When Sunday came, the garden was already dotted with tiny green sprouts breaking through the darker, damper soil. I had only planted some succulents for now, though a small green basil sprout was slowly growing in a cup on the kitchen counter. I'd attempted to plant some lettuce and mint leaves I found in my meals, but without any success. After another trip to the library, I learned that a leaf wouldn't propagate without a node.
Gardening had become my way of keeping both my hands and mind busy when V was home.
Mostly my hands.
This week had been so much more than the previous week already. Our first date, visiting his workplace, and what happened in the atrium. The days after, we kept things quiet, meeting each other only for meals, sticking to safe conversations, and never mentioning what happened in the atrium.
During my second Machina Learning meeting, I got to meet Chaoxing again. She invited me to her home to teach her how to use her 3D printer. When I mentioned my plans to V, his eyebrows lifted with an amused smile when I shared the location.
"You'll need a cab to get there," he said.
"A GlideCab?" I asked, already a little too excited at the idea of riding what felt like an attraction to me.
"Yeah. Only private transports reach that part of the City," he explained, his voice taking a careful, knowing tone. "You'll probably need authorization for your ride to be approved." He raised his eyebrows again, as if hinting at something I couldn't quite read.
And just like he predicted, when I stepped into the GlideCab and scanned Chaoxing's location code, the screen lit up: Authorization in process.
A few seconds later, I was propelled into the transit tubes, the grey walls blurring past me until I arrived on a platform that felt like it belonged to another planet.
A thick white mist greeted me as I stepped out of the cab. With no clear path ahead, I walked toward the bright light glowing in the distance. As I moved through the haze, shapes began to emerge around me. I stepped out of the mist into an immense, breathtaking space, where glass walls stretched high into the air, almost as tall as those of the Agora.
Lush vertical gardens climbed the walls, weaving around the balconies of the upper floors like rivers of green. At my feet, a narrow, winding stream traced a path through the center, its surface reflecting the hanging foliage above, like an indoor jungle.
I remembered standing in V's home just two weeks ago, wondering how a place like that could belong to only one person. Now, here I was again, in a place even more extraordinary, my idea of what could be a home changing once more.
"Sade! You're here!" I heard an angelic voice from the higher floors.
Chaoxing ran toward me barefoot, looking like a forest fairy with her long, slender braids whipping through the air. This time, her braids were gathered into a loose, messy bun atop her head, with strands falling freely around her heart-shaped face. Just like last time, silver threads were woven through her hair, catching the light, as well as tiny pearls glimmering among the strands, making her shine with an almost otherworldly glow.
She wore a simple, flowing ivory dress, making her petite frame look like she was floating, blending perfectly with the white, green, and glistening world around us.
I, on the other hand, felt like an error in my pastel pink skirt and blouse.
At least, Chaoxing was still a fan of my printed bag.
"This one is even cuter than the last one!" she squealed, her small hands already clutching my new white handbag. This time, I'd challenged myself with a more complex design, adding perfectly fitted pockets for my tablet and favorite snacks.
Anything to keep my mind off the memory of V's tight pants.
Chaoxing offered me a tour of the house, or what felt like a palace to me.
"Henry could easily afford a much greater place, like one in Sky Castle, but he says it's better not to flaunt too much," she mentioned casually as she led me into the Cinema Room, where a massive screen stretched across the wall, similar to the one I'd seen during my movie date with V.
I wasn't sure what Sky Castle was, though I vaguely remembered Calypso, our coordinator, mentioning at the last meeting that Chaoxing's owner was the Chief Biotech Officer. I didn't fully grasp what that title meant, but the way Chaoxing spoke, it was clear Henry was someone important.
"There are bathrooms on every floor if you need them. We have an elevator... But isn't so nice to take the stairs? I just love to walk up and down these suspended gardens... and my favorite is the spiral staircase hidden behind the waterfall! So relaxing..."
We reached the top floor and paused to watch the waterfall cascade down into the vast hall below. I couldn't help but wonder how this home could be considered "not flaunting" and what kinds of other homes the City could offer for its most important citizens.
"Henry hasn't been home much lately... He's working on a crucial project for the City. One that could change everything," she said softly, with a kind of rehearsed admiration, as though echoing words she'd heard directly from him.
Even though I was a human and Chaoxing a machina, I couldn't help but mirror her. I straightened my posture the moment I noticed how perfectly upright she held herself. She was smaller than I, yet somehow, her strong presence felt like she was towering over me.
Her tablet chimed as we walked back to the large entrance, and she told me she had invited Firinne to join us. I remembered the kind, short-haired woman from the first weekly meeting who said she was a nanny, and I got excited about spending more time with new people.
"Oh no..." Chaoxing winced, looking down at her tablet.
"What's wrong?"
"Firinne's arriving... and she's bringing Kira," Chaoxing groaned, rolling her eyes in frustration. "It's my fault. I told her she could bring someone, but I didn't think she'd pick her. She seems so... boring," she shrugged, casting me a sidelong look, as if seeking my approval.
I quickly shook my head to agree.
Indeed, the redhead had been unusually quiet at both meetings I attended, always hiding behind the collar of her coat. I couldn't help but wonder if Chaoxing might have thought differently had she witnessed the sharp questions Kira asked during our onboarding day.
I found myself bothered too. Not because I cared about Kira's personality, but because of her secret. The same secret I had. I had wanted to be the only fake machina here, to be able to relax and quietly learn from the real ones without feeling anyone else's eyes on me, knowing who I really was.
Who I was pretending to be.
When Firinne and Kira emerged from the mist, I immediately disliked how much my outfit resembled Kira's.
Beside us, Firinne and Chaoxing looked as though they had coordinated their clothes without even trying. Firinne's soft gray, wide-legged pants and vest floated around her long legs just like Chaoxing's flowing maxi dress. Together, they looked like goddesses, or forest fairies born from this indoor jungle.
Next to me, Kira wore a dress in a darker shade of pink than mine, with a strange red scarf around her neck. She clashed with the space, like a misplaced stroke of color in a carefully painted, serene scene. I hated that, in this moment, I appeared more like her than like the two ethereal figures standing next to us.
"You can hang anything here," the host said, gesturing toward what seemed like an invisible closet space. Firinne slipped off her vest without hesitation. "Do you..."
Chaoxing's gaze shifted to Kira, clearly offering her the chance to get rid of her heavy scarf.
But Kira ignored her.
Already, her eyes went all around the place, taking in the cascading gardens, the distant waterfall, the walls and walls of glass high up. Her arms crossed over her chest, the scarf tight around her neck.
Chaoxing, unbothered, turned to admire Firinne's new beauty enhancement. She also had delicate silver strands woven through her eyelashes and brows.
"How very elegant! And so discreet," she beamed, her voice warm with admiration.
"It's from the beauty center you recommended. Thank you again for that," Firinne replied, smiling softly as the two of them strolled arm in arm into the big hall.
I quickly followed behind them, not wanting to walk with Kira. In any case, this one still seemed engrossed by her surroundings, as she kept on strolling around, her brows now furrowing on the stream of water at our feet.
"I planned a relaxing tea time for us to enjoy," our fairy host announced, taking us to the small stream. "We're going to get a foot bath while sipping on delicious tea and eating pastries," she clasped her hands together with excitement, already dipping her small feet in the water stream and encouraging us to do the same.
I slipped off my shoes and gasped as my feet sank into the warm, fizzy water. Tiny bubbles tickled my skin, and for a moment, it felt less like a stream and more like stepping into a giant, luxurious bath.
The host showed us her tablet, gliding her fingers across the screen as she demonstrated how to adjust the temperature, the saltiness, the bubbles, the scents, even the massage settings built into the floor of the stream. I watched the water ripple gently around my ankles, the surface shimmering with reflections of the hanging greenery above us.
For a moment, it felt unreal. I couldn't believe that just over two weeks ago, I was standing in the cold, tiled showers of the clinic, watching the timer on the wall count down my precious minutes of warm water.
And now, here I was, dipping my feet into what felt like endless warmth and relaxation.
"I could stay here forever," Chaoxing sighed, voicing the thought that had just passed through my mind. Her dress floated around her like a pale cloud as she leaned back on her elbows, her eyes closing in quiet bliss.
Firinne did the same. I glanced at Kira. She hovered at the edge, barely letting her toes touch the water, her posture stiff and guarded. Her face was unreadable, staring down at the water, but for a second, it felt like I could sense what she was thinking too.
How unreal was this place. How unreal was this moment.
I dipped a little deeper, letting the warmth rise to my calves, and felt something in my chest gently loosen.
Maybe, just for now, I could pretend this was normal for me too.
"Are we not going to bother your owner?" Firinne asked, a faint crease of concern between her brows as she glanced up at the higher floors.
"Henry? He's never home these days," Chaoxing answered absently, already distracted as she picked up her tablet again and tapped away on it.
All our tablets buzzed around, and a tea-time menu appeared on our screens. The host had given us access to her meal app, and we brainstormed together on what we should get. Even Kira, hiding behind her long red hair and red scarf, seemed to enjoy herself as we selected all the sweets and pastries.
"How's it going for you, Sade?" Firinne asked as we waited for our order. "Did things get better for you and your owner?"
I felt a rush of gratitude that she remembered what I'd shared during my first meeting. It really felt like I was starting to make friends here.
"So much better," I said, smiling brightly, because it was true. "We had a big conversation about it last weekend..." It was easy to pinpoint when the walls between V and me had finally come down: the moment he shared his secret with me. "And we had our first date last Monday evening! It was amazing."
"A first date! How very exciting!" Chaoxing grinned, her face lighting up, genuinely happy for me. "What did you do?"
I told them about the restaurant-cinema, the amazing food, and how special the moment felt. I left out the walk afterward, the water sprinklers, and the way we'd laughed so hard in the GlideCab. These were some memories I wanted to keep just for myself. I also mentioned getting to visit V's workplace and spending more time with him. They all agreed it was a great sign that he was letting me into his professional space. None of them had gotten the chance to do so.
"So, your mission would be to be his life partner, right? If he's already introducing you to his colleagues?" Chaoxing commented when I told them about meeting Chandra and Malik.
"Life partner..." I repeated, letting the words settle in my mind and deciding to pretend, for both our sakes, that 'temporary' meant something much longer.
"I think... yes," I lied. "I mean, he did accept a dinner invitation from his boss on behalf of both of us," I added, hoping it would help sell the story. "It sounded like an important dinner too... with the Director of the Research Center. So... I guess he wouldn't do that if he didn't consider me... his life partner."
Firinne's eyes lit up at that last mention, and she gave me a nod of approval, almost proud of me.
"That's so great, Sade. We're so happy for you," she reached for my hand across the stream, and I squeezed her fingers back with a shy grin.
Next to her, Kira gave me a long, unreadable look.
Chaoxing called for our attention when white disks floated down the stream, gently making their way toward us. We all gasped in awe at the beautiful spread of colorful pastries and tea that got delivered before us. I took an elegant-looking cup to my lips and sighed in contentment at the discovery of yet another delicious flavor.
Could it ever stop? Would there come a day when I had tasted everything the City had to offer?
It seemed unlikely, especially when I looked at Firinne. She had arrived a month earlier than we did, and still, she looked so happy, planting her golden fork into every single cake, clapping her hands with joy each time she tasted a flavor.
Kira, on the other hand, seemed annoyed. I chose to ignore her.
We spent some time chit-chatting and catching up on each other's lives. Chaoxing and Henry had planned a two-day trip to go skiing on Mount Vinson the following week, which meant she would have to miss our weekly meeting with Calypso. She projected pictures of her planned snow outfits, along with the lodges where they would be staying. My mouth fell open in awe when she showed us the towering mountains, blanketed in perfect, cold white snow. I couldn't believe something so massive, so untouched, could exist.
I had never seen snow.
Even Kira, sitting in front of me, was wide-eyed.
Once again, I chose to mirror Firinne's posture. She appeared completely unfazed by the wonders we were witnessing, simply asking Chaoxing a few questions.
"That's a very long way to go. And you'll only be spending one night there?" she asked, nonchalantly picking at a pastry on the plate she held in front of her, her gaze flicking up to the wall where the pictures were projected.
"One night there, yes. But, well... we spend the night on the jet on the way there and back," Chaoxing replied absentmindedly, her finger swiping through the dozens of cute planned outfits.
"So, like... three nights away?" Firinne confirmed, munching on a big bite before turning back to the floating table to set down her empty plate. Chaoxing hummed her agreement before calling for our attention again, this time to admire the twelve hats she planned to bring on the trip.
But my eyes stayed on Firinne as she carefully took a napkin, folded it between her fingers, and tapped it against her flawless lips, which, truthfully, weren't even smudged.
I wished I could be as effortlessly elegant, as calmly detached as she was. She caught me watching her, gave me a small smile... and winked. Then, as if nothing had happened, she turned back to Chaoxing and asked about the hats.
I was almost starting to believe the printer had all been a pretext for us to have this tea party when Chaoxing reminded me about it.
"Let's go to the printer room," Chaoxing said, clasping her hands together and offering us soft towels to dry our feet.
Indeed, Henry's printer seemed to need its own room. It was massive!
"Chaoxing... This printer could even... print a printer itself!" I said in awe, tapping the screen of the 3D printing machine.
"Yours can't?" she asked, her tone light, without amy hint of malice.
"I guess I could make it happen if I really wanted to... but it would take forever to assemble all the tiny pieces I'd print!" I began to explain why in more detail, but I felt like I had already lost their attention.
Trying to get them engaged again, I quickly thought of a fun way to involve them. It was like slipping back into my older role at the clinic, back when I'd welcome the new kids.
I chose to demonstrate how to print a tablet case for each of them, focusing on the fun parts: choosing colors, designs, fun features, while still teaching them the mechanics and how to avoid common bugs.
"More sparkles," Chaoxing tapped on the screen, "More. More. Mooore."
I chuckled, catching her finger before she could poke a hole through the display, and explained why she always had to keep an eye on the material composition to not ruin the print's outcome.
"How very amazing!" she beamed, watching the printer bring her perfect tablet case to life. "I'll make a matching one for Henry!"
I smiled, that warm feeling of being able to help and feel useful spreading over my chest. I glanced behind me, expecting to find Firinne and Kira waiting for their turn, but the room was empty. It was just the two of us here.
"Oh...?" I stepped back, letting Chaoxing focus on her project, and wandered toward the door to see where they'd gone.
I found Kira leaning against the wall in the hallway, her gaze lost in the distance. Her arms were wrapped tight around herself, one hand clutching the scarf at her neck.
She jumped slightly when she noticed me.
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