Grandma’s place is a short ELRT trip away. Watching the map flash on the dashboard above, I noticed that the station we were going to drop off at was rather close to the station at Saint High.

Could it be that Avner moved to his grandparents place after the expected separation?

“Lia, we’re almost here.”

“I wish they put seats on the train. People can’t even sleep.”

“There’s one there if you need it.”

“I’m not disabled.”

“You can sit on it if you really need to. Just pass it up when a disabled person comes by.”

“I’m still not sitting.”

The train soon arrived at Prochock Station. We got off the coach and stepped on the platform.

As modern as the term ELRT sounds, the station doesn’t look any different from those you can find back in my previous world. Perhaps you can better imagine it if I said that there were just additions of holographic ads, Randell, Innis and Ui bouncing all around the place.

We took the escalator down, scanning past the checkout point using our glasses.

We came out to the streets. It was quite a sight to see the bustle of people talking to their invisible AIs while walking.

There were those set to public. So Randell bumped into all sorts of other AI avatars (on purpose).

The grandma we’re visiting is from my father’s side. She’s living together with grandoa. The gender terminology should be self explanatory.

From Avner’s memories, grandpa had already passed.

Of course there are other family and cousins to keep track of– which Avner inevitably didn’t, like from my mother and aether’s side. The family tree can get quite messy with how things are in this world.

Grandma’s home is perched high at the condominium over there. Father was leading, we tagged behind.

“Do you think we brought enough?”

“I think it’s more than enough.”

My mother asked me about the gift we prepared. As you know, it’s typical for people to bring hampers when visiting someone. The norm is the same here too.

We hit a zebra crossing. Lia went to push the button on the traffic light.

The AR in the air blared green, a chalky animation began to play.

Everyone made their way forward. I hesitated.

“Big bro. Come on!”

Lia dragged me.

“Okay, okay.”

Father got permission from the guards and acquired visitor tags for us. Security is tight around these places I see.

The tag is digital, imprinted into our glasses so access becomes automatic.

“Which floor is it again?”

“It’s unit R920. So the ninth floor.”

“That’s pretty high.”

“Having a landed house is so much better. We don’t need to keep going up and down.”

We entered the elevator.

“Oh, here.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

With my father blocking the entrance, a guy wearing a cap pushed himself inside. He stood behind me.

He didn’t press any buttons. We’re going up to the same floor it seems.

“What the hell are you doing?”

He said.

“What?”

“Give me your contact.”

“Why?”

“You’re in trouble.”

It took me way too much time to process his words. The elevator had already come to a stop.

“Give me your contact, quick!”

[Avner?]

[It’s a stranger! You shouldn’t!]

[I’ll tell Narie!]

The door to the elevator opened. I walked out alongside my family, leaving him behind.

“Avner.”

“I have no idea.”

“You shouldn’t have let him in, dear.”

“I was just being nice.”

That was too weird. Who was that?

What trouble?

===

“Oh my, Avner, you’ve grown so much since I last so you, come here.”

“He took on his father’s features, what a baby face.”

I’ve got a grandma and grandoa who began complimenting my face everywhere imaginable. Aether was preparing fruits in the kitchen.

“Lia too, you’re so cute. Do you want to sit here?”

“I’m.. too old for that already.”

“My grandchild is never too old for us.”

And they laughed.

Lia kept hirs smile, a little twitchy.

Their apartment unit was comfy and spacious. It was outside my expectations that nothing about the place felt old. Grandma and grandpa were also wearing clothes that made them look younger than they appear. The place was as if a maid had just come by recently.

As a side note, being maids is a lucrative industry these days. Especially when the gap between the rich and poor is becoming increasingly apparent.

Our family is the rare middle-class. I wasn’t sure if we were sliding towards the latter, as conversations about money don’t often come up in our household. Not that I can do anything about it. All I can do is to scale my work as soon as possible.

Which is the biggest problem because I’m absolutely clueless as to how I should do this!

“How’s your studies?”

“So-so.”

“Is it?”

“He’s become a lot more mature recently.”

“Is it? Study well you hear? That way you can get a good job.”

I nodded, disagreeing vehemently in my heart.

There doesn’t seem to be much entertainment here. Just like our home, there’s no television. And it doesn’t seem like they were fond of using OptAR as they’ve just folded theirs aside.

“I’ve prepared the fruits.”

“Oh! Thank you so much.”

Aether put the plate on top of the coffee table.

“How is our son treating you? Is he very harsh? Are you working hard like this at home too?”

Aether brushed off their question with passive replies.

Lia grabbed a fork and poked the mango.

Father passed the fork around, I took it with caution.

If there’s one thing I’ve avoided in my life– one thing Shin has avoided all his life, it’s mangoes. Why? Because he’s allergic to the fruit.

But I’m Avner right now.

So it should be fine.

Right?

I carefully dropped one into my mouth.

I chewed on it slowly.

Interesting. So this is what a mango tastes like.

…

I’m fine, right?

No rash, no itch. I don’t feel that stinging feeling at the back of my throat.

I found myself sighing in relief.

I continued downing the mangoes. They taste pretty good actually.

“Look at him eat.”

“He should eat more, he looks so skinny you know?”

“I’ll tell him about it.”

“Did my brother tell you about what happened?”

“Hm? What happened?”

“He’s being hospitalized.”

“What? Why?”

“I never heard of it.”

Apparently, the other reason why father wanted to visit our grandparents is to pass on this message. Our uncle got injured in an accident, due to a stunt or something, and wanted to let everyone know that he’s still fine. A fracture on his arm, that’s all.

So I have an uncle for a daredevil? That’s news to me.

“Avner, your arm.”

“My arm..”

Oh.

Hives.

Crap.

===

dotturndot: I don’t have allergies. I don’t have asthma. I’m a healthy person. Then again, some people live with these conditions. I wonder what it’s like to be asthmantic?