A/N: Here's Chapter Two of "Artificial Friendships!" Please read, review, and enjoy!
Artificial Friendships!
Chapter Two: An Awkward Dinner! Former Lovers Reunite?
"…Something the matter, pumpkin?"
"Huh?" Kiki nearly dropped her chopsticks as she looked up at her father's concerned eyes. "You seem kinda…out of it…"
"Indeed…" Kyoko nodded, her lips drooping into a concerned frown. "You're usually a lot more lively at the dinner table. but you seem rather…subdued this evening. Did something happen?"
"Oh, no, I'm just…lost in thought, that's all!" Kiki assured them, waving her hands in emphasis.
Makoto and Kyoko frowned as they turned to each other. They then silently nodded before Makoto turned to his eldest daughter.
"Okay, pumpkin. But remember, you can talk to us any time, okay?"
Kiki suppressed her sigh of relief as she nodded and smiled. "Yeah, Dad, I know that."
As Makoto nodded in turn, the Naegi family went back to their dinner. Kiki took her next bite as she once more became lost in turmoil, grappling with indecision.
I know she told me to keep them in the dark for now…but…why do I get the feeling that I should have told them…? I just…I don't know what to do…
"Hurry, Hajime!"
The former Reserve Course Student sweatdropped as his wife tugged him energetically by the wrist. "Hey, easy, Komaru! There's no need to rush."
"Sorry, it's just that you really need to see this!"
"…On the computer…?" What could be so important on the computer that she needed to pull me away from the kitchen while I was in the middle of making food? Hajime pondered as he was at last tugged into the office room and pushed into the chair. Man, she can be bossy sometimes… Hajime sighed as he asked "Okay, Komaru, what is it you needed to…show…me…?"
Hajime trailed off, his eyes widening in shock as he saw the sleeping face of his high school crush, floating in the middle of the monitor. Memories came rushing back of a time long since forgotten, tinged with both joy and shame as he stared at the avatar.
No…no way…this…this isn't…it's not possible. Wha…what's going on…?
"Oh, one moment, Hajime…" Komaru moved the mouse and clicked on the snooze bubble that expanded and retracted from the girl's mouth. "Chiaki? Chiaki, wake up!"
Chiaki?! So…it's true…? That's…really…Chiaki…?!
At last, the bubble popped, allowing Chiaki to yawn as her eyes fluttered open. "…Hey, hey! What's…going on?"
"Sorry, Chiaki. I just got Hajime here."
Chiaki's brow furrowed as she stared intensely at the former Reserve Course Student, making him squirm uncomfortably in his seat. At last, she smiled and nodded at him.
"Hajimemashite, Hajime-kun…I think."
Hajime sweatdropped, feeling his eyes become watery as his lips tugged into a smile. It…it's really you! It's really you, Chiaki!
Chiaki frowned in concern as she asked "Um…are you okay? Did I make you sad or something?"
Hajime shook his head and assured her "No, not at all. You just…remind me of someone very close to me…and I got a little emotional."
"Oh, that's good." Chiaki sighed in relief before Hajime's brow furrowed.
"Anyway, how'd you get into our home computer?"
Before Chiaki could answer, Komaru shook her head. "She said she doesn't' remember much other than her first name. Though she did say that she thought someone named Izuru could help."
"I-Izuru?!"
As Hajime's eyes widened in shock, Chiaki confirmed "Yeah, for some reason, the name Izuru is the only other thing I can remember right now. Do you know anyone named Izuru?"
"Izuru…" Hajime grimaced. "Izuru…is the name I used to go by, a long time ago."
"Oh, so you're Izuru?" Chiaki's eyes sparkled as she exclaimed "Then you can help me remember why I'm here…I think."
Hajime sweatdropped. "Well…maybe…but I'd have to dig into your programming and see if I could restore any code that you might have lost. Assuming of course that you're a computer program."
"Hmm…a computer program…" Chiaki hummed before she admitted "…That would make sense. It would explain how I ended up in a computer…I think." She nodded and smiled in assent at him. "Alright, ifyou think this is the right thing to do, then I'll trust you to examine my code. So do I just…go to sleep or something while you work…?"
"…You…you trust me to just open up your code? You'd be placing your life in my hands, Chiaki!" The last time your life was in my hands…I allowed you to get executed! How can you still trust me after that?!
As Hajime flashed back to his time in the Neo World Program, Chiaki nodded. "Of course I would. We've already established that you're Izuru, or you were Izuru, anyway. So…I'll trust you."
"Chiaki…" A single tear trickled down his cheek before he nodded solemnly. "Alright, just…go into…sleep mode…and I'll open up an IDE to examine your programming."
Nodding, Chiaki yawned before falling back asleep. As her avatar disappeared from view, Komaru turned worriedly towards her husband.
"Hajime…are you gonna be alright…?"
The former Reserve Course Student nodded. "Yeah…I have the Ultimate Programmer talent, so this should be okay. With any luck, I should be able to restore Chiaki's memory and find out why she got lost in our computer."
Komaru nodded as her husband began to search through the directories. "Alright…I'll leave you to figure this out while I make some dinner for you."
Hajime smiled appreciatively as his wife left the room. As he sighed, his eyes flared with determination.
Alright, time to crack this code!
"Konju!" Kiki hissed as she turned on the monitor, greeted by Junko's yawning face.
"…Wha…what is it…? Geez, can't a girl get some beauty sleep around here?"
"You'll have all night to sleep! Listen, my parents are already suspicious of you!"
"Huh? You didn't tell them about me, did you?"
Kiki sighed, admitting "No, but I just barely managed to avoid having to say anything. I don't know how much longer I can keep you a secret…or if I even should." Kiki's eyes narrowed angrily as she demanded "Konju, who are you…?"
Junko bit her lip, caught off guard by the corner Kiki had just pushed her into. Damn, no wonder she's Kiri's daughter. And she has Naegi's hidden fire, too! I gotta find a way to stall so I can come up with a plan! Racking her brain for a temporary solution, Junko settled on yawning "…Tomorrow. Let's just cool off for the night, okay? I'll answer your questions tomorrow in the morning, but for now, I need more sleep."
How does a computer program need to sleep…? Kiki sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Fine, but just stay off my screen until I call you, okay?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'll be as quiet as a mouse." Junko promised before she disappeared from the screen.
Kiki sighed in relief as she turned off the PC. "Well, better get in my pajamas and head to bed…"
"…Makoto…?"
"Hm?" Makoto turned to his wife and asked "What is it, Kyoko?"
The former detective bit her lip in hesitation before she asked "…Is it just me, or is Kiki acting…strange?"
Makoto's brow furrowed as he contemplated the matter. In truth, his daughter's spontaneous quietness at the dinner table concerned him, but he also didn't want to make a mountain out of a molehill.
"…I'll admit, it's a little strange. But I don't think it's a huge issue. It could just be nothing. She is almost a teenager, after all. Maybe her moody phase is just coming a little early."
Kyoko's brow furrowed in suspicion. "Maybe…I just…can't shake the feeling that…something's off…"
Makoto shrugged. "Well, let's not launch into a panic. Let's just…keep our eyes and ears open, and if she acts suspicious, then we can reevaluate. For now though, let's get a good night's sleep."
"…I guess…" Unconvinced, Kyoko nevertheless yawned and snuggled up to her husband. "Good night, Makoto. I love you."
"…Love you too…" Makoto yawned as his arms covered her in a protective embraced.
Their eyes slowly closed, allowing their consciousness to fade into their dreams and forget about their daughter's concerning behavior for the night.