Second Thoughts
Most of the men in Tokyo owned persocoms. As a result: many women in Tokyo were left alone and lonely. This fact was not lost on a young man named Hideki Motosuwa. Many of these same lonely women came into Club Pleasure where he worked. Some would look at him with what he could only describe as longing and desire though they did try to be discreet. At first Hideki resisted the temptation; remembering the promise he had made to his own persocom Chi.
Hideki passed his entrance exams and enrolled in college. He moved to a new apartment but kept his part-time job at Club Pleasure. His work and his studies took up most of his time. His free time he spent with Chi.
Lonely women came into Club Pleasure every night (usually in groups) and most of them were young and pretty. Hideki wondered why so many men preferred persocoms to real women. He also wondered why he was with a persocom instead of a real woman. Still, he stayed strong; remembering his promise.
Some of the women in the club began to do more than just glance longingly at him. Sometimes they would bump into him as if by accident as they walked by. The feel of their hand or arm or whatever part was touching him sent a jolt of electricity through his body. Sometimes they would lean in close to him and whisper seductively into his ear when they were ordering a drink. Sometimes they would make suggestive remarks or offered to rub his shoulders. Hideki is an excitable person so these little encounters were sending him over the edge.
As Hideki began to age and mature, he realized that Chi would always be mentally and emotionally a child. He was becoming disenchanted with Chi and felt their relationship had stagnated. He began to make excuses: I was young and naïve when I made that promise. I was forced into it. I was emotionally unstable at the time. So much was happening all at once. I couldn't think straight… and so on…
One evening at Club Pleasure, Hideki's resistance broke down. He went out with a woman after his shift and one thing led to another; if you know what I mean. His first intimate experience with a real woman was satisfying but merely whet his appetite. He began to date real women more often; coming home later and later. Chi would greet him cheerfully at the door of his apartment with a smile and a hug no matter what time he came home. She never asked where he was or what he had been doing. He felt sad and ashamed when he looked into her pure, innocent and trusting eyes. I can't be expected to go my whole life without sex, can I? he rationalized.
Saki walked into Club Pleasure one evening. Hideki watched her as she and some friends sat at a table in the center of the room then walked over to take their order. When Saki smiled at him it sent a thrill up and down his spine. She was the girl of his dreams. She was everything he ever wanted. She had short dark hair, a pretty round face and brown eyes, a small curvy body and a cheerful, bubbly and very friendly personality. He thought about her for days and days and wondered if he would ever see her again. He couldn't get her out of his mind.
Saki came into the club with her friends a week later. Hideki waited on their table. She slipped her phone number into his hand as she was walking to the restroom. He spent the rest of that night and most of the next day debating whether or not to call her. Finally he called her and they went out on a date. Then they went on another date and another and another until they were dating each other exclusively. Hideki began to have thoughts of marriage but didn't know what to do about Chi and the promise he had made.
People don't make that kind of promise to their car or TV or microwave, he reasoned with himself, but cars don't look at you with innocent trusting eyes and TVs don't greet you with a smile and a hug when you get home and microwaves don't care. Oh! What am I going to do?!
Saki was aware of Hideki's three persocoms. That was not unusual; everyone she knew had persocoms. Chi had met Saki several times, but she thought she was just another human friend who came to the apartment to see Hideki and nothing more. Chi had no concept of lying and even if somebody tried to explain it to her she would not have understood.
Yumi was a young woman who worked with Hideki at Club Pleasure. When she noticed that Hideki was dating real women she was very pleased because she hated persocoms. Yumi liked Saki as soon as they met and they became good friends. Yumi's husband Ueda and Hideki were very good friends and Hideki often sought Ueda's advice. When Hideki went to Ueda to ask him about the decision he was trying to make, Ueda advised Hideki in a way that he knew would make Yumi happy. This is what he said, "If you find a real woman who really loves you; you should choose the real woman."
Hideki was a conscientious person who weighed all sides of an issue before making a decision. He thought about his problem for many days and even weeks. He knew Saki loved him because of the way she looked at him, the way she spoke to him and the things she did for him. He also knew he loved her too, but there was still the matter Chi and the promise. Hideki was honest and took promises seriously.
After a long fight with himself; Hideki came to a decision. He proposed to Saki and she said yes. It was the happiest day of his life and it was also the saddest day of his life.
Hideki kissed Saki goodnight and left her at her home then took a long anxious walk back to his apartment. Chi greeted him with her usual smile and hug and he held her for a long while as he struggled with his inner feelings.
"Goodbye Chi."
"Is Hideki leaving?"
"No, Chi, you are."
"Chi is leaving?"
"Yes."
"Where is Chi going?"
"I don't know."
"Chi does not understand."
Hideki put a hand between Chi's legs.
"I'm sorry, Chi."
"Chi?"
Hideki thrust his finger deep inside and…
… Click!
Seven years later…
"Good morning, Hideki. I brought you some coffee and a newspaper."
"Thank you, Yoshiko."
"You're welcome."
"Yoshiko, Saki is sleeping in today. Please do not disturb her."
"Yes, Hideki, Saki told me last night."
"Very good. Are Daiki and Reika awake?"
"Yes, the children are eating breakfast in the kitchen."
"Very good."
Hideki cast a sidelong glance at his one-of-a-kind persocom. Sometimes he still felt a tinge of guilt when he saw her. He wondered if there might still be a trace of Chi left on her hard-drive.
"Yoshiko? Are you happy?"
"Yes, Hideki, I am happy."
"Is there something you want to do or someplace you would like to go or anything you need?"
"No, Hideki, I have everything I need or want right here."
"Good, I'm glad."
Hideki opened up the newspaper and began to read.
"Hideki?"
"Hmm?"
"Why do you ask me those same questions every day?"
Hideki lowered his newspaper.
"Well I…"
Daiki and Reika ran into the room. Each child held on tightly to one of Yoshiko's legs. Their loud chatter filled the room. Yoshiko shushed them.
"Daiki? Reika? Did you finish your cereal?"
"Yes, Yoshiko."
"Did you put your bowls in the sink?"
"Yes, Yoshiko."
"Did you wash your hands and brush your teeth?"
"Yes, Yoshiko."
"Very good; put your coats on; it's cold outside."
"Yes, Yoshiko."
Hideki got up off the couch and walked over to the door then squatted down to give his children a hug to a chorus of, "Goodbye Daddy!"
Hideki gave his children the usual morning instructions then lingered in the doorway to watch them walking hand-in-hand with Yoshiko down the sidewalk.
Hideki took his coffee cup to the kitchen and put it in the sink then donned his coat and hat, picked up his briefcase, tucked the folded newspaper under his arm and walked out the door.
The End