Fragments Of Us

Saturday evening, Toshi stepped out of the game shop, the sleek packaging of Nova Conflict tucked securely in his bag. The city of Arden pulsed with its characteristic evening energy—neon signs reflecting vividly off rain-slicked pavements, crowds weaving through the bustle, and the steady hum of cars blending with the faint buzz of security and surveillance drones overhead. Towering above it all was a massive billboard, flashing an ad for Horizon Inc.'s VR dating platform, EternaLink. The tagline, "Forge Connections Beyond Reality," glowed in bold letters, while Horizon's logo sat subtly in the corner, a quiet assertion of dominance. The billboard's harsh yellow backdrop clashed sharply with the soft amber hues of the setting sun, an obtrusive reminder of the corporation's omnipresence in an otherwise tranquil moment.

After a short walk through the vibrant streets lined with towering skyscrapers, Toshi found himself on a bridge at the edge of the city. Here, the chaos gave way to calm. The river beneath reflected the faint glow of twilight, its surface rippling softly in the breeze. He paused, resting his arms on the railing, his ocean-blue eyes drawn to the shimmering water below.

A few moments later, he resumed his walk. It wasn't long before he arrived at a ten-story apartment building. Stepping into the elevator, he pressed the button for the seventh floor and waited as the faint hum of machinery accompanied his ascent.

When the doors slid open, the first thing he saw was Aiko. She stood by the concrete railing of the corridor, her back to him, staring out at the cityscape. The faint orange glow of streetlights illuminated her figure, highlighting an expression he couldn't quite place. It was that same heavy look she had in the cafeteria days ago.

Toshi hesitated. He didn't approach her. Instead, he unlocked his apartment, stepped inside, and flicked on the lights. The familiar mess greeted him—clothes draped over the bed, books scattered across the table. Letting out a sigh, he tossed his bag beside his PC desk, and fell onto the bed.

But his mind didn't rest. It circled back to Aiko. What was with that look?

He told himself it wasn't his business, yet the thought lingered. Aiko wasn't someone he spoke to often—or at all, really. Still, something felt… off. He sat up, running a hand through his hair, debating whether to check on her.

His phone buzzed, breaking his train of thought. A message from Alex popped up:

"C'mon, log in already. We're waiting. Hurry up!"

Toshi typed back a quick reply: Wait a bit. He set the phone aside, got up, and unlocked his door. Peering out into the hallway, he saw her—still leaning against the railing, completely unmoving.

It was like she hadn't shifted an inch.

Toshi quietly stepped into the corridor, his footsteps soft against the concrete. He walked up to Aiko, stopping beside her and leaning casually against the railing.

"Hey, Ms. Aiko…" he began. When she didn't respond, he tilted his head and waved a hand in front of her face. "Heeey. Back to Earth, Aiko."

Startled, Aiko blinked and turned to him. "Huh? Do you need something?"

"Not really," Toshi replied with a slight shrug. "You just looked like… your soul was about to leave your body or something."

Aiko raised an eyebrow at him, her expression skeptical. "And that concerns you because…?"

"Well, as your neighbor and your dear fri—" He hesitated mid-word, faltering as Aiko's skeptical gaze sharpened. "Okay, maybe we can skip the 'friend' part. But as your neighbor, I couldn't just ignore it."

Rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly, Toshi offered a sheepish grin. Aiko sighed and turned her gaze back to the skyline. "Leave it. It's none of your business," she muttered.

"C'mon," Toshi said, leaning forward slightly, his eyes following hers out toward the glowing cityscape. "Don't you know that when people share their troubles, it lightens the load? It might help, you know. Internal peace and all that."

Aiko scoffed, her voice tinged with disbelief. "Really? And why do you care? You've never even talked to me before. We've been neighbors for how long now?"

"Yeah, I know. That's on me," Toshi admitted, turning his head to face her. His tone softened. "I'm sorry about that."

A brief silence stretched between them, the quiet hum of the city filling the void. Finally, Toshi broke it. "Hey, do you play games?"

"Not really," Aiko replied, her voice distant, her eyes still fixed on the skyline.

Toshi straightened, a flicker of determination crossing his face. "Alright, then come inside. As an apology for being a terrible neighbor, let me treat you to something. It's the least I can do."

Aiko turned to him, her lips forming a small pout. "No thanks. I'm not going in," she said, her tone firm.

Toshi sighed dramatically, crossing his arms. "Fine, but you're missing out on an exceptional apology. Just saying."

Aiko rolled her eyes, but a small smirk crept onto her lips. "Okay, fine. I'm coming."

"Looks like someone had a change of heart," Toshi quipped, stepping aside to let her in.

The moment Aiko entered his apartment, she froze, her eyes scanning the chaotic scene. Clothes were strewn across the bed, books cluttered the table, and an empty instant noodle cup teetered precariously on the edge of the desk. "What the heck? You invited me into this disaster for an apology? I'm out."

Toshi panicked. "Wait, wait, I got this!" he stammered, launching into action. With a flurry of movement, he cleared the bed, stuffed stray clothes into a corner, and hastily wiped down the table. Within minutes, the room was semi-presentable. "There! Crisis averted. Please, take a seat." He gestured toward the sofa, still catching his breath.

Aiko hesitated, then sat down, taking in the now somewhat tidied room. Meanwhile, Toshi rummaged through the fridge, pulling out a pizza, placing it in the oven, and quickly whipping up some pasta and coffee. After about ten minutes, he presented the "apology treat" on the coffee table—a steaming plate of pasta, freshly reheated pizza, and two cups of coffee.

"Please, dig in," Toshi said, taking a seat across from her.

Aiko twirled some pasta onto her fork and took a bite. Her eyes widened slightly. "Hmm… this is actually good. Thanks."

"So… does this mean I'm forgiven?" Toshi asked, leaning forward.

Aiko gave him a mock-serious look. "I might consider it."

Toshi chuckled. "Fair enough. But seriously, what was with the whole zombie vibe earlier?"

Aiko paused, her fork hovering over the plate. She took a moment before answering, her voice quieter. "I broke up with Ren. You know her, right?"

"Yeah," Toshi replied, his brows furrowing slightly. "She's in Class 1-D, Physics department, isn't she? Did you two have a fight or something?"

"No, nothing like that." Aiko shook her head. "Honestly, I don't even know why I did it. It just… felt like I needed to."

Toshi nodded, sipping his coffee. "I see. Do you have any idea why you felt that way? Even a tiny clue?"

Aiko leaned back, staring at the ceiling. "It's like… I was looking for something else. Something I couldn't find with her. I don't know what it is, but I wanted it badly enough to end things."

Toshi raised an eyebrow, trying to piece together her words, though he didn't fully understand. "Sounds deep," he said, feigning a detective-like tone. "But I'll need more clues to crack this case."

Aiko snorted softly, finishing the last of her coffee. She placed the cup down and stood, extending her hand toward Toshi. "Thanks for listening. So… we're friends now?"

Toshi blinked, then smiled, shaking her hand. "Yeah, we're friends."

She walked to the door, glancing back with a small, warm smile. "I'll be going now."

"Okay, see you later," Toshi replied, leaning against the doorway as she stepped out.

Aiko returned to her apartment, locking the door behind her. She flopped onto her bed, staring at the ceiling, her lips curving into a faint smile. "Guess I made a new friend," she murmured to herself.

Meanwhile, back in his room, Toshi checked his phone, which he'd left on silent. Notifications flooded the screen—Alex, Mitsuki, and Hayato had bombarded him with over 50 messages.

"Yo bro, hurry up!" – Alex

"What's taking you so long?" – Alex

"I swear to God, I'll kill you if you don't log in right now!" – Mitsuki

Toshi let out a laugh, hurriedly turning on his PC and settling into his chair. As the screen lit up, his thoughts drifted back to Aiko. Guess I made a new friend, he thought with a faint smile before diving into the game.