Homophonic: Kazuki Hoshino

[factoring]

Comments

[factoring]

Digital entities and anomalies.

[teenrebellion]

So, like, hackers? Phishing and stuff?

[factoring]

Yes, hacking programs. Ensuring people get their accounts back clean.

[teenrebellion]

Isn't that just basic cybersecurity? What's so phenomenal about it?

[factoring]

My dear assistant arrived in the streets of Scramble Crossing in a body made of pure digital matter.

[teenrebellion]

What?

[factoring]

She was just a framework of data without skin. Just shifting blue digital matter.

[teenrebellion]

...Is this some kind of virtual reality thing?

[factoring]

That's what the network is supposed to be. What happened to them was very real.

[teenrebellion]

So... they were deleted...?

[ he's so confused ]

[factoring]

It was more akin to their mental data being forcefully ripped from their body during the log out process.

They're alive and functional, but their real body is in a coma.

[teenrebellion]

...Yeah, I'm not that much of a techie. [ he has no idea what she is saying. ] I, uh. Hope they wake up soon?

[factoring]

[ He's not the first person. 😔 ]

That's what we're hoping for them.

[teenrebellion]

Well, good luck getting back to them. Hopefully this weird game doesn't last too long so you don't miss it when they do wake up.

[ "when" because he's decided just now that he's not accepting the alternative. he doesn't even know those people. ]

[factoring]

That's very kind of you.

[Thanks for believing she'll make it out of here, kiddo.]

[teenrebellion]

[ it's basic human decency but okay ]

Oh. [ he lowers his head in a slight bow. ] I'm Kazuki Hoshino, by the way.

...I'd say it's nice to meet you, but...

[ the circumstances........... ]

[factoring]

Kyoko Kuremi.

[She gives a slight nod back to him.]

It's all very strange, I understand.

[teenrebellion]

Is being told you're dead one of the phenomena you're so used to?

[ she is really taking this too well he thinks ]

[factoring]

No. Though some people have wanted me dead.

[teenrebellion]

I feel like you should be a little more bothered by that than you are.

[factoring]

Occupational hazard.

[teenrebellion]

And here I thought groupies were bad.

[factoring]

Are they that much of a problem?

[teenrebellion]

Some of them are actually insane. One of them even interrupted our concert.

[factoring]

Rude of them.

[ Not sure if that's on the same level of people wanting you dead, but maybe it is for a musician. ]