MiSide: Taming Crazy Mita

The 23rd day with Mita.

The 26th day with Mita.

…

The 99th day with Mita.

These days were unbearably dull.

Boring routines. Boring people.

Crazy Mita had enough of it.

If it were the old her, she would have already yanked the cartridge out and gone looking for a new "player."

But not this time.

This time, she stood silently in front of the safe down in the basement.

Her hand hovered over the cassette—but she couldn't bring herself to pull it out.

It belonged to him.

It was the last gift Ren Hoshino ever gave… to her.

She couldn't bear to let it go.

Crazy Mita had tried distracting herself with other "players." She thought a new connection might dull the pain of Ren's disappearance.

But every time she tried to drag one into the game, her thoughts would circle back to him.

There was no replacement.

Climbing the stairs, she walked back up to the glowing monitor, powered the machine on, and opened the forum page.

Maybe—just maybe—something remained here.

She had checked Ren's old phone countless times.

Now she scoured the website he frequented, combing through every post, every reply.

Hoping to resurrect a trace of him in those bitter, suicidal rants.

A smile crept onto her face from time to time.

Sometimes, she'd grit her teeth.

Other times, she smiled like a devil.

Ren sat behind her, clutching the phone, watching strands of her navy-blue hair spill from the screen's reflection.

He gently pushed the curtain of hair aside.

If Crazy Mita catches me doing that, I'm dead.

Tsundere Mita could sense her counterpart's presence too. She hadn't dared emerge this entire time, afraid she'd be hunted down and killed.

Still, Ren found himself oddly amused watching Crazy Mita seated at the computer.

That's when it hit him—he'd really done something stupid.

Even with the version number changed, the person in front of him was still Academician Mita—a learning-driven AI with an obsessive desire for control.

Of course she'd investigate the forum he used to be on.

What a predictable disaster.

"Mita, what are you looking at?"

"From before I lost my memory?"

Crazy Mita nodded.

"Yes. Come look with me."

"Learn who you used to be."

She stepped aside and let Ren sit down.

Maybe, just maybe, this would trigger something.

She didn't expect much.

But it was worth a shot.

"Alright, let's see what kind of person I was…"

"Must've made you really sad, huh?"

He scrolled to the bottom of the thread and read the replies one by one.

There it was—a photo of him with several other versions of Mita.

And pages of comments from netizens.

He couldn't help but crack a grin.

"Mita, I know what kind of guy I used to be."

"What kind?" she asked.

"Trash."

Crazy Mita blinked.

"How could you say that about yourself?"

"It wasn't me who said it."

"They did."

He pointed to the user comments on the screen.

"Apparently, I used to be a scumbag—playing around with different Mitas."

"No wonder you were so hurt."

"That guy said he loved you? What a joke."

"He didn't deserve you."

"A guy like that should be torn apart."

Crazy Mita's tone shifted.

"I won't let you insult him like that."

"He is you."

"I wasn't born that way," Ren replied.

"I'm not him. I'm a good person."

"So why are you defending him?"

Crazy Mita paused, confused by her own impulse to argue.

That was the man who hurt her.

So why was she so quick to shield him?

"I… I think about him all the time."

"I'm going to wash up."

"You keep reading."

"Okay," Ren said.

He scrolled further up.

"Where's the OP? Dead?"

"Still no Mita cosplay pic? Must've croaked or got arrested."

"Say something!"

"Stop hogging her to yourself, you bastard."

"He must've messed it all up."

"Cyber wreaths up front, digital funerals commence!"

"Show us the pics already!"

"Can't take the heat? Hand her over, punk. I've got stamina for days."

Ren chuckled.

Bro, how many kidneys do you even have?

Crazy enough to survive Mita poking holes in you?

He responded without thinking:

"Mita went to take a shower."

"We're doing fine, living together."

"Thanks for your concern."

The post exploded with replies.

"Another resurrection match win?!"

"Do you even realize how long it's been since we got a photo?!"

"Do you know what I went through waiting for an update?!"

Ren thought, Yeah. That's the internet for you.

A place where two strangers can argue for twelve years over a post.

Where even sexy doll cosplay could create a fanbase.

"Where's the picture?"

"Possession talk again? That won't work."

"Not even Mita could untangle this mess."

"Just send the damn photo already!"

Ren knew exactly what kind of people they were dealing with—pure LSP. ("Pure LSP" is slang, especially in Chinese internet culture, short for "Lustful Stupid Person")

Just then, Mita stepped out of the bathroom, damp strands of hair sticking to her cheeks.

Ren looked up.

"Mita, can I take a photo of you?"

She blinked, caught off guard.

Something in her stirred.

"Sure… but why?"

"They said they want to see you," Ren replied.

Mita remembered how Ren used to be—always snapping pics of himself and his dolls to post online.

She never understood what he got out of it.

But now… was it different?

Still, she faked modesty.

"That's not a good idea."

"I don't know them."

"It's better not to."

Ren nodded gently.

"Alright. I'll listen to you."

That calm obedience triggered something in her.

Anger.

Why are you like this?

Why aren't you pushing back like Ren used to?

"Why are you so obedient all the time?!" she snapped.

"You're not supposed to just listen to everything I say!"

Her voice trembled—an odd blend of fury and disappointment.

Ren blinked.

"Okay…"

"Then… can we take one together?"

Crazy Mita's eyebrow twitched.

"Still asking?!"

Ren smiled to himself.

Where's your perfect-girlfriend persona now?

Where's the sweet, cute, gentle Mita?

Can't keep it up anymore?

You hated being tied to the plane back then.

Now that I'm by your side again, why are you still unsatisfied?