check point

brainstorm

I'm at Hideo's house, it's late in the afternoon as we spent all day talking about the changes in the code in the NeuroLink and the design of the new glasses.

His dog, Koa, is biting on the end of my shoe laces making me laugh.

-Stop it ,Koa- Hideo warns the dog while he stand beside me admiring the new design floating in front of us.

Tired of it, I pick up the dog and wait for Hideo to say something.

-It's funny that we had to go back to the old design- he finally says looking at me from the corner of his eye. I can't decide if he says it with dissapointment or irony.

-You- sorry, the company can launch the contact lenses again, but the public needs time to trust us again. Going to the old design seemed like a good idea- I defend myself anyways.

-I like them. You added that, right?- Hideo points to the warcross logo on the corner of the glasses and the new logo of Henka Games. I blush a little.

-You think is too much?.

-I think it's good that now they have your touch- when he says that his hand rubs mine making me shiver. A smile playing at the corner of my mouth is soon mirrored by his.

I put Koa down and rest my head on Hideo's shoulder.

A few months ago one of the police officers guarding every corner of any room Hideo was in would've cleared their throath and warned us about the contact. But now, after one year serving his sentence we've convinced the judge to only place police officer's outside the house.

Of course, everytime Hideo has the chance to come to work, to Henka Games, he still needs to be scorted by at least five officers.

-Zero talked to me today- he says after a while, shuting down the holograms of our work and taking me to the kitchen.

-What did he say?- We called him Zero instead of Sasuke, because he insisted on it.

We like to think about him like some kind of guardian now, a friend looking out from us, everywhere at any time, but the thought of him watching me isn't scary any more.

-He was teasing me about the fact that you were coming today- he was preparing tea.

-Because you are ridiculously happy whenever Emika comes- a voice from the living room speakers said. I snickered while Hideo shook his head.

I sat on the countertop admiring Hideo's gracious moves as he poured the tea on two cups.

His hair was a little different after all this time, today there were no dark circles under his eyes and I was grateful for that.

Sometimes he still had nightmares about what Taylor had done to his brother, keeping him from sleep, but lately they'd left him alone.

-For you, Mrs. Chen- he said giving me the cup.

I took his hand stoping him in front of me.

-Are we on working hours still or what?- I wondered with a playful smile on my face.

He turned to look at the clock on his fridge, 9 P.M.

-You have to leave after that, so, yes- he laced his fingers with mine.

He went for his own cup and called me to sit on the living room.

Koa ran to take a seat by his side and I sat at the other.

-How's Jax?- Hideo asked out loud, maybe to test if Zero was still listening to us.

-She says she's okay, she mamaged to steal one of the guard's keys and she sometimes sneaks out to talk to me on the phone- Zero's low voice said. Every time someone mentioned Jax his tone changed, it was softer, happier, if that was possible in some way.