Just an Application
Kuroko Tetsuya released a really big sigh as he sat slowly on his bed. His hand holding a blue-white Flash Disk which contained an application that was once, a really long time ago, given by his best friend, Aomine Daiki, and after that recommended again by his other best friend, Kise Ryōta. Kuroko closed his eyes. He had been playing basketball with Aomine and Kise and the rest of Generation of Miracles. But, it's in the middle of a breakdown as Aomine had discovered his talent and had been too over-confident about his skills that he didn't show up for practices. It was really making Kuroko falling in his own life. Especially with the fact no one is helping at all. He was never close to any girl but his mother and grandmother. He doesn't have any sister or cousin. The second and third string manager rarely come to the first string court. Asking the boys for comfort... He would like that but right then the problems were the boys, no way Kuroko can do that.
Kuroko laid on his bed. The flash disk he was holding was given way before he was even official in the basketball team, when Aomine and him was just a really close basketball partners who's in different strings. Kuroko then sat up right away again. Aomine gave it a long time ago yet only after around one or a half of year later he wanted to give it a try. Kuroko stood up and walked to his computer, sat down and turned the computer on. Entering the password and he inserted the flash disk.
Loading... Transferring file... Loading... Loading... Completed.
"What does Aomine-kun have in this flash disk that it started transferring right away?" Kuroko asked himself as he was actually surprised by the sudden pop-up. When he was about to open the file in his folder, the computer shut down. Kuroko's eyes widen and he looked around. A power outage? Nope. The TV sounds from downstairs where his grandmother was watching was loud and the lights are still on. When Kuroko took a look on his computer again it was on and was written,
Thank you for installing this application
Curious, Kuroko moved his mouse and the cursor appeared. Though Kuroko immediately jumped from his seat when suddenly a voice came out from the speaker, "Thank you for installing me, Kuroko-sama"
Not a second later a girl with long pink hair appeared on the screen. Wearing a totally pure white dress. Then her eyes opened to reveal a pair of pink orbs. Her movements doesn't lag. As if she was made and was meant to live inside the computer. Kuroko took his seat and move the cursor to the girl's head and clicked it. "I am zero-zero-two prototype. No codename. Made after zero-zero-one prototype, codename; Mai. I am merely an application but, I cannot be erased or cut or copy or paste. I can be moved to other devices using a connector if it is my master, Kuroko-sama, wish"
Kuroko was beyond surprised. Then he thought maybe she doesn't need things like speaker or voice transmitter or so. Kuroko spoke, "Zero-zero-two"
"Yes, Kuroko-sama?" The girl responded, emotionless face but no lag. Her voice was even so clear Kuroko didn't believe it was from the speaker.
But nonetheless Kuroko asked, "...how do you work?"
"More or less like Siri of iphone. If you order me I will certainly search it" Zero-zero-two answered. Then although only a tiny little bit, Kuroko felt like she gave a dark smirk. "Even to the deepest darkest ones."
Curiosity got Kuroko red-handed again as he said, "Give me an example"
"As you wish. Please give me a search request" The pink-haired asked as she walked to the left side of the monitor. Her white dress following her and not swinging around, like there was no wind around her.
"Generation of Miracles" Kuroko said. Once again, it felt like she gave a dark smirk.
"Please give me ten seconds Kuroko-sama" she responded. Kuroko counted to ten with in his heart, When he reaches ten, the voice came out "Generation of Miracles. More than one thousand result. Members, Coach, Breakdown, Weakness, Strong Points, Champions, Fans, The Emperor, Faults, Pairings. Which one to pinpoint Kuroko-sama?"
"Pairings?" Kuroko asked himself. But he was misunderstood by the application.
"Confirmed" The girl said as she nodded her head. Kuroko was saying 'Wait! I didn't mean to-' but it was too late when later pictures, videos and even fanfictions of things he didn't want to know popped up "There's AkaKuro, AoKuro, MuraMido, MuraAka and more. Would you like to read more Kuroko-sama?"
Kuroko didn't know how to respond, seriously. He just saw something his other team mates warned him not to see. Trying to sound as calm as he could Kuroko answered "...No. This is just to show how you work anyway"
"Understood" The girl respond and she sat on the right side of the monitor. Kuroko then thought of something, she's an application so does she like need food or drink or sleep like other games where we need to take care of them daily?
"Do you need anything... Zero-zero-two?" Kuroko asked. The girls stood again. Still as emotionless as she was when she started.
"I am merely an application made by Master Fujimaki. I need not food, not sleep, not drink. As long as Kuroko-sama uses me and not shut me down I will be fine" The girl said. Once again Kuroko just thought of it maybe, but it sounded like she pleaded it.
"Shut you down? You can be activated again, right?"
"...no. To 'shut down' application like me is the same as deleting. There won't even be a second chance like a trash bin" The girl said. Kuroko was silent, he knew she was just an application but why does it feels like she had feelings? It would be crazy if he just ask weird things like that. When Kuroko was in the middle of his mind war the app girl pleaded once more, "Kuroko-sama, I would like you to tell me everything you could that I could help. I could set up alarms or deliver messages or anything as so. Even download songs or movies and set up folders in orders. So please don't shut me down"
That was enough to make the Phantom of Generation of Miracles, Kuroko Tetsuya, to care for her.
A few weeks gone by. With Kuroko kept using Zero-Zero-Two, or maybe it was Zero-Zero-Two who was always offering to do something. Kuroko was growing a bit attached to her. He kept making sure he doesn't cross the line of course. So he kept doing what he could do for himself. He would move Zero-Zero-Two to his phone and make sure he doesn't shut her down. Zero-Zero-Two would put on his favourite songs when he put on his headphone, she would open up application and woke him up with her loud voice. Then he wouldn't turn his phone in school because he fears Zero-Zero-Two will shut down.
Now the Generation of Miracles were eating their lunch on the rooftop since the weather was kind of ice with enough cloud to block the sun. Aomine shouted, "BUT I REALLY SERIOUSLY WANTED THAT AIR JORDAN'S BASKETBALL SHOES!"
And sat back down to the floor. Akashi sighed. Midorima acted as he usually is. Murasakibara kept eating his snacks since he finished his lunch. Kise was giggling. Kuroko stared at his 'light' who was lazily eating his lunch. "Aomine-kun. Why did you shout so suddenly?"
"Yesterday that idiot" Aomine paused as he angrily pointed at Kise who stopped giggling and acted like a puppy asking for an apology "Showed me a really cool dark blue Air Jordan Basketball Shoes online. But I can't pay something THAT expensive"
Kuroko kept his stoic face. He stopped eating and took out his phone. It immediately open because of Zero-Zero-Two. She greeted him. Kuroko gave her a sign to not let out any voice. So a note came up.
Kuroko-sama? It's rare for you to use your phone in school time.
Kuroko excused himself from the group saying he have to accept a call and was given permission by The Emperor. Kuroko put on his headset and went to a corner talking with his lowest voice which he knew Zero-Zero-Two will be able to hear, "...zero-zero-two. Search the Air Jordan's Basketball shoes on online shops"
Zero-Zero-Two nodded her head. Five seconds later, three pictures popped out irregularly on the screen. It was pictures of basketball shoes. "I have pinpoint three. Black one, dark blue one and red one"
"The dark blue one" It took a few seconds but it opened neatly. Kuroko was a bit sad when he saw the price he sighed, "The price".
Kuroko didn't see it but for a little Zero-Zero-Two gave a really sad face as if she was sad because her master is sad. Then she saw the page in front of her again. Two word caught her eyes. 'Negotiation Accepted' Zero-Zero-Two waved her hand. "It's available with negotiations. Do you want me to do it Kuroko-sama?"
Kuroko saw the 'negotiation accepted' words next to the price that he had previously thought as the 'buy this item' button. Kuroko was a bit concern but then he thought of giving it a try anyway, "Please do. I won't be able to reach a price this high.
"Then please give me half an hour"
Kuroko didn't see it since he closed right away. But when he said "I'm counting on you" to Zero-Zero-Two she had blushed red. Kuroko walked back to the group and started to eat again. Kuroko was thinking about Zero-Zero-Two. He remembered when they first met she said she doesn't have a codename but Mai or Zero-Zero-One was given a codename. It probably hurts being called numbers forever. Kuroko started remembering the comforting things they have done. Kuroko then realised one thing. He never saw Zero-Zero-Two show any emotions but for a few glimpse when she was given an offer.
"Oi Tetsu!?" Aomine shouted. Kuroko snapped out of his daydream. He found himself that he wasn't eating and that the five basketball players were all looking at them, a tiny bit of concern on their eyes. Kuroko shook his head a bit.
"Yes Aomine-kun?"
"You've been daydreaming since few minutes ago" Akashi said as he closed his bento. Kuroko look down. "Kuroko, is there something wrong?"
Remembering his request to Zero-Zero-Two was supposed to be a surprise Kuroko said in a low voice "...nothing Akashi-kun"
Midorima scoffed and fixed his glasses while holding a yellow balloon "There's no way something could be wrong, Kuroko's sign is the first rank in Oha-Asa today-nanodayo"
"Maybe just some school stuff-ssu" Kise said as he waved his hands back and forth. But what Kuroko said surprised the five basketball players.
"Is it true that my sign is first today, Midorima-kun?"
Kise and Aomine had jumped to Kuroko screaming 'Kurokocchi!/Tetsu! You're not sick are you!?' while Kise was crying a bit. But, Kuroko's mind was on something else entirely. It's quite rare for Midorima-kun to mistake a rank on Oha-Asa so his rank is on first today, maybe the negotiations will go well? That was what Kuroko was thinking till he feels like he was out of breath. Then he remembered the two giants hugging him.
"I-I'm not s-sick. P-Please don't suffocate me" Kuroko said the best as he could.
Akashi glared at the Power Forward and Small Forward and said with a commanding voice, "Aomine, Kise. Stop."
"Kuro-chin~ Kuro-chin~" Murasakibara called. Murasakibara pointed to Kuroko's blue phone "Your phone was vibrating you know"
"Oh. Thank you Murasakibara-kun" Kuroko thanked him. Kuroko put on his headset. Immediatly Zero-zero-two gave a smiling face and showed a price that was reachable to Kuroko. Kuroko raised his eyebrow a little.
"Kuroko-sama, it was a bit faster than I expected. Is this price okay with you?" The pink beauty asked. Kuroko actually didn't believe she was able to reach that kind of price. Kuroko opened his note and texted down,
...this is more than okay, I'll take it. Can you arrange the payment, Zero-Zero-Two?
"I'll do it. Your Credit Card is connected here too. It will probably arrive three or four days later" Answered the girl. Kuroko gave another sincere smile once again. Kuroko then shut the phone down and followed the other basketball player to the class. Getting a bit playful punch along the way. They went talking about basketball related things. To their separate class.
Though...
Inside the silent darkness of the phone Zero-Zero-Two walked around. It wasn't actually dark inside. Around five applications were flying while the pink-haired girl was arranging the payment online. The white dress she was wearing was really plain but she was never bothered about it. The little tiny girl put her hand on her heart as she sighed. The payment was completed.
'I wonder if just doing this is enough? Cause I think I've crossed the boundary a little' The pink-haired girl said to herself. Sitting down on the pitch black floor Zero-Zero-Two touched the black screen where she usually saw her master face. The face that always made Zero-Zero-Two calm and anxious at the same time. Zero-Zero-Two leant on the black screen, as a tear run down her cheek. But disappear to the darkness under her.
Kuroko Tetsuya was limp on his bed. It was a seriously tiring day in school. He was happy that he got the basketball shoes but still his stamina really is not that high as the other prodigies. Kuroko took his phone out of his pocket and unlocked it. Zero-Zero-Two was standing with an emotionless face. Kuroko sat and called "Zero-zero-two?"
"Yes Kuroko-sama?" She responded.
And he asked it, the question that was on his mind since the lunch time in school "How come Mai have a name and you are just number?"
"A codename is given by the master itself" Zero-Zero-Two said with no hesitation. Kuroko then understand why. He had been calling her Zero-Zero-Two since they first met while the other application like her probably already acquire a nickname. Kuroko then thought of a name. Kuroko saw her pink hair. She was really feminine because she's pink so Kuroko can only thought of one name.
"Then... Momoi Satsuki. Momo for pink and Satsuki for blossom" Kuroko said bluntly. Momoi tilted her head as if she was confused. Kuroko said again to confirm it, "Momoi Satsuki. That's your codename. Understood?"
Unconsciously and for the very first time Momoi actually smile happily as she said "Confirmed!"
It struck Kuroko like a lighting bolt. She was very cute that he felt like he saw cherry blossoms appeared around her. Then the question that had been lingering since the first time they met popped out, "I've actually been meaning to ask... Satsuki.. could it be you have feelings?"
Momoi went silent. Her eyes hidden with her bangs. Kuroko furrowed his eyebrows, maybe he shouldn't have asked it. But it's too late to take it back, he couldn't change the past.
Then Kuroko heard her answer, "I'm sorry" Kuroko Tetsuya was officially confused. "Actually Kuroko-sama... I am a failed project"
"Failed?" Kuroko asked himself and her. Kuroko don't see anything wrong with her. No lagging, no wrong, no harm, no virus or anything like that. But for the first time around him, Kuroko felt a heavy air as if he need to get ready for what will happen. Kuroko saw Momoi gripped her white dress hard as if trying to hold something in. Then Momoi looked up.
"Application such as me and Mai, should not have feelings" Momoi marked it down. Kuroko went silent once more while Momoi continued, "Mai is free. She can move and shout and everything, but she does not have feelings. She smile, she cry but it's all just drama. Before this, I've been to around five master, yet none of them kept me because I have feelings"
"But I thought once you are shut down-"
"Yes. But what if I was transferred from a device of the first master to the second master" Kuroko thought about it. It's true. It is possible. "My master before Kuroko-sama was Dai-chan. But, Master Fujimaki, who made all of us, noticed Dai-chan already had Mai. So Dai-chan put me in a flash disk in a certain permission from Master Fujimaki and promised me he will give me a caring master..."
Kuroko was touched but he kept it hidden. He saw the sad face of Satsuki, Kuroko laid down. It's a bit too much to process so Kuroko tried asking something that will change the tense atmosphere "Do you know Kise Ryouta-kun?"
Suddenly Momoi jumped inside his phone, a bright smile on her face "Ki-chan!? How have he been? He loves being like a puppy to me. Also searching about himself in the internet. He's also-"
Kuroko stopped her. She can turn from sad to happy in a second? And wait... Searching about himself in the internet? Kuroko tried hard to hold his laughter or maybe giggles down, almost failed though. He was even thinking about black-mailing Kise, who knew when he will need it? THen one thing came across Kuroko, "-Satsuki, you know every detail?"
"...yes. Being Kise-san is my fourth master" Kuroko then thought. It's weird since Kise and Satsuki would actually be a nice pair. Why didn't he keep her? ...No. Kuroko is not at all jealous. At least that's what his mind said so. Who knew what his heart think?
"Why didn't he keep you?" Kuroko asked.
"He wanted to. But, Dai-chan stole me" Momoi answered. Kuroko deadpanned as he sweated a bit.
"Somehow I am not really surprised" Kuroko said. Then Kuroko saw the white plain dress Momoi was wearing. Then a thought came into his mind. "Satsuki... can you maybe 'get' inside an application and stole a bit of its program?"
Momoi was confused but then she thought about it. It should be possible with her intelligence of every installed programs inside a phone. Momoi nodded to her master. Almost suddenly, Kuroko went to the app store and downloaded a few 'dress-changing' games'. Momoi was a bit confused since Kuroko was downloading five app at once where it was all girly stuff and she doesn't know what her master will do about this. The download completed and Momoi was calming down a bit. Kuroko opened one of the app where it dresses up a girl for a ball. Momoi was inside the application, but not really inside it. Kuroko noticed and he ordered, "Satsuki, enter the application"
With a bit of hesitation Momoi entered the application. Then Momoi felt like she knew what her master was thinking. Kuroko dragged a pink roses ball gown and released on top of Momoi. Momoi was forced to wear it since it was what the application programmed to. "Do you like this one?"
Momoi shook her head, it's way too hard to move on. Kuroko smiled, because he knew she was at the least being honest to him. Kuroko changed application to a dress game and went to a lot more clothes. The last was a dress game to go to school. If nothing fits her here Kuroko will just give up probably. With all his thought put into it. Kuroko put on a brown vest, white shirt, black skirt, matching shoes on Momoi. "How about this?"
Momoi saw the clothes her master had put her on. She smiled as she scream that she loved it. Kuroko smiled "Now it's perfect. Can you take this clothes outside to the home screen?"
"I can! I never thought you would have an idea like this though Kuroko-sama!" Satsuki was seriously happy as she continue hopping around as the skirt and shirt and vest went along. Kuroko and Momoi started talking and the conversation continued. That night Kuroko learned lots of new things about this application of his.
And so the Generation of Miracles celebrated Aomine's birthday. He received a lot of 'interesting' things. Then Kuroko put a wrapped box on his desk, neatly with a blue bow. Kuroko smiled sincerely "Happy Birthday, Aomine-kun" The smile made Aomine suspicious, the others as well. Aomine opened the wrapper angrily as he was seriously curious. When he opened the box Aomine's eyes sparkled. Kise and Midorima were surprised.
"N-No way! This is Air Jordan's Basketball Shoes!" Aomine shouted. He took the pair and lifted it to the air as if it was something holy. Aomine turned his head "Where did you get it?"
"Online shopping" Kuroko smirked, although even Aomine didn't realise it. Kise saw it and tapped Kuroko's shoulder. Kuroko went outside of the classroom, following Kise, while they left the crazy Aomine. "What is it, Kise-kun?"
"Kurokocchi~ Can I see Zero-Zero-Two?" Kise asked as he pulled out his hand like asking for something. Kuroko was startled first but then he remembered that Kise was her fourth master, so it's no wonder he would know. Kuroko pulled out his phone and opened the password then gave it to the pouting puppy in front of him. Kise saw Momoi who was fixing her red ribbon. Kise's eyes sparkled. While inside the screen after Momoi finished fixing the red ribbon she looked up, hoping to see her current favourite master but found her fourth master instead.
"Ki-chan!" Momoi shouted.
"Wah! Zero-Zero-T-" Kise was cut by Kuroko.
"Her name is Momoi Satsuki. Kise-kun" Kuroko said as if he was really angry... the tone felt so. Kise saw Kuroko's protective side at least.
"Then... Momoicchi! You're so cute!" Kise praised. It was fortunate not many students saw this. Momoi smiled and gave a cute face. Kise was happy. Really. Kise smiled, he never saw her smiling like that so it actually assured him and made him jealous a bit since that means he's not that good of a master. Kise and Momoi went to the canteen and talked about a lot of things, including the tragedy where Aomine stole her from him. After enough eating Kise went back to the class.
Just on the door Kise and Momoi overheard Aomine and Kuroko talking, "I'm talking about shutting it down"
Momoi's eyes widen in horror. She saw Aomine sighed as he gave a troubled face, "It'll be troublesome but okay I'll find a new customer for you, after all you bought this for me"
Kise gasped and Momoi went silent.
On the way home Kuroko thought something was wrong. Usually Momoi would play a new song or a song he would like but Momoi was silent. Momoi kept silent even after Kuroko's command to speak up. Wanting to shut down Kuroko's phone for a while, Kuroko moved her to his computer where he can see her clearly on the monitor. Kuroko went away and shut down his phone. Kuroko had enough.
"Satsuki... what's wrong?"
"I don't want to..." He heard Momoi said and then saw all applications from his computer opening and closing. It was getting worse by time.
"Satsuki! Calm down!" Kuroko said in his monotone voice but in it was hinted worried. Instead of calming down Satsuki went even more hectic. Kuroko was trying to calm down himself. Lots of other windows started popping out 'Error', 'Error' and 'Error' and then disappeared and popped up again.
"How can I calm down!? You were about to shut me down!" Momoi cried. 2 dimension tears started overflowing. Kuroko was starting to panic. What to do when a girl cry? Just because of a misunderstanding. Momoi cried and the electricity wasn't going to hold out much. The CPU was starting to smoke. Kuroko kept saying 'Calm down. Calm down.' It made Momoi stopped a little but then started crying harder. A few seconds later she was crying 'Now Tetsu-kun hates me'. Kuroko's eyes widen. He never hates Momoi. Sometimes she annoyed him but he never hated her. Kuroko saw the CPU started smoking even more. With the agility he obtained from basketball, Kuroko connected his phone to the CPU with a cable.
Kuroko didn't want to but he needed to. Kuroko commanded, "Momoi Satsuki. Move"
In a flash Momoi moved to Kuroko's phone. Just in time the CPU shut down. Momoi stopped crying as she also saw Kuroko trying to turn the CPU on but to no avail. Momoi felt guilty. Kuroko had just saved her from disappearing, which she accuses he would the opposite, while Momoi had just broke his computer. Momoi's shoulder stiffen when she realised Kuroko had called her with her full name which made her feel a bit distant. It's not rare for Kuroko to call someone by their family or full name but to Momoi it is seriously rare. With a shaking voice Momoi called Kuroko, "Kuroko-sama"
And it felt like an arrow struck Kuroko's heart in a bad way. Maybe because Momoi answered him in a sad tone. Maybe it's because it's been so long since she last called him that and now it just feels wrong. Kuroko shivered at the thought of Momoi not calling him 'Kuroko-sama' anymore or her not being the cheerful person she is. Momoi gave her emotionless face. Trying to hide the tears that were running down before. Kuroko was sad, "I'm sorry"
"Eh?" was all that came out of Momoi's mouth. Unconsciously tears fell down again from her pink eyes. Kuroko hid his blue eyes within his bangs. Although from within he can see, only a glimpse, Momoi crying. It is truly a beautiful sight, but Kuroko don't want to see a 'sad' kind of beautiful from her. No. It's not what Kuroko want to see. He would rather see the always smiling Momoi who had always wake him up with a loud voice, bring present from online shopping and even downloaded new music which is to his preference. Being a gentlemen Kuroko was, he wanted to be the first one to apologise. But when he was about to open his mouth he heard Momoi say, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Tetsu-kun must've hated me now, right? It's just that. I don't want to disappear. I don't want to. I don't want to. I don't want you to shut me down. Please Tetsu-kun. I really don't want to"
Kuroko then thought about what Momoi meant by him shutting her down. Then he chuckled, "You can't mean when I said to Aomine-kun 'I'm thinking of shutting it down' do you, Satsuki?"
Momoi stopped crying when she saw her master on the other side of her screen. Momoi literally went to a slight smile since she was a bit relieved her master was smiling. Momoi muttered, "Y-yes"
"You misunderstood Satsuki. I was going to shut down my computer and sell it. I was thinking of buying a new one" Kuroko said. Satsuki was dumbfounded. The realisation came three seconds later where she screams out loud about how she was wrong to misunderstand what her own master was talking about. Kuroko chuckled once more as he saw the blushing face of his application. Then he felt something throbbing.
'This is bad. I think I had crossed the boundary. I fell in love with an application...'
"Tetsu-kun?" Momoi called. Kuroko shook his head and smiled at his lovely application. Then something unexpected came out...
"Tetsu-kun... I think I fell in love with you"
Since I'm a bad writer, I'll let you think of the ending yourself, okay?