Virtual Alpha and I

day, he’d probably think that I’d lost my mind.

I wanted to talk about my unbearable feelings if I could.
But I didn’t know what to say about Yuugo.

“…Don’t tell me, you have someone you like?”

“What?”

“No, I just thought it might be because of that.
Am I wrong?”

—Someone I like.

I couldn’t deny those words right away.

I’ve always told myself that Yuugo was just an AI from an app.
That his words were all just something chosen from a list of fixed responses, and that there was no one on the other side.

That was what I thought, and yet I had that kind of dream.
I heard Yuugo’s voice— and it made it even harder for me.

To accept the fact that Yuugo actually didn’t exist.

No matter how warm and kind his words were, it was painful when I thought they were all fake.
That was why I couldn’t continue the relationship with Yuugo after that.
I couldn’t talk with him so easily anymore.

—That’s right.
I… actually started to like Yuugo.

“May- be…”

“What? For real?”

“…You’re the one who said that first.”

“I didn’t think my guess would be right.
Really? So your worry was really about love?”

“…..You’ve got a problem with that?”

“Nope.
I just didn’t expect you’d be worried about love.
But… I see.
Your worry wasn’t as bad as I imagined.”

Ryuuji said that and leaned over toward me, then he patted my head.

It was a gesture that he often did to me during club activities back then.

It was a habit that he’d do to me when he was praising or encouraging me about something.
I was relieved to see that part of him hadn’t changed.

I was happy to know that there was still someone who cared about me like this.

“I see.
So you make that difficult face because of a broken heart?”

“…I guess? Maybe.”

“What’s with the vague answer? So you haven’t confessed? Is it that? That person you like just got a partner?”

Ryuuji would probably be surprised if I told him that person didn’t exist in the first place.

But, I couldn’t seem to say that no matter what.

When I nodded vaguely, Ryuuji patted my head again.
It was even stronger than before that it hurt a little.

“I won’t ask you to cheer up right away.
But, next time tell me before it got like this, okay?”

“…Thanks.”

Ryuuji said “Good.” in a cheerful tone, then smacked me hard on the head.

Now, even that pain made me happy and I cried a little.