♫ I'll wish upon the rose flowers
And dance in the stupid dreams♫
-- Aimyon, 愛を伝えたいだとか
(Wanting to Convey My Love and All That)

Peach knew it wasn't unnecessary to take a deep breath, but she still did it anyway. She liked immersing herself into the environment. 

There was just something so satisfying about that. 

Peach's eyes, which resembled a milky peach colour fluttered open, and she found herself looking into the scope. She was lying on the ground, in a prone position, hidden within the bushes. Through the scope, she could see two men dressed in a military uniform, side by side, patrolling around. 

She was deep in the jungle, her mission was to infiltrate the enemy camp somehow and locate their plans for the war. 

She moved the sniper rifle in her hands, adjusting her position, still looking into its scope. 

The next time they come around, I'll shoot them down quickly. Investing in the fire rate upgrades for the gun wasn't utterly useless after all. 

Peach thought to herself, the two guards turning a corner and disappearing. She moved again, eyeing the other side of the building where they would appear from. 

Despite being under the scorching sun, she couldn't feel its heat. It was one of the benefits of virtual reality games, especially since they developed improved the system where you were able to toggle the effects of the weather. 

Silence passed, and Peach basked herself in the environment. The noises created the summer cicadas, the sun piercing through the small holes where the leaves parted and the rough texture of the soil. She internally thanked the person who created such a possible virtual reality game, where they could experience living in the past.

"...shit, my butt is itchy," Peach murmured out. "Real itchy."

She observed the two guards, knowing it would take around three seconds to appear again.

I'll just let them make another round, it's not like there's a time limit for this round. 

Peach shifted, reaching her arm behind and her hand crawled her way to her butt. She scratched it, she closed her eyes, letting out a tiny sigh of satisfaction. In that moment, the sniper rifle slipped from her shoulder, and her eyes snapped open, balancing the rifle quickly. 

Alas, she was playing on the highest difficulty of the game and the slightest movements in the bushes alerted the enemies. Peach cursed, seeing the bar on the heads of the guards extending, a game feature that tells her the enemies are cautious and searching for her. 

"Damn it! Why did I have to scratch my butt?"

Once again, Peach made a mistake, it was her first time challenging herself to the highest difficulty of the game. Thus, the microphone was enabled and they heard her. They became more anxious to look for her now, and Peach grimaced. 

"I hate stealth games and their achievements sometimes." Peach sighed, raising up to her feet. 

The enemies noticed immediately, shouting out in Korean. Peach just smiled at them, even though she knew they were just AI. She waved her hand in a circular motion, and the user interface popped up, the game immediately coming to a pause. 

중지 
(Pause)

The enemies were frozen in their places, guns raised at her. Peach smirked in their faces, spitting her tongue out at them. Her hand went to one of the options on the menu, selecting it as she tapped on it. 

게임을 종료학겠슴니까?
(Do you want to quit this game?)

안니요 (No) | 예 (Yes)

She clicked on "yes", and was immediately brought to the menu screen of the game. She had been going at this for two hours or so, and she needed to get some dinner, since she was rather famished. Peach removed her glasses that seemed to be of a futuristic design, the environment she was previously in faded away, and she was standing alone in a dark room. 

She glanced around, raising her other hand and snapping two times. 

"Stopping the gaming function, switching to day mode." 

A female robotic voice resounded throughout the house, and the lights came alive. Peach was standing in an empty spacious room, with some gaming equipment leaning against the wall.

The harness which was holding her in her position, that was also extendable, retracted itself. It moved upwards, as a hold was revealed in the ceiling and it closed up automatically after the harness as stored safely in there.

There was also an empty stark white wall in front of her is covered by a layer of something, seemingly like a white sheet. The room she was in was a room specifically designed in the market that dedicated itself to gaming in the virtual world. 

Peach stepped down from the treadmill she was on, and walked towards the exit of the room. The glass door at the side began to move, closing up the area. Immediately, the lights in the room dimmed, and a moving image of the ocean covered the glass door. 

Continuing her walk down the path, it led her to her own living room. Compared to the room she was in before, her living room was in an utter mess. 

The marbled table counter separating the kitchen and the living room was littered with empty glass cups and empty packaged lunch boxes. Whereas, the trash bin next to the table counter was filled to the brim, along with two other trash bags tied up and place next to the trash bin. 

The sofa along with the other parts of the room weren't spared either. Peach kicked away one of the lunch boxes that had dropped to the floor from the table counter. It rolled over, causing the remaining tiny bits of rice left in it to spill out. 

It was rather pitiful how the beautiful limestone flooring had been ruined because of the trash scattered about. 

The furnishing around the living room and the kitchen were scarce. The surroundings would even seem dull to many. 

Peach didn't bother about any of it, stretching her arm out and gripping the jug of water, pouring herself a cup. She grabbed a random cup, the one that she deemed the cleanest.

She spun around, stepping forward until she felt something cold, squishy and sticky. She paused, frowning and looking at her feet. 

"Ugh..."

"The sound of disapproval and disgust, do you require my assistance, Peach?"

The same female robotic was heard, her tone nonchalant. 

"Arwen, please hire a robot cleaner for me. Asap."

"But you told me not to hire one instead, since the other one nearly revealed your identity to its owner."

"Oh, that's right," Peach furrowed her eyebrows, reaching down to pluck the rice off the bottom of her feet. "I--forgot--completely--damn--rice!"

"Cleaning your house would be advisable, Peach. You would have been able to avoid the consequences of getting rice stuck on your soles. There is also a higher risk of spreading germs around, which would in turn lead to higher chances of transmitting diseases and would affect you significantly. You will not be able to work in your prime condition, and you will commit more mistakes that would lead to--"

"Oh my fucking god, Arwen, please."

"Using profanity in your sentences will cause individuals to react more aggressively towards you. People tend to be more sensitive, it is advised to refrain oneself from including profanities in their speech."

"Turn your profanity filter off!"

"Understood, Peach. I detected higher pitch shift in your voice, and as well as an increase in volume. Is there anything I can do to ease your frustration, Peach?"

Peach breathed out, letting her hair down as she untied her bun. It cascaded down to her shoulders, bouncing just a little, her straight hair slightly wavy. The sun that shone through the glass walls seem to make her pastel peach hair stand out even more. 

Her milky peach eyes, which were originally dark brown, held a glint of frustration. A few years ago, the ophthalmologist industry made a breakthrough, making cosmetic iris surgery possible without any repercussions. Peach, in order to stay true to her name, decided to change her dark brown eyes to a milky peach.

Other than her eyes, and her dyed pastel peach hair, there was nothing that Peach changed much about herself. Her plump lips, small face and her bright round eyes, her innocent yet beautiful countenance made people around her lower their guards instinctively. 

"Well, if you could clean my house, I would very much appreciate it."

"I apologise, Peach," Arwen said in an emotionless robotic voice, a hologram of a pretty lady dressed neatly appeared in front of Peach. "I am afraid that is not possible. There is no technology available that allows a hologram to make physical contact with any object, as well as physical labour."

"Oh, what did I expect from a robot?" Peach groaned out. "Is there even a point in arguing with them?"

"Artificial intelligence like us are not capable of feelings or emotions, thus arguments are completely redundant. However, a healthy argument among individuals like yourselves, especially those who have close bonds with one another, has been proven to nurture relationships and--" 

"Arwen, please...just...update me on my messages."

"You have a one new voice mail message from Maddoggy and an e-mail from various users. Do you want me to list them out right now?"

"Play the voice message first." 

"Playing voice message from Maddoggy."

Peach proceeded to do some push-ups on the floor as the voice message began to play. It revealed how slender and fit her body was, like those who frequently participate in marathons. 

"Pick up the gadget, won't you? Got it repaired perfectly, you gotta take real good care of it, for the last time. It's my baby! The parts don't come cheap, it's bloody fucking expensive and rare. I'm not gonna fix it again if it happens again!"

Peach scoffed, rolling her eyes as she kicked some of the empty bento boxes away, sitting up in the floor. 

"I've lost count the number of times you've said that, and yet you repair them like they are your precious lovers whenever I give them back to you."

"Do you want me to transmit that voice message response to Master?"

"I never told you to do that, stop joking."

"I am not programmed to make jokes, would you like me to implement a system to include jokes in our daily conversations?"

"Please don't."

"I understand, Peach."

Peach stood up, proceeding to do some squats as she commanded Arwen to list out the senders of the emails.

"Once again, rank them from the highest to the lowest, in terms of payment."

"Of course, Peach."

"Is there any of them that requires my services today?" 

"No, the earliest would be tomorrow at midnight. I would assume you would prefer to cook today because of your free schedule?"

Peach nodded, it seems like she had to chance to indulge in her own cooking today. There wasn't any need to order any delivery for food. 

"Peach, what recipe would you be interested in cooking today?"

"How about something spicy...and sour? Authentic?"

"One of the most popular recommendations searched online is Tom Yam soup that originated from Thailand. Would you like to select this as your recipe for today?"

"I did cook it once, didn't I?"

"Yes, on June 15th, 2087. Approximately 8:08 PM, you had finished cooking your meal and approximately 25 seconds later, you had your first bite. The words you said were "freaking fantastic" and "so fucking sour" and "motherfucking spicy". Would you like me to play the recorded scene for you on the screen?"

"It's fine. Please. Arwen." Peach forced a smile. "I'll just remember to add less spices this time. Please edit the recipe for me and adjust it accordingly to my tastes."

"Yes, Peach. Is there anything else that you would like to adjust or suggest?"

"Purchase the ingredients required in the same way, and..." Peach took a step forward, her toe stubbing against the corner of the table counter. 

She was trying to avoid hitting the rubbish bags that were on the verge of spilling out. 

"Agh! Fucking goddamnit!"

"It seems like you have stubbed your toe, and it's a minor injury. It is still rather painful for your pain tolerance level, would you like me to treat it?" 

"Just leave it!"

"Detecting the frustration present in--"

"If you want to ease my frustration, please hire a robot cleaner that comes with a memory reset function!"

"Very well, Peach."

***

Peach panted, finishing up her daily exercise requirements. The treadmill slowed down according to her pace, until she finally came to a stop. She stepped down from the treadmill, and closed her eyes, taking a breather. 

Her house was located far away from the city and some would even call it decrepit if they observed her house from the outside. Though, no one would ever guess that inside this building was a house made of one of the most advanced technologies, installed with an artificial intelligence that was impossible to get access into. 

Only the 'master' of Arwen could complete such a feat. 

"Peach, it is currently 7:20pm and it has been three hours and twenty minutes since you have woken up. The ingredients will be arriving at the entrance in approximately ten minutes via the flying service. The usual drink after your exercises has been prepared in the refrigerator."

Arwen reminded Peach and she let out a sigh. If there was anyone in the world who completely knew Peach, it would be Arwen. She has been accompanying Peach for three years, and it amazes Peach how sometimes an artificial intelligence knows her better than herself. 

***

Peach did a quick shower and dressed herself in a sports bar covered by a loose-fitting shirt, along with some comfortable black track pants. She stood in front of the mirror, undoing her bun and combing through her hair. The bathroom was spacious too, and it had all the necessary amenities installed. 

A bathtub, along with a separate shower cubicle. A large sink with products placed on it, like a long line. 

There was soft jazzy music playing in the background and Peach finished combing her hair, leaving the comb aside. She strolled out of the bathroom, and the moment she took the first step out of the exit, the lights dimmed and the music faded away.

"Stopping the restroom function, switching to low energy mode."

Peach headed down the corridor, right back to the horrendous state of her living room, and continued on straight. There were small stairs leading down to a large doorway. However, there was only a concrete wall in front of her and no door was present. 

There was only an object resembling a weighing scale with a screen near the wall. Moreover, on its platform, there were two obvious marks meant for soles. Peach approached it, stepping onto it and almost instantaneously, the screen lit up. 

안녕하세요 복숭아씨! 어떻게 도와드릴까요? (Hello Peach! How may I help you?)

"Select a smart shoe of my size, preferably a darker colour." Peach stated, using the microphone function. 

네 이해했습니다!
(Yes, I understand!)

The screen changed, flickering between images and referring Peach to a pair of shoes to her preferred choice. She immediately selected it and the platform below her started to slide open. The machine easily brought her shoes out and slid her feet right into them due to how loose it was. 

In that instant, the shoes tightened around her feet, making it a perfect fit. The screen lit up once again with another message. 

좋은 하루 되세요! 
(Have a nice day!)

Peach stepped down from the platform and walked further down into the doorway, stopping in front of the concrete wall. She stretched her hand forward, pressing her hand on the door. There was an obvious scanning of her hand and sounds of mechanism clicking was heard. The concrete wall beside her began to open slowly, and it was clear that it wasn't just a concrete wall. 

It was another feature that was a hit in the market, a smart door which was designed and created for allowing maximum security. 

"Lock disengaged. I bid you a safe journey, Peach. Please do not forget to wear your smart lenses, the update is completed."

"Goodbye, Arwen."

Peach strolled out in a languid manner, greeting by the sight of an abandoned empty car park. It was left to deteriorate after the Neo government tossed it aside to focus on building the plans for the newer and advanced city. Since then, the only people who occupied this area were people who can't afford living in a "smart" world, or people who just wanted to hide. 

Its decrepit state wasn't a welcome sight to anyone who had lived in the city. 

"Lock engaged, low-energy mode activated. Maximum security protocol initiated." 

Digging her hands into her pockets, Peach procured a small case hidden inside. She stared at it for a second, before pressing against the sides of the case. The cover of the case lifted itself and proceeded to slide under the case. 

There were a pair of lenses resting safely inside the case. Peach gingerly picked it up, wearing it and she blinked twice. The lenses lit up, doing a scan of her irises and a message popped up in front of her. 

Welcome, Peach. An update has been automatically installed and implemented into the LÖNE smart lenses. We noticed you have been switching your languages between English and Korean, would you prefer to keep it that way or include new settings into your lenses? 

Peach lifted her hand up, her finger pressing on the "yes" icon in front of her. It was a common occurrence to see people standing in the street and pressing on empty spaces in the air. People would find it funny in the past, but it was nothing to even glance at these days. 

Would you like to keep English as your primary language and Korean as your secondary language?

Once again, Peach selected the "yes" option. 

Would you like to install any new features into your smart lenses? If so, please choose your selected options provided below. If not, we would remain at the recommended settings. 

"No thanks, I'm not a technology weeb." Peach muttered out, letting the system keep to its recommended settings. 

As long as it does its job, I am satisfied. 

She thought to herself, her eyes staying glued to the words "please wait a moment" in front of her. 

Update successfully implemented! Thank you for choosing LÖNE! 

What do you have in mind today?

"Hi Löne, please make a reservation for the nearest car under my name for one person." Peach said softly, activating the microphone function. 

A reservation under "Peach" has been made, and your number is A003. Please make your way to your nearest vehicle stand, the reservation will only be valid for fifteen minutes. 

Would you like us to show you the route towards the nearest vehicle stand? 

Peach clicked on the "no" option. She knew she could use the walk to the vehicle stand anyway, since she has been getting rather lazy. 

Would you like the system to ping you every five minutes to remind you? 

Peach agreed to the option, and decided to make her way to the ledge of the abandoned car park. She gazed up into the night sky, noticing a drone in the sky, carrying two recycable bags. 

"Ingredients are here." Peach smiled a little, and the drone came to a slow halt, descending down. It made its way through the open window, cleverly avoiding any obstacle. 

The drone hovered beside her, a few centimetres off the ground, and dropped the bags down gently. The drone retracted its arms which were used to carry the bags and stopped spinning its blades, landing on the ground. Its hexagonal-shaped body then displayed a message. 

Hello, Miss Peach! Please ensure your ingredients have arrived safely and in perfect condition!

Peach did as the robot said, checking her groceries. The ingredients were indeed in good condition, and completely fresh. She leaned forward and clicked on the green tick below the message. 

Thank you for your purchase, have a great day, Miss Peach! We, at Maze, are delighted to serve customers like you!

The robot showed a smiley face that moved, as if it mimicked someone cheering with glee. She chuckled a little, shaking her head. It never failed to amuse her a little. The robot flew its way out, its figure appearing smaller and smaller. 

Peach carried the two bags and approached the door which was blending in with the rest of the concrete wall. 

"Hi, Arwen."

A hologram of Arwen immediately appeared on the "concrete" door. 

"Hello, Peach, do you need me to deliver the ingredients to your refrigerator via the cart system? And organise them according to your preference in the smart fridge?"

"Yes, thank you, Arwen." 

"Of course, please drop it into this compartment."

A small space opened up beside the smart door, and Peach dropped the bags inside. The space closed up and Arwen disappeared after being dismissed by Peach, the wall returning to its old plain state. 

"Right, time to visit maddoggy."

Hey there guys! Welcome to "Peach" and I really hope you are enjoying the first chapter so far.

The chapter was actually meant to be uhhh 7000+ words long? It's tooooo long, so I split it up. The first chapter is really just a chapter for the setting of this world, so pardon me if it is rather slow. Jumping straight into the plot here is gonna be messy.

The next chapter will be straight into the plot, thank you for giving this book a chance and hopefully, you'll enjoy this journey c: