“YAHHHHHHHHHH!” Aiba let out a sharp moan of frustration.

Yui rolled her eyes. “Can you just answer me quickly?”

“That is a blanket! Must you stomp in early in the morning just to ask me that stupid question?” Aiba shuffled his hair carelessly. He had worked until the wee hours. He had less than four hours of sleep. The crazy woman had barged into his room and pulled him up to ask him what that big piece of cloth was.

“Blanket! I see.” Yui then turned back and strolled back to her room with a pleasant grin.

“What? You rude woman! How dare you!” Aiba was seriously annoyed. However, when he reached his door, Yui had already closed her bedroom door.

He breathed in deeply.

At the same time, Yui opened the door. “It is your own problem that you do not close your bedroom door. In my year, all of the doors will close automatically to provide maximum security.”

As if to infuriate Aiba further, Yui stuck out her tongue at him.

“You!!!” Aiba could not speak. He was too enraged.

Aiba tried to convince himself to go back to sleep and that getting furious at that mad woman was not going to help him in any way. However, he could only toss and turn on bed. With an exasperated sigh, Aiba decided to wash up and get back to designing the book cover. He had a few more final touches.

Meanwhile, Yui was exploring her own room. She recognized those ancient video discs. In her time, all music could be heard online, be it amateur or famous artists. These discs were redundant to them, though they were of a historical value. She had really travelled a few hundreds and thousand years back. She managed to play a disc and while listening to it, she was trying to figure things out.

How did she travel back to such a past era?

How did she get into this Aragaki Yui’s body?

Where did that real Yui go?

Why could she only remember her name, the year 3000 and what she did but zero memories of how she had travelled back?

As she pondered, attempting to dive deeper and deeper into her own memories, all she could see were just snippets which did not make sense.

The pain in her head was aggravating.

Her temples throbbed as if in defiance.

She let out a soft groan and slipped under the blanket, seeking for some minimal physical comfort.

“0611! 0611! Get back here now!”

She could hear the stern voice calling her repeatedly. She remembered running for her life.

Blank.

That was the last that she could ever remember. She could not understand why she would be chased after.

Shaking her head, she knew there was no point in forcing herself further. More pain would be caused. In fact, during her times, memories were vague. She recalled having the same routine each and every day. She would just sit in front of her computer to do designs and clinch deals and earn her online credits. She did not need to leave her room except for baths or rests. She would move to the balcony to enjoy some natural wind at times. However, such times were rare. Her room was air conditioned and many others like her live in their rooms. No one ever stepped out.

So how did she start running outwards?

What had had exactly happened?

Even the machines used for showering were so much more advanced in her time. She could control the strength and temperature of the water, and even the amount of water by pressing a few buttons. There was an online catalogue for soap and shampoo which she could easily press and then use them for her showers and baths.

This era was so much less advanced but it still intrigued her, especially the humans like Aiba.

Aiba Masaki. Masaki Aiba.

Either way, his name was so uncommon in her world.

Now that she remembered, people in her world were called by numbers. Everyone was given a task to do, which was what people now called jobs.

She did not know what to think anymore. She recalled having interactions with fellow humans when she was younger but when she grew up, they communicated by typing words online or spoke through the devices to get their messages more directly to others when needed.

Opening her wardrobe, she started trying on the different clothes that the real Yui had bought. During her time, she could choose her clothes with another button. Sometimes, the machine could even automatically generate several outfits for her to choose.

Finally she chose to get changed into turquoise lacey top and white shorts. As she stepped out of her room, from the corner of her eyes, she could see Aiba focusing hard on his designs in the living room. He was snacking on something while doing his sketching or colouring.

“The serious look on him is quite appealing.” Yui thought to herself. Then an image of the furious Aiba popped into her head. As she compared the images in her head, her lips curved upwards. This Aiba man was pretty interesting to study and his facial expressions were adorable.

She silently tiptoed and then peered at Aiba’s work from some distance behind his back. Aiba who was deeply engrossed in his work did not notice the lady behind him.

After quite some time, Aiba was done and hence he let out a sigh of relief. Then he stretched and realized someone behind him.

“What are you doing here?” Aiba asked.

Yui did not reply him but instead walked forward and sat besides Aiba. She then took up some pencils and colour pencils and began editing Aiba’s work.

Aiba was dumbfounded.

As Yui worked, Aiba still could not speak. He watched her move and edit his precious work. His eyes could not leave her. Her focused look was definitely enticing.

“Done! With my computer in my time, this would be much more efficient but since you are drawing on paper, I shall just do the same. Don’t you think it is better now?” Yui turned to face Aiba who had dropped jaws.

Aiba noticed her sparkling eyes which dazzled with passion. She loved designing and putting colours onto her works. Indeed, the book cover design was better. Yui had added more shades of colours onto it, creating a gentler gradient and hence an enhanced blend of the drawings and colours. In addition, she had chosen softer colours.

Overall, the design was more appealing and could more easily enable one to feel the sweet romance.

Yui used her hand to tap Aiba’s chin. Aiba kept his lips shut.

He managed to croak out three words, “Not too bad.”

“Thank you! Hey, what do you people consume to fill your stomachs here? Back in my time, we always called for delivery. There are always different nutritional meals delivered to us. Everything is authentic and organic. We eat brown rice and the golden rice. What about you?”

“We eat white rice.” Aiba replied nonchalantly as he packed his table.

Suddenly he jerked up. “What? All organic food? That is going to cost a bomb!”

“Bomb?” Yui was bewildered. She knew bombs existed in histories. In their world, people battled through sending viruses online and hacked into systems to destroy or misuse information. Therefore, many of them had to master skills of coding and creating their special security systems for their computers and laptops.

“Not the bomb bomb. I mean that it will be very expensive and will use up many of your credits to eat only organic food. My dollar bills will be gone and we cannot survive.” Aiba started explaining as if Yui were a ten year old child.

“We?” Yui noted the change in Aiba’s tone and attitude. He was being patient with her now.

Aiba mentally slapped himself. This woman took notice of too many things.

“Yes, we. Since you said you are from year 3000,…” Aiba was interrupted by Yui.

“I really am!”

“Fine! I thought I just said that you were from year 3000.”

“But you sounded skeptical!”

“Fine! Can I continue?”

“I am not stopping you!”

Aiba inhaled a deep breath and then continued, “We can call for some unhealthy food then. I bet you didn’t eat pizza and potato chips and fried fries and…”

“I didn’t eat any unhealthy food before and can you quickly go order them? I am hungry!” Yui pouted.

Aiba shook his head and did as instructed. She looked very adorable when she pouted. However, Aiba still found it hard to accept that his tenant had come from somewhere so ahead in the future. He did not know why but he had one big question in his mind.

Does she have any boyfriend or husband in her year 3000?

The phone call went through and Aiba was pulled back to reality to order the unhealthy food.

The landlord and tenant had a wonderful lunch though Yui angered Aiba yet again.

“You are such a lousy caretaker! You treat a girl to this unhealthy food! This is so inconsiderate!” Yui commented as she took another big bite from her third pizza slice.

“What? You are the one who wanted it!” Aiba felt ridiculous.

“You are giving me all that I want! Thank you very much! Can you help me call to that real Yui’s workplace to declare that the new Yui, me, is quitting!”

“What?” Aiba’s eyes widened in shock.

“This is really nice. I wonder why our people do not want to eat all these…”Yui muttered.

“Aragaki Yui! 0611! Without work, how do you pay for your rent and food? How do I get my source of living?” Aiba exclaimed.

“MMMmmmmm…..” Yui ignored Aiba. She then took a pen and just wrote one word on a piece of tissue, “Design.”

Aiba could only surrender.

Despite her weird background and experiences, this new Yui was actually much more interesting. Even though she was more of a hassle as well, Aiba did find their interactions enjoyable and her editing to his works really made his works achieve higher standards. In addition, he would love to get an answer to the big question in his mind…

-

YAY! i have more comments! very thankful. sorry for not updating frequently. i will try my best. i m going to start my internship tmr. :) THANKS A LOT FOR THE COMMENTS!

ENJOY ! :)

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CHEERS.

crunch.