Chapter 2: Love and Interest
Living in the year 2220, Society has evolved to make relationships work to a 100% success in marriage rate. How is that? The MMI, Match/Making/institute. With the image you desire of your partner, the institute will find a match that resembles your preferences by filling out a survey.
Nora Redgrave's information:
Name: Nora Redgrave
Age: 20
Height: 175 cm
Race: Black
Physical traits: ?
Personality traits: ?
Talents: ?
Both were sat in front of each other at the kitchen table. The preceding events from earlier made them feel awkward about each other. Nora wanted to avoid eye contact at all cost, but his sense of courtesy which was mostly driven by guilt made him prepare coffee for her.
Coffee machine: Ding*
Nora: (awkwardly) "Ah yes, the coffee!"
He rose from his chair.
[???]: "...."
The woman was no longer crying, but she kept on playing with her napkin as an excuse to also avoid eye contact. But she could not refrain herself from looking. When she finally managed to look away from him, she saw a cup of hot coffee being deposited in front of her which caused her to startle a little.
[???]: "?!"
Nora: (worried) "I'm sorry, did i scare you?"
[???]: (embarrassed) "No no...it's okay, I was lost in my thought haha.."
The woman started to sip a little of the coffee. Trying to forget what previously happened, Nora checked his phone for his emails and found 2 messages addressed to him from the MMI. A holographic message suddenly appeared and displayed:
The MMI letter:
"Hello, dear customer,
Upon your request, we have found a match to which your preferences matched the most!
Name: Loriel Matsumoto
Age: 23
Height: 172 cm
Physical traits: Green eyes, Breast sized E, Thin, Silky hair
Personality traits: Responsible, Shy, Loyal, Compassionate, Introverted.
_____
Name: Yuki Yumihiko
Age: 23
Height: 172 cm
Physical traits: Brown eyes, Breast Sized E, Thin, Long black hair, Heart shaped chin, Delicate.
Personality traits: Responsible, Polite, Compassionate, Loyal, Ambivert.
_____
Name: Suzu Hana
Age: 23
Height: 172cm
Physical traits: Brown eyes, Short hair, Wear spectacle, Breast sized E, Thin, Heart shaped Chin.
Personality traits: Responsible, Careful, Polite, Compassionate, Teasy, Loyal, Extroverted.
Warning:
As you may know, the time delay for the confirmation of the suitable partner is 3 days. If the deadline being passed, one matcher will be sent to you at random. The change in matcher and refunds will be non-negotiable. Thank you for signing up with us, we wish you a blissful and fruitful relationship.
Kindly, The MMI."
He turned off his phone and looked at the girl.
Nora: (awkwardly) "Soo....."
[???]: (nervously) "Yes?"
Nora: "Your name is Yuki Yumihiko, right?"
Yuki nodded at the speed of light.
He diverted his eyes from her.
Nora: (apologetic) "Look... I made a severe mistake earlier....this might get its way to "the hall of fame of questionable first encounter"..."
Yuki: (amused) "pfft* hihihihi-"
He felt relieved that his joke made her laugh. She seemed to be less scared of him.
Nora: "So if you gave me another chance to make things right..."
He waited for a sign of confirmation. Luckily for him, she nodded with a bright smile.
Yuki: "Please do."
At that moment, seeing her face smiling could be compared to seeing a sight of an angel blessing him with a second chance. This girl was definitely a saint to still put up with him after all this.
Yuki: "If you don't mind, i would like to properly explain my duties."
Nora: (shyly) "Yes!"
Nora was still clouded by that smile 2 seconds ago.
Yuki readjusted herself on the chair and rendered her face in a confident manner. This sudden changed in persona surprised Nora, but also impressed him.
Yuki: "I was assigned to you as a long time partner and my goal is to assist you in whatever needs you may need. I was matched as a 100% preference to your liking *blushing* to which I hope will facilitate..our relationship..."
At that moment of her breaking character, it made Nora blush as well.
Yuki: (awkwardly) " cough* cough* Do you have any queries so far?"
Nora: "Well...Yes, from the little I heard. You are forced to love the partner requesting you....so it's y'know a little bit forced.....are guys ok with this?"
Yuki: (smiles) "As an employee, intrapersonal love relationships are a command that we have to follow. Ultimately, we are ordered to fill a form of the "ideal requester" in return. It is similar to normal requester's survey. So don't worry, we are free to choose those who we feel an attraction to-"
She realized what she just said and worried what he thought. Fortunately his face did not change which made her appeased.
Nora: (rassured) "Oh, that makes sense! I was worried it was some sort of slavery 2.0 for a moment...haha..."
Nora's mind: "Ideal requester?"
Comically, his imagination began to run wild.
Yuki: (rassuring) "We are all treated fairly with the best care, I can assure you."
Nora's mind: "Attraction?!"
He took a sip of his coffee.
Nora: "Man I should have done some research about this, I'm sorry again..."
Nora's mind: "IDEAL REQUESTER?!"
Yuki: (understanding) "It's okay, I understand, do not worry"
His mind could not remain silent. Those phrases resonated in his head, which made him rise in temperature.
Nora: (disbelief) "Earlier you mentioned....ideal...p..part..ner, is that..right?"
Yuki's eyes opened wildly in shock. She realized that it actually went to his head. He saw his hands trembling, which made him drop an awful amount of tea. She knew she had to follow through now.
Yuki: (blushing) "Yes...it is the same form you fill with your inner and outer feature preferences"
He pointed at himself in disbelief.
Nora: (shyly) "Me?...An...ideal partner?"
She looked away in embarrassment trying to hide her red face.
Yuki: "....y..yes."
Nora was not able to digest that one information. A normal person in this scenario would drop the conversation or change it. Unfortunately, he was not exactly in his right mind.
He tried desperately to sip the little bit of coffee he had left off his mug to not pay attention to his entire body trembling.
Nora: (stuttering) "How...am I...exactly...the ideal...partner?"
This question was eating Nora from the inside and made Yuki more and more uncomfortable. The silence needed to be lead with an answer, or else things would get even more awkward.
Yuki: "I-"
Doorbell: Ding Dong!*
Surprised, She stepped off straight as a pole off her chair in an amusing way.
Yuki: (tensed) "COMING!, opening doors is also part of my duty...if i can't even open a door that would be a disgrace for a girlfriend don't you think?!..hahahahahahahahaha!"
She marched away from the kitchen to the exit door.
The doorbell saved her, but for how long? She knew she would have to address it. Twisting the door handle open, She met a woman dressed in a red business suit. The woman seemed in her mid-forties and her appeal seemed very intense and intimidating. Yuki was unresponsive for a good few seconds as if all her emotions were replaced by fear.
[???]: (jokingly) "From all the ruckus i have been hearing in the hallway, it seems you have been getting along quite well, Miss Yumihiko."
Yuki: (shocked) "Madame Rouge?!"
Without paying any regards to hospitality rules, the intimidating lady invited herself into Nora's house. She passed along Yuki without paying any sort of attention to her, as if she was part of Nora's home furniture.
Nora emerged, from the kitchen to see another newcomer in his house.
Madame Rouge: "Ahh! Mr Nora! Nice timing, i needed to talk to you."
Nora: "Eumm..."
She walked toward him and laid still in front of him at close distance, analyzing his face and body structure. Her blue eyes was piercing as if being gazed by an eagle eager to attack its prey.
Madame Rouge: (concentrated) "I see..."
Nora: (Confused) "Excuse me?"
She walked around Nora, looking at his every proportion. Feeling unbelievably uncomfortable by the whole situation, he avoided her gaze. She then halted in an arms crossed pose.
Madame Rouge: "I understand, why she chose you."
Nora: "What is going on?"
Madame Rouge: (Alerted) "Ohh!!, I'm sorry, where are my manners? My Name is Emisa Vierra Red. The head of the MMI company."
Without a single notice, she took Nora's hand and shook it. Not letting go of his hands, she was mesmerized and couldn't help contemplating it. Nora backed up a little bit to escape her fangs.
Nora: "The head?"
Madame Rouge: "I mostly go by the name Madame Rouge, so I would gladly appreciate being addressed as that."
Nora: "O...k"
Yuki was still standing behind her quietly like some tame dog. She didn't have the slightest clue of why her boss decided to show up.
Madame Rouge: (apologetic) "Pardon my intrusion Mr Nora, Normally my venue are in case of urgencies. Just like this particular situation."
Nora: (confused) "?"
Madame Rouge: "The Management has made an error concerning your matcher-"
Yuki's reaction suddenly dropped, and her expression was now of shock.
Madame Rouge: "Yuki was meant for a famous politician, and he specifically requested her as a long life partner."
Nora: (surprised) "..."
Yuki attention was now on Nora, who too was standing with dumbfoundedness.
Madame Rouge: "I hope you understand."
Nora: "....."
Madame Rouge: (reassured) "I am happy that we found this error on day one of the confirmation period, bonding and love traces are almost improbable on the very first day."
Nora: (worried) "Are you taking her away?"
The tone of worry in Nora's voice made her act.
Yuki: (desperately) "Nora, it's-"
Madame Rouge: (angry) "Yuki!"
An intimidating silence followed, and Madame rouge showed her true colors.
Madame Rouge: (Intimidating) "Your job is to follow our orders, Interference are severely punished and i don't need to mention what will await you if you go any further, do i?"
Yuki: (Submissive) "Yes, madame...."
Madame Rouge: "Good! I'm sorry you had to witness that Nora. Where was I?...Oh yes!, I brought with me the withdrawal documents that have to be signed."
Nora looked at Yuki who was concerned as he was.
All 3 sat at the kitchen table and the air's intensity was almost suffocating. Nora's house experienced a lot of things in spite of a single day, and there laid in front of him a holographic document with "Abandonment" written in bold in its information bar.
Madame Rouge: "You have to sign here and here for the confirmation"
Nora: (concerned) "..."
With Reluctance, Nora signed the first box and was now on the second. Avoiding all sorts of contact with him, Yuki knew at any minute she could suddenly cry, but she had to stay fateful to her job.
Madame Rouge: "Mr. Nora?"
Nora: (surprised) "?!"
Madame Rouge: "Is there a problem?"
Both parties became inaudible to Yuki's thoughts. Tears started to form in Yuki's eyes, and it was only a matter of seconds for the bowl to overflow. She only hoped for this moment to end very quickly so that she could rinse her face of tears, to which would continue for hours of crying. Her emotions were very honest, unconsciously this emotional response begged the question, "Did she develop feelings for him in such a short time?"
She looked down at her hands playing with themselves in nervousness, she wanted his signature to put a closure to her tears.
Nora: "I'm sorry, I refuse."
Both women's eyes widened in astonishment. Tears started pouring down her now exclamated face.
Nora: (confidently) "I already made my decision."
Madame Rouge could not process his answer.
Madame Rouge: (surprised) "Excuse...me?"
Nora: "I still need to hear what you had to say earlier."
Nora looked at Yuki and winked. Yuki was not quick to catch on immediately, but then remembered.
Yuki's mind: "ideal requester!"
Madame Rouge: (confused) "I fail to comprehend Mr Nora.."
Yuki's mind: "IDEAL REQUESTER!"
Madame Rouge: "Yuki?, what is this man saying?"
She was now blushing in embarrassment with his matcher and boss looking at her for explanations. Madame Rouge was losing her patience.
Madame Rouge: (impatient) "Yuki, we don't have all day!"
She looked at Nora with eyes that expressed both gratitude and sulk at the same time. She took a deep breath and uttered.
Chapter 2: END