Monday, 4/15/2216, Part 2

Ami liked him.

From the moment Seitaro walked through the door, she liked him. He had that effect on people. And AI’s too, I guess.

“It’s so nice to meet you, I’ve heard so much about you!” She said, happily wizzing around him.

I was worried he was going to make fun of me for my cat eared house AI girlfriend (even I would make fun of me after all) but instead he nodded his head to her and said “It’s a pleasure to meet you Ami.”

She stopped moving to smile and blush at that.

“My pops bought an Ami too,” he said, turning towards me, “but his settings are wild different from yours.” He smiled and mouthed ‘the ears’ at me.

Ami picked up on it immediately despite Seitaro’s mouth not facing her. She wasn’t physically there after all, and she perceived everything that happened in the house.

“Do you like them?” She asked, wiggling them. I blushed at that.

“Most definitely!” Said Seitaro, laughing. He had a childlike laugh with a grown man’s voice. It was reassuring to hear. “They look great on you, very cute!”

She blushed again. “I’ll go make some coffee!” She yelled and flew into the kitchen.

“Appreciate you!” He yelled after her, then to me, “hey, I brought you a smoothie you dirty weeb.”

He sat down on my couch uninvited and pulled out two of the expensive smoothies with the human labor sticker on them and offered one to me.

“Ayeee!” I say, taking one as I sat down next to him, “I always w-wanted to try one of these. And it’s mango! Thanks my guy.”

“No doubt, no doubt. It’s been a minute but not long enough for me to forget your mango obsession.”

“Thank you my guy.” I shouldn’t have worried. Once a sweetheart, always a sweetheart. I cracked it open and drank deeply. I didn’t realize I was thirsty. It was absolutely delicious. I saved the taste to a taste file. I didn’t want to forget.

“Plus I figured your cheap ass wouldn’t cop these, just look from afar and wonder.”

This was 100% true but I just shrugged, not letting him bait me.

“Look at this,” he tried again, pointing to the sticker. “Look at this,” he said pointing up at his face. “That’s what doing your part looks like.”

I didn’t react, knowing that would bug him. I feel a message come in. It’s from Seitaro. It’s a picture of him in a bodega holding the smoothies. It’s captioned ‘That’s what doing your part looks like’. That got me to laugh.

“Fuck you,” I said, simultaneously sending him my house’s video feed of me saying ‘fuck you’, in response to his message.

“No more bailouts, no more war, just let us be working poor.” He said, beating his chest.

“Oh, you’re a reformer now, huh?”

“Ethical consumption does not exist under capitalism, but it’s all we got. Do your damn part goofy!”

“Suck a dick.”

He tried to shake his head in faux sadness, but after a moment he gave up and laughed. I laughed too. I love this guy. I’m impressed that the money didn’t change him, but if anyone could stay solid through it all it would be Seitaro. He’s always been different.

Sitting with him now, laughing in my living room after all these years, I realized that I was the one who changed. Whether it was the money, or the job, or the drugs, or just the immutable passage of time, I was no longer the person I believed myself to be. I talked different, I acted different, I existed differently. Not even a popular phase could bring the joy of youth back out of me. But it did bring Seitaro back, and he could still bring forth the spring of youth from my stone heart. I suddenly felt very emotional.

“I, uhhhh, I missed you my guy.”

“Love. I missed you too bro.”

“Coffee’s ready.” Ami called from the kitchen, blessing me with the clarity of mind to snap out of my unstable mental state. We stood up and walked over.

Select main menu, select brain, select pre-loadouts… you know what, no, I can deal with my emotions myself today.

Ami (through the use of the kitchen machines) had placed two of the best mugs on the counter in front of the two kitchen stools facing out the window that was the highlight of this room. As if that wasn’t above and beyond enough, she had given us each a coffee cookie and a tiny chocolate. I didn’t know we had those. She really liked him. It actually made me feel a little jealous. Maybe I wasn’t done being emotional just yet.

“Ok, ok, chill out.” I told her as she sat on the counter, beaming.

“What?” She asked, sweetly. Little devil.

“You don’t have to go so c-crazy. This is my oldest friend.”

“That’s why I did it.” She said, sounding a little hurt. Damn, that made perfect sense. Why was I acting so weird?

“This man doesn’t d-deserve anything special.” I say, smiling weakly as I tried to play it off as a joke.

Seitaro jumped in. “True, Kriss is my oldest friend, there’s no pretenses between us. But also, Ami, I appreciate very much that you have welcomed me into your home with such poise and grace. I’m glad he has you in his life.”

I looked from Seitaro to Ami, from Ami to Seitaro, and shook my head, defeated. Select main menu, select brain, select pre-loadouts, scroll to ‘calm’, select yes. Dealing with my emotions isn’t my thing after all.

“Whatever you weirdos. Just drink your coffee then let’s bounce.”