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AIM — Chapter 11: An artificial girl's friendship with a hot hated boy
Epilogue
"… your hands, that blood… you—you killed him. You killed them!!!"
(Heavy breathing, trembling)
He stood amidst the rain, soaked and silent. Water streamed down his face as he raised his head toward the cloudy sky. A faint ray of light pierced through the darkness, painting half his face with a soft glow. His fists were bruised, drenched in blood.
Beneath him lay two bodies—terribly beaten, unmoving.
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Chapter 11: An Artificial Girl's Way of Making a Young Boy Open Up
The sun was high, casting a warm summer snow across Olympia town.
Birds tweeted. Silent streets. Leaves drizzled down, dancing to the song of the breeze.
(Dig, dig, dig.)
Professor Banda's plow cut through the soil of his garden. (Dig, dig, dig.)
He wiped sweat from his forehead. (Twit, twit, twit.) Bird calls echoed around the yard, blending into the odd, almost unsettling silence.
He turned to the right and reached for his phone on a table beneath a cooling umbrella—a device he invented to drop temperatures within its radius.
He turned on his phone. Turned on his data.
Instantly—floods of notifications.
Silence.
The screen's light reflected faintly on his glasses as he stared at it.
"Hhuuuhh…" he sighed. "This place is back to feeling like it always did."
(Crk crk.) Crickets joined the birds' melody.
He gazed up at the sky, a breeze brushing across his skin.
"My daughter…"
---
Meanwhile
"Hey! Hey you, waiiit—remember we're in the same class!"
Megan chased after Matongo, who increased his walking speed with every step.
"I know that! Stop following meee!" Matongo yelled, pure irritation in his voice.
"Why??" Megan asked instantly.
"Because I can't stand youuuuuuuu!"
"But we just met a few days ago! How can you not stand someone you barely know!?"
"How can you bother someone who barely knows youuuuuuu!"
Megan froze mid-step.
(tch) "Ouch… my circuits…" Her eyes widened, her face turning slightly grey.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Matongo shouted, staring at her.
"It's like she changed emotions like a switch… what kinda human suddenly turns grey!?"
"Damn it, Papa…" Megan muttered as her feet trembled slightly.
"Ughhhhhhh." Matongo stepped in front of her.
"Let's go. Just don't touch me."
"R-right," Megan said.
"And don't walk too close to me!"
"Right."
"I SAID don't walk too close to me! I can literally feel you breathing!!!"
"Sorry…"
---
Meanwhile: In the Silent School Hallway
Ayan walked alone—slow, elegant, calm, her steps deliberate. The empty atmosphere swallowed every sound.
(Tap, tap, tap.)
"I ought to say," a voice suddenly drifted behind her, "even your breathing is as elegant as you are graceful."
Principal Mailo.
Ayan's composure cracked for a split second, but she quickly masked it, continuing forward without giving him the dignity of attention.
"My my, Madam Ayan… you carry quite the attitude. Yet somehow, even that looks elegant on you. I suppose your past modeling career truly shaped the girl you are today," Mailo said—his tone precise, like a blade.
"Huuuh…" Ayan exhaled and kept walking.
Mailo watched her silhouette fade down the hall.
"Ms. Ayan…" he murmured to the empty air, "if only you could find it within you to forgive me… perhaps then this burden of guilt would leave my mind, and I could become a pure educator once more."
(Flashback: Ayan's large smile.)
"And maybe… see your genuine smile again."
---
Back to Matongo & Megan
(Song: "Bang, bang, backflip that chick's crazy about accent!")
Megan sang out loud.
Matongo's spine nearly shattered.
"Aaaaghhhhh stop ruining the sooong!!!"
"Ohhhh… you know it," Megan replied like it was nothing.
"Yessss I know it! But I hate when people publicly sing songs I like listening to in private!"
"Ohhh. I see."
Her tone suddenly shifted to calm.
They continued walking across the green school grounds, entering the main building. The hallway was silent. Neither spoke.
"Why is she suddenly quiet…" Matongo thought, glancing at her then quickly looking away.
"One moment she's all talky, now she's back to being robotic!!! I hate people who pretend to be innocent!!!"
Megan observed him.
"Why are you doing that to your face?"
"I'M NOT DOING ANYTHING!!!"
"I see."
"THE HELLLLL IS THAT ABOUT!?" (inner monologue)
At the classroom door, Matongo paused.
His hand lingered on the handle.
Deep breaths.
(Quuiii.)
The door squeaked open. Warm sunlight poured through the windows.
Everyone's eyes shifted to him and Megan.
Matongo walked to his seat, avoiding every glance.
(Whispers: "That's him. That's the guy I was telling you about…")
Megan made her way to her seat behind him.
He slouched, burying himself in his book.
She reached out, almost touched his back—then pulled away.
Class went on. Teacher left. Students emptied out.
Soon, only two remained:
Megan.
Matongo.
She stared at him quietly, packed her things (leaving her zip open), and stepped toward the door.
"Heeeyyy! Why aren't you talking, you dumb dumb!? Can't even bother to say goodbye!?" Matongo shouted.
Megan froze.
"Oh—err… well, you told me—or… you seemed like you didn't want me around earlier, so I gave you some space."
"Space!? What does this look like, a relationship!?"
"NOOOOOOOOOO!" Megan screamed.
(Inner monologue: No! Papa will kill me if I got involved in such!)
"Why are you yelling!?"
"Because you're screaming at me!!!"
---
Later — Outside the School Entrance
Warm sunset. Golden glow.
They sat quietly.
"Errrr… so your dad's coming to pick you up or something?" Matongo asked.
"Errr… yes." Megan nodded.
"I hate small taaalkkkkkkk!!! AHHHHHH!"
"Then what am I supposed to say?"
"I don't knooooow! Anything! As long as it's not short!!!"
"Right."
"But!!"
"I'm sorry… I'll speak a little more from now on." Megan's tone became soft, reassuring.
Matongo paused.
"Her face looks uncertain… yet she's saying stuff like that…"
"It's fine. Don't strain yourself," he said as a calm breeze swept around them.
(Flashback:
"…your hands… that blood… you killed him… you killed them!!!"
"I did, didn't I…"
"Why?" Matongo cried. "Why did you bother yourself doing this, ahhh…"
"I… I don't know why. It felt like…"
)
"Friends don't traumatize friends with a burden," Matongo muttered.
"What was that?" Megan asked.
"Nothing!!! Ahhhhhh!!! When is your stupid skyscraper of a father coming!?"
"I'm already here," Mr. Banda said—right behind his ear.
"AHHHHHH!!!" Matongo jumped.
Mr. Banda glared coldly.
"Arise."
"FATHER!!! No no no!!!" Megan panicked.
"Why is he so tall!?" Matongo screamed.
"Huhh… you're actually defending him?" Banda asked.
"What—no no no—ahhh nevermind!"
"Okay," Banda smirked. "Megan."
"Megan!!" Matongo yelled.
"Hahaha, overprotective fathers aren't allowed to disrupt the peace of my students," Principal Mailo said—suddenly popping out of a bush.
"HOW did you even fit in there!?" Banda yelled.
"Trust you wouldn't know," Mailo replied.
---
Meanwhile — Twazwe Capital
A thriving tech metropolis.
"Huuuuuh… not even sugar?" Roderick grumbled in his scratchy voice.
"High sugar consumption isn't good for a man of your age," the Twazwe president buzzed.
"I'm forty-two years old! I know what I'm doing!!!"
"Hmmm. I see."
The president calmly sipped his tea.
"This table is nice. Look at all these meals. You eat sooo much hahaha," Roderick said, devouring everything.
"Roderick. Table manners."
"A president who lets a large number of his people starve shouldn't talk to me about manners."
The president flinched.
Soldiers pointed their beam weapons at Roderick.
"Huuuuuhhh pointing your fingers at me—the only hope your nation has to conquer even a neighboring territory? See you in hell then," he said casually, continuing to eat.
The soldiers withdrew.
"This bastard acts like a damn child…" (inner monologue)
A calm breeze swept across the top of the presidential skyscraper.
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To Be Continued…
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