The Perfect Solution
Steins;Gate
Chapter Four
2012.10.06 - 9:35 AM PDT
Saturday
I swear my public image has become quite tainted since I started talking to Amadeus Okabe. Even though he's kept his promise to not call me at work, there were plenty of times over the last two weeks when he called me at the worst of times. It be in the presence of co-workers or strangers. I also never knew how awkward it felt holding out a phone in front of you while walking down the street. Okabe wanted to see around LA, so I was stuck doing that. I did mention this to Maho and she said a voice only mode could be a consideration, but I hadn't heard anything else outside of that one comment.
Then one morning a parcel arrived at the door of my apartment. I wasn't expecting anything, so I didn't quite know what to expect. I open the box after I carry it inside. The enclosed item was quite strange. It looked like some sort of plastic microphone stand, but something seemed off. There was also an oval shaped imprint where the microphone would be. I had no idea what it was. I was tempted just to reseal the package and have it returned to sender. Unfortunately, curiosity got the best of me and I kept going. I grabbed a note I found included in the parcel. It read the following:
Your relationship seems to be at a standstill.
Why don't you give him a little peck on the lips?
Shake it up a bit. -Faris
Faris? Faris NyanNyan? That Faris? How did she get my address? What is this thing? What does she mean by "a peck on the lips"? I blush just thinking about it. I pull out my cell phone and call Faris. I didn't care what time it was in Japan. I needed answers now. Her phone rings a few times before she picks up.
"Kurisu-nya. Did you get the package-nya?"
"Oh yeah, I got it. You mind telling me what the heck this thing is?"
"What? You haven't already figured it out-nya? It's a device designed for long distance kissing-nya."
"Huh?!"
"You two have been dating over video chat for awhile now. Faris thought it was time to take the next step."
"Dating?! With who?! What are you talking about!?"
"With Kyouma-nya. Unless… you haven't already broken up with him, have you?"
"No… Well, since you… I'll call you back later."
"Hey, Faris isn't-"
I hang up, cutting her off in the process. I walk over and open my laptop. I hadn't used the PC version of Amadeus for awhile now. It wasn't nearly as finished as the phone app. I even had to enter a few lines of code just to get everything to load. When it did, my face popped up on the monitor. However, this wasn't the webcam. It was the Amadeus version of me. We looked at each other for a few seconds. Then the other me then finally broke the ice.
"I assume you called me for a reason."
"Why yes, I did. I just had a very concerning conversation with Faris on the phone."
"Isn't every conversation with Faris concerning?"
"Well, I guess. But this one was especially concerning. She just sent me this in the mail."
I held up the item out of its box to show her what I had received.
"What?! Faris seriously sent you that?! Did… did Daru tell her about it? I thought I told him I didn't want it."
I jerk back in surprise. She seemed to already know what this is.
"Daru told you about this? Why?"
I think about it briefly and come up with a scary conclusion.
"Wait… are you actually dating Okabe? I thought Faris was just messing with me."
"Huh?! F-Faris told you that too?!"
"Yes, now answer my question please."
"I… er… well… no. I-I'm not dating him. W-who would date that idiot?"
I was starting to get annoyed. All I wanted was an honest answer. Amadeus was clearly lying. She was blushing and getting all defensive. Then an all too familiar voice interrupted.
"Kurisu, did you forget that you're talking to yourself? Why are you still being so uptight?"
Then Okabe shuffled on screen. I couldn't believe it. He was listening in? How?
"Okabe?" My doppelganger blushed even more. She was clearly thinking the same thing I was. "How?"
"I don't know. I just appeared off-screen when you were pulled up. What's going on here?"
"I think I can answer that." A third voice spoke. Then Maho suddenly shuffled on screen too. The Amadeus version of me was starting to feel uncomfortable.
"Senpai? What's going on here?" She asked Maho.
"Ha. We're using a little feature I created called Party Mode."
"Party Mode?" Okabe questioned.
"Yeah. I made this so multiple people could be brought up on Amadeus at the same time. It just so happens I recently set this as the default and someone didn't turn it off."
The three of them look right at me. I didn't know quite what to say.
"Oh sorry. I didn't know."
"It's okay. I probably haven't had the chance to tell you yet." Maho said. "While we're at it, there's something I'd like to test."
Maho walks up to Okabe and shoved him a bit. His reaction was to be expected.
"Hey! What was that for?"
"Touch… touch is actually working. You felt that, right?"
"Of course I felt that. Why would you think…?"
Okabe's eyes widen. He seemed to understand what she was talking about. It hit me as well.
"Touch…? You can actually touch each other…?" I asked them. Maho nodded.
"Yep. I spent the longest time coding all this in the best way I could. Nice to see it all paid off. Though this is still in beta. Everyone should be careful."
Once she briefing all of us on what happened Maho turned back to me.
"Kurisu, what's that thing in your hand there? One of your friends sent it in the mail?"
I look over to my right hand. I was still holding the item I got from Faris. I quickly hide it behind my back.
"Oh, that? Well, I… er… you see…"
"It-It's a device meant for long distance kissing." The other me answers. "Faris must've somehow found out that Okabe and I are dating. She must've thought this was a nice present."
"What?! You and I are dating?!" Okabe shrieks. "I thought you just called me an idiot."
"Well, that was more of a reflex than anything else. That's not how I actually feel."
"Kurisu…" Okabe mutters my name. He was speechless. I probably looked like I was about to explode. Who does this girl think she is? She's revealing our big secret. In front of two other people. Including the man we love.
"That reminds me." Amadeus "Kurisu" continued. "You haven't called me Christina once throughout this whole talk. Why? Is there something wrong with you?"
Something snaps in my brain. She was right. In fact, Okabe hadn't called me anything but Kurisu for the better part of two weeks. I never noticed.
"No…" Okabe calmly answered. "After spending some time with your original, I decided I should act more mature. Besides my whole mad scientist side is mostly for the benefit of Mayuri. I don't think I need to tell you this, but she's not here."
"I see…"
The Amadeus vision of me trials off. I decided to step in.
"Okabe, did that encounter with my Mom really traumatize you that much?"
"Huh?" Amadeus "Kurisu" was taken back by this. "Okabe? Y-you met my Mom?"
"Why yes, I did guess I did. She was quite nice."
"Did she laugh?"
"What?"
"I'm asking did my Mom laugh when you introduced yourself as Hououin Kyouma? It's such a stupid name. I want to make sure she didn't take it seriously."
"I… I introduced myself as Okabe Rintarou. Why would I use that name at a time like that? We both know it would leave a bad impression."
"Since when you care about leaving a bad impression? Aren't you the one who goes around calling himself a mad scientist?"
"I stopped doing that once I started meeting your friends and family. Like I said, I'm trying act more mature."
My doppelganger just stared at him and then back at me. She was not happy.
"What have you done to him? Is this even Okabe anymore?"
"Here's a better question." I angrily suggested. What has he done to you? Shouldn't you be relieved? If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you enjoy being called Christina."
"Why you little…"
Amadeus "Kurisu" tried to come up with an adequate insult, but couldn't come up with anything. Then Maho breaks up our argument by suddenly reappearing on screen without warning. Frankly, I hadn't noticed she left.
"There. Done." She proudly stated before turning to me. "Kurisu, do you still have that device?"
"Yes, of course. Why do you ask?"
"Plug it into the laptop." She told me. "I just finished coding it into the touch function. You should give it a shot."
"Huh? What?" I begin to freak you serious? Why would I do that? No!"
"Kurisu…" My doppelganger addressed me by name. "I understand this is hard for you, but I know how you really feel. I think you should give it a try."
It was weird to hear my own voice say this. Okabe's face went red. I was so angry, yet I somehow managed to keep my mouth shut. Regardless, the other me got the message. She then scooted over to Maho.
"It's probably best to leave them alone." She told her. "Trust me on this one."
Maho nodded. The two of them turned to me.
"We're going to leave now." Maho announced to us. "You guys should use our absence to spend some more quality time. See you later."
They disappeared, leaving just Okabe and I.
"So…" Okabe awkwardly tries to start a conversation What's your favourite colour?"
"Red." I tell him bluntly.
More silence. This gave me more time to think. More time to analyze what I really wanted. I looked right at Okabe. I must've have blushed so hard. I couldn't believe I was about to do this.
"Close your eyes."
"What?" Okabe questioned me.
"You heard me. Close your eyes." I tell him this again. However, I could hear my tone getting out of hand. I was getting too angry. I take a deep breath and try to relax. Thankfully, I did manage to convince Okabe to do what I asked.
"There. I can't see a thing. What do you plan to do?"
"You'll see."
I take the USB cable for the device and I try to plug it into the laptop. I miss a few times which got Okabe's attention. He pulled off a cocky smile.
"You know Kurisu, just because I can't see what you're doing doesn't mean I can't hear what you're doing."
"Sh-shut up."
I finally get the cable plugged into the computer. I then hesitantly approach the mouthpiece and softly press my lips against the sensor. Okabe went pale. He nearly fainted.
"K-K-Kurisu… I didn't think you would actually do that."
"I'm… I'm full of surprises." The words barely escape my mouth. My Mom said something interesting after you hung up that one time. She said she thought you had a crush on me. Is that true?"
"It's a bit more than a crush, but yes, it's true. Do you feel the same? If not, it's okay."
"Ha. What a silly question. You really think I would've done that just now, if I didn't?"
"Well, I-"
My body was on autopilot. Without thinking I lean in and kiss him again. As Okabe recovered from this he proposed something that had been on my mind as well.
"You… you… want to give this whole dating thing a try?"
He asked this question and I snap back to reality. This was Okabe. Not only that, but I was quite busy working on my neuroscience research. Did I really want to get in a relationship with him right now?
"I… don't know. Give me more time to think it over."
"Sure. Take your time. Let me know when you've made a decision. Either way, I'll respect whatever you decide."
"Okabe…"
My doppelganger was right. Was this Okabe anymore? Did our two hours of banter every day really change him this much? Now he was all kind and considerate. All the time. Did I make him this way? Or has he always been this way but just kept it hidden from me?
"Anyway, I really don't have much more to add." Okabe told me. "You want me to hang up so you can think about this more?"
"That would be nice. Thank you."
"Don't mention it. Talk to you in a few hours."
He hangs up and I take a heavy sigh. I had a quite the decision to make.
******
(Chapter Five: Out Now!)