Fake Internet
"I'm home."
The soft voice of Tsubasa Kanbara made no intent of alarming anyone that he had just arrived home from school. A cold breeze from winters icy embrace made its way through the door and into the toasty home. Swirling in the entry way it sent Tsubasa a final small chill as he escaped the cold. Slowly sliding his feet out from his shoes to his slippers, he gazed upwards toward the door atop the stairs. The enthralling call of sleep made its way to Tsubasa and through sheer will he resisted his room's beckon to him. Instead he walked through the doorway to his left, where the only noise in the house came from.
"Tsubasa onii-chan, welcome home." A young girl's monotone voice said.
Entering the home's wide and spacious living room, Tsubasa was met by his sister staring at the blaring tv.
"I see you didn't go to school today, Miki." He said as he approached the coach where she laid twirling her lengthy and smooth black hair
"I'm 'sick'." She replied, forcing a half-hearted cough, mainting her attention on the screen.
"Tch I wish that trick still worked for me."
Retracing his steps back towards the chilly entry way, Tsubasa headed towards his room on the second floor. With every other step the house showcased its age, creaking at varying volumes. Tsubasa opened the door and instinctively reached for the lights to his left. Met with smiles and smug grins from his favorite animes, his room shined with the appeal of otaku culture. Flinging his bag onto the bed he took a seat at his desk. Moving his mouse about rapidly his computer lit up with more anime.
"I'm exhausted."
With his first exams nearing, school had been putting Tsubasa back on his mangas that he still had to read. Every other second spent on studying, left little time to spare for anything. But this day had brought the perfect chance to slip from the stresses of school and relax.
Spinning his chair around he switched his focus from the computer screen to his bookshelf. Analyzing each shelf section to see if he were missing a volume from any story, he paused at Watashi he.
" Volume six should be out by now. I should check amazon." Tsubasa thought to himself typing it in to the search bar. When in an instant his screen brought up a small orange ad on the bottom of the page.
"Tomogle? What the.... Talk to strangers around Japan? What kind of loner would go on this?" Tsubasa asked himself as he slowly moved the cursor over the ad and clicked it. The page loaded quick as it opened it's very own tab for the chat site. The options limited to text chat or to be put in a live video chat, face to face with someone else.
"Let's see let's see, there's text chat and face-" quickly selecting regular text chat. Tsubasa cringed at the thought of having to stand to look at a horrid human being in the face. Ever since a young age Tsubasa had never been able to manage to look another person in the eyes; with his family as the only exception. Yet as the years progressed it turned from nervousness to disgust as he began to slowly hate the world and others around him.
"Hey wanna video chat?" The first stranger asked Tsubasa, resulting in him almost instantly leaving the chat.
"Now on to somebody else."
Searching for someone else he was quickly connected to another stranger.
"Hey." They sent him.
"I'm glad to see that there are at least some people on here who want to have a conversation hahaha." he replied to the stranger.
"Lol that's exactly what I just thought."
"So what's your name?" Tsubasa asked them.
"Yuno, and yours?" they asked.
"Ah... a girl huh?"
Wincing at their response Tsubasa felt that a small sense of intimidation had creeped over him.
"Tsubasa." Is all he mangaed to respond. Failing to give out a fake name for himself, he brought his palm to his face as he turned away from his response. His long black bangs pressed against his forehead as he contemplated yanking his hair out.
"Do you like cosplay Tsubasa?"
The soft chime of her response had brought Tsubasa's curious eyes back to the screen. Of course he loved cosplay! Though only being able to admire the costumes and how much detail and time were put into the final project. He admired their passion and attention to detail. But not much appreciation was ever sparred for the appearances of the cosplayer.
"I don't hate it."
Yet as his message appeared on the screen, a notification popped up alongside it.
"This chat has expired. Proceed to the next stranger?"
Blankly starring at the screen, Tsubasa did not now how quite to react. Seeing as to promote various short conversations with strangers, a time limit was placed on each chat to encourage users to move on.
"What the hell!" He yelled bringing his hands to his monitor. "Now how the hell am I going to find her again!"
Pulling himself away from the screen, Tsubasa began to rapidly join chat after chat typing out "YUNO" every time he joined. Confusion, question marks, and users leaving the chat are all that met him despite his best efforts. Even with no signs of finding her again, something urged him to continue.
"YUNO!" He typed in his twenty-third chat.
"TSUBASA!"
A sigh of relief, formed from the tense breathing that he struggled with, finally made its way out. He had found her but what then? Why did he so desperately attempt to connect with Yuno again? The chime of another message brought Tsubasa's eyes up from his lap.
"So Tsubasa do you have a phone?" She asked.
"Yeah I have one why?" He answered. "Does she want to exchange contact info? Should I even believe that Yuno's a girl?" He thought to himself siting perfectly still waiting for the chime.
"Oh well if you'd like we could talk again tomorrow on there, my info is [email protected]." Yuno replied.
"Oh alright I'll message you then, see ya!" Tsubasa replied, with the beginnings of what seemed to be a smile forming on his face. His out of character response then sunk in and brought a slight flush to his long thin face.
"Hey it's Tsubasa!(*^_^*)."
"Hello!" She quickly replied to him.
"So Yuno what do you like to do?" Tsubasa asked her.
"I like to play osu!, learn anime OPs on my keyboard, and hang out with my cosplay group, what about you??" She replied.
"Wow we have the same tastes!" He said. But before Tsubasa could've typed something else Yuno beat him to it.
"Hey Tsubasa if you don't mind, do you wanna exchange pictures?"
Tsubasa instantly paused and blankly stared at the screen.
"Ah... So in the end she's just like everyone else.... Wait! I can't let myself misjudge Yuno-san for wanting to see a picture of me!" He thought to himself.
Mad with a new breath of motivation he typed furiously.
"Oh totally! But you go first though."
With no hesitation, Yuno replied and in came the picture. She seemed to be a beautiful halfbreed mixed between English and Japanese. Blessed with long silky blonde hair and slim blue eyes. A long slim face so defining that her features glowed with purpose.
"She's beautiful...," Tsubasa whispered, "SHE LOOKS JUST LIKE NANAMI FROM PSYCHO KANOJO!" Quickly looking up at the poster of his waifu above him. As much as he hated people, he loved his waifu even more.
"Alright now it's your turn Tsubasa," she replied.
"Gah! I've got to fix myself up if i wanna impress Yuno-san!" He yelled as he switched to his phones front camera.
"Should I go with a new look?"
He began to mess with his hair, until he finally found the one. Tsubasa slicked his hair back and even he was impressed by the low effort transformation.
"Ohhh! Lets use this!" He said as he posed and snapped the picture. He held an awkward peace sign close to his face and smiled sheepishly. His personal take on looking "kawaii".
"Alright this will totally impress Yuno-san!" He boasted as he sent the picture to Yuno.
"Oh you look cute (*^_^*)." She replied.
Tsubasa completely stopped and stared blankly at the screen, his eyes simply focusing on the words, "you look cute."
"SHE THINKS IM CUTE!" He yelled as he began to bounce around his room.
A loud banging noise came from his door startling him enough to let out a quiet shriek.
"Onii-chan, SHUT UP!" He quietly scurried out from under his bed and whispered, "ah sorry tsuki." Tsubasa then returned to his conversation with Yuno and asked, "So where do you live Yuno-san?"
"Ahh I live in Tokyo how about you!" She replied.
"Wah! no way I live in Tokyo too," he said giddily, "What school do you go to? I go to North side."
Tsubasa waited a few minutes as Yuno's reply didn't come right away this time.
"Ah I guess she went to sleep it is late." he thought to himself as he looked around and saw how dark it had gotten.
"Oh I go to South side! I bet you're pretty popular aren't ya Tsubasa-kun." she finally replied.
Tsubasa paused and began thinking as he scrolled back to the photo of Yuno, quickly saving it.
"Should I lie to her? Or should I tell her the truth? Ah but Yuno-san is the first girl I've liked talking to! One lie won't hurt." He began typing.
"Actually I am, I have tons of friends at my school!"
"Wow really!!! I want to be Tsubasa-kun's friend too! Hey wouldn't it be fun if I met you after school in front of North Side and we hung out?" She asked.
Tsubasa was then plagued with another problem. Yuno wanted to meet up after school, but she would see the real him. He was stuck. To either make an attempt to perform a complete almost magical girl type transformation over night. Or to back out of his lie, face the repercussions, and possibly Yuno's scorn.
"Or is that no good :(." She followed up by sending another selfie of her. This time with a cute frowny face and her holding one hand to her cheek like a paw.
"YES OF COURSE! I WILL BE WAITING FOR YOU!" Tsubasa typed furiously.