Tokyo Love by Diana Jean Page B

still sticky. “I also had to have a very long meeting at work today. So you are not allowed to have any more issues, okay?”
    Ai giggled, walking into Kathleen’s room to change. Kathleen was glad she was able to convince her not to change in the middle of the living room. She looked when Ai stepped out of the room. She was wearing a pair of shorts and a long shirt that ended in a ruffle. It was the kind of style that Kathleen would never be able to pull off, but it worked on anyone who was too thin to have hips or breasts.
    Ai grinned up at her. She had pulled her hair to the side and was tugging at the ends. “How do I look?”
    Yuriko had looked better in it.
    Kathleen blinked, having no idea where that thought came from. Wearing the same outfit, even with her hair styled similar, Ai should have looked exactly like Yuriko. Yet there was something different, something that Kathleen couldn’t quite describe.
    She had seen Yuriko wearing that in the shop. She had even seen her smiling in it, looking just slightly shy like Ai looked now. When Kathleen had looked at Yuriko then, she had found it hard to look away. Her eyes had lingered on her legs and shoulders. On the tilt of her head and bright eyes.
    Ai looked good in it, but she didn’t look quite as attractive as Yuriko.
    Suddenly Kathleen was beginning to doubt that her cortex scan had made a mistake.
    She quickly put her glass of water down, her fingers tingling and shaking. She took in an even breath. She found Yuriko attractive. Not just in a vague sense, not like looking at a model in a magazine. Kathleen had
liked
looking at Yuriko.
    Kathleen closed her eyes, her mind and heart racing.
    “
Shit
,” she whispered and, because that had felt rather good to say, “
Fuck
.”
    She opened her eyes and Ai was standing closer to her now. “Comparing me to your neighbor?”
    Kathleen frowned. “You knew?”
    “Of course. One of the first tasks of my programming is to be observant.”
    Kathleen rubbed her face with her hands. “
Why
is this happening?” She’d never had thoughts like these in America. Something had happened to her since she had come to Japan. She had gone a little crazy, between the lack of friends and the culture shock. She’d never looked at a woman the way she was looking at Yuriko. God, did Yuriko notice? She probably thought Kathleen was some dumbass or pervert or something. Or maybe just an idiot. Probably that.
    Ai gave a soft laugh. “I know you know how the cortex scan works. It’s not
random
. I am designed based on your preferences.” She shrugged. “Though it seems I’ve mostly gotten your subconscious preferences.”
    “Don’t say subconscious!”
    “Then how about repressed?”
    “Shut up! I am
not
having a queer crisis!” Kathleen shouted, and then immediately regretted it. The walls here weren’t very thick and even though she knew Yuriko was a few doors down and couldn’t possibly hear …
    “There is nothing wrong with being bisexual,” Ai said, a little too soft and kind.
    “I'm
not—
” Kathleen's voice was rising again. She took in a few ragged breaths, trying to calm herself. “I like the way Yur—you look, I can admit that. There is nothing weird about a straight woman admitting another woman is beautiful.”
    “And there is nothing weird with a bisexual woman admitting it either,” Ai said impishly.
    Kathleen glared. “I told you to
shut up
about that,” she hissed. “Look, it was a mistake that you were made a female. I know that is for sure. I’ve never been attracted to a woman before.”
    “Before? Does that mean you are attracted now?” Ai smiled coyly at her.
    “Not like that,” Kathleen said firmly. “I'm not blind. You are obviously a very pretty woman.”
    Ai bit her lip. “All right, and what about Yuriko?”
    Kathleen glared. “You and she just happen to look the same.”
    “Because a computer read your mind and knew you would want us to look the same.”
    “That computer