1.zip

Intense sounds filled the room. As well as the music being played by tinny speakers. Nevertheless, the atmosphere is fierce and heavy as if someone is in a battle.

That’s right, Tensain is in a battle of his life —— him versus the computer.

“Vhaw! Jah! Shaw!” that’s player two. And the character fighting for it is dressed in some kind of armor. A fantastical medieval armor painted in white with red accents. He has a broad sword in his hand and magic effects in the other.

“Jama! Jama! Jama!” that’s player one, controlled by Tensain. The character is wearing the opposite palette. He is dressed in black armor while holding a flaming rapier. Its movements and attack are far superior and swifter than its opponent. Not only that but the fighter is covered in dark flames but is not burned itself.

The health bar of player two is at a quarter while player one is half empty. It seems like player one is going to win, but not only because of that.

“Omae wa jama da!!”

The screen freezes to show the pre-ultimate animation triggered by Tensain. Player one sheathes his sword and stands menacingly.

Yes! I won! I will be the first player to beat the game’s ‘Fwoiz’ AI!

“Mite, ore no chikara! Shadou Warudo!! Kage wa todaeru!!!”

The speakers struggle to play the deep bass effect commanded by the game, but it sounds epic nonetheless.

“Let’s go!! Do it, Ramiel!! Do the ‘Jama Jama!’” Tensain excitedly shouts.

“Jama jama jama jama jama jama jama jama!!!” the fighter throws a barrage of punches while its opponent is frozen. “Jama!!!” a final, decisive uppercut lands on the opponent, but it doesn’t move from its place. That’s a game mechanic. “Kage wa mata shifuto suru.”

The almost-defeated opponent flops down to the ground.

Alright, the final move!!

“Ashiel!” “Ashieru!!”

His fighter taunts, “Just like what I’ve—”

“Reverse!!” the virtual enemy shouts.

“Whaaaat!!??” Tensain is appalled.

How did he live!? There’s no way he could activate his ultimate move during mine!

“You’re too late! Time shall flow in my favor!!”

The game reverses the events, including the attack moves, combos, and ultimates.

No!! His ‘Reverse’ is too overpowered!! It’s unfair!!

And now, the opponent’s health returns to its original, and its power level returns to full. This is a defeat for Tensain who only has his power level at half. He cannot use his ultimate.

I—is this why the AI didn’t do any special moves!? Just for this moment!!? I’ve been outsmarted by a mere computer, dammit!!

“Time Blade!!”

A blade shoots at Tensain’s character, but he quickly dodges. “Shadows!” Player one disappears into the ground.

“Fast Forward!!”

Then player one appears from the ground while player two teleports in front of him.

T—the AI is too smart! But not smart enough. With my power ‘Inverse,’ I can reverse the effects of ‘Burden,’ which makes gravity heavier and slows down the time.

“Stopwatch!!” player two brings out a pocket watch and everything but him freezes.

“Whaaaaaaaaaat!!??” Tensain screams, “what power is that!!??”

Ah, crap! I should have finished the anime!!

“Futile. Everything you do is futile. Ada! Ada ada ada ada ada ada ada ada ada ada ada ada ada ada ada ada ada ada ada ada ada ada ada ada!!!” player two launches a barrage of sword slashes against player one.

“K.O. Game over!”

“Ah!! Dammit!!” Tensain restrains himself from throwing the controller. “I was so close!! Literally, a pixel of a health bar left!! Of course, the AI had to choose the most overpowered character!”

He is wrong. In fact, the character he used is the most overpowered one. It is just his lack of skill, not luck.

Jumping into his bed, he sighs, “Agh, why are computers so good nowadays… Will they take over the world soon because humans are so stupid?”

At this time, he has graduated from high school. Having no goal, he starts working full-time at a nearby café shop. Renka visits the café often, not just for the coffee. And sometimes, she has a conversation with him about his future.

“Don’t you have any goal? Like some kind of dream job?” she asks with a concerned look.

Tensain sighs, “I really don’t. I can’t think of a single thing that I’d like to do…”

“Well, how bout the woman of your dreams? Wasn’t being a better person your goal?”

He sighs again, “I mean, didn’t I become one? Not to brag, but I became the top of the class through hard work, but nothing happened.” Tensain is troubled, “She didn’t appear. Maybe, she doesn’t exist at all.”

Ever since he graduated high school, he lost his cheeriness, jokiness, his laid-back nature. He has become so tense and worried about the future. But I have to help him somehow. I don’t want his hard work to go to waste because of some fictional woman. If she exists, then screw her! Bring my Tensai back!!

“Tensai, I know I’ve said this many times, but I’ll say it again. Please, move on. It’s a delusion. It’s not bad to have a dream in high school, but this dream doesn’t exist now. Don’t you like computers? Maybe take a course in computer science or something.”

“But, what’s the point? Everything I’ve lived for is for her.”

“Why do you speak as if she exists.”

“She does!”

They stare at each other for a moment.

“Don’t you believe me?”

Renka flinches.

“Do you think I’m some crazy person… all along?”

Oh no.

“N—no it’s not.”

“I knew it,” Tensai slowly stands from his chair.

“H—hey, where are you going?”

Tensai turns to go back into the staff room, “I’m going to work.”

I… I didn’t mean to hurt him in that way.

Conversations like this happened in a year. Tensain grows into hopelessness and despair while Renka becomes more and more concerned that she started feeling guilty.

I want his cheerfulness back. I want him to smile again.

***

Maybe… she never existed, and that dream is a figment of my imagination…

Tensain rolls over to look at the computer screen that flashes ‘AI Wins!’

Haaaa… why am I defeated in everything? At this rate, I might lose everything…

Hahaha! As if that’ll happen.

Gah! I’ll just research more on this AI!

But maybe I’m researching the wrong AI. I’ve been focused on the game’s AI, but if I study meticulously the works of every AI, then, I shall master this game’s Fwoiz!

And off he goes clicking his mouse and clacking his keyboard.

At the screen, a website preview appears as the first search result.

愛(ai) AI? What does that mean, Love AI? That’s an interesting name. I should learn more.

What he found out that day is something that will turn his life around.

I never knew this existed! I should have known it earlier!! Ah, well, it got released a month ago. But now, I’ve got a goal!

I’ll be a programmer!!

But, to his disappointment, it’s not some kind of open-source project, but a subscription service.

Well, I got a lot of money from working anyways. I hope it’s not a scam!

During the excitement of his epiphany, he devises a plan, though how crude it may be, he is confident that it will succeed.

The first step is that he will learn how to code.

And so he applies to multiple computer courses in college and elsewhere. He balances this with his work, where he is now only part-time.

***

A day after, Renka dines in the café, “Hey, you’ve been busy nowadays. I haven’t been seeing you working at the café. Is something interesting happening?”

Tensain smiles for the first time in a long time, “Yes, I’ve found my goal!”

“Really?” Wait, why does he suddenly have a goal. Could it be that he found a girlfriend?

“Yeah!”

“Do you want to chat for a while?”

“Ah,” Tensain looks outside the café's large windows. It was nighttime, about six in the evening. “Sorry, I’m kinda busy this night. I have a session to attend to.”

“Oh? May I ask what it is about?” I bet computer science.

“Well, it’s a session about AI building blocks. I can learn how to—”

A vibrating phone in Tensain’s pockets interrupts, “Ah! Sorry! I have to go now! Oh, wait—wait, what’s your order?”

“Latte.”

“Manager-san! Latte for Renka!”

“Alright, got it,” an older male employee responds. Goodness, he has to treat customers equally. She is special to him, isn’t she?

Then, Tensain busts out of the café.

“Hey, wait! The uniform… ah, he’s gone. Well, whatever, he’ll come back after,” the manager sighs while Renka giggles.

***

Fast forward to five years, Tensain is twenty-two years old, and Renka, twenty-one. Tensain has finished his Ph.D. in computer programming, while Renka is in her fifth year of a medical course. But, Tensain knows this is the beginning. He has more to learn, especially because of his goal’s difficulty.

During those years, Tensain quit his part-time work in the café to become a freelancer. This caused Tensain and Renka to drift apart slowly until destiny makes them meet again.

In a clinic, where Renka is a nurse-in-training, a man with carpal tunnel syndrome is admitted.

And Renka recognizes him at first sight, “Tensai?”

Tensain takes a while to respond, like a computer lagging, before he slowly raises his head to look at her. But he couldn’t recognize her. Tensain squints his eyes but fails to discern.

“Tensai, are you alright? You have large eyebags.”

In a weak voice, he answers, “W—who are you?”

“I’m Renka. Don’t you remember me?”

“Renka… Mirimi?”

“Yes! It’s me!”

“Oh… no way… it’s Mirimmfmfmfmfhh”

Renka rushes to hug his head, “You know how much I’ve missed you!”

“Ahmm mfff tsffuuf…”

Renka realizes that he couldn’t speak, “A—ah, sorry! I just got excited, haha!”

“…” Tensain slowly faces away, “I can feel them… you know?”

Renka sighs and smiles, “I know.”

After the unexpected reunion, Renka reprimands Tensain for not taking care of himself. She also imposes on him that she will visit his apartment to take care of him.

And, they arrive at a tower.

“I—Is this your apartment?”

“Yeah! That’s where I live!” Tensain says with a smug look.

“Don’t be so proud now. Look at yourself, you don’t look like you’re living in a high-end apartment!”

“Yeah, yeah, alright.”

They take the elevator to arrive at the apartment. Once they enter, the stench rushes outside hitting them straight on the face.

“Ugh!” Renka coughs a few before she speaks, “How long have you cleaned your room? Your junk even reaches the doorway here!”

“I—I’m sorry. I wasn’t expecting any guests.”

“Expecting guests!? This is expecting a garbage collector!”

For a week, Renka cleaned Tensain’s spacious apartment. Tensain volunteered to help, but she forbade him telling him to rest for the week and to stay away from any computers. So, Tensain repaid his gratitude by cooking her meals whenever she visited to clean.

And after a week, it’s finally sparkling clean, and they sit down to eat dinner prepared by Renka.

“All this you’ve accomplished,” Renka looks around seemingly proud of herself.

“Why are you looking so smug? This is my apartment, you know?”

“Then, who cleaned it?”

“…I could have cleaned it…”

“You won’t! Come on, let’s eat!”

Renka starts eating her share while Tensain warily scans the food.

“But, what’s this? Milk? I’m not a child!”

“That’s for your hollow bones.”

“Why vegetables? Those are boring.”

“You were literally going to die when I saw you.”

Then Tensain pokes the cooked fish with a fork as if it is some kind of poison, “I want real meat!”

“Tensai! Eat! Why are you acting like a child?”

Tensain sighs, “Fine, fine, but only if you feed me.”

Renka’s eyes go big, “E—eh?”

“You heard me. Feed me.”

“N—no! I’m not going to do that!”

Tensain opens his mouth in expectation, “Aaaaaaaaaaa—”

Then, Renka shoves a mouthful of fish into his mouth, “There!”

“Grwaghu!?” Tensain suffers as he chews down the fish. After he finishes, he whines, “Why didn’t you remove the bones? It hurts, you know?”

“Ah, sorry,” she grins.

“Why are you smiling!?”

Other than that, dinner went smoothly, and they start catching up and having their idle chatter, just like in the old days.

And Renka is finally going to ask the most important question which is lingering in her mind, “All of this, you’ve done. What’s it for?”

Tensain leaves the table without a word and returns with some kind of thick, metal disk. “This is what I am working for.”

“What’s this?”

Grinning, he sets it on the table and points at a flushed button, “Press that.”

Once she does, light shines brightly from the entire disk’s body. Then, a hologram of an egg appears.

“Woah! Is this a hologram?”

“Yep!” he proudly states.

“But, is this all?”

“What do you mean is that all? That took a while to build, you know?”

“You designed it?”

“W—well, I didn’t, but I assembled and programmed it!”

“So, basically, you used another’s work to place your work upon.”

“I—is there anything wrong about it? And besides, this isn’t all that it can do.”

“What else can it do?”

“Tap the egg.”

“T—tap? O—okay…” she lightly taps once, but nothing happens.

“You have to place intent, you know?”

“H—huh?”

“Just tap harder.”

She follows, and a crack forms on the egg. A sound effect is also played.

“O—oh! It’s about to hatch!”

They wait for a time.

“Hey, nothing is happening with this egg!” she complains.

Renka looks at Tensain who is silently giggling.

“H—hey! What’s funny?”

“N—nothing… Just tap on the egg more.”

“A—as you say so…”

Simultaneous cracking sounds are heard as she taps, and finally, the egg hatches to reveal a cat inside.

“W—woah! What’s this, a gacha game?” she asks.

“Not really. I placed the cat there beforehand.”

“But why a cat— oh, Mika!”

“Yeah.”

“You missed her, don’t you?”

Tensain’s face darkens, “Yeah…”

“I—I’m sorry for bringing it up.”

“N—no, it’s alright. You knew already, so it’s fine.”

Mika, the cat, died when Tensain was seventeen years old. She’ll never be forgotten.

“So, what does this hologram have to do with anything?” Renka asks.

“Remember the woman of my dreams?”

Wait… he still hasn’t moved on!?

“I made her in an app! Look!” he brings out his phone and shows his screen’s wallpaper. It is a beautiful, red-haired girl. She is leagues more beautiful than real humans because it isn’t real and it’s anime-styled.

“I—is this what she looked like in your dream?”

“No, I just made her animeified! I’ve been watching a lot of anime lately, so I figured that this would suit her better.”

Renka sighs, “So after all these years, you haven’t moved on?”

“Hm?”

“Nothing. So basically—”

Something hit her. She realizes something that is probably morally and fundamentally wrong.

I—is he trying to create life?

“H—hey, Mirimi, your face has gone a bit pale. You sick?” Tensain hovers his hand over her forehead, but Renka shoves it away.

“No, I’m fine. Let me ask something, who is that character to you?”

“T—this character? Don’t call her that! She has a name!”

She has a name, huh?

“Her name’s Monica-cha— no, Monica! And what she is to me… My girlfriend!” Tensain delightfully announces.

“Girlfriend… huh?” Renka weakly slams the table and stands up.

She is trembling as she struggles in hiding her emotions. She bows her head and turns away to hide her forming tears.

“Mirimi? Something wrong?”

With her voice cracking, she feigns a joyful tone, “A—ahh! I—I forgot I have nurse duty tonight. I—I have to go! See ya!” Renka swiftly leaves the apartment, as well as her dinner unfinished.

Hm? What went in her? She didn’t even finish her dinner. Ah, I have to eat it. It will be a waste.

I hate vegetables though. They’re so boring.