Part 1.
Of all those present in the classroom, I, Minoru Miyagawa was the only one who was different from the rest of my classmates. It was not necessary to make a rigorous comparison to realize this because with a simple glance anyone could notice it.
None of them seemed to act like a "real" person.
All of them had expressionless faces, their eyes were open without blinking for a second, their bodies remained static, sitting on their desks as if they were stone statues, and even though there was absolute silence in the classroom, not even their breathing could be heard.
In addition, they all had the same white skin, yellow eyes and silver hair color.
Piip—
Piip—
Piip—
The high-pitched sound that was once again repeated around gave me notice that the corresponding guidelines for the work of the first class of the day had already been sent to each of my classmates. I immediately looked at the screen of my old laptop. The same guidelines had also been sent to me via email.
I didn’t waste any time and started reading them, but only focusing on the last words which for me were the most important.
Work in Pairs.
The concept of pair work was very rarely used in the school. I could even say that this is the only school in the whole country that still uses it. I also remember that my last pair work was already a month ago.
Although I still couldn't find the reason why were still doing this kind of work at school, for me it was the perfect opportunity to exchange a word or two with some of my classmates.
[Miyagawa-san.]
Suddenly, a female voice from the back called out my name.
As I turned around and knowing that I could tell just by listening to his voice who it was, as usual I looked over his head. Right in that place, letters were being projected inside a transparent rectangular hologram, floating in the air and giving shape to the name Haruka Tamaki, however, the person who was talking to me at that moment was not the "real" Haruka Tamaki.
Her cold skin, although similar to the original, was nothing more than an artificial copy made of rubber; through her eyes made of a translucent glass a tiny lens could be seen that seemed to be focusing on me second by second, and her short silver hair played the same role as that of a wig.
With the above description I was only referring to the APA that belonged to the real Haruka Tamaki. It was just this one who was in charge of reproducing her words.
In the current country of Japan, which stands above the rest due to its great technological advances, the use of advanced personal androids, or abbreviated as APA, is massive. The APA emit a wireless signal that is synchronized with that of a chip planted on the surface of the cerebral cortex. Using transparent visors, people are able to activate the signal from the chip in their head and synchronize it with that of the APA they wish to connect to. As long as this signal synchronization is successful, the person will be able to move their APA at will remotely.
Since their inclusion in society, tasks ranging from the most complex and dangerous to the most simple and everyday can be comfortably performed by an APA.
An example of this would be when attending work or school.
Putting ourselves in the place of a salaried person, it is possible for them to perform the function assigned to them at their workplace without any inconvenience from home through their APA. APA are able to perform an enormous number of jobs such as: cleaning, customer service, administrative, health and even jobs that require physical effort as in construction companies.
In the case of students like me, we can also do the different assignments given to us in class along with any other school related activities through our APA. In addition, the same school gives an APA to each of the students at no cost to attend classes.
APA are classified by gender and age. They are available in different sizes to differentiate between children, youth and adults. Always identical to each other except for their gender. With the same white skin color, yellow eyes and silver hair.
Unfortunately, having an APA has become as vital to the people of this country as breathing. Over the years this has caused everyone in Japan to stay locked up in their homes isolating themselves from each other without wanting to have any "real" contact.
We just have to look at Tamaki-san, my classmate and class representative.
She is most likely at home, sitting in her room watching me through her APA; and it is for this very reason that I have never seen her real self despite having been in the same class for almost two years. The same goes for my other classmates, students, teachers and workers at this school.
The way people behave in Japan, I will most likely never be able to find a person I can call a friend.
[Miyagawa-san.]
[Miyagawa-san.]
—…Ah!
Forgetting the fact that Tamaki-san had spoken to me, I instantly came back from my thoughts when I heard her voice once again.
[Are you even listening to me? We've both been chosen to do the work assigned in the first class. Should I bring my desk and sit next to you…?]
—D-don't worry! I'll stick my desk next to yours!
Once we got our desks together, we divided up the work and began to do it.
Part 2.
The silence between us was absolute. I looked up and saw Tamaki-san APA in front of me. She had left it in sleep mode just like the old computers when they were not in use. This meant that Tamaki-san was doing her part of the work from the other side while her APA was in this mode.
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I took a quick look around the classroom. All of my other classmates APA were also in sleep mode including our teacher too.
I let out a sigh of discouragement as I wondered, “how could this be called pairs work?” No one in the entire classroom even made an effort to exchange words with their partner even though their APA were facing each other.
I returned my eyes to their starting point which was the face of Tamaki-san APA. In the same way, the two of us didn’t stand out much for talking either. More than thirty minutes had already passed and I still haven't had any other verbal exchanges with Tamaki-san since we started doing the pairs work.
Crossing my arms, I paused to think for a few minutes while still staring at his APA. “Should I ask her...?” I had already lost count of the number of times I have been rejected by Tamaki-san. “How high are the chances that she will accept this time?” The more I thought about it, more and more I questioned it. I remember that of all those times I have asked Tamaki-san, the answer I always get is a resounding I'm not interested ...Still, “do I lose anything by trying?” Anyway, I've already been rejected so many times by the students of this school that being rejected once again shouldn't mean anything to me.
I shook my head, trying to shake away all my doubts. Then with determination I spoke to Tamaki-san.
—Excuse me…, Tamaki-san.
After a couple of seconds, I heard that familiar high-pitched sound coming out of his APA.
Piip—
Coming out of sleep mode, her APA eyes watched me at the same time as I began to hear Tamaki-san voice.
[Did something bad happen? I hope you're not having trouble doing your part of the work.]
—N-no, no, not at all! It's something that has nothing to do with work....
[Then, why are you interrupting me? If you don't have something to tell me that has to do with pairs work, please don't talk to me.]
—I-I'm sorry, it’s just... I wanted to know if...
From the way Tamaki-san was responding to me, there was no doubt that she was going to reject me once again. However, I decided not to be cowed and ask her anyway.
—Do you have any free time today after school in the afternoon!?
[…]
[…]
[…]
Tamaki-san did not deserve to respond. His silence was instantaneous and lasted for several seconds.
—¿T-tamaki-san…?
Showing no reaction from her, I decided to ask directly.
—I just wanted to invite you so that the two of us could have a chance to talk and get to know each other better. Who knows, maybe we might have something or other in common.
Following a long sigh, Tamaki-san finally spoke.
[Is that the reason why I should accept your invitation? That’s just a complete waste of my time. Besides, I doubt that you and I have any topic of conversation or anything in common...]
Despite what Tamaki-san was telling me and without taking a single step back, I continued to insist while showing a crooked smile on my face.
—Come on, don't say that... Just think of it as a new experience for both of us. It will also help us to clear our minds and forget for a few hours about all our responsibilities at school. I assure you that you won't regret it! So... What do you say?
[…Thirty-two times.]
—¿Eh?
[You have made me this kind of invitation a total of thirty-two times so far this school year and, I have rejected each of those invitations without objection... What makes you think that this time I will accept?]
Immediately the already crooked smile he was showing Tamaki-san twisted even more. In this exchange of words, it was now my turn to remain silent.
“…No”. A fleeting thought crossed my mind. There’s still one more thing I can do.
I looked up again while clenching my fists tightly and with a serious face, I told Tamaki-san what I really thought.
—Tamaki-san, you and I have been classmates for almost two years now and the only thing I know about you is just your first and last name and that you are the class representative. Maybe you know a little more about me than just my first and last name, but still, I don't think that's right…
Although I knew that my words could anger Tamaki-san or make our already distant relationship even worse, I didn't hold back at any point.
—Don’t you think it’s strange that two people who spend more than eight hours together every day in a classroom know so little about each other? You don’t even make the effort to exchange words or maybe look at each other. Aren’t we classmates? All I want is for you to give me a chance to get to know your real self!
Until I finally became completely honest with her.
[I'm already sick of you.]
Then all the words that came out of my mouth were crushed by Tamaki-san reply.
Part 3.
I'm already sick of you.
Those were the words that in a displeased tone were reproduced by Tamaki-san APA. The moment I heard them my breath froze for a few seconds.
[Don’t you ever get bored!? Since the first day of school and during the last few months you’ve always done the same day after day. How many times have you thought to keep making me your stupid invitations…? How come you don’t realize I’m sick of you already?]
My cheeks seemed to convulse as I slowly looked down at the surface of my desk. Then, the forced smile on my face disappeared completely. This was the first time a classmate had addressed me in such an angry manner. For the first time, I wanted the silence that was between Tamaki-san and me a few minutes ago to return.
However, and taking a deep sigh to catch his breath, Tamaki-san had no intention of stopping.
[Going for a walk around the schoolyard to talk during the first recess? Going up to the school roof to have lunch together? Going out to have fun after school? You even asked me to stop using my APA! What country do you think you're living in!? There can't possibly be anyone in all of Japan who acts the same way you do! Why don't you realize it once and start acting like a normal person!?]
Tamaki-san APA stared at me silently waiting to hear a response from my mouth, however, I didn't know what to say. Realizing this, Tamaki-san continued.
[Taking advantage of this conversation I would like to update you on something that has been going on for the past three months. As a representative of class 2-E I have received a lot of email complaints concerning your stupid invitations not only from our classmates, but also from various students all over school.]
—¿U-uh…?
[Just as you heard it. The complaints range from "Miyagawa-san is so insistent with me that it becomes annoying" to "I can't stand it anymore, Miyagawa-san is too much of a pain" just to tell you a few. That implies that everyone at school is tired of you, including me. So please stop meddling in other people's lives and start worrying about your own.]
And with that, Tamaki-san ended.
[I hope it’s clear to you, now you better finish your part of the work, we’ve already wasted enough time talking.]
Piip—
Immediately, his APA shut off, leaving me sitting there and staring blankly as I blended into the silence of the classroom once again.
"This be the day when my life as a student definitely will change!”
Suddenly that phrase that I used to say so often every morning crossed my mind. I kept repeating it over and over again as if desperately trying to find meaning in it.
Then I concluded.
"I don't think this is the day when my life as a student definitely will change..."