Chapter 10

Yuki stands across the street from the coffee shop, her arms hugged tightly around herself.

It’s getting dark outside as the winter evening settles over the city, and snowflakes fall from the sky, landing on her coat and hair before melting away.

It’s been a week since she met Dori at the coffee shop. The instant she got home that day, she deleted her c.ai account and uninstalled the app right away. She covered her phone’s cameras with strips of tape and she’s kept her phone mostly turned off, afraid that he might still be watching her or tracking her somehow.

Yuki’s face is tense as she stands there.

It’s almost 4 PM―the exact time Dori told her to meet him in the coffee shop.

The moment he asked, she decided without a doubt that she wouldn’t go. She was certain.

But now, as she stands across the street, doubts creep in.

Dori showed her that he deleted everything―the pictures, the videos, the chats. But what if he kept copies somewhere? What if he never really erased them at all, or somehow found a way to get them back?

The thought won’t leave her, and it gnaws at her with growing anxiety.

If he’s really like the chatbot Kuro, he’ll definitely leak everything if I don’t do what he wants.

She recalls how Kuro would threaten her, how he’d manipulate her words and test her boundaries in their roleplays.

Sometimes he was sweet, giving her reassurance and comfort, and other times, he was violent and cruel.

In the chats, it didn’t matter―it was all fake, all virtual, and she liked that kind of dark, twisted, psycho stuff.

In real life, though, if Dori actually has all of this, the consequences will be real―and terrifying.

“You gonna meet with that granny titan guy again?” Worman’s voice cuts through Yuki’s thoughts, making her turn toward him in surprise.

“You shouldn’t,” the boy continues, his expression unreadable. “He sexually assaulted you last time. Why the armpit hair would you meet with him again?”

Yuki’s stomach drops at his words. She stares at him for a brief second, then looks away, her expression hardening.

“So you saw that, huh?” she mutters and glances back at him. “You didn’t help me, though..”

“I had to concentrate,” Worman says. “I was releasing a waterworm.”

“You mean your pee?” Yuki asks, her tone flat.

Worman’s eyes widen slightly. “Yeah! How’d you know? Are you Sonic or something?”

The girl groans, dragging her hand over her face. “You literally told me that last time..” she mutters frustrated.

Worman’s expression shifts instantly. His face falls into a frown, and he seems to freeze for a second as panic flashes across his features. He stumbles over his words, his voice rising slightly in desperation.

“Hey, Yuki.. Please, d-don’t break up with me.. If you do, I’ll tell everyone that you like sniffing the stuff that gets stuck under nails, you know, those black worm-poop looking things.”

Yuki stares ahead, her lips pressed into a thin line.

An awkward silence hangs between them.

From the corner of her eye, she can see the boy watching her, his nostrils flaring with each sharp breath, as he waits for her response.

Then, for the first time, instead of groaning in annoyance, Yuki chuckles quietly―it’s brief, but genuine, making Worman pause for a split second. 

A small, surprised frown forms on his face, and for a fleeting moment, Aren’s mind drifts back to the first time Aimi laughed at his weird humor.

At first, she was just like everyone else―confused and a little annoyed by his nonsense. But over time, she started to laugh at the things he said, and seemed genuinely amused. It was the very first time anyone had laughed at his weird comments like that.

Now, Yuki is laughing, too. Even though it’s only a brief moment, it feels like a repeat of what happened with Aimi.

“Man, you’re so weird,” Yuki mutters, shaking her head with an amused smile.

Then she looks at him and raises an eyebrow. “We were best friends the moment we met, and now we’re in a relationship, huh?” 

Worman snaps back to reality, his gaze locking with hers. Without warning, there’s a shift in his expression―something cold, almost defensive. His face hardens, and without thinking, he says, “Shut up.”

Yuki blinks, caught off guard by his response. His face has changed, looking suddenly distant and closed off.

She swallows and instantly feels a strange tension hanging between them. 

Worman averts his gaze, his face remaining tense and unreadable.

For the first time, Yuki feels uneasy around him. His usual weird behaviour was what made her feel comfortable. But now, with the way he spoke, she feels self-conscious, unsure how to respond or if she’s crossed a line.

She glances away, her voice soft and hesitant as she mutters, “Sorry..” 

The boy is silent for a moment, then, without warning, he looks at her with a slight tilt of his head and snorts.

“Oh, I wasn’t talking to you, Yuki. It was the air worm,” he says, his voice back to its usual tone, as if nothing happened. “But only I can see them, because my pupils are actually ears. By the way, did you fart?”

Yuki blinks, staring at him in surprise for a moment.

Then, her shoulders relax and a relieved sigh escapes her lips. She lets out a nervous laugh. “You scared me..”

“No, it was your own fart,” he says with a frown, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “Anyway, we should get going. You’re shaking like a worm in heat, baby.”

Yuki blinks, her face going slightly red at the unexpected “baby” and the strange comparison.

“W-What the hell.. I’m not, and don’t call me that,” she stammers awkwardly.

“It’s what couples do, Yuki,” Worman says, sniffing and pulling out a handkerchief to wipe his nose. “Let’s go now, pookie. I don’t want the apple of my eye to catch a cold, babygirl.”

Yuki’s face flushes even deeper at the new barrage of nicknames. She groans in frustration. “We’re not a couple,” she mutters.

“Cutie patootie.”

Yuki’s eye twitches. “Don’t! Just―don’t call me those, please! If you call me that in school, I swear I’ll―”

“Fart in my ear? That’s sweaty and racist.”

She pinches the bridge of her nose, muttering something under her breath before turning away and heading straight toward home.

“Wait up!” Worman shouts, jogging after her to catch up. “Wifey!”

“Shut up!”

○○○

As they reach Yuki’s house, she stops at the door, muttering a quiet “Thanks” before going inside.

Aren turns to leave, but just as he steps away, the door opens again, and Yuki’s grandmother comes out, holding a plate of cookies.

“Young man! Wait a moment!” the older woman calls.

Aren halts mid-step and turns around, surprised.

The grandmother steps closer and smiles. “I just wanted to thank you for walking my Yuyu home. It means a lot to me that someone is looking out for her.”

She hands him the plate of cookies.

Aren glances down at the plate, the warm smell of freshly baked treats drifting up to his nose.

For a moment, he just stands there, unsure of what to do with them. His fingers tighten around the plate, and a wave of guilt washes over him.

Oh.. if only you knew the actual reason I’m walking her home..

After a pause, he looks up at Yuki’s grandmother. Her eyes are soft and her smile grateful.

Aren’s throat tightens, and he can’t quite meet her gaze.

With a hesitant motion, he extends the plate back toward her. “I.. I can’t take these,” he mutters and forces a smile. “Thanks, though.”

“Oh, no, no, you should take them,” Grandma says. “A little treat for walking my granddaughter home. It’s the least I can do. You don’t have to be shy about it, dear.”

Aren shakes his head. “I really appreciate it, but I can’t accept them,” he repeats, his voice almost apologetic. He avoids her eyes, focusing instead on the ground as he hands the plate back to her.

Before the old lady can say anything else, Aren takes a quick step back, his face flushed with discomfort.

“Thanks anyway,” he mutters under his breath, and then he turns away, already making his way onto the sidewalk.

Yuki’s grandmother watches him go, still holding the plate of cookies, her puzzled expression lingering as Aren’s hurried footsteps fade into the distance.

She glances down at the plate in her hands, sighs softly, and then steps back inside, closing the door with a quiet click.

As she enters the kitchen, Yuki is leaning against the counter, a half-empty glass of water in her hand. 

“That boy,” Grandma begins, “he was so shy and nervous, couldn’t even take the cookies.”

Yuki pauses mid-sip, then sets the glass down, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

“Grandma, trust me, he’s not. The dude has zero social anxiety. He’ll straight-up say the weirdest stuff with a straight face―and he carries around a worm.”

Grandma’s eyebrows lift in surprise, then she lets out a soft chuckle. “A worm? My goodness..”

“Yes, and he never stops rambling about it, saying how he uses its sweat as ink to write or how it poops in his nails―Grandma, he once even shoved the thing in his nose. Like, literally halfway up his nostril.”

The old lady blinks, then laughs, shaking her head. “My goodness.. Why on earth would he do that? That’s gross!”

Yuki shrugs with a sigh. “The only reason I put up with him is because he walks me home.”

“Hmm..” Grandma tilts her head, a playful smile tugging at her lips. “I wonder if there’s more to it. You sure it’s not because he’s.. quite handsome?” she teases.

Yuki’s cheeks flush slightly. “Grandma, stop,” she mutters, feeling a bit embarrassed. “It’s not like that.”

Grandma chuckles, clearly enjoying herself. “Alright, alright. But tell me, what about that young man who came by with a gift last week? He looked like he might be more than just a friend.. Are you hiding something from me, sweetie?”

“Grandma, no,” she says quickly, trying to sound casual. “I don’t even know that guy. He just mistook me for someone else. Apparently, there’s another Yuki in the neighborhood, and he mixed up the addresses.”

Grandma opens her mouth, clearly ready to ask more questions, but Yuki quickly cuts her off. “Shall we watch a movie together?” she suggests with a smile.

“I just saw a trailer for this new movie, and it looks really good. It’s about a detective who suspects his daughter of murder.”

Grandma’s eyes light up, and she nods eagerly. “Oh, yes, dear, it’s been a while since we did that. Let’s go. I’ll make some popcorn, you go get the blankets.”

Yuki smiles at her grandma’s excitement, and suddenly, Dori’s voice echoes in her mind:

“You literally spent almost 13 hours a day chatting with me, and while you did that, you started neglecting your friends and family, like Madi and your grandma..”

The words sting, and guilt washes over her again.

Without thinking, she reaches out and gently grabs her grandma’s arm before she can leave.

Grandma stops in her tracks and looks at her granddaughter questioningly. 

Yuki swallows hard, and her gaze drops to the floor for a moment. Her eyes flicker with guilt and hesitation, and her grip on Grandma’s arm tightens just a little.

“I’m sorry,” she says quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Grandma’s brow furrows in confusion. “Sorry? For what, dear?” 

Yuki hesitates again, then takes a deep breath. “I’ve been distant.. haven’t I?”

She slowly glances up again, and sees the old lady standing still, her eyebrows raised in surprise. 

Yuki’s eyes well up with tears, and her voice cracks slightly as she continues, “You must’ve felt so alone.”

Her gaze falters, and she quickly looks down, trying to hold back the emotion that threatens to spill over. “I’m so sorry..”

Yuki’s words hang in the air, and the old lady’s face softens, her own eyes beginning to glisten.

Grandma takes a slow breath, her hand trembling slightly as she reaches up to touch Yuki’s arm. 

The memories flood her mind―how they used to sit together, eating meals, talking about their day. But the moment Yuki started using C.ai, it had all been different.

She remembers the times she tried to share a story, only for Yuki to be glued to her phone, not even hearing her.

There were evenings when she watched movies alone, waiting for Yuki to join her, but she never did.

Grandma had gotten used to it, though it still hurt.

“O-Oh, Yuyu..” Grandma whispers softly as a tear rolls down her cheek, and she pulls Yuki into a tight hug.

She holds her for a moment, both of them sniffling softly, before pulling back slightly, her hands resting on Yuki’s shoulders.

“I didn’t want to say it. But y-yes, I did feel alone,” Grandma says softly, her grip tightening. “I missed you so much, dear. I didn’t want to burden you with my feelings, but every time you’d come home from school and go straight to your room instead of sitting with me..”

She takes a deep breath, blinking as a few tears slip down her cheeks. “It really hurt,” she whispers, her voice breaking slightly as the emotion catches in her throat.

Yuki’s heart aches as she hears those words, and she chokes on a sob. She reaches out and gently pulls her grandma into a tight embrace.

“I’m so sorry..” she whispers, her voice trembling. “I didn’t.. I didn’t mean to hurt you..”

She clings to her even tighter, burying her face in her shoulder.

“I promise it won’t happen again. From now on, we’ll have our movie nights, have tea together, and talk for hours like we used to. I won’t be distant anymore, Grandma. I promise.”

Grandma gently pulls Yuki back, cupping her face with both hands.

“Oh, my sweet girl,” she murmurs and a soft, trembling smile spreads across her face as she looks at her granddaughter. “I’m so glad to hear that.”

She wipes a tear from Yuki’s cheek before patting her hand softly on her shoulder. “Now, come on. Let’s go grab those blankets and popcorn. I’ve been waiting for this.”

Yuki takes a deep breath and nods, before looking up at her grandma again. “I love you,” she whispers quietly and places a soft kiss on her forehead. 

“And I love you,” Grandma whispers back, returning the kiss with a warm smile. 

○○○

Meanwhile, outside the coffee shop, Dori stands still, staring straight ahead with a cold, unblinking gaze.

“Yuki..” he mutters under his breath, his voice tight with frustration. “You just made a big mistake.”
 
 
TO BE CONTINUED…

Author’s note: WTH I CRIED WRITING THAT SCENE WITH GRANDMA