A perfect partner

S: Wow, where did you find these? Is it even legal these days?

N: Maybe it isn’t, I don’t care. When I saw them at my friend’s place I just knew I wanted to have a pack and bring it here. He collects all the old crap from our school time and kept this golden Marlboro. Every cigarette in here is now worth a million. I’m just glad we’re friends with him so I didn’t have to sell my kidney.

They chuckled. They were about to have a smoke in a parking lot, which they haven’t done in 20 years. It was 20 years since they last saw each other. 20 years after the last day of school. They were full-on adults, enjoying a fancy meal at their class reunion. Niel expected Susan to be there and knew he could get some one-on-one time if he managed to lure her out of the busy restaurant for some fresh air. Susan also really wanted to see him and talk to him of all people. Susan and Niel were each other's “firsts” - first love, first kiss, first sex, first cigarette. 

S: I must say you didn't age at all. Look almost the same! It's hard to believe we haven't even spoken since the prom and you leaving for New York. I guess it's hard to compress the past 20 years of your life in a short story but … how have you been? 

Niel lit a cigarette and took the first drag.

N: Well, you didn't change either! Still can’t say no to an illegal cigarette… I'm good, still in New York, still spending a lot of time in front of a computer but now getting paid for it.

Susan smiled. She remembered very well that it was practically impossible to get anything out of him when he was writing codes. His last year of school hobby was to reprogram fitness trackers. He knew he could make them better and more special. For hers, Niel synchronised it to his so he could monitor whether their heart beats would be beating in unison when they kissed or just held hands. It was a special connection, and she found it very romantic.

N: And now married, 2 kids: 7 and 5, boy and girl. No pets but a very demanding robodog, my son adores. That thing consumes more electricity than my fridge, how is this even possible!? 

Susan took the next drag.

S: Oh I know those, glad my daughter has no interest in animals,living or robotic. So let me guess, both kids: green eyes, dark hair, interested in robotics and sciences?

N: You know me too well. Yes, just as I wanted. And what about your daughter? I guess you wanted her blond, blue eyes, freckles, loving football and climbing?

Susan passed a cigarette to Niel.

S: You got me. Glad you still follow me on social media. Well, freckles were surprisingly easy to get since I have the gene but climbing?! How is it almost 22nd century and we still can’t embryonically select for sportive interests? Had to go with good old parenting to introduce her to it. Dora is an absolute beauty though.

N: I'm sure she is. She has a very beautiful mother.

Susan blushed. Her boyfriend often gave her compliments and told her she's beautiful but somehow hearing it from Niel felt different. More “natural” maybe?

N: So tell me, how is your new boyfriend? Is he getting along with Dora?

S: Is this a genuine interest in my personal life or do you just want to know where I found him?

Susan started feeling flirty. She took the next drag. 

N: Hmm, well even though the 20 years have passed I still care about you and I want you to be happy. So yes, genuine interest actually.

Niel hasn't felt so honest and open for a long time. He continued.

N: But…I'm really asking because Anna and I are going through a rough patch. She's a wonderful person but we're more like friends now. I've heard a lot of good things about the YPP project, I heard you mentioning it earlier at dinner.

Niel really needed that next drag.

S: I’m sorry to hear about you and Anna. I really appreciate your honesty. I had to go through some difficult times with my ex and thanks to the YPP I’m actually in a really good place now. I'm glad you're considering joining the programme. 

Susan felt good being able to share all that. She joined the YPP project about two years ago after her husband left her pregnant after some fling. She thought she’s done with trusting men. Her colleague once mentioned that there was a new startup in their building that was going to grow big very fast. They were literally making you Your Perfect Partner (YPP). The programme was still at the testing phase when Susan joined. At the beginning there was a lot of flexibility in choices and experimental settings. She wanted to have a tall, dark haired, green eyed boyfriend who adores her passion for climbing and good food,  who is kind and loving to children, with a mind of an engineer and, of course, a good lover (they all were in fact). Her requests were surprisingly easy to accommodate in the shape of Lien. Then came a few months of AI training and personal qualities adjustments, which at times was very frustrating. Even though the program really tried to guess what Susan wanted, it couldn't grasp and respond to her feelings. 

On one of the first dates Susan mentioned she is a gourmand. But she absolutely hated cooking and was hoping for her partner to be good at it. The AI responded perfectly to the hint and made Lien invite her for a home cooked gourmet dinner. She was beyond excited. What happened at dinner totally threw her off. Lien served her a microwaved tray of what was called “gourmet dinner”. She straight away signed him up for a cooking class. A couple of dates later they went climbing together with Dora, and he was spending all that time just around her. Of course Susan was happy that Lien was so nice and fatherish to Dora but what about her? Clearly the settings were still to be adjusted. The advantage of the AI is that it does learn fast, especially when it comes to sex. Oh she noticed it! Already after a few first times Lien started doing everything exactly the way she liked it and pleasantly surprised her every time. Could she recommend the YPP? Absolutely! Was Lien really a perfect partner for her? Now with Niel standing in front of her she couldn't help feeling that Lien was everything she didn't find in Niel. 

S: I'm very happy with Lien. He really is perfect for me.

She wanted to tell him everything that was running through her head at this moment but why? 20 years was a long time. He is probably not at all that Niel anymore and he hates anything outdoorsy and is still obsessed with instant noodles instead of a proper yummy meal. She can't be with someone like that. She took a drag. Cigarette was almost finished.

N: I'm glad to hear you're happy. I'll probably join the program when I’m back. You know I recently started climbing, I remembered how much you enjoyed it in school and I can totally now see why. Will have to include it into my list of requirements.

He took the last drag.

N: Right, great chatting to you, Sue, after so many years! Let's go back in for some bergamot parfait! Really excited to see their plating.