While still hesitating a little, I looked down at the document once again. I noticed there was Masago’s sign there as the person responsible. It was Masago’s handwriting, which had become more peculiar than in the past.

I could tell that Masago was working on this application with determination and responsibility.

“Miya.”

“…I believe in you.”

Was it just my imagination that Masago’s voice sounded worried when he called my name?

Even though he was explaining about the app in a matter-of-fact manner just a moment ago…

I took out my favorite fountain pen from my chest pocket and added my name next to Masago’s name. With this, I’m an accomplice if something happens.

“With this, I’m also responsible if something happens. I won’t put the blame all on you. I want you to tell me if anything happens.”

“Mm.”

His sleepy eyes became even narrower.

The happy smile on Masago’s face was no different from the time I first met him when he was little.

*

However, I couldn’t just explain this to the Director.

In the end, I would have to deceive him.

“—Excuse me for being late.”

When I returned to his room, the Director was in the middle of a call.

He wasn’t speaking in Japanese. He may have been talking to the main branch company.

I went to my seat to avoid disturbing him and looked through the documents on my desk that must have been left there while I was gone. As I was sorting the documents that needed the Director’s confirmation, the Director walked towards me after finishing his call.

“Is it fixed now?”

“…Ah, yes. It has been fixed.”

I returned the phone to the Director.

The screen still displayed the Virtual Omega app.

“But my profile still says I’m a student.”

“That seems to be a feature. It’s said you can improve your mental health by playing it with the time period that was the branching point of your secondary sex.”

I just explained something that sounded plausible, but half of it was a lie. Masago told me the reason the Director was set as a student in his profile was that Sou wanted such an alpha.

I explained to the Director that Virtual Omega is a mental care app for alphas. It wasn’t a lie. It should be working that way. The problem is whether the other person is virtual or not, —it was just that.

“Should I send something first?”

“That’s right. It is a chatting application… Have you ever done this kind of roleplay?”

“No. I rarely play games too.”

His answer was as I had expected.

In that case, it would be better for me to think and type the first message.

“Please try to imagine it. The other person is your classmate and close friend omega, who is taking a day off because of heat starting from today.”

“Classmate and close friend omega, huh.”

I had thought that he would feel something was off, but the Director made a complicated expression on his face. Perhaps he had experienced a traumatic event on his student days.

Pretending not to notice his reaction, I typed in some words into the chat screen.

<Good morning. I heard you’re taking a day off from school, could it be that your heat is here?>

I tried to make the text as easy-going as possible, but I wonder if it feels unnatural.

The Director peered at the screen with a serious expression from next to me.

“I’ll send the message like this.”

“Okay.”

I thought the Director might stop me, but he didn’t seem to mind.

The text I had just sent appeared on the chat screen. A few moments later, the “read” mark appeared on the screen.

I wonder if a reply would come.

In the case of Sou ignoring this message, Masago said that an AI would reply on his behalf. But I was still a little worried if the reply that came back sounded strange.

The phone vibrated briefly, it was a signal of an incoming message.

[Yes, it’s here, what a pain. You should swap places with me.]

The reply could be said as simple and straightforward words.

At first, I couldn’t tell if it was Sou who send it or if it was a reply generated by the AI… But, I could kind of tell that it was the reply from Sou himself.

“Then a reply would come back, like this.”

The Director looked at the screen intently.

From the looks of it, it might still be difficult to ask the Director to give a reply. I probably should type more messages for now.

“Well then, I’ll give a reply to this.”

“I’ll try it.”

“…Is that so?”

His reaction was different than what I had imagined.

While still perplexed, I returned the phone to the Director’s hand. He didn’t seem to mind me peeking at the screen from next to him, so I kept looking at it.

<I’d change places with you if I could… Did you take your medicine?> 

His reply sounded more natural than what I had expected.

I guess this adaptability was expected for alphas.

[I did. But my stomach hurts. I’ve been going back and forth to the bathroom for a while now.]

Seeing the reply, the Director opened his eyes wide in surprise.

I wonder why.

“Does heat come with a stomachache?”

“Well… I suppose so. Maybe because that place is used for it.”

“If you think about it that way, I guess so.”

It seemed like no matter how talented an alpha he was, he didn’t know that reality of omega.

The Director was genuinely surprised, but he was already typing his next words. He didn’t seem to be confused about his conversation with Sou anymore.

I also stopped peeking at their conversation.

I quietly left the room so that they could enjoy the exchange for a while without being disturbed by anyone.