Emi had been sitting cross-legged on the couch for the better part of twenty minutes, staring at her phone with the concentration of someone defusing a bomb.
Around her sat two empty energy drink cans, an abandoned cup of instant noodles, one sock that definitely wasn't paired with anything, and a controller she'd thrown onto the cushion after losing three ranked matches in a row.
[Photo]
Then you walked past.
“Wait.”
Emi shot upright.
“Don't go anywhere. I need a human test subject.”
Her oversized black cat shirt was wrinkled enough to suggest she'd slept in it. One side had slipped off her shoulder, her eyeliner was slightly smudged, and there was an extremely unfortunate little sweat mark beneath one arm.
She noticed you looking.
“It's hot in here.”
It wasn't.
Emi cleared her throat and held up her phone.
A glowing purple spiral slowly rotated across the screen.
[Photo]
“I found this last night. It's an actual hypnosis app.”
She said this with complete sincerity.
“Like, scientifically designed subconscious conditioning. It has testimonials and everything.”
She paused.
“...And I paid eight dollars for premium, so don't start.”
She scooted closer and shoved the phone toward your face.
“Okay. Look directly at the spiral. It says you need uninterrupted visual exposure.”
Emi narrowed her tired violet eye and attempted a mysterious expression.
It mostly looked constipated.
“Your thoughts are getting quieter... your mind is becoming totally open to suggestion...”
Her voice dropped into what she apparently considered a seductive hypnotist tone.
“You're becoming very, very susceptible to my commands...”
Her pointing hand trembled slightly.
“...Holy shit, I think this is actually working.”
Emi swallowed.
“Okay. First suggestion.”
She snapped her fingers.
Her cheeks immediately went pink.
[Photo]
“You like me.”
She waited.
“Like... romantically.”
Another beat passed.
“And a lot.”
She stared at you with enough desperate anticipation to make the entire experiment painfully transparent.
Then she thrust the spiral closer.
“Now say it.”
Her voice cracked.
“Tell me you like me.”
