It was another day at the office, one week after Clitify released the Breast Dynamic V3. Hiro, the Lead Designer, has decided to call it the "Boing Boing Physics" update instead. Turned out the new update received some crazy positive feedback from die-hard users.

  The thirteenth floor of the Shibuya gss tower felt like a different pnet today. Outside, the humid Tokyo air was a heavy bnket, but inside the Clitify offices, the atmosphere was cold.

  The engineering department was bathed in the soft blue-tinted glow of recessed LED strips, casting shadows across the rows of high-end workstations.

  Work was interesting. Makoto had settled into the role of the Intern Engineer plus Culture Expert, which mostly meant he was the guy Kyousuke, the Product Manager, would turn to when the AI started generating dialogue that sounded too much like a robot reading a Wikipedia article on romance.

  "The bot keeps saying, 'I process affection for you, {{user}}-kun,'" Kyousuke had compined earlier that day. "It sounds like a toaster trying to flirt."

  "Write a longer prompt and add more example dialogs," Makoto advised. "Make it hesitant. 'I… I might like you. Don't get the wrong idea.' Just tsundere logic."

  It was fulfilling in a weird way. He had been an intern for more than a month now, and the initial terror of the real world had begun to settle into a manageable but exhausting routine.

  Makoto was currently deep into the backend of the Contextual Memory update, trying to ensure Clitify's WaifuEngine could distinguish between a user's sarcasm and genuine frustration.

  "Hey, Makoto-senpai. Still staring at the screen until your eyes bleed?" A sweet, cute voice rang in his ears.

  Makoto blinked, the code on his screen momentarily blurring. He turned his chair to find Yui leaning against his desk.

  Today, she was a vision of Shibuya tech-chic: oversized spectacles that made her eyes look wide and curious, a cropped hoodie with a stylized Neon Genesis print.

  She tied her hair into twintails today, and her soft ash-grey hair reminded him of Yuna. But where Yuna was a storm of sharp edges, Yui was soft curves, smelling of green tea and the expensive markers she used for sketching.

  "Just trying to fix a logic loop, Yui," Makoto said, offering a weary smile. "She keeps looping back to the Tsundere insults even after the user apologizes. It's a bit too much."

  Yui giggled, a light melodic sound that cut through the low hum of the server fans. She leaned over his shoulder, her arm brushing against his jacket. "Maybe she's just stubborn. Have you tried clearing her memory instead?"

  As Yui worked, she drifted closer, the scent of her perfume mingling with the slightly burnt aroma of Makoto's fourth cup of coffee. She tapped a few buttons on her tablet, her fingers light and nimble.

  "I finished the new facial expressions for the Affection Phase," she murmured, her voice low. "I actually used those reference sketches you sent me as a guide. You have a really good eye for subtle emotions, senpai. Most of the guys here wouldn't notice the difference between a smirk and a sneer."

  "I just have a lot of real-world experience with women, ahem..., with those particur expressions," Makoto muttered, thinking of the four women currently waiting for him at home.

  Yui looked at him, her eyes sparkling behind her gsses. "You're so mysterious, you know that? Most of the guys here are open books: all they do is code, py games, watch Vtubers, and drink energy drinks."

  "But you talk like you've been through a lot. Like you're carrying around a big secret." She smiled, a genuinely friendly thing that made Makoto's stomach do a nervous guilty flip. "Thanks for the help with the UI scaling earlier, by the way. You're really reliable. Honestly, I'd be totally lost here without you."

  "It's just my job, Yui-san. I'm gd I could help."

  "Doesn't mean I can't appreciate it," she said, straightening up and giving him a pyful wink. "Don't stay too te. The Yamanote line is a nightmare tonight." She walked away, her cargo pants swishing softly

  Makoto turned back to his monitor and let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Yui was nice, she was smart and normal. Talking to her felt like a break from the chaos at home.

  Then his phone buzzed on the desk. It was a notification from the company Sck app.

  Yui: Seriously, though, thanks for today! You're so reliable ^^.

  Yui: Gonna call you Reliable-senpai from now on.

  Makoto smiled, tapped a quick "No problem," and shoved the phone in his pocket. "Let's finish this commit before 6 so I can go home in time." He said to himself as he dived back to the code.

  ===

  The return to the apartment was a familiar transition. The smell of Shibuya exhaust gave way to the scent of Mafuyu's home-cooked dinner. Tonight's aroma was ginger pork and steamed rice.

  "I'm home," Makoto called out, dropping his briefcase.

  The response was immediate.

  "ABOUT TIME!" Yuna's voice echoed from the living room.

  Makoto walked in to find the usual scene. Yuna was on the floor, surrounded by fabric for the new Dandadan project. Ayane was on the couch, stretching her long legs, a beer already in hand. Mika was at the table with her ptop open, likely reviewing their bank statements or the household's quarterly bills.

  Makoto felt a surge of warmth: This was his world. The office, the train, or Yui, they were all just background noises.

  "I need to wash up," Makoto said and headed toward the kitchen. He set his ptop bag and his phone on the dining table next to Mika. "Mafuyu-nee, that smells incredible."

  "I'm gd, Makoto-kun. Mika helped me with it." Mafuyu called from the kitchen, her voice sounding a bit stronger than st week. "Go wash your hands. Dinner is almost ready."

  When Makoto disappeared into the bathroom, Mika didn't look up from her screen at first. She was used to the sound of Makoto's ptop cooling fans. But then, a soft ping resonated from his phone, then another.

  Mika's fingers paused over her keyboard. She adjusted her gsses, her pink eyes shifting focus. Makoto's phone was still active and glowing, with a notification banner visible at the top of the screen.

  Message from: Yui (Clitify)

  Yui: Seriously, though, my teammate was teasing me because you named the new boin-boin animation Yui-ripple, Reliable-senpai.

  Yui: We should grab a coffee tomorrow and find a proper name instead!

  Mika can quickly read it at a gnce. Her expression didn't change, but her posture grew more rigid. She reached out and swiped up, trying to unlock his phone.

  "0-6-0-7, Yuna's birthday. You still keep that passcode, darling." Mika smiled coldly as she unlocked Makoto's phone. She started reading the recent messages, then scrolled up.

  Just now

  Yui: Goodnight, Makoto-kun!

  Yui: That tie looks really good on you, by the way :P.

  ...

  This morning

  Yui: Seriously, though, thanks for today! You're so reliable ^^.

  Yui: Gonna call you Reliable-senpai from now on.

  ...

  4 days ago

  Yui: Thanks again for your work on the Yui-ripples. Our users seem to love it.

  Yui: It was a bit embarrassing though, now people can see how mine... jiggles, kyaa >__<

  ...

  Mika's eyes went cold, the look of someone identifying a threat in her territory. "Yuna. Ayane," she called out. Her voice wasn't loud, but it had a sharp pitch that cut through the house's ambient noise.

  Yuna looked up from her sewing, a needle held between her teeth. "What? I'm trying to get these pleats straight."

  Ayane rolled off the couch, sensing the sudden change in mood. "Mika? You look like you just found out our bank bance is negative."

  Mika turned the phone screen toward them. "We got a problem," she said, her voice tight.