"Master? Again?" I blinked at the gorgeous robot girl standing in the middle of my tiny apartment.
"I—what? What are you talking about?! Who is your master? I've never seen you before in my life! Are you just some doomsday robot sent to kill me because I failed a math test in 8th grade or something?!"
She tilted her head slightly, her silver hair catching the dull glow from my ceiling light. "I understand this must be confusing," she said calmly, "but I am not here to harm you, Master Haru. I am Aura, and I came from the future. You created me."
I stared at her blankly for a full five seconds before saying the only logical thing I could think of: "This isn't Terminator, is it? Because if a naked Arnold Schwarzenegger busts through my wall right now, I'm jumping out the window."
Aura didn't laugh. She just blinked. "I am unfamiliar with this 'Schwarzenegger.' However, to ease your doubts, I will answer any question about you that only someone close to you would know."
This sounded like a trap. But I was also very curious. Also, her chest was glowing softly and it was hard to concentrate.
"Fine. First question," I said, arms crossed. "What's my favorite food?"
"Chicken nuggets," she replied instantly, "with a chocolate milk drink. You prefer the ones shaped like dinosaurs. Specifically, the pterodactyl."
I froze. "Lucky guess."
"Second question," I challenged. "What was the first game I ever played?"
"Publicly, you always told people it was Dragon Warrior. But privately, your actual first game was Busty Ninja Babes. A hentai game you played alone at 3 a.m. and—"
"STOP! Okay! Okay! That's enough!" My face turned redder than a cherry slushie.
Aura stared expressionlessly. "You also—"
"I said that's enough!!" I flailed like a fish out of water.
She simply nodded and said, "Final question, then."
I wiped sweat from my brow. "Fine. Why do you think I'm your Master Haru from the future?"
She replied with the coldest deadpan I'd ever heard, "Because of your habits. The way you speak. The way you dramatically monologue to yourself. And the fact that you keep glancing at my chest every ten seconds. Just like the older version of you."
I paused. Turned away. And did the deepest, most dramatic bow of apology I could manage.
"I'm convinced."
I invited her to sit at my kotatsu—because, what else do you do when a hot robot from the future shows up claiming to be your ultimate invention?
"Tea?" I offered.
She blinked. "I do not possess taste buds. But I would like to experience the social ritual. Please include a straw."
I hesitated. "A straw?"
She nodded. I got her one. She took the cup, and to my utter horror and fascination, a small hole opened in her smooth, doll-like face and the straw slid into it. She sipped.
It was both terrifying and adorable.
"Delicious," she said in her monotone voice. "I am emotionally fulfilled."
"That's… good?"
"I have not consumed anything since arriving via time travel. I was parched."
I stared at her. "You time traveled and the first thing you wanted was tea?"
"Yes."
"…Respect."
She placed the cup down and crossed her legs like a lady attending a formal interview. "I will now explain everything."
She began. After Takashi stole my game and became famous, future me tried to move on… at first. But apparently, I couldn't stop watching news updates, interviews, and livestreams. I was obsessed. A whole year passed and I couldn't even hold down a job because I was spiraling in anger and jealousy.
Then, Future Me had a stroke of genius… or insanity.
"I tripped on a toy robot," she said. "And you were inspired to build the ultimate revenge robot. Me."
"…Really? A toy robot?"
"You said it was fate."
"I sound like a drama queen."
"You are."
I squinted at her, but couldn't argue.
Apparently, Future Me taught himself stocks and made billions to fund her development. "You used AI, quantum cores, ancient circuit blueprints from the ruins of Akihabara, and a mysterious USB you found behind your fridge."
"That tracks," I mumbled.
It took me 60 years, but I completed Aura—mind, body, and sparkly robo-boobs.
"You were very proud," she said. "Then you gave me one mission: find Takashi… and eliminate him."
That last part made me choke on my own spit.
"Wait, I seriously told you to kill him?!"
She nodded. "Yes. You said, and I quote, 'Make him regret the day he was born. Crush him like a bug under my waifu's high heels.'"
I curled into a ball of embarrassment. "Why am I like this…"
"But before you could give me the details," she said with a robotic frown, "you had a heart attack and died."
"Of course I did."
She called an ambulance, but it was too late. With no orders and no idea how to complete the mission, she traveled back in time—to now—to find me.
"So," she asked with a hint of hope in her voice, "would you like me to kill him now?"
I stared at her.
Paused.
Then said flatly, "No."
Aura looked confused. "But… you hate him."
"Yeah," I said, leaning back. "But I've been living in that hate for too long. My future self got lost in it and wasted 60 years just to die with a heart attack before achieving anything. You're the greatest thing I've ever made, and I just wanted to use you for murder?"
Aura was silent.
"I think… there's a better way. A smarter way. Something I'm good at."
Her robotic eyes glowed faintly. "You have a plan?"
I grinned. "Instead of killing Takashi… let's beat him at his own game."
"Revenge… through video game development?"
"Exactly."
She raised her hand and, with a voice like a GPS restarting, announced, "Old orders: cancel. New orders: assist Master Haru in developing the ultimate virtual reality game."
I fist-bumped the air. "This is it. The start of our comeback."
"Affirmative. Beginning development mode."
Aura's eyes blinked rapidly, and suddenly, glowing holographic screens projected around her like she was inside a sci-fi control room.
"…Okay that's cool. Very cool."
"I have access to all futuristic programming tools. Shall I begin analyzing current market trends?"
"…Yes. But also—" I hesitated. "We might need to get chicken nuggets first."
"A wise decision, Master. Fuel is essential."
We both stood up in sync, like a scene from a cheesy anime.
Takashi, I'm coming for you.
But this time… with my waifu robot by my side.