"Shiina-san did tell me there should be someone here."
Chihaya Kaiser gripped the handle, pushed down lightly, and the door swung open.
A boisterous noise from inside the room drew their attention. One person was the familiar chuunibyou in a white lab coat, Rintaro Okabe, and the other was a heavyset young man wearing a baseball cap.
So this is Daru?
The nickname really fits.
Chihaya Kaiser saw them gathered around a microwave oven with a banana inside.
Rintaro Okabe had both hands pressed against the microwave, yelling, "This isn't right! Why is it still in the same place?"
"Get a grip, Okarin. Time machines are impossible." The other guy retreated to his computer, his chubby fingers dancing across the keyboard in place of his own feet.
"It's not wrong! It's definitely possible!"
Like a man possessed, Rintaro Okabe shook the microwave, moving it back and forth and making exaggerated gestures with his hands.
Chihaya Kaiser and Kurisu Makise were unfazed by the sight. He held back the girl who was about to step inside and called out.
"Hello, Shiina-san invited me."
"Oh! Oh—it's you two?! Hello, Organization? I've been discovered by a female spy.
"Rintaro Okabe's arm quickly traced a cross in the air before he pressed one hand to his forehead.
"Christina and the photography boy, why have you come here so suddenly?"
"Oh, it's Kurisu Makise, huh?" Daru clearly knew her too, but he looked at Chihaya Kaiser with a puzzled expression.
"What did you just call me?! Christina?!" Kurisu Makise stormed into the room without taking off her shoes and started arguing with Rintaro Okabe.
Chihaya Kaiser, on the other hand, gave a slight bow. "I'm Chihaya Kaiser. I met Shiina-san and Okabe yesterday. I do photography part-time."
"I see. Just call me Daru. I'm a super hacker." Daru crossed his burly arms, stroking his chin with a smile that was both good-natured and faintly perverted.
The two of them instinctively looked toward the center of the room, where Kurisu Makise and Rintaro Okabe had started attacking each other's nationalities. It seemed like they couldn't meet without fighting.
Just then, the door was pushed open again.
A girl with short black hair saw the two arguing and immediately entered the room, grabbing Rintaro Okabe's arm.
"Stop fighting, Okarin. If you keep arguing with Makise-san, I'm going to ignore you."
"Ahem, this isn't a fight. It's an academic exchange." Rintaro Okabe relented before his girlfriend.
Chihaya Kaiser also stepped in to smooth things over, smiling as he spoke to Kurisu Makise.
"I think Christina sounds nice. It's normal to have nicknames when you're with friends.
Didn't you say yesterday that we could be a little more familiar? Would it be okay if I called you Christina from now on, too?"
"Hmph. Do whatever you want."
Kurisu Makise crossed her arms, tilted her head, took a deep breath, and faced Chihaya Kaiser again.
Rintaro Okabe's eyes widened. "Hey, what's the meaning of this? Chris—tina! You get angry when I call you that, but it's fine when the photography boy does it?"
"Huh? It's just that I can't stand half-baked guys like you. It's an impossible task, yet you insist on believing it can be done."
Kurisu Makise held out her hand, put her four fingers together, and flexed them a few times before continuing.
"So where's this time machine?"
"It's not finished yet, but I'll complete it sooner or later," Rintaro Okabe retorted, refusing to back down.
"Kaiser's soul theory is more interesting. Even though I don't believe souls exist either, at least it can be explained through science."
Kurisu Makise pulled Chihaya Kaiser closer. "You two are both so stubborn, always sticking to your own opinions and never admitting defeat."
"I believe souls really do exist."
"And I believe a time machine is feasible."
The two locked eyes for a moment. Mayuri Shiina laughed and opened the bag she was holding.
"Mayushii bought some ice cream! Let's all have some."
"Ah, thanks, Mayushii." Daru was the first to run over. In this weather, a popsicle would be a welcome relief for him.
Chihaya Kaiser was given one and thanked her, making a mental note to bring something next time he visited.
The argument between Kurisu Makise and Rintaro Okabe came to a temporary halt.
He took a bite of his popsicle, swallowed, and pointed at Kurisu Makise, shouting.
"It has been decided! You are Lab Member 004 of the Future Gadget Laboratory, and the photography boy is 005."
"Don't just decide things on your own," Kurisu Makise said, turning her head away.
"I'm still a high school student, so I don't have much time to come over."
Chihaya Kaiser looked at the boisterous Rintaro Okabe, the gentle Mayuri Shiina, and the seemingly easy-going yet slightly perverted Daru.
He actually found the atmosphere of this lab quite nice. Compared to his classmates at school, this place was clearly more interesting. It wouldn't be bad to drop by and hang out occasionally.
"High school student?" Daru asked him. "Then how old are you, Kaiser?"
"Fifteen. I'm a first-year in high school."
"Huh?" Kurisu Makise was taken aback, not expecting Chihaya Kaiser to be so young.
"A year younger than Mayushii?"
Mayuri Shiina was also clearly surprised, her lips slightly parted.
"I thought you were at least the same age as me."
"Alright, my age isn't that important," Chihaya Kaiser said with a smile, walking over to the microwave.
"The time machine is more interesting, anyway. This microwave looks pretty ordinary. Is there something special about the banana inside?"
"This is just the prototype. I will definitely build a real time machine in the future," Rintaro Okabe said smugly.
"In that case, I have a question."
Chihaya Kaiser looked at them. "If physical travel isn't possible, and you just send memories back to the past, can that still be considered the same person?
Could it be argued that the soul and the body are what define a person, and memories are just the medium they're carried on?"
"That..."
Just that one question stumped Rintaro Okabe. He pondered for a long time but couldn't come up with an answer.
Daru swiveled his chair around. "Then let's just say memories are a part of the soul."
"I believe memories are the primary component," Kurisu Makise argued, taking the opposite stance.
The group quickly started arguing again, with Chihaya Kaiser holding back Kurisu Makise and Daru holding back Rintaro Okabe.
Mayuri Shiina simply continued with her handicrafts, not joining their discussion, a smile on her face.
The lab has gotten so lively now.
She took the opportunity to ask Chihaya Kaiser, "I have a job offer. Would you like to try it?"
"Go ahead." Chihaya Kaiser and Kurisu Makise were sitting on the sofa, with Rintaro Okabe in a chair opposite them.
"A maid cafe wants to hire a photographer to shoot some promotional photos. The pay isn't bad," Mayuri said with a smile.
"Five thousand? Or eight thousand?"
"Ten thousand."
"Please, you have to give it to me," Chihaya Kaiser said. "What are the specifics on the time?"
"Is tomorrow evening okay?"
"Of course."
Chihaya Kaiser was all smiles. What an unexpected windfall. Another ten thousand yen for his savings.
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