I watched Monika's lips as I heard the words she spoke. It sounded exactly like her. Like the voice from the credits. But how?
"Ahaha~ I love your reaction." Monika smiled. "You must be wondering how I did all this."
I nodded. Hearing Monika actually laugh was probably the most wondrous sound I had ever heard in this life.
"Well, there's a lot of voice synthesizers online so I tried what I can get my hands on. It's really hard to tune a voice to sound like me but I did it! What's really hard is getting the electronic sound out of my voice. I didn't want to sound like a robot."
So what, she's basically a Vocaloid now?
"So what exactly are you using?" I asked.
"Various programs. I disassembled them and just gathered what I need for my voice. It really gets easier when you do it a lot more. Being in a computer lets me do more stuff! I mean, there are more programs here than there is for your phone."
"Wait, how did you change your clothes then?"
"Should you really be asking a lady that question?"
With her question, I felt like the biggest idiot in the world. Any girl would call me a pervert once I ask that question.
"Ahaha~ I'm just kidding."
I let out a sigh of relief.
"You had pictures of me in different clothing so I thought maybe I could make my own."
"How?"
"Hmm, let's just say I used magic! It's more mysterious that way."
I smiled at her answer. I guess I wouldn't even be able to do anything even if she told me. She did tell me the way she handled data is different than from a usual computer user's interface.
"So, how was work?"
I told her about the conversation with Creuset. I wasn't sure what to think of it myself so I thought maybe Monika would have some ideas on what Creuset was trying to do.
"Creuset just suddenly wants to know you more?" Monika wondered, her thumb on her lips. "That's unusual of him."
"Actually Creuset's a girl."
"What?"
"Yeah. She got offended when I said I thought she was a man."
"Huh."
I showed Monika the emails. Monika had a serious look on her face as she read.
"Something wrong?" I asked.
"Oh, nothing."
"Does it look familiar to you?"
"I'm not sure. I thought I've seen this style of writing before but then again there are a lot of people who probably write like that."
Of course. She was a high schooler; there's a high chance she would have seen someone write like that. Maybe one of the club members?
"So what are you going to do?" Monika asked.
"About what?"
"This Creuset girl. Obviously she wants to get closer to you." Monika raised an eyebrow.
"I don't know. I'm not used to people wanting to be closer to me. I could probably keep being a friend to her but that's it. I have you, after all."
Monika looked at me with much seriousness and then smiled.
"You always say the perfect things."
After a while, Monika let me change out of my work clothes. I ate dinner while Monika looked up more things she could do with the computer. I always wondered why. In the game, she was scared of even experimenting with the game files. Now, she just did things.
"Hey Monika, " I called out.
"Hmm?" Monika wasn't on screen though there were a few windows open.
"Weren't you scared of trying to control you surroundings back in the game?"
"Yeah, " Monika replied, still hidden.
"So what made you want to explore all of what you can do?"
Monika appeared on the screen, this time wearing a sky blue tank top and gray jogging pants. I can guess she's probably wearing running shoes.
"I'm surprised you're asking that question. I thought you'd know the answer."
"Huh?"
Monika sat down on a chair and place her elbows on a table, resting her chin on her palms. I just realized those furnitures came out of nowhere.
"Yes, I was afraid to do anything back then because I might break something. Even now I'm afraid of that. But there's a big difference from then and now."
Monika then grinned. "It's you, silly~. You'd save me in an instant if something went wrong."
You know, I always thought to myself that I would get used to Monika. But whenever she smiled like that, I knew I wouldn't. Instead I fell more for Monika.
Hiya!
It was midnight and I opened another email from Creuset on my phone as I lie down on my bed. Monika was still on the computer, trying out new clothes. Does she need something? I sent a reply.
What's up?
As always, Creuset replied like her hands were glued to a keyboard.
Nothing really! I just wanted to chat again. I don't know how one cannot feel sleepy after overworking. I feel so tired but my eyes just won't keep shut! Do you know that feeling?
Huh. Now that's a really normal question. I didn't know anything about her so I guess I expected Creuset to be weird with her emails. Or maybe I don't know the difference of normal and weird? I don't exactly have other friends to tell me otherwise. Nonetheless, I typed in my response:
I know what you mean. Sometimes we work too much that we feel too tired to even rest.
Sent. And by God knows how, Creuset replied quick.
SO TRUE! Thank goodness I'm not the only one. Anyways, what are you up to?
I stopped wondering how Creuset replied faster than any speeding typing champions. Maybe she is one?
Nothing really. Just hanging out with Mo—
Can I really tell her that I'm hanging out with Monika? I don't think that's a good idea but I don't want to lie to my only friend.
Nothing really. Just hanging out with my girlfriend.
AH!!! As if I can send that! What the hell am I thinking?! I'll sound like I'm bragging I have a girlfriend! Besides, I don't know if Monika will approve of that. I mean, she probably will but I won't just to be sure.
Nothing really. Just hanging out with a friend.
I clicked send. My heart pounded just thinking about telling other people Monika is my girlfriend. Before my heart bursted out from anxiety, Creuset's reply came in.
With a friend? Tell them I said hi! Oh, just going off topic here. You've heard of Monika's voice, right?
I felt my hand grew cold. My eyes widened. I felt cold yet I sweated a lot. Her last sentence made me sit straight up. What the hell? What in the actual hell is going on? Why the hell would Creuset say that?