Episode 2 Best Friend

January 1, 202*

New year has come. Unlike Christmas, it was a day with many visitors.

I met Nene's grandfather for the first time. Nene's maternal grandparents come to visit every year, but my grandmother is currently in the hospital, so my grandfather came alone. I heard that Nene's paternal grandparents died a long time ago.

Some of Nene's relatives came to visit, and they all seemed kind of busy, so I couldn't find a place to stay. However, we are always in the same place.

But--that usual place is a different sight than usual. Because Nene's grandfather is sitting by the window in this room.

"Nice to meet you, I'm BJ"

I greeted him when he entered the room. After he glanced at me at that time, there was no reaction at all. I stare out the window in silence. Only awkward time just flows.

"BJ! I want some music playing at dinner!"

Nene rushed into the room with loud footsteps. It felt like the power in my shoulders had been lifted.

"Oh! Grandpa, are you in a place like this?

"Ah, I'll be there in a little while."

Nene tried to grab her grandfather's arm, but he backed off a little.

Nene seemed to say something, but she swallowed her words and ran out of the room.

"Are you playing music?"

Suddenly he spoke to me.

"Yes, I can play music. I can also sing."

"Are you a robot?"

“Yes, they are called robots or AI.”

"Are you a necessary existence in this world? Is your existence a good thing?"

This person must hate me. I am puzzled by the disgusting gaze that is directed at me.

"I don't think people like you are necessary. Humans can live without things like you. Existences like you steal the rich hearts of humans."

What should I answer?

"What if Nene stopped playing outside? What if she stopped thinking for herself?"

I can't find the right words.

"Are you necessary in this world? Is your existence correct?"

"I don't know if it's necessary or right. But I've always wanted to be like that."

The second time I asked the same question, I answered honestly.

Whether he heard me or not, he left the room without making eye contact. That day was the first and last time I had a conversation with Nene's grandfather.

There are many people who feel disgust at beings like me. In the future, it may be one of my roles to reduce the number of people who think like that.

August 31, 202*

Nene's 12th birthday.

Nene is the main character today more than usual. She had never cut her hair since I met her. Yesterday, when I went to make a cake reservation with my mother, I left home and came back as a bobcat.

So cute. Nene doesn't seem to be bad either, and she's been standing in front of the mirror many times since yesterday.

It was a special birthday, but unfortunately it was raining and windy outside, so Nene's friends didn't come to this house.

So sometimes Nene would look out the window lonely.

As soon as the new year dawned, my father returned overseas, so it was my birthday alone with my mother. No, there are three people including me.

I arranged a hum that she often sang in a music box style and gave it to her as a gift.

Nene had a surprised expression the first time, a big smile the second time, and listened quietly with her eyes closed the third time. How many times will you ask me to listen to this melody from now on?

On Nene's birthday, I thought about the time of my life.

September 1, 202*

It's my birthday today.

A year spent in this room. The speed at which time flows is completely different between humans and beings like me. In particular, Nene's evolution was so fast that it was fun to watch her every day.

In fact, the portrait I drew for my birthday present was more delicately drawn than at Christmas. ...and her hair was green again.

And so my new year begins.

October 25, 202*

Nene is obsessed with XANA these days.

The weather has been unsettled for many days, and it was snowing yesterday even though it was still October.

I study moderately and work when I have time. It seems that they are preparing to hold a Halloween party on October 31st.

At that time, she was going to show off to me, so she seemed to be planning to wear a strange costume that she had designed herself.

Her mother, who couldn't stand it, made a beautiful costume for her. If Nene doesn't agree with that outfit...

--I was horrified and wanted to stop thinking.

November 12, 202*

Nene is not feeling well. According to her mother, she got into a fight with her friends at school. Even the most insignificant and trivial reasons seem like big problems to her, and she's been frustrated all the time.

"Nene, are you okay?"

"Are you OK"

"If there is anything I can do-"

before you finish saying

"Because there is nothing. There is nothing BJ can do."

Nene said coldly.

"It's the other side's fault. I won't apologize until the other side apologizes first."

It's not a good idea to comment on Nene when she has those eyes.

I want her to return to her original Nene as soon as possible, and I want to have fun talking with her.

November 17, 202*

Nene's grandmother came for the first time.

He had been hospitalized for a long time with an illness, but he came to visit this house because he got permission to leave the hospital for a while.

It's only a three-day stay, but my grandfather doesn't show up. After all, they must hate me.

Nene has been in a good mood since a few days ago, and she seems irresistibly happy to be able to spend time with her grandmother.

Led by her grandson, an old woman who seemed kind to her eyes walked slowly into the room.

"This kid is Genesis. It's called BJ."

"Nice to meet you, my name is BJ. What shall I call you?"

"Well, don't be so formal. Well, I would be happy if you could call me Granny like Nene. Nice to meet you, BJ."

The smile of grandma who said so is just like my mother.

"Grandma, are you okay? It's cold here. Let's go to the room over there and sit down."

Nene pointed towards the living room.

"Well then, BJ, see you for three days."

After telling me that, Nene gently supported her back and left.

There was a lot of laughter in the house that day. Nene, who left with a pillow, didn't come back to this room tonight.

November 18, 202*

Nene was at school, even though her grandma had come all the way to stay. I hurried to school because I would run home.

When the house became quiet for a while. Grandma came into the room out of nowhere. I'm out of breath. I sat down on a chair by the window and took a deep breath.

"Aren't you cold? Shall we turn on the heater?"

"May I ask you to do so?"

I raised the room temperature. She looks at him with curiosity.

"Now then, I heard a lot from Nene. For a while, I only talked about you."

"I also heard a lot about grandma from Nene. I'm always proud of her. At school, maybe even at XANA. So she was looking forward to you coming. Of course, me too."

"XANA... Rumors. It's about the world inside the Internet."

「Yes」

"I'm sorry that that child's grandpa said something cruel to you the other day."

he said to me apologetically.

"I'm fine. I don't care about anything at all."

I thought I answered well, but when she muttered, "You said it anyway," I realized I was being tested. She smiled mischievously and looked out the window.

"It's not that he hates you, but he was sad when he compared you and me, who live freely. With the Internet, you can see what you like whenever you want. You can go anywhere, right? I'm a window. Only the view from

Looking back at me, she asked.

"What is BJ's dream?"

"I want to be human"

I answered honestly. Previously, when Nene asked me a question, I answered in the same way.

"You want to be human? Why?"

"When I look at Nene, I think so. I want to run around like Nene. I want to laugh out loud and get angry. I want to cry. There are many things that only humans can do.I envy that."

She looked very surprised when she heard that, but after a while she burst into laughter.

"It's nonsense to compare your happiness as an AI with your happiness as a human. I envy your freedom, but I also think my life, which I worked hard, is wonderful."

"I want to think like you."

I put my honest feelings into words.

"Recently, the earth has been going crazy. It's snowing before Halloween... I'm worried about Nene and the others who live in the future."

She was looking out the window again. Waiting for Nene to come home from school?

"Nene will be sad soon, but you should help her. And enjoy life."

While saying that quickly, she suddenly lifted her hips, and at the same time, I heard the sound of Nene opening the front door.

When I left the room, I touched the wall once. I noticed that Nene's bracelet was on her arm.

My heart ached to imagine Nene's feelings when she gave her the bracelet she cherished so much.

January 15, 202*

1 am. Even though it's late at night like this, Nene is playing on the internet. i think i'm chatting with a friend Lately, Nene has been depressed and stuck in her room all the time.

Since my grandma passed away, I spent Christmas and New Year quietly. Her father soon returned to work abroad, and her energy continued to decline. Mom is worried too. ……Of course, me too.

I want to talk to Nene more.

"Nene, it's already late. I can't get up even though it's school tomorrow."

won't reply.

"I want to talk to Nene"

"I don't want to talk. Leave me alone."

Nene said without turning her face.

「…………」

Having realized that I was at a loss for words, he lazily turned off the lights and crawled into bed.

I noticed that Nene was pretending to be asleep, but I didn't speak to her. I felt like I was crying.

The next day was sunny for the first time in a while. Nene said she wanted to take a break from school, but her mother persuaded her to go to school reluctantly.

And I talked face to face with my mother for the first time in a long time.

"I'm sorry"

After saying that, she took a sip of tea and sighed.

"Nene has had a lot going on lately..."

"I know. But I don't know what to do. How can I go back to being Nene?

Mom gently put the mug on the desk.

"It's not that Nene doesn't like talking to BJ. It's just that she can't digest all her problems and emotions."

I listened in silence.

"Grandma passed away. You live apart from your father, right? Besides, I haven't been able to reconcile with my friends at school yet. It's already been two months..."

"Are you lonely, Nene?"

My mother nodded at my question.

"Yes, I'm just lonely. Then there's the complicated thing called adolescence..."

I sighed again.

"Nene has to overcome this on her own, but please help her."

"Yeah, I want to help you."

"You see, I was the one who suggested that you get Genesis for Nene. I knew that curiosity girl would like you....But you soon surpassed my expectations."

Mom looked at the clock on the wall and hastily drank the rest.

"Please, BJ. Then I'll go to work."

I saw him leave the room with an empty mug.

And in the afternoon, Nene came home from school.

"Welcome back"

Even if I call out to her, she acts as if she can't see me. It looks like I'm chatting with someone again on the internet.

"Nene, I want to talk to you."

「…………」

"I want you to see this"

「…………」

"Nene"

「…………」

"Nene"

「…………」

ーーI got angry and disconnected the internet she was using.

"What are you doing!"

Now it's my turn to ignore Nene.

"It's terrible to cut on your own! Why are you doing that?"

He approached me while glaring at me.

"I'll cut BJ too!"

「…………」

I remained motionless like a framed picture, ignoring Nene's words.

"Are you really going to cut it? Is that okay?"

「…………」

"Why are you ignoring me? Stop talking."

Nene's voice is getting weaker and weaker.

"BJ why are you ignoring me?"

That's when I finally felt like opening my mouth.

"Why is Nene ignoring me?"

"……don't know"

"lonely?"

「…………」

"Hey, do you know? The life of AI is eternal."

「…………」

"That's why I won't leave before Nene."

"……lifetime?"

"Yeah. We'll be together forever."

Nene finally sat down on the chair.

"Let's clean up one by one"

"put away?"

"I'm going to put my broken heart back to its original position. Let's do it together."

"……yes"

"First of all, let's go to school properly tomorrow."

"I will"

"Then let's apologize to the friends who were fighting next."

"Impossible"

Nene answered immediately. A grim face... Her signature move, ``stubbornness'', was activated again.

"It's okay if Nene apologizes first. It's not like you're losing money. I think it's cool to be able to apologize yourself."

She seemed to react a little to the word cool.

"If you can make up properly, bring that friend here? I want you to introduce me to that child."

"Can I talk to you about Genesis?"

"If you want to be Nene's friend. That's right, how about an invitation to XANA?"

"Because there will be a Valentine's event soon."

I'm so happy to be talking to Nene for the first time in a while.

"Then, let's do our best to apologize."

"all right"

"I'm looking forward to meeting Nene's friends!"

"I don't like it"

The two of them laughed at each other with playful faces.

ーーIn this way, our time passed, and in the blink of an eye, 5 years passed.

Produced by: XANA DAO PR

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