This time, Miko had brought Ryuichi into a special glass capsule-like device, surrounded by screens filled with complex biometric data.
She began running a delicate diagnostic device designed to identify subtle malfunctions in an individual's mana structure.
Meanwhile, Ryuichi quietly observed the situation, while Aura communicated with him through his consciousness:
"Stay calm, I'll monitor the vital signs with you."
Minutes passed in anticipation.
Finally, the results appeared in front of Miku:
Strange and unusual damage to the inner core of the mana center. The biopattern is unstable in a way that doesn't match any previously recorded disease.
Miku tried using a catalytic energy device, thinking it might reset the nucleus, but...
there was no improvement.
On the contrary, some of the readings became even more chaotic, prompting her to stop immediately.
Miko, expertly and carefully, disconnected the connection and pulled Ryuichi out of the capsule.
She looked at him with eyes that held a mixture of sorrow and admiration:
"...your mana center... He's not just a patient, Ryuichi... He's a mutant... Or perhaps something else entirely."
The miko approached him with quiet steps, then placed her hand lightly on his shoulder, and said in a warm tone that held a measure of pain:
"I'm sorry, Ryuichi... I tried my best."
"I know it's hard... But remember, you're not alone in this."
Ryuichi felt the warmth of her words, looking at the ground in silence.
A silent moment passed between them, no judgments, no promises, just the simple, honest kind of empathy that one sometimes needs to keep going.
After their passionate conversation ended, Miku smiled gently and stood up:
"Wait here for a moment, I have something for you."
She reached into a nearby drawer and pulled out a small, neatly sealed box. She handed it to Ryuichi, who took it with a puzzled look on his face.
"What's this?"
He asked, testing the weight of the box with his hand.
miko smiled enigmatically and answered:
"You'll soon find out... Come with me."
She led him through one of the lab's corridors and into a side room illuminated by a soft white light. In the center of the room, there was a comfortable chair and an oddly shaped device covered in a white silk cover.
"Sit here,"
the miko said gently.
Ryuichi complied, sitting in the chair without understanding what exactly was going on.
Quietly, Miku pulled back the lid, revealing a device that looked like a traditional eye examiner, but its design was more modern and sophisticated, gleaming with dim lights and delicate robotic arms.
Miku said as she adjusted the device's settings:
"I've been noticing that you've been straining your eyes during lectures, and I've seen you squinting sometimes like you can't see very well..."
"This is a very sophisticated vision screening device, designed to read and calibrate the finest details of the eye directly."
She paused for a moment and then added with a smile:
"Today, I'm going to fix this little flaw of yours. Think of it as... a little gift."
The scan began.
The device gently approached Ryuichi's face, its interface illuminated with light shows and high-resolution imaging techniques.
Within a few minutes, the machine collected his complete vision data, sending it directly to a small manufacturing unit on the side.
As Ryuichi watched in amazement, another machine went to work.
In rapid flashes, it began making special lenses, then combined them with a sleek frame inside a module embedded with smart chips.
Less than ten minutes later, the miko held out a pair of newly designed glasses to him:
The frame was lightweight.
The lenses are equipped with augmented reality (AR) display technology.
They can synchronize data with nearby smart devices.
"These are... Your new glasses,"
said with a smile,
"are designed to fit your eyes precisely, and give you more than you expected."
Inside Ryuichi's mind, Aura whispered in amazement:
"Ryuichi... This is amazing... She customized an advanced tool just for you..."
"...She's not treating you like an ordinary student... She treats you like a very important person."
Ryuichi took the glasses with a slightly trembling hand, and felt a wave of internal gratitude that could not be described in words.
Ryuichi hesitated for a moment, looking at the smart glasses as if they were an otherworldly treasure.
One look at Miku, who nods at him with an encouraging smile, makes up his mind.
He slowly lifted the glasses, placing them over his eyes.
The moment the glasses settled on his face...
The augmented reality screen in front of him exploded with light graphics: A perimeter map, visual analytics, night vision indicators, and a small print reading system.
Everything became clearer, purer... It was as if the fog in his life had suddenly lifted.
Ryuichi opened his eyes wide, mesmerized by the beauty of the new world he saw.
Inside his mind, Aura's voice was ready, ready to mock:
"Wow... Finally, you short-sighted old man, you can see more than two meters without bumping into doors! Shall we celebrate?"
"Or write you a certificate of graduation from the School for the Blind?"
Aura said in a tone full of gentle amusement.
Ryuichi smiled involuntarily, and would have laughed if it weren't for Miku in front of him.
"Is everything okay?"
Miko asked gently, nodding her head.
Ryuichi nodded quickly, hiding his laughter, before replying in a hoarse voice:
"Great... I can't believe I've been living all this time with such bad eyesight."
Internal commentary from Aura again:
"Oh no, don't tell me you're going to cry now too?"
"Stay strong, New Vision Hero... The future before you is now clear... Literally."
Aura adds in a warm tone despite her usual sarcasm:
"I'm a little proud of you, Ryuichi... Even if you look like a tech guru right now with those glasses."
He smiled inwardly at the joke, and felt something subtle warm his heart.
Despite everything that had happened... There were still people who cared about him, and Aura... No matter how cynical she pretended to be, she was one of the most sincere.
After miko made sure the glasses settled properly on Ryuichi's face, she smiled slightly slyly and said:
"Now... It's time for the real experiment. Follow me."
Ryuichi, still entranced by his newfound clarity of vision, cautiously followed her into the lab to a side room enclosed by shiny metal walls, illuminated by soft lights.
In the center of the room, there was a small square filled with holographic objects glowing in different colors.
Miku, setting up a small controller in her hand, said with a mischievous smile:
"The glasses have a full augmented reality mode. It will test your ability to interact with digital information and reality simultaneously. Ready?"
Ryuichi raised an eyebrow suspiciously, before nodding softly:
"Let's see what you've got."
As soon as Miku pressed a small button...
The scene before Ryuichi's eyes changed completely!
Virtual targets appeared in flight, instructions written in sky blue, and arrows pointing at him to perform certain actions: Point, Aim, Analyze.
The goggles analyzed the objects around him in real time, giving him detailed data on distances, sizes, and composition.
Inside his mind, Aura didn't miss the opportunity as usual:
"Finally some exercise for your lazy brain... I wonder how long it will take to hit the first wall!"
"Come on, Ryuichi, show your teacher how to be a hero!"
Ryuichi had to follow rapidly moving targets across the room.
Whenever he focused on a target, it analyzed in front of him, displaying its information interactively.
He needed to choose the right path through a tangled virtual path, requiring him to think quickly and make instant decisions.
Despite some initial hesitation, Ryuichi showed impressive skills.
His brain was responding more quickly than anyone expected.
Miku's reaction (with genuine surprise):
"You're a fast learner... These glasses are like they were specially designed for you."
Aura's comment - as usual, sarcastic but gentle this time:
"Oh no... We'll need an honorary degree for him soon... Doctor of Augmented Vision!"
"Stay humble, Ryo, even if you suddenly become a genius."
As Miko prepared to reveal Ryuichi's next move,
her cell phone on the table rang quietly, a barely audible dial tone.
On the screen: Caller's name: Hiroshi A.
Miko looked at the phone with a cold stare, as if she had been expecting this call.
She sighed lightly, then turned to Ryuichi with a stoic smile:
"Ah, the storm has begun. Just a minute."
Miku answers the call:
"Hi, Hiroshi." (in a steady professional voice)
From the other end came Hiroshi's voice...
Calm, cool, full of confidence, and charged with a soft narcissistic tone:
"Miku... I didn't expect you to be late for your regular report. You know how much I value order. Shouldn't you be better than this?"
His tone of voice was neither stern nor angry,
but had that sassy coldness that enveloped the words with a provocative sense of superiority.
Ryuichi stood up and noticed Miku's face change:
She was maintaining a faint smile.
Her eyes shine with a subtle coldness.
Her fingers tapped on the table with subliminal light taps.
In Ryuichi's mind, Aura, of course, didn't shut up:
"Uh... I hear an arrogant voice!"
"Ryo, remember: Narcissists are like cats... They pretend to be quiet, but they want all the attention for themselves."
Miku responds with artificial gentleness:
"I haven't forgotten, Hiroshi. I was just... busy training one of our best operatives."
There is a brief silence from the other party, and then the response is wrapped in polite sarcasm:
"The best of the best? Don't get your hopes up too high, you might disappoint yourself soon. You're too emotional, Miko, which is why you always need my guidance."
Here, Miku seemed to be holding her nerves tightly.
She simply replied:
"I'll send you the report in an hour, as you requested."
"Good. Don't disappoint me any more than you already have."
(Then he hung up without waiting for her response.)
After hanging up,
Miko placed the phone on the table with a slight force as if to expel negative energy,
and then looked at Ryuichi with a forced smile:
"Sorry for the interruption... Where were we?"
In Ryuichi's mind, Aura commented with soft sarcasm:
"Well... If Hiroshi is the leader of this place, we need an escape plan, right now."
"I suggest we make a robot that steals his coffee every morning until he collapses."
Miku, after putting the phone down, was silent for a few seconds... as if in deep thought.
Then she turned to Ryuichi, a serious look on her face, and the artificial smile she had been trying to maintain disappeared.
In a low, humorless voice, she said:
"Ryuichi..."
"I want you to pay close attention to what I'm about to tell you."
Feeling the weight of her words, Ryuichi straightened in his seat without speaking.
Even the Aura inside his mind was suddenly silent, as if realizing that this was serious.
Mikiko continued, her tone a mixture of warning and concern:
"Hiroshi... is no ordinary person."
"When he sets his sights on someone, he doesn't rest until he controls them or... completely destroy them."
"He doesn't treat people as people... but as chess pieces that he moves whenever and however he wants."
She was silent for a moment, then added:
"I don't trust him. I've never trusted him."
"So I advise you... No matter how close he tries to get to you, no matter what temptations or opportunities he offers you..."
"Stay away. Do it for me, and for yourself as well."
Ryuichi felt a cold tingle in his chest,
The warning felt real... It wasn't hyperbole or drama.
Ryuichi, though surprised at Miku's seriousness, smiled gently and said:
"I'll take your advice, Miku. Thank you for your warning..."
(then with a slight smile trying to lighten the charged atmosphere)
"But don't worry... No one can move me easily, not even the chess king himself."
Miku gave a small smile, but it was filled with sadness:
"I hope so, Ryuichi... I really do."
While Ryuichi was still sitting, contemplating his new prescription glasses, and thinking about Miku's heavy words,
his phone suddenly rang.
The name on the screen: "Suzuni."
Aura, inside his mind, commented with mild sarcasm:
"Oh, here we go... Emergency call."
Ryuichi grinned sideways, then answered calmly:
"Hello, Suzuni?"
On the other end, her voice came from the other end, lively and vibrant as always, with a hint of hidden anxiety:
"Ryo! You finally answered! Where are you? I've been trying to call you for a while!"
Ryuichi smiled lightly, trying to ease her tension:
"Sorry, I was a little busy... Everything is fine. What's wrong?"
Suzuni, in a voice filled with a mixture of excitement and concern:
"I just wanted to check on you. You didn't show up for lunch today with everyone else... We were worried about you."
"And then... Well, I have something important I wanted to tell you in person."
Feeling a little guilty for ignoring his friends, Ryuichi said gently:
"I'm fine, really. I had some things... with Miko-sensei."
(Then he recovered with a playful smile.)
"But don't worry, I'll make up for lunch soon. What's the big news?"
Suzuni, clearly a little hesitant, then bursts out with enthusiasm:
"I've been selected for the exchange program! I'm going abroad for a short time!"
Ryuichi opened his eyes in surprise, and even Aura muttered in his mind:
"Huh, I didn't see that coming."
Ryuichi, with a genuine smile this time:
"That's amazing, Suzuni! Congratulations! You really deserve it."
"Where are you going?"
Suzuni laughed lightly:
"To France! Paris to be exact! Imagine me carrying a baguette and wearing a beret!"
Ryuichi laughed genuinely this time, and the heavy feeling that had been perched on his chest since Miku's talk eased a little.
Suzuni, after a brief moment of silence, said in a warm, slightly hesitant tone:
"By the way, Ryo... Do you... Would you like to meet before I go away?"
"I'd like to see you... I don't know when we'll be able to talk again after that."
Feeling a warmth in his chest, Ryuichi smiled gently.
Even Aura, inside his mind, commented with a slight sneer:
"How dramatic... like she's saying goodbye to you forever."
Ignoring Aura's comment, Ryuichi replied in a gentle voice:
"Of course, Suzuni. I'd be happy to meet you. When and where?"
Suzuni's voice sounded relieved:
"How about the Blue Lotus Café near the Great Park? You like it, don't you? Tomorrow afternoon?"
Ryuichi thought for a moment, then said:
"Excellent. I'll be there."
Suzuni, her excitement rising a little:
"Great! I'll see you tomorrow then! Don't be late!"
Then she quickly hung up before Ryuichi could hear her chuckle fade away.
Aura, inside, didn't miss the opportunity to comment:
"Well, Ryo-chan, you seem to be very popular today. Who knows, maybe you'll come back from the meeting with an extra broken heart."
After the tests were completed, the glasses were made, and Ryuichi received them, the sun began to set.
As Ryuichi was about to walk out of the lab, Miku stopped him with a gentle but firm tone:
"Wait. I'll drive you home. No argument."
Ryuichi tried to object, but quickly realized from her look that the discussion was pointless.
He chuckled softly and said:
"Well... As long as I don't have a choice."
On the way to the car, Aura kept getting stuck in his mind cheerfully:
"Cool! Free delivery service too! Can I order you a coffee?"
Ryuichi ignored her as he climbed into the seat next to Miku, who quietly made her way home.
Along the way, there wasn't much talking between them, just a few short sentences here and there, enveloped in a strangely comfortable silence.
When they arrived, Mikiko gently parked the car on the side of the road near his neighborhood.
"We're here. Make sure you get a good night's rest, Ryuichi. Tomorrow is a new day."
He smiled slightly shyly at her and said:
"Thanks again... For everything, and for the gift too."
"Be sure to take care of yourself..." the miko replied, nodding gently. more than anything else."
Ryuichi got out of the car and waved to her as he retreated back to his house, while she continued on her way, her car lights gradually disappearing into the darkness of the evening.