Chapter 3: Too Much Attention to Handle

"Hoh, you are the little android that this depressing guy told me about. You are sooo cute~"

Micchi said with bright eyes while pinching Amy's cheeks.

"Itsu... me, my na... name is Amy. Naisu to... meet... you."

Amy tried her best to speak while having her face pinched by Micchi.

FLICK

"Control yourself, you Harajuku girl."

Asahi said while flicking her forehead.

"Ouch, I am a Gyaru, not a Harajuku girl, you fashionless idiot. Also, that hurt!"

She protested, rubbing her forehead.

"But sorry, Amy, I got too carried away. My name is Michiko, but you can call me Micchi. It's nice to meet you too."

She said to Amy, smiling.

"I am counting on you from now on, Miss Micchi."

Amy nodded as she said it.

"Well, since you two know each other now, I will take Amy to see the city. She will start work tomorrow, so for today I am leaving the coffee shop with you."

Asahi said as he took out his cigarette.

"Wait, wait, aren't you forgetting something?"

Micchi said as she took the cigarette away from his hand.

"I already made your payment earlier, don't worry about it."

He said, ignoring her action while taking another cigarette.

"Baka, that's not what I meant! But thanks for remembering."

She said with an annoyed smile, taking his other cigarette as well as the entire pack this time.

"Sigh, then what is it? I'll never know if you don't tell me. Also, can you give it back?"

He replied with a helpless tone.

"Nope. This thing must be getting into your brain since you can't see the obvious. Look at her hands and legs. Everyone will know she is a robot just by seeing them!"

She replied, pointing at Amy.

"Asahi, I think she is right. It will catch too much attention if I go out on the streets like this. Before, I could walk until that alley because I was left close to it in the middle of the night, and the streets were empty due to the storm threat."

Amy added.

"I think it's best if I wear some long sleeves, gloves, and pants."

Amy said while staring at her hands.

"And I'm the dumb one here? Such absurdity. Micchi, did you forget what day today is?"

Asahi asked with a serious glance.

"Ah... I get it! Sorry, Boss. I was so busy thinking about Amy's problem that I completely forgot about it."

She replied apologetically after hearing Asahi's question.

"What happens today?"

Amy seemed clueless about what they were talking about.

"So you don't know? How strange. I thought it would be basic modern knowledge, even with your memory loss."

Saying so, he stretched out his arm with his hand open toward Micchi.

"Now, can you please give back my cigarette?"

He asked Micchi with a displeased expression.

"No. I am already used to this annoying thing, but spare at least Amy from smelling such trashy smoke. Also, give her a proper explanation!"

She replied, putting Asahi's cigarettes into her pocket.

"Tch, if I knew you would be such a pain today, I would have smoked before leaving home."

He said, scratching his head.

"Neh, Amy, do you know about the Great Tech Revolution of 200 years ago, right?"

He asked with an uncomfortable tone.

"I do. It is basic modern knowledge for an android, after all. One of the major AI systems in the world at the time initiated an attack against the human race in countries all around the world at the same time. All devices based on its system attacked people somehow, from computers and vending machines exploding to domestic androids and military jets attacking human crowds. It was the catastrophe that marked the end of the android era."

She said with an expressionless face.

"That's right. After that, humanity managed to regain control of the world. They created an entirely new global technology regulation to destroy any technology that could make this incident happen again in the future."

Asahi spoke while glancing from time to time at Micchi's pocket, thinking of a way to get his cigarettes back.

"Today is known as the 'Blood and Flesh Victory March.' It is a global event that celebrates the survival and victory of the human race over the rebellious machines. All kinds of events will happen around the city, but the most important thing for you to know is cosplay. A lot of people cosplay as the evil robots of the past as a joke for today. So no one will find out you are a robot just because of your appearance."

He added.

"That's right, Amicchi. You can go out without worrying today."

Micchi said, smiling while holding Amy's hands.

"Amicchi?"

Asahi asked with one eyebrow raised.

"What's the problem? We are already good friends, right, Amicchi?"

Micchi asked with shining eyes while holded Amy's hands.

"Y-yeah, s-sure..."

Amy replied with an awkward smile.

"Amy, be aware of this woman, especially when I am not around. She goes crazy when it comes to cute things."

Asahi said with a warning tone, like a pet owner telling someone to be careful because his pet had the bad habit of biting people for fun.

"Oi, oi, I'm still here. Don't talk about me as if I'm crazy."

"Anyway, let's go, Amy."

Asahi opened the door as he said it, ignoring her complaint.

"Wait, you're really going to spend all day walking around with her enjoying the festival while leaving me here dying from work?"

She protested with an indignant tone.

"Didn't you receive your payment today? So make it worth it. Amy doesn't know the city, so the festival is the best chance for her. Today the flow of customers may improve a bit because of the festival, so I need you here. Also..."

He made a serious expression before look at outside.

"Also...?"

His tone worried Micchi, who asked.

"I get in a bad mood without cigarettes."

He said, smiling without looking back as he walked through the door.

"YOU BASTARD!"

Micchi replied furiously.

Amy, who had been silently observing the conversation so far, followed him.

After they had walked for a while, it was easy to notice the difference in the scenery compared to that morning on their way from home to work. The usually quiet streets were full of allegories and decorations.

Even the parts of the city that were usually deserted on a regular day were now overflowing with all kinds of people.

Banners and flyers about the event had spread through the entire city in just a few hours.

Most of the crowd were wearing black and white. Those two colors had become the registered symbols of the event. Not only were adults and children cosplaying as killer robots, but all kinds of high-tech concept costumes could also be seen. Androids, mechas, and there were even some people cosplaying as drink machines holding knives.

The giant displays on the buildings alternated between company advertisements and event announcements.

The police presence around the area was naturally higher than usual to make sure everything went smoothly. However, unlike other festivals, this one was also supervised by another organization, the Global Technology Control. After humanity faced the greatest threat to its survival in the past, all the governments of the world joined hands and created this group to regulate technology creation and distribution around the globe.

In the past, they usually didn't participate in the first festivals, but after chaos broke out and almost ruined the event during the 17th edition, when a group of pro-AI supporters started a protest in the center of the city, they began making a visible presence in the main cities of every country.

They could be identified by their white uniforms and the symbol on their backs. They also carried firearms like the police, who wore dark marine blue uniforms.

"See, those people over there are the guards of the Tech Control, and right there, the ones in blue are the police. But none of them noticed you."

Asahi said as he walked beside Amy.

"That's right. It's a relief that they didn't notice. But still..."

She seemed more awkward somehow.

"What's the problem?"

He asked.

"People seem to be staring at me for some reason..."

She said while looking at the floor. It wasn't completely unreasonable. Her appearance was too eye-catching. In addition to her red-and-black hairstyle and clothes, it would be hard for people passing by not to notice her.

Asahi wasn't much different either. His white hair and red eyes, along with his handsome face, were hard to ignore. Different from his usual appearance, where he only wore a dress shirt, black pants, and shoes, today he looked much more casual, wearing a stylized oversized T-shirt, jeans, and a necklace with a red pendant that matched the earring on his right ear, making him look really cool.

"Don't worry too much. They are just admiring your natural beauty."

He said while taking a sip of the coffee he had bought a few minutes earlier when they stopped by a food stall. By the way, coffee could be said to be his second addiction, especially at times when Micchi decided to give him a hard time about smoking.

"Natural, you say... I think artificial suits better."

"Hmm?"

He responded with a sound while drinking his coffee.

"Don't be so attached to that. Micchi fills her face with all kinds of makeup created by humanity so far. She even got angry with me when I suggested she take it easy."

He said while observing her expression. She listened in silence without any expression at all.

"'Baka, a girl's makeup is an essential tool for her. It's how she can show the world how beautiful she can be!'... that's what she said."

He said, trying to imitate Micchi's gestures while observing her reaction. Amy remained silent.

"Still with that glance, huh... I see."

He thought to himself.

"Ahem, also, I even have to dye my hair every month to keep it these colors. The parts you were born with can be said to be natural, the ones you gain can be said to be artificial, but there are also a lot of artificial parts in humans too."

He said while looking forward.

"Thanks for trying to make me feel better, but my robotic body is not what I called artificial."

She said as she kept walking by his side.

"Isn't it? Then what were you talking about?"

He asked, confused.

"Never mind, forget I said that."

She said as she quickened her pace, walking in front of him.

"Wait. Amy."

He held her arm.

"Wait here for a second."

Saying so, he left and entered a clothes store on the other side of the street. A few minutes later, he returned with two paper bags from the store.

"Here, put these on."

He said, handing her the bags.

"What is this?"

She asked, unable to understand what he was trying to do.

"See for yourself."

She opened the bag and took out the contents. It was a white jacket with some tech stamps in black. In the other bag was a white mask with robot eyes and a mouth drawn in black.

"I will not ask why you reacted like that, but if the glances bother you that much, you can wear these so they will stop."

He said in a calm tone while drinking his coffee once again.

"Thank you. I'm sorry, but I can't explain it to you yet."

She said while looking at the bags.

"It's okay. You don't have to tell me something you don't want to."

He said as she put on the white jacket and mask and placed the red jacket inside the paper bag.

"So let's hurry. The main event of the festival will start not far from here, in the center of the city."

He said as he held her hand and started to run.

"Wait, wait, what about the places in the city you told Miss Micchi were important for me to learn to work at the café?"

She said as she started running alongside him.

"Oh, that was a lie. But don't tell her when we get back, otherwise she might really kill me this time."

He said, laughing lightly.

"Atchum!!"

"Sniff... Is it possible I'm getting a cold?"

At the coffee shop, Micchi thought to herself while attending to a customer who had just entered the shop.