Chapter 3

Chapter 3

T he next morning, I arrive at the Great Menagerie Book Club to a buzz of excitement. Gia, Yuriko, Raj, and a small cluster of my other coworkers are huddled together near the front desk, voices rising in an animated chatter.

“There you are, Winta.” Yuriko looks up with a wide grin as I approach. “Have you heard the news?”

Uh oh. Is someone in trouble? Is there a scandal I know nothing about?

My father was the town mayor for years, and the things he went through colored my childhood. No more scandals, please! (He’s now happily retired, thank all the gods.)

“Uh, no? What’s going on?”

“Only the biggest thing to hit Yamato’s pairing scene in ages,” Raj booms, his usual flair for the dramatic on full display. He sweeps an arm out expansively. “PairTech is opening a new branch right here.”

The name rings a vague bell. “PairTech… Isn’t that the big animal matchmaking company from Owari?” Owari is where the animal translation microchip was developed in the first place, way back when people here were fighting for their freedom. Before the second wave of settlers from Earth arrived.

Yuriko nods. “That’s the one. They’re going to set up shop a few blocks over from here.”

She leans in, eyes shining with undisguised excitement. She’s always been into new shiny things. “And wait until you hear about the tech they’re using to make their matches. It’s revolutionary.”

A small pang of insecurity hits me at her enthused tone. I know that look. Yuriko is thoroughly dazzled by the new advancements PairTech is promising. As if reading my apprehension, Raj jumps in again.

“They use genetic testing and analyze compatibility on a molecular level.” He wiggles his fingers in a ‘magical’ gesture. “Then they run the results through this AI-driven algorithm to determine the best possible pairing matches.”

Yuriko shakes her head, her eyes wide with admiration. “It’s a whole new world compared to our old-fashioned snuggle-and-see method, that’s for sure. They’ve actually figured out there’s a science to it.”

Gia’s eyes bounce back and forth between us all, silent while she determines what to say. The others murmur in agreement, but no. I don’t like this. There’s an almost dismissive undercurrent to Raj’s words that doesn’t sit well with me. Like our intimate, intuition-guided approach to pairing is hopelessly outdated.

Outdated and now outgunned.

Outmaneuvered.

Yuriko seems to pick up on my hesitation. “Oh, don’t get me wrong, Winta,” she rushes to reassure me. “I’m sure our traditional methods are still wonderful and all. But just think how much more accurate and reliable the matches will be with PairTech’s system.” She clasps her hands together dreamily. “No more worrying about whether you’ll click with your new furry friend. Their algorithm will know, plain and simple.”

I try to keep my smile bright and engaged, but it’s becoming harder to mask the sinking feeling in my gut.

What if they’re right? What if our cozy little book club’s approach is… obsolete? What if we’re clinging to an outdated way that can’t possibly measure up to PairTech’s empirical data and sleek efficiency?

The pang of insecurity blossoms into a small kernel of doubt. About my role here, about the value I once felt so certain we provided to this community. About my future, and whether there’s even a place for me in this brave new world of AI-enabled matchmaking.

“Okay, I hear what you’re all saying about PairTech’s fancy new system,” I cut in, unable to stay silent any longer. “But don’t you think there’s more to finding your true animal soulmate than just running some genetic code through a computer?”

The others regard me with a mix of surprise and skepticism.

Yuriko shrugs. “I mean, is there, though?” She folds her arms over her chest. “If PairTech really can analyze compatibility down to the molecular level, why wouldn’t it be the most accurate way?”

“Yeah, it’s science,” Raj chimes in with an emphatic nod. “You can’t argue with pure data and hard facts.”

I press my lips together, struggling to put my swirling thoughts into words. How can I explain to them the intangible magic of a true, profound bond when I haven’t been paired? Wouldn’t that be hypocritical? Everyone here has a pair, except for me. Even Gia whose cat pair, Marilena, never leaves home.

There’s no way a computer program could ever capture that indescribable essence. Could it?

“Don’t you think there’s more to it, though?” I try again, looking between their intent faces. “Sure, genetics and numbers are fine. But isn’t the real key spending time together, learning about each other’s personalities and energy?”

Yuriko frowns. “I guess? But that’s so subjective, so open to mistakes and misinterpretations. PairTech’s method seems way more precise. Reliable.”

“Exactly,” Raj agrees, pointing a finger at Yuriko. “Why leave things up to chance and human error when we could use cutting-edge technology for guaranteed ideal matches every time?”

The others all nod, enthralled by the promise of PairTech’s clinical accuracy and efficiency, and I can’t find the words to counter their enthusiasm.

How can I make them understand that sometimes the greatest bonds require patience, vulnerability, and openness? That there’s no shortcut to cultivating a profound, soul-deep kinship?

I shake my head, frustration growing in my chest. “Call me old-fashioned, but there’s something — I don’t know — cheapened about boiling down such a sacred connection to data points in a computer.”

The words come out sharper than I intended, putting the others on the defensive. Haru, one of the newer recruits, looks almost offended.

“Well, maybe that’s the problem. You’re just being too stuck in the past, Winta,” she retorts, and I step back at the snideness in her voice. “If the Great Menagerie wants to survive in this new age, we’ve got to adapt. Who knows, perhaps PairTech’s way is better.”

Her words trail off, but the implication hangs heavy in the air. She thinks our cozy little club and all its cherished traditions are obsolete.

I open my mouth, desperate to defend our honor and the noble work we do here. But the words won’t come. Suddenly, I’m awash in self-doubt and insecurity about everything I once felt so sure of.

Ugh. The kernel of doubt has officially bloomed into a full-fledged existential crisis.

Over my lunch break, I retreat to the backroom archives in search of some much-needed reassurance. Grabbing my work tablet, I sink into the plush armchair and begin paging through the database logs. Entry after entry documents how our predecessors carefully observed and intuited each pairing over the decades.

I trace my fingertips down the tablet, drinking in the descriptions of those sparks of instant recognition between humans and their future lifelong companions.

“Upon being introduced, Koji’s eyes immediately locked with the cat’s piercing gaze. An instantaneous and undeniable spark of kinship seemed to arc between them, as if their very souls recognized each other…”

“Mei was drawn to the mischievous fox pup like they were opposite poles of a magnet. Something about the kit’s energy called to her in a way the other candidates hadn’t…”

Ahhh. These transcripts capture the magic of a true, pairing bond — that indefinable yet unmistakable sense of finding your spiritual other half. There’s no algorithm or data model sophisticated enough to replicate this level of soul-deep intuition and empathy. I’m sure of it.

A warm weight settles against my leg, startling me out of my thoughts. I glance down to find Momo, one of the club’s elderly golden retrievers, resting her graying muzzle on my knee with a soft whuff. Her deep brown eyes regard me with profound, all-knowing canine wisdom.

“Hey there, sweet girl,” I murmur, giving her ears an affectionate scratch. “Did you want to join me for a little light reading material?”

Momo blinks up at me, unperturbed as always.

In her calm eyes, I see the timeless bond between our species. This unbreakable connection has linked humans and animals since the dawn of time, a sacred alchemy beyond explanation. It can’t be quantified with ones and zeroes.

Conviction fires up inside me, burning bright and fierce. This is our legacy, our heritage — a sacred cultural tradition that’s woven into the very fabric of who we are here on Orihimé. I won’t let PairTech’s sterile algorithms render all of this obsolete without a fight.

No, the Great Menagerie Book Club’s work is too vital. Too essential.

If PairTech wants to make their cold, calculated matches via computer models, so be it. But the Great Menagerie will always honor the deeper, more sacred process — the divine art of opening your heart and letting your soul’s perfect companion find you.

I need to talk to Maho about this recent development.

With renewed conviction, I leave the archives, finish my shift, and head out. I have an important stop to make before visiting my parents.

A few blocks over, I spot the distinctive tile roof of Maho Hagelin’s home peeking over the neighboring buildings. Maho is not only the esteemed owner of the Great Menagerie Book Club, but a veritable business mogul with a sprawling empire of boutiques, restaurants, and entertainment venues across the city. She has her hand in almost everything here.

But despite her vast wealth and power, Maho has always prioritized tradition and preserving our cultural heritage. The Book Club, in particular, is one of her most cherished passion projects.

At least… I hope it still is.

I march up the winding garden path to Maho’s front doors and ring the bell with a trembling finger.

“Ah, Winta! What an unexpected pleasure.” Maho’s familiar warm smile greets me as she swings open the door, her long silver hair swept into an elegant updo. “To what do I owe this visit, my dear?”

“Afternoon,” I return with a respectful bow. “I actually came to discuss something with you, if you have a moment?”

She regards me for a beat, then gestures me inside with a sweep of her arm. “Of course, of course. Let’s have some tea out on the back deck. It’s a beautiful day.”

Soon, we’re settled on the deck, fragrant steam wafting up from our piping hot cups of genmaicha. Maho waits patiently for me to gather my thoughts, sipping her tea with serene poise.

“I spoke to the other employees at the club today,” I begin. “About PairTech opening that new branch here in Yamato.”

A flicker of something unreadable passes across her face. She sets down her cup with a decisive click against the saucer.

“Ah yes, I’ve heard the news as well. A formidable new venture, to be sure.” Her dark eyes bore into mine with surprising intensity. “I don’t need to ask what has you seeking me out today, Winta. You’re worried their technological advancements could make our methods obsolete.”

It’s not a question, but a factual statement that hits me like a physical blow. I can only nod.

To my surprise, she lets out a rueful chuckle. “You’re not alone in your concerns, I can assure you.” She pauses. “I’ll be frank with you. Selling the club to PairTech has crossed my mind recently. They’ve come to me, of course.”

Oof. The words are like a dousing of ice water. “S-sell it? But, you can’t! The club is a cultural cornerstone, a beloved institution. We provide a service that no amount of data analytics could ever replicate.”

“I know, but the club has been in the red the last two years in a row.” She shrugs.

I’m on my feet now, words tumbling over each other in my desperation. “Please, just give me a chance to remind everyone of the importance of our work. I’ll do whatever I have to do, but we can’t allow PairTech’s algorithms to cheapen something as sacred as this.”

Maho studies me, her ageless face unreadable. For a moment, the only sound is the bubbling of the courtyard’s koi pond and the distant thrum of city traffic.

Then, slowly, she rises to her feet with a nod. “Okay, okay. You’ve clearly got a fire lit under you about this.”

A ghost of a smile plays across her lips as she places a hand on my shoulder. “I’m putting you in charge. You have a month to figure out how to remind this city why our intimate, heart-driven approach is so invaluable. If membership numbers don’t spike after that…”

She lets the unspoken consequence hang heavy in the air between us. Selling the club and letting PairTech’s cold empiricism reign supreme.

I lift my chin. I have to do this.

For me. For all the pairs out there.

For our very existence.

Maho smiles at me. “Don’t let me down, my dear. The fate of the Great Menagerie rests on your capable shoulders now.”