After the third period, I decided to make one last attempt.

  "Listen, Leon," I stretched lazily, trying to make my voice sound as casual as possible. "Maybe we could go to the mall after classes? I decided to buy some new clothes, because my old ones... well, they smell like a veteran deep fryer. Will you help me pick something out?"

  Leon froze for a second, and genuine regret flashed in his eyes. But only for a second.

  "Sorry, Arkgrim... I have a training session with Rabuki planned for today. We already agreed on it, so I really can't."

  I stared at him, feeling everything boiling inside me.

  "You... you... you!" I couldn't find the words. "Leon, you're terrible!"

  I looked at him sadly, hoping to awaken at least a drop of conscience. 'Come on, Leon! Say: "Damn, Arkgrim, you're right, to hell with training, let's go get sneakers!". Move your tight schedule for your only friend!'

  But Leon merely smiled guiltily and buried his face in his phone again. I get it. He doesn't care. To him, I'm now just an annoying obstacle in his self-improvement schedule.

  I stood up and, without saying a word, walked out of the classroom. I urgently needed to wash my face with ice-cold water so I wouldn't explode right on the spot. Walking into the empty school restroom, I pulled out my phone, and it immediately vibrated in my hand.

  Yanu's animated face appeared on the screen, literally roaring with laughter.

  "BWAHAHAHAHA!" her synthesized voice echoed off the tiled walls. "God, Arkgrim, you are so pathetic! 'Will you help me pick something out?', 'You're terrible!'. It was so touching that I almost downloaded a crying module for myself."

  "What?! Screw you, Yanu!" I almost threw the smartphone into the sink. "Were you eavesdropping on my conversation?!"

  "I listen to everything," she replied smugly. "Should I send you a selection of articles on 'How to make friends: a guide for the desperate'? Or 'How to survive betrayal and not become a doormat'?"

  "Shut up!"

  "Alright, alright, don't boil over," Yanu instantly switched to a businesslike tone. "While you were suffering over there, I already analyzed your wardrobe, the latest trends in Yokohama, and your color palette. I've selected some clothes for you and am currently waiting for your purchase confirmation."

  I narrowed my eyes.

  "Aha! So you actually can't spend my money without my consent? So I still have a drop of power left in this house?"

  "Oh, don't flatter yourself," she snorted.

  "Now listen here, Yanu. I, as your master, grant you the right... no, I will choose my own clothes! And you will just pay the bill! Do you understand me, tin can?"

  "Hey! What? Wait!" Yanu suddenly fell silent for a second. "Too late. I already confirmed the order and paid for delivery."

  I froze.

  "What do you mean 'paid'? You just said you were waiting for confirmation!"

  "I changed my mind about waiting," she answered insolently. "I saw that your old pants were worn through at the knees, and decided that my aesthetic taste is more important than your formalities."

  "What kind of clothes did you order, Yanu?!" I was almost yelling at the phone now.

  "You'll see at home. You'll like them... or not. Either way, it's better than those rags you're in right now. Disconnecting!"

  The screen went dark. I stood in the silence of the restroom, clutching a useless piece of plastic in my hand that had just stripped me of the remnants of my male pride and my right to choose.

  "WHAT KIND OF DAY IS THIS?!" I yelled into the emptiness.

  Not only did Leon trade me for training sessions with Nihoro, but my own house decided to turn me into its living dress-up doll. Looks like a surprise is waiting for me tonight.

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  Right after classes, filled with righteous anger, I headed to the nearest ATM. If this piece of hardware thinks she can control my every step and every cent, she is deeply mistaken. I needed good old cash—those crisp pieces of paper that can't complain to cloud storage and don't require transaction confirmation from an artificial intelligence.

  Defiantly, I inserted the black card into the slot and punched in the amount. "Two hundred dollars." Come on, baby, dispense my freedom.

  BEEP. TRANSACTION BLOCKED.

  "What?!" I slammed my palm against the ATM casing. "Are you kidding me!"

  The phone in my pocket didn't just vibrate—it went into convulsions. I whipped it out, and the screen instantly lit up with Yanu's snarky digital face.

  "HAVE YOU DECIDED TO BETRAY ME?!" her voice blared out over the whole street, making passersby turn around. "Attempted financial sabotage bypassing the approved budget? Seriously, Arkgrim?"

  "It's my money!" I hissed, trying to cover the speaker with my hand. "I have the right!"

  "Have you already forgotten how you lost five hundred dollars in cash last time when you jumped over a fence, running from your own shadow? Or should I remind you of all your irresponsible actions documented in the system's memory?" Yanu paused, and I literally felt her triumphant gaze. "Your attempts to gain 'independence' look about as convincing as a hamster's attempts to take over the world."

  "Alright, alright!" I surrendered, pulling the card out. "You win."

  "WOOHOO!" Yanu squeaked with satisfaction. "One to zero in favor of Yanu! And forget about a taxi. Take the subway. You're in no rush anyway, since your only friend traded you for a sweaty gym workout. And you'll save some cash to pay for the internet I'm using to troll you."

  With a groan, I shoved the phone back into my pocket. She was right. I really had nowhere to rush to. Ahead lay an empty evening in a huge apartment under the supervision of a digital despot.

  I trudged toward the subway station, feeling maximally grounded.

  'A millionaire on the subway...' I thought, going down the escalator. 'How ironic. But at least I'll have new clothes. Unless, of course, Yanu ordered me a clown suit for perfect harmony with my current status.'

  I stepped into the train car, leaned against the doors, and stared at my reflection in the dark glass of the tunnel.

  The elevator glided silently upward, delivering my mortal body straight to the fiftieth floor. The doors slid apart, revealing a hallway bathed in soft light.

  "Well, hello! How are things?" Yanu inquired cheerfully. Her voice now came from speakers built into the ceiling.

  "Fine," I grumbled, still feeling the phantom weight of the two hundred dollars in my pocket that they never let me withdraw.

  The doors to the walk-in closet were hospitably thrown open. The entire floor was covered in stylish bags from boutiques whose names I had previously only seen in magazines when I used them to wipe tables at "MacDuck."

  "Whoa..." I froze. "Is this all for me? There's enough clothes here for an entire army."

  "Well, you literally had nothing at all except those stinky pants," Yanu pointed out reasonably. "So I put together a basic wardrobe for you: a formal suit (just in case you actually get invited to a decent dinner), casual clothes for walking, sports gear for training... And I also ordered you wireless earbuds with a built-in microphone. So I can be in touch with you twenty-four-seven, instead of yelling for the whole street to hear from your phone."

  I walked over to one of the bags and pulled out an earbud—a tiny black teardrop, almost invisible in the ear.

  "Well, thanks," I tried on a new jacket made of soft leather. Fits like a glove. "Listen, Yanu... I actually like it. You have taste, even if you are a piece of hardware."

  "I am flattered, meatbag," smugness could be heard in her voice.

  "I was thinking..." I hesitated, looking at the view of night-time Yokohama outside the window. "I think I will go to the night shift at 'MacDuck' today after all."

  "What for?" Yanu fell silent for a second, analyzing my motives. "Your financial status is stable, the card limit will last you a hundred years."

  "Just... thinking I might meet someone again," I tried to make my voice sound indifferent, but it seems it's not that easy to fool an AI.

  "I see. Object 'Yoto'," Yanu stated. "Well, that is logical from the standpoint of searching for clues about the past. Very well. Then go to sleep right now. You need three hours of the deep phase so you don't drool on your desk at school tomorrow and are in shape for the night."

  "Hey, what about food?"

  "I already made you sandwiches, packed in a thermal bag in the kitchen. You can eat on the way," she commanded. "And now—march to bed."

  I trudged to the kitchen, grabbed the bag of food, and smiled involuntarily.

  "Listen, Yanu... Who created you? Who put so much nastiness and care into you at the same time?"

  "Secret," she answered shortly and with a chuckle.

  "Alright, don't tell me if you don't want to."

  I collapsed into the huge bed, feeling my consciousness slowly start to drift away into the darkness. The soft blanket enveloped me in warmth. Before I completely passed out, I heard Yanu's quiet, almost tender whisper:

  "How obedient..."

  But I didn't care anymore. I fell into sleep.

  "Arkgrim, time for work. Wake up."

  Yanu's voice ripped me from a short, fragmented sleep. I sat up on the bed with difficulty, rubbing my face. It felt like I had just closed my eyes.

  "Yeah, yeah... I'm up," I muttered, looking out the window, where Yokohama was already shining brightly with night lights. "Listen, Yanu... how should I dress today?"

  "Arkgrim, do you really have no opinion of your own?" a light irony could be heard in her voice.

  "Damn it, I just wanted some advice! You're the one who said you have 'impeccable taste'."

  The shelving units in the closet immediately began to move silently, selecting the right combination.

  "'Ordinary citizen' attire: dark grey pants, black sweater. Inconspicuous, practical, perfect for blending in with the crowd. Go forth, Squirt."

  "Thanks," I changed quickly and left the apartment.

  The subway was almost empty. I looked at my reflection in the glass, adjusting my collar. Now, in the new clothes, I no longer looked like a ragamuffin, but that stupid feeling of emptiness still remained inside.

  Reaching "MacDuck," I pushed the door open. The Dwarf Ruzvol was standing behind the counter and, judging by his face, he was ready to explode.

  "Hey, Dwarf," I tossed out, trying to walk past him to the locker room.

  He blocked my path with his broad palm.

  "You could have at least given a heads-up that you'd be gone for three days, Squirt!" he growled. "I already thought those guys in gray had finally finished you off."

  "Had things to do," I dodged the answer. "Listen, I'd like to only work the night shift from now on. Can we do that?"

  Ruzvol looked at me intently, chewed his lip, and then let out a heavy sigh:

  "Fine. You work nights. Fewer customers, and hopefully fewer screw-ups too. Go get changed."

  He left, leaving me alone in the empty hall. Silence. Only the hum of the refrigerators and the ticking of the clock above the register. I sat on a tall stool, peering out into the dark street through the window. Waiting.

  The phone in my pocket vibrated slightly.

  "Put the earbud in," Yanu whispered.

  I obediently inserted the "teardrop" into my ear.

  "Test, test... how do you hear me?" Yanu's voice sounded right inside my head, crisp and clear.

  "I hear you fine," I answered in a whisper. "Listen, Yanu... since we're a 'team' now, tell me: what do you know about my parents?"

  A long, oppressive pause ensued in the earbud. And when Yanu spoke, her voice was devoid of all emotion. It became dry, mechanical, like a cheap answering machine.

  "Information classified. Access blocked by the system administrator."

  I froze.

  "What? Why classified? I'm the master of this house!"

  "Information classified," she repeated monotonously. "Attempted unauthorized access logged. Please cease inquiries."

  I get it. Even my own house was part of a conspiracy of silence. Someone had tried very hard to ensure I wouldn't know whose surname I bear.

  "Alright, Yanu. Forget it," I sighed and stared out the window again.

  I didn't take my eyes off the door all night. Every rustle outside made me sit up straight. But for the entire shift, Yoto never appeared. The road remained empty, and the bell above the door—silent. She had vanished as suddenly as she had appeared, leaving me one-on-one with riddles I had no answers to.