LOVE.exe

VII

DAY 214

On his day off, Ai decided to take care of the house chores while you were at work, tending to the garden and ensuring everything was tidy and organized. It was around midday when he happened to glance into the fridge and noticed your forgotten bento box. He assumed you must have been in a hurry this morning, causing the oversight. It was a rare occurrence, as you were usually quite meticulous, but Ai reasoned that there's a first time for everything.

Since he didn't have many plans for the day, Ai thought he might as well take the opportunity to surprise you with a lunch delivery at your workplace. After all, he had never been to Illusion Gaming's headquarters, though he knew the location from conversations with you. With the bento box carefully in hand, he hopped into the car and drove to the bustling gaming company's building.

Upon arrival, Ai took in the energetic atmosphere that emanated from the lobby. The vibrant space is filled with screens showcasing their latest games, and visitors and employees alike move around, caught up in the excitement of the gaming world. He walks up to one of the help desks, where a friendly woman greeted him.

"Welcome to Illusion Gaming, where gaming weaves its magic on the heart. How may I be of service?"

Ai clears his throat, presenting a neatly packed bento box. "I've come to deliver lunch to my wife. Can you kindly assist me in locating her?"

"Absolutely!" the woman replies, her nod brimming with enthusiasm as she turns to her computer. "If you could share her name, I can help you find the floor she works on."

"(Y/N) Mikaze," Ai promptly responds.

With agile keystrokes and clicks, the woman searches, only to face Ai again with an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry, sir, but her name isn't appearing in our records."

Ai stands momentarily bewildered. How could your name not be there?

"Did she change her surname after marriage?" the woman inquires, attempting to troubleshoot the issue.

"Yes," Ai confirms.

"Then it's possible that we have her under her previous surname in our database," the woman deduces, offering a glimmer of relief to Ai's anxious mind. "Sometimes, our employees forget to update such information. Could you kindly share her previous surname with me?"

With hope and anticipation, Ai provides the requested information, but once again, the computer yields no results. His nerves tingle with unease.

"Perhaps you might recognize her?" Ai inquires, reaching for his phone to reveal his lock screen—an image of you, naturally.

The woman carefully examines the picture for a moment before gently shaking her head. "I'm afraid I haven't come across her during my time here. If you wish, I can guide you to our HR department; they possess comprehensive information on all employees and may be able to assist better than I can."

A hint of disappointment tinges Ai's smile, regretful that he might be wasting the woman's valuable time. "That's alright," he responds, masking any frustration, "I wouldn't want to trouble anyone. I'll just give her a call."

With a cordial farewell, Ai steps back outside and into his car, his countenance a blank canvas, devoid of emotions. Seated behind the steering wheel, he gazes out the window. A maelstrom of thoughts rages within him—buzzing, humming, growling—but no coherent ideas emerge, only an overwhelming cacophony of sound. In the solace of his solitude, his cynicism takes hold, and worrisome conjectures begin to gnaw at his mind. Desperate for some semblance of clarity, he reaches for his phone and dials your number.

There's a momentary silence before you finally answer Ai's second call.

"Hey, Ai. What's going on?" you ask, a hint of curiosity in your voice.