A Reason to Live

New Name and New phone

(1 Year later, year 2100…)

"I guess it's time."

I pulled on the collar of the white blazer that was sent to me a week ago. It came with the standard white first-year IS student uniform pants as well as shoes. I had to admit, while looking at the mirror, I looked pretty sharp. The only thing that bothered me was the black leather glove I wore on my right hand, it kind of looked suspicious.

'Well, I don't want people to see my metal hand.'

I tightened the glove onto my hand to confirm its tightness and security.

But thank goodness the uniforms were long and thick. It hid my metallic limbs perfectly.

My name is Argenti Kazuki, 18 years old. The last name Argenti comes from the meaning: quick-wittedness, and wise, while my given name, Kazuki, comes from the meaning: hope and harmony. But I didn't think too much about the meanings because it wasn't me who came up with it.

During the previous months, I felt that my personality had changed. To be more precise, my personality had grown. During the first few weeks of meeting Tabaco, I was mostly expressionless. But now, I was more playful, and laid-back. Maybe Tabaco's personality had an influence on it.

"Tom! Tom! Don't forget to take this with you."

"It's not Tom! It's Argenti from now on! You're the one who registered me into the academy under that name!"

"Aww… I forgot… Okay, then, Kazu-chan!"

"What the heck is Kazu-chan?!"

"Isn't it a cute name? I like it. Kazu-chan! Kazu-chan!"

I pinched the bridge of my nose in mental agony.

"Whatever. Call me what you want. What is it that you want me to take?"

She handed me a rather normal looking black cell phone.

"I specially programmed this phone for you in case you need to call me, or I need to call you. Just press the star 7 times!"

I explored the phone a bit more. When I opened it, the phone came to life, and on the home screen, there was Tabaco, with two "V" hand signs, winking towards the camera.

"…"

"And just in case you miss Taba onee-san, you can have that around and think abou-"

"I'm deleting it."

My finger was 2 millimeters away from the delete button but Tabaco dived onto my arms and held it back.

"Uwahh! Kazu-chan is a meanie!"

"Argh! Let go! And stop calling me that girly name!"

She ignored my protest and took out a pair of ear piercings.

"And put these on. You said you didn't want people finding out about your core. It will be suspicious for you to not have an accessory for the closed form of your IS. But since Lyka doesn't have one, these piercings will be a pretend."

I gratefully accepted them.

"Oh and, your ears are already pierced. I did it for you when I implanted the core last year." She added cheekily.

"Okay… Is there any other place on my body with a hole that you forgot to mention?"

"I don't think so, teh-het!" she stuck her tongue out and tapped herself in the head feigning klutzy.

"That was sarcasm, you little…"