My Virtual Lover

Live 1: Jury's Arrival

The clock is ticking as I tiptoe through the airport I just familiarized myself with. I might not be aware of the foreign building, hence why my hand remains steady clinging to my father’s hand. My father, Julius Crawford is an architect who collaborates with a big company in Surabaya. The man is famous overseas for his crafty architecture design.

My father takes me with him since my mother is also working overseas as a reporter, Cynthia Crawford is my mother who always handles special cases like war and dangerous serial murder cases. In my case, my dream job is far from my parent’s dream, unfortunately. Still, it doesn’t hurt to see how my father’s work.

My father calls a blue cab, a stranger man who speaks in Indonesian exits the cab. He asks in Indonesian at first but then changes his attitude one hundred eighty degrees when he sees my father’s appearance. My father speaks fluent English, he combs his hair to the back; his aquamarine eyes go through the cab’s driver’s eyes.

He inspects the driver in great interest, telling him to relax as he gives his suitcase to the driver. The tanned-skinned driver accepts the trunk as he puts the trunk in the back. My father enters the blue cab, I follow him from behind as my orange-ish orbs scan the taxi’s interior. It’s unexpected to see such an old-fashioned interior after experiencing London’s taxi.

The taxi driver asks the grown-up man about his destination, which my father answers calmly. He told the taxi driver to take them to an apartment called Oakdale, I just silently stares at the two gentlemen exchange words. I pulled my pink star hoodie up, putting my headphone on my ears to listen to the music in my crimson headphone.

I play a piece of anime music, I use the iPod my mother had when she was young to play my favorite anime playlist. I twirl my raven-wavy short hair as I look from the window outside the taxi. It’s currently raining, although not a hard rain like what the weather forecast predicted. The taxi driver hopes it stays as a drizzle.

“The weather forecast said a storm will be raining at Surabaya tonight, hopefully, it’s not that bad” the taxi driver sighed. “I hope it doesn’t affect my job as a taxi driver”.

“Rest assured, my apartment isn’t that far” my father reassures him. “You can pick up another passenger along the way after you dropped me off”.

The clock on my cellphone tells the current time at Surabaya, it’s three o’clock in the evening. I just have to close my eyes, the next thing I knew I would probably arrive on the spot without a hitch. I’m too indolent to care about the roads, my father knew me well when he sees me snuggle to the window.

He reminds me that I should have paid attention to the streets since Surabaya will be my new home instead of the old London. I pout a bit, thinking that perhaps my father doesn’t understand how exhausted it is to move from London to Surabaya, a young weeb girl who rarely exits the room such as myself wouldn’t mind spending my time alone at my London house. However, my father is against the idea of leaving a fragile young woman alone in the house. Especially, this particular anime weeb woman with the name of Jury Crawford continuously falls for a non-existent man he watches in his serial anime shows.

His father reminds him that her petite looks will surely invite the attention of a predator male, thus he’s been pretty overprotective of his daughter. I have yet to date anyone around my age, no dating history like any pretty woman. When I was in high school, I confessed to someone and somehow he accepted me due to pity.

Afterward, my vision of real men can’t be altered anymore. Real men are disgusting being who likes to use a woman for their selfish needs, anime men are indeed the epitome of perfection in my eyes.

“Don’t forget to carry your bag Jury” the blonde father of mine spoke calmly. “You’ve been carrying your sports bag without putting it in the trunk, you should have asked the driver to take it to the trunk”.

“No need, I can carry this on my own father” Jury replies his father calmly. “Now, can you please let me have my peace of mind? I want to prepare for tonight”.

My father raises his eyebrows, he inquires to me what I’m preparing. I told him that I’m going to prepare my Livestream, it’s been like this for a while. I worked as a freelance designer, but my part-time work is as a Vtuber. I’ve been using a virtual avatar to do a Livestream on a social media platform.

My father and mother know this and are somewhat worried about my future as a woman. Regardless, I need to take a breather and Livestream at night. My schedule today shouldn’t be that packed since I told my agencies that I’m moving to Surabaya, thus I ask for their permission to take a breather for a week.

The preparation took me a week, my father and I meticulously bought any necessary items that we need to live in Surabaya. It’s the second-largest city perhaps after Jakarta. It is according to my knowledge that Surabaya wouldn’t be as hectic as Jakarta, it would be nice to see new cultures and people.

“Not that I will escape my bedroom though” I whisper to myself.

As if my father hears my whisper, he warns me once more not to lock myself inside my bedroom. Since I’m a freelance designer, I spend most of my time in front of my laptop. However, my second job also requires me to spend my time in front of my laptop. Thus my parents worried that I won’t meet any decent men in my life.

“Geez dad, it doesn’t matter” I pout. “What matters is that I have money to buy what I want”.

“That’s true but honey, as your father I’m-”.

“Just cut it out, I’ll be fine” I replied him coldly.