Work Text:
Clink.
The sound of empty beer cans rolling and hitting against one another before rolling down onto the tatami mat. Messy taupe hair swaying ever so slightly in a wobbly manner as the owner of the said hair buried his head on top of the low-table in the center of the modest living-slash-bed-room.
"Uegh...I drank too -hic- muchh..."
Haru lifted sluggishly lifted his head, only to fall back again on the table. He glanced towards the only moving thing in the room, which is the clock. The clock just barely strikes 23:00 P.M
'It's cold...should've put out the kotatsu blanket...'
Haru sighed dejectedly as he noticed all of the empty beer cans, dirty dishes, and paper tissues strewn around him.
'...Was my room always felt this lonely before?'
'I missed him...'
A sniff.
'Ack! Damn, must've been my allergy..'
"A least call me or something...jerk..."
'What am I talking about..why would he? We're not even dating or anything.'
Feeling drunk, lonely and bored. An idea popped into Haru's mind. He turned on his phone and clicked a single app. A glowing light blue screen with a letter [H] on it. Haru cleared up his throat,
"Heusc,"
[Good evening, Katou-sama. How may I help you?]
"Ah. Nothin' really. It's just that uh...How's Kambe doing?"
[Daisuke-sama has just finished attending a meeting with engineers, scientists, and other staff members of the Kambe company. He is currently going for lunch with a business partner.]
"O-oh, so he's been busy all day, huh? I see."
[Yes. Would you like to leave a message for him, Katou-sama?]
Haru's shoulders flinched a little as he contemplated whether or not to leave a message. He chose not to.
"No, it's nothing important. I uh.. I was just bored. Guess I kinda need someone to talk to or chat with. Yeah..."
[If Katou-sama allows it, I am able to keep you company via talking.]
"Really? Wow, didn't know you're able to do that, Heusc. I mean, not that I mind of course! I sorta get why Saeki-san said that your voice is calming enough to the point of ASMR-ish."
[It is a pleasure to be of help. Very well then, Katou-sama. I am also capable of changing my voice into someone else, if you would like.]
"EH? You can even do that?? That's amazing. So uh... If I asked for Kambe's voice-"
[It is possible, Katou-sama.]
Haru's heart beats quicker as he tried to control his breathing. 'It's just Heusc, it'll only feel like playing with an audio robot so it should be okay, right?'
Haru exhaled, "Then Heusc, Kambe's voice please."
[Katou.]
Haru almost lets out a squeak as he heard that familiar deep baritone voice from the other side of the line. How he missed hearing the owner of that voice calling his own name.
"U-uwah...that surprised me, that almost sound like the real one."
[Is this voice to your liking?]
Haru leaned his back to the bed as he closed his eyes.
"That's amazing, Heusc. Yeah. It's just perfect. I like it. You sounds just like him. Can you keep talking? Anything is fine, I just... Is that okay?"
[Absolutely.]
Before Haru knew it, an hour went by. It was almost 1 A.M in the morning. Haru decided it was about time to end the play and call it a night. Yet, whether it was caused by the alcohol in his body, Haru thought of something else before ending the conversation.
"Heusc, can you say something per my requests still with Kambe's voice?"
[What would you like to hear?]
Haru inhaled, then exhaled. He then whispered the words close to his phone. Haru's pulse becoming quicker again as he waited for the other side of the line to repeat what he just said.
[Haru.]
THUMP!
Haru gripped his phone tighter. Pressing his left ear closer to the speakers.
[I love you.]
Haru could feel the ringing of his own heartbeat. His face felt hot as if all the blood went up to light his cheeks red. Haru sighed,
"I'm done. Thanks, Heusc. Ah, don't tell Kambe about thi-"
[Are you satisfied, Inspector Katou?]
"Uhh..Heusc, you can change your voice back now-]
[I'm not Heusc, Katou.]
EH?
Haru heart sank as he felt chill run down his spines.
'D-Don't tell me-!'
"KAMBE?! S-Since when?!" Haru almost threw his phone across the room as he stammered in realization. He managed not to. Fortunately.
[From the start of your little play. Right before Heusc suddenly connected your phone line to my earring.]
'HEUSC WHAT THE HELL?!?!?'
Dumbfounded, Haru opened and closed his mouth repeatedly like a broken lid. To think that...that AI could pull out a mischief like this... and Kambe to play along to top it off!
[So, Katou. I believe you have something you want to tell me?]
'Oh god kill me now! I'm digging my own grave! Heck, I want to crawl into a hole and hide!!'
"AH..err. Uhh yea so you see Kambe! All of that were just a joke!"
[A joke you say?]
"Yeah! I..I was drinking so, haha...ha.. You get it, right! Anyway! it's getting real late here so I'm hanging up okAY GOODNIGHT BYE!"
BEEP!
Haru was huffing and puffing as he slammed the end call button. However, before he could turn off button of his phone, a ding sound echoed. A short text message from Kambe Daisuke.
-> I'm coming over in 20 minutes. Don't go to bed just yet.
'Oh no...' Kambe is coming.
Kambe Daisuke is at London right now, how could he possibly go to Haru's place in Japan at the middle of the night in just 20 minutes? Well, the answer couldn't be more obvious, could it?
Giving up, Haru stood up and started to clean some of the mess, hoping his room still had space to sit. Once he thought it was clean enough, Haru sat down again onto the tatami mat. Across him was the not-so-long hallway to the entrance door of his apartment.
With a thumping heart, Haru waited both in fearing for his life and in anticipation.
[End]