A/N: Here's the third chapter of "Artificial Friendships!" Please read, review, and enjoy!

Artificial Friendships!

Chapter Three: Hajime's Lovers Bond!

Komaru groaned as her eyes fluttered open. She yawned, stretching her arms as she blinked away the haziness in her eyes.

"…Good…good morning…Hajime…" Now more awake and aware, her brow furrowed as she saw that the spot next to her on the bed was completely empty, the sheets completely undisturbed. "Hajime…? He…never came to bed last night?"

As the gears turned in her head, Komaru groaned and swung her legs over the bed. "Damn…you worked all night on that Chiaki AI, didn't you?"

With a heavy sigh, she got to her feet and smoothed out the folds and creases in her nightgown. Her hands settled on her barely present baby bump before she let them fall.

"I know this is important…but both of us going to bed on time is important too." She grumbled as she opened the door and walked out of her bedroom. "I don't want our baby thinking their Dad is a workaholic who doesn't have time for them…"

"Zzz…" Komaru's lips closed, her frustrated scolding fading from her mind as she saw Hajime sitting at the computer.

His arms were folded in front of him, cushioning his head as his eyes were shut. His back was heavily slouched, causing his wife to frown in worry at his bad posture.

"…He was up all night…" Komaru turned her head towards the monitor, staring at AI Chiaki's guilt-ridden face. "He was absolutely determined to get my memory back. I tried to convince him to get some sleep, that my memory could wait a night, but he wouldn't have it."

Hajime… Komaru lamented. You still love Chiaki, don't you? I guess it's only natural. She was your high school crush, after all. And given how she died…I guess I can't blame you for working so hard to restore the memory of this program that has her face and voice…

"Ano…is everything okay?" Chiaki frowned worriedly at Komaru. "Am I…causing problems for you two…?"

"Oh, no, not at all!" Komaru faked a smile, hiding her internal dilemma from the AI. "I was just, lost in thought, that's all." She grabbed a nearby chair and pulled it over next to the slumbering Hajime. As she sat down, she continued "I was just worried about Hajime never coming to bed…but he can be stubborn sometimes…I guess that comes with being an Ultimate Everything."

"Yeah, I guess you're right…" Chiaki giggled.

"Hey, I've been wondering something…" Komaru hummed as she chose her words carefully. "You're based off the real Chiaki Nanami, right?"

"That is my understanding, yes." Chiaki nodded.

"Then…I know you still have amnesia, but…did you have any of the original Chiaki's memories?"

Chiaki shook her head. "No, sorry. Even without taking my amnesia into account, I'm still just an AI. I'm not a perfect replica; I'm not gonna have her memories, too."

"Oh, I see…that makes sense, I guess."

"But I was given her approximate personality. And thanks ot Hajime, I already have some of my memories back."

Komaru's eyes lit up excitedly. "Really? What of?"

"Well…I remember…this archipelago. It was called…Jabberwock Island. It's still pretty vague, but I remember meeting Hajime and fourteen others on that island."

Komaru's brow furrowed as she pondered Jabberwock Island…why is this sounding really familiar…?

A soft groaning interrupted Komaru's thoughts as she saw her husband begin to stir. He lethargically lifted his head form his arms as his eyes fluttered open and his mouth let out a big yawn.

"…Wha…what happened…?"

"You fell asleep at the computer, Hinata."

Hajime gulped, now wide awake as he nervously turned his head. His wife glared at him, resting her hands on her hips as she gave a scolding frown.

"I told you to go to bed, but you didn't listen…I think." Chiaki playfully joined in.

Being scolded by my wife and the digital image of my former lover…the universe must really have it out for me! Hajime sighed as he apologized "I'm sorry…I should have called it a night…"

"Apology accepted." Komaru smiled at him. "Now, go and make yourself some coffee. You still have work to do, right?"

Hajime nodded and slowly stood up, yawning as he walked out of the room. With her husband temporarily absent, Komaru took his seat and smiled at the AI.

"So, tell me more about your memories on Jabberwock Island…"

The tension at the dinner table in the Naegi Manor was so thick, one could cut it with a butter knife. Kiki stared down at her plate, picking at her eggs with her fork as her siblings stared at her with concern. Her parents, however, wore forced smiles as Makoto cleared his throat.

"So, Kiki, you feeling better?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I guess so…" She muttered, testing Kyoko's ability to hide her true emotions.

Forcing herself to nod in acceptance, she replied "That's good…I'm glad to hear that."

Kiki nodded as she finished her breakfast. "I'm going back to my room after I put my dishes in the sink."

Makoto and Kyoko nodded as Kiki stood up and took her plate and silverware out of the kitchen.

"Something's wrong…" Kyoko whispered in Makoto's ear as to not alert their remaining children to their true worries. "I don't think this is just teenage hormones…"

Makoto nodded reluctantly. "Yeah…I think you're right…I think we need to get someone outside of just us to get to the bottom of this. I'm not sure she'll tell us; sometimes teenagers can be afraid to tell their parents when something's bothering them…"

Kyoko reluctantly nodded, conceding Makoto's point. "I'll give Hajime a call. Maybe he can coax the truth out of her-"

"Hey, Mom, Dad?" Koto questioned as he and Kiri stared curiously at them.

"What are you guys whispering about?" Kiri prodded.

"Just Mommy and Daddy stuff, nothing you need to worry about." I hope…

Makoto nodded in agreement with his wife. "Eat the rest of your breakfast, you three."

Koto and Kiri groaned before they went back to their dinner. Mokubo meanwhile stared curiously at his parents as Kyoko pulled out her cell phone and began tapping the screen.

Kiki locked the door upon closing it behind her. I can't believe I'm locking my own door…I've never felt so paranoid in my life…what's happening to me?

She shook the thought away as she sat down at her computer and turned on the power. Once the monitor flashed to life and her desktop booted up, she hissed at the screen.

"Konju…Konju…are you there?"

As she finished her hissing, a window opened and Junko's face materialized into view. She yawned before shaking away her fatigue and smiling at the young girl.

"Oh, hey Kiki. About time you called for me; I was getting super bored in your PC."

"I don't care about your boredom!"

"Whoa!" Junko's eyes widened as she tried to placate the frustrated girl. "Chill, bestie, chill…"

"I'm not your bestie!" Kiki glared at the avatar on her screen. "Besties don't just pop out of nowhere. Besties don't force each other to keep secrets from their families. Besties don't cause each other to feel so on-edge."

"You…you…hate me, don't you…?" Mushrooms seemed to populate Junko's head as her eyes glanced down in depression. "I guess I don't blame you…who'd want to be friends with someone like me? I don't blame you for hating me…I just didn't want to be alone…"

Kiki's eyes softened as she backpedaled "I…don't hate you…"

"No, it's okay. I know people hate me. I'm just an outcast avatar. If I was an option in a video game, nobody would pick me. In fact, I'd get negative votes. It was wishful thinking to think you'd accept me if I just popped into your PC and asked, especially after I demanded you keep me secret from your family."

Kiki bit her lip in guilt, feeling her already chaotic emotions tumble even more. "Look, I…I'm sorry, okay? I'm just…confused, that's all. I can…I can be your friend, if you want. But I need you to be honest with me, okay?"

"Hell yeah!" The mushrooms vanished, causing Kiki to sweatdrop as Junko's face changed to resemble a performing punk rocker. "We're gonna be best buds!"

Is…is she for real…? I feel like I'm getting emotional whiplash here…

"Now then…" A pair of glasses suddenly materialized on Junko's face as her hair appeared to be tied into a single ponytail, giving her a more mature appearance. "What would you like to know?"

"Okay…just a little bit more, and…" Hajime pressed the enter key. "There, the memory restoration code is compiling." The husband and wife stared at the screen as Chiaki's eyes closed and she fell into sleep mode. "Hopefully when she wakes up, we'll be able to find out how she got into our computer."

Komaru nodded as she pondered "So…what's gonna happen to her after we find that out?"

Hajime shrugged, admitting "Honestly…I'm not sure. I honestly haven't had the brainpower to spare to even think about that." He glanced knowingly at her and asked "Why? You gotten attached to her or something?"

Komaru scratched her cheek as she replied "I mean…maybe…? She has been kinda fun to talk to."

"Yeah." Hajime chuckled "I can see why; there's a reason I fell for her when we were teenagers. Honestly, I'm surprised she made it here. I thought she was deleted when the Neo World Program was shut down…"

*Ring Ring*

Komaru reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. "Hey, Kyoko!" She greeted energetically as she answered the phone. "How's it going? Oh, really? Okay then…" She handed the phone to Hajime and told him "It's for you."

Hajime's brow furrowed before he nodded and hesitantly took the phone. "Kyoko, what's going on? What…Kiki's been acting strange…sure, I'll talk to her, but why so urgent? Really? She's acting distant? I don't know what could have caused it either, not without talking to her."

"I REMEMBER!"

"H-Hold on, Kyoko…" Hajime removed the phone from his ear as Chiaki opened her eyes. "Chiaki, you said you remember?"

"You recovered your memory?!" Komaru asked excitedly as Chiaki nodded.

"Yeah, I was fighting against another AI when I got thrown into your computer!"

Another AI…another AI… Hajime's eyes widened as he shakily brought the phone back to his ear. "Kyoko…I think I know why Kiki's behavior changed…but you and Makoto should really come here. This is something that needs to be seen to be believed…"