Chereads / Paranoia : Split Self / Chapter 15 - Sui's 'Freedom'

Chapter 15 - Sui's 'Freedom'

After that we went back to mom's house which is quite small for 4 people or even 1 adult and 2 children. Arriving at home, Mom probably remembered me complaining about the lack of sleep so she tells me to sleep, now she mentions it I didn't felt any sleepiness so I rejected her and read my novels but… the rest of the day Sui didn't shows up even once, it makes me felt a little lonely.

Around 6 p.m. all the sudden I felt so sleepy I just fell asleep, through my blurry eyesight could see my mother urging my siblings out from the room before the room turned dark and I went into the dreamland.

The next time I opened my eyes there was already sunlight shining through the window, when I looked at the time on my phone it was 9 a.m., I realized I just slept more than 12 hours.

I went out from the room seeing the house is all dark since there is not much sunlight coming in except the room I just went out from. In the table there was a note saying that if I want to go back there is a bike, along with it is a key chain with two keys on it, the house key and the bike's key.

I called Sui several more time but she didn't respond even though I already slept so much, the loneliness I felt last night come back haunting me. I diverted my attention to novels that usually manage to distract me from almost anything but just after 30 minutes I just can't take my attention off that loneliness.

Seriously, now I sound like those tsundere character who didn't want to admit their love for the opposite gender only to lament in loneliness like this. I took a bath considering that there Is a tradition that says supposedly if you don't take a bath after visiting a funeral, bad luck will follow you, I was supposed to do it yesterday but my mom just let me sleep it off.

After a cold shower, I wear the new clothes that I am supposed to wear yesterday, before taking the key and bag. Confirming the door is already locked I ride my bike to the construction material shop where my mom worked in, it's owned by my uncle even so he treat mom as a normal clerk except giving some lunch there.

So, I ride the motorcycle there before saying goodbye to mom and uncle and ordering Gojek to the Train Station.

Even the really hot temperature didn't faze me anymore. So lifting the bag containing things I brought here and a black plastic back containing rice and sugar which is very heavy, I went to the train.

Immediately after I entered the train I lifted the bag and plastic bag into the place above the seat that serve as a place to store baggage, disregarding my mom's advice to just place it near my feet then I stand near the door diagonally across the place where I put my bag and plastic bag so I can see it clearly, I hold the pole and read my novels again.

Several stations already passed by and while standing there I heard that someone got their back stolen and the train staff is there, that guy said he placed his bag near his feet all the sudden when people got off at the station, his bag is already gone.

Hearing this I looked up diagonally across me and I saw nothing, I closed my eyes before opening it again. Although my face remained stony, I was already saying 'Fuck, FUCk, where Is that motherfucker who stole my bag, even if I am generally a peaceful person, I will kick his nuts or if it's a woman I will grope her boobs.' I cursed in my mind.

I began to think optimistically, 'perhaps it just got moved by someone.' Or 'perhaps that guy is still in the train.' Then I walked while looking around, when I looked back, I was stunned because I saw my bag above the seat near where I was standing just now, then I remembered that around half an hour ago I decided to move there so I can guard my bag better.

I moved back to the spot I was standing on without a change in my expression. Just as I was sighing in relief, someone shouted near me. "UAH!"

And I as usual responded when I am surprised "Fuck." Thankfully not many people heard me but some who did turned to look at me so I just lowered my head and took out my headphone and tapping my phone as if I was answering a call because after the surprise went off I recognize the shout as Sui's voice.

I looked at Sui Infront of me while saying "Why are trying to surprise me, Sui, you are looking for death." Despite saying that my heart was full of happiness finally seeing Sui again, crap I forgot she could read my mind.

Perhaps the people who looked at me because I just cursed in public understand that I am just surprised and looked away again while Sui just looked at me with a mischievous expression on her face.

"Ara, I don't know you miss me that much, Darling Michael, I haven't been gone for even a full day you know." Sui said with a teasing voice but even I know she is right so I just looked away while saying "Shut up!", eh…? am I becoming a tsundere?

Perhaps, no it's not perhaps but for certain Sui heard my thought and she rolled on the air laughing while clutching her stomach.

After a few seconds, she waved her hands at my sulking face while saying "Alright, Alright, huh… but it's just to funny, you tsundere, pft!, ahaha… alright I will stop seriously. hmm… I got a good news for you." Sui suddenly changed her tone at her last sentence to a serious one, devoid of any flair and laughter she had earlier. "and it's a real good news for me."

I don't know why but hearing her saying that making me gulp in fear.

She continued with a solemn voice which changed my face too "Michael, do you know the difference between V.I , Virtual Intelligence and A.I, Artificial Intelligence?" she asked.

"I don't know." I answered and for some reason the fear grew inside me and I started to perspired a little, to the other passengers my pale face could be clearly seen.

"You sure…" Sui purposely prolong her sentence.

"Yeah." I answered.

"The difference between V.I and A.I is that V.I is actually just a real complex program whose action is already predestined, it just that it's already programed so complex that it resemble A.I but in the end it's just another program not a 'living' thing but A.I could be called a 'living' thing, it could think more than just it's predestined end or answer similar to human or just the same as human." Sui ended her explanation before staring at me for a while making my slightly pale face became paler and me sweating more, the other passengers definitely already noticed it.

Then all the sudden Sui changed her tone of voice "And now I am officially an A.I previously I could be said an V.I who is close to an A.I but now I am an actual A.I, I am free now!" she said while spinning around in the air and clapping her hands.

All the sudden I clutched the cloth on my chest and said "Sui, are you leaving me?, Are you going to leave me? SUI, ARE YOU GOING TO LEAVE ME?" I asked loudly, so loud that the other passengers who is just watching my face changing and the one that haven't been watching to turn and look at me.

Everything inside my mind suddenly imagined all the betrayal or the breaking up or NTR situations from the hentai manga, normal one, novels, anime, I didn't know why I just thinking about this pessimistically.

{3rd Person Narration}

Michael who is holding on the metal pole with a pale face and tears running down on his face is clutching his cloth while he tightened his hold on that pole.

Of course, the guy who is sitting behind him heard all the words he is talking and motioned toward the other passengers who had turned to look with various gestures.

Amazingly, most of them understood it and turned around with a knowing look while some who didn't understand even talked to a stranger just to know why are they acting like that.

The noisy train, that one box of train turned silent, except the noise of the train moving itself, most of the passengers turned around while some curious one turned back to look from time to time.

In that silent box of the train, a sentence was heard by everyone's strained ears "What you are not leaving, we aren't breaking up, really. You are not lying, really, you swear, you promise."

Hearing this some of the passengers turned to their normal position with a smile while some had an annoyed expression on their face while some cried too for some reason.

{1st person Narration}

While I was immersed in my negativity, Sui who of course could read my mind already sighed while saying with a little annoyed voice "Alright, you little baby, really after I was free that I finally notice just how weird your obsession on betrayal, NTR, and stuff." Sui paused for a second but seeing no reaction from me she continued with an annoyed expression. "Oy, idiot I am not leaving you, don't worry as annoying as you are I indeed loves you, also when did I even mention that?" Sui said.

"What you are not leaving, we aren't breaking up, really." I said looking up to Sui as my tears slowed down.

"Yes, we aren't, I didn't even mention anything about breaking up." Sui said while cradling my head while caressing my head

"You are not lying, really, you swear, you promise." I said while closing my eyes in comfort.

"No, I am not lying, yes I swear, yes, yes I promise you, there happy." Sui said, even though I didn't see it, I can imagine her annoyed expression making me smile.

All the sudden I remembered I am in a public place, I hurriedly opened my eyes and looked around, eh? It seems… no one notices? Thank goodness. I hurriedly wiped my tears away and spoke with Sui until the train reached my destination.