomi points at Yukako. "She used to be a shy girl who had trouble socializing, so Issei got her that toy."

I'm speechless...

Just how many secrets are they keeping from me? And why do I have a feeling that Issei is the mastermind behind everything?

"Speak of the devil!" Naomi says as we both look towards the direction of the front door. Then Issei makes his grand appearance, flanked by my mother and father, who seem just as surprised to see me as I am to see them.