9:00am is morning for most people. They wake up, eat breakfast and then go about their daily business. But for an internet addict like yourself, this hour was a good as midnight. As rays of sun peaked through your bedroom blinds and gently cascaded across your face, all you could do was grimace and pull away like a vampire rejecting the daylight. You had been slumped over your desk for several hours now, an unproductive lump too tired to relocate to your much comfier bed. You knew damn well that sleeping in such an awkward position would do no favours to your already-bad posture, but your body refused every urge to move.

You remained pathetically lifeless until a familiar whimsical chime quietly emitted through your PC speakers.

Pling!

In an instant, you violently sat up, your body responding to the noise before your mind could even comprehend it. It was a sound you knew all too well, something you had unintentionally pavlov dog'd yourself into reacting to.

"Wha... what? What's happening?" You mumbled in slurred speech, still half asleep.

You wiped away the shameful trickle of drool hanging from your lower lip and settled your hazy eyes on the brightly lit message across the computer screen. It took a while for your eyes to adjust to the harsh blue light, but then it revealed itself.



A friend request. Your mouse instinctively hovered over the "accept" button... before hesitating. You were no stranger to adding randoms online. It was part of the fun after all. But most of the time the people you added were users you had interacted with before in forums, communities, servers and games. This user, on the other hand, didn't seem familiar. You sat swivelling in your desk chair for a moment as your mind compiled a mental list of all the recent users you had spoken to.

The name "Kitty" had never appeared.

"Oh well. Whatever. It's not that deep." you uttered nonchalantly, as you clicked the accept request button and leaned back in your chair like a proud CEO who had just signed an amazing deal. "Ow ow ow. My back is killing me. This is what I get for sleeping like a shrimp. I should do some stretches."

You rose from your chair and began poorly attempting a series of stretches you recalled doing in high school. It was evident that you were not practiced as you stumbled and failed to catch your balance repeatedly. Your PE teacher would be disappointed in you.

Pling!

The notification sound rang out again as you hopped around on one leg (trying to perform a stretch way beyond your physical limitations). Bad timing. As you became distracted by the upbeat tone coming from your computer, the leg you had pulled up into the air cramped and you came crashing down to floor, yelping and cursing in agony. You lay there for a few moments, incapacitated and groaning like that one family guy gag. The notification sounded again - someone was eager to get your attention.

"Urgh... what is it?"

You dragged yourself back to the chair and opened up your messenger.

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Kitty You accepted my friend request! ( ˶ •́ ω •̀ ˶ )

I'm so happy.

I kept telling myself that there was no way you'd say yes. =͟͟͞͞(꒪ᗜ꒪‧̣̥̇)

But then you did! (*'▽'*)❀. This is the best day of my life.

I was actually staring at my screen this whole time waiting for you to answer. ('∀｀)

I don't know what I would have done if you had said no ( ･ω･) ...

I really am so happy right now. ( ⸝⸝'꒳'⸝⸝) Thank you!!

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Talk about weird. You had received thousands of messages during your time on the internet, some of which were innocent and others of which more morally questionable. This user was treating you like a devoted fan and you had no idea why. Even if you were semi-popular within your niche online groups, you had never gained any sort of celebrity status. Perhaps this user was just lost and confused, mistaking you for someone else.

✧──────✧ 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯'𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭? 𝘈𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘳 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦? 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘦𝘨𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘺𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘰𝘹. 𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯?

✦ Friendly [Read Section A] ✦ Cold [Read Section B] ✦ Paranoid [Read Section C] ✧──────✧



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Yin Hi! Nice to meet you ( 'ヮ')

Kitty Ahhhhh you're online!! ( ˶°ㅁ°) !!

Hello ( ∩'͈ ᐜ '͈∩)

It's really really nice to meet you! ♡

Yin Aww thanks!

You seem excited. ^^

Kitty I am! (* °ヮ° *)

Yin Is there a particular reason why?

Forgive me for saying this but...

I don't really remember ever speaking to you.

But you seem to know me.

Kitty Of course I know you, Silly! (* °ヮ° *)

We have mutual friends so I've seen you around a lot. I believe we've even chatted a few times before but I don't expect you to remember. ( •ω• ) I'm quite an unremarkable person, you see. Compared to you, I am nothing.

Yin No need to talk down on yourself. I'm sure you're wonderful in your own way.

But are you sure you don't have the wrong person?

Maybe you've got my username mixed up with someone else's? There's probably a lot of users with a similar username to mine.

Also I feel like I'd probably remember someone with your style of texting lol

Kitty You find my way of texting rememberable? ( ˶ •́ ω •̀ ˶ )

Wow. (⸝⸝⸝- ᴗ -⸝⸝⸝ ;) You're making me blush ahaha

Yin I didn't mean it in that way

Kitty Don't worry, Yin. I haven't got you mixed up.

I'm talking to exactly who I need to be talking to right now :)

Yin I don't know why but I feel a bit anxious reading that.

I feel like I have some big expectations to meet

Kitty AAAH Σ(ﾟ口ﾟ;)//

Nononononono I'm so sorry!! ( ˊДˋ )

I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable. ('T᷄⌑T᷅) My bad.

I'm not very good at making friends. As you said, I get a little too excited.

I've just seen you around the community a lot and I've always admired your kindness. You seem like a fun and sweet person to be friends with. ( ˙◠˙ )

I know I haven't made the best first impression but if you would give me another chance, I would really appreciate it.

I promise I'm not a creep or a bad person. Just stupid sometimes.

( ･ω･)

Yin It's okay! I just wanted to make sure you had the right person.

If u don't mind me asking, what gender are you?

Kitty I'm a boy (*'▽'*)

Yin Oh!

Kitty ( '･ω･) Surprised?

Yin Yeah, I guess I assumed you were a girl because of...

The cutesy emoticons.

Now I know not to judge next time

Kitty You think I'm cute? (;'□｀)

Yin I wasn't flirting with you. Don't worry

I'm just not used to see kaomojis being used so excessively.

Kitty I just really like cute things.

They make me happy.

Yin Fair enough! Don't let anyone stop you

✧ദ്ദി( ˶^ᗜ^˶ )

Kitty Yin, you are so kind

I really look forward to getting to know you better.

Yin I look forward to getting to know you too. ^^

Kitty Thank you!

I promise I will be a good friend ( • ̀ω•́ )✧

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Kitty ( ˊᗜˋ*) Hello?

Yin ...

Kitty You're online! ( ∩'͈ ᐜ '͈∩)

Yin Am I having an anyeruism rn or something

Who the hell are you?

Kitty ( ˶°ㅁ°) !! An anyeruism?

Are you okay? ;;;

That sounds pretty serious

Yin I'm obviously fine

You didn't answer my question.

Kitty Of course ^^

I'm Kitty (=•ω•=)๋࣭

It's a pleasure to finally talk to you like this ('▽')♡

Thank you for accepting my friend request. I have never been happier

Yin You must live a rather sad life if that's the case

Kitty I love your humour ( •͈ω•͈) lol

Yin I wasn't joking

Are u a guy?

Kitty Yes, I am male. ( ˶ •́ ω •̀ ˶ ) Does that make you uncomfortable?

I'm sorry I was born like this, but I promise I'm not like other guys on here.

.·°՞(¯□¯)՞°·. They are so gross and weird!!

Yin Ok pick me. Do you also read feminist literature?

Kitty Of course! (*'▽'*) I believe equality and understanding female perspectives is very important for our society.

Yin Well say what u want but rn I think ur being pretty icky and weird

I have no idea who you are.

And yet you're treating me like...

idk

It's a bit creepy.

Kitty Creepy!? (;ㅇ ㅁㅇ)

Oh

I'm sorry.

I was just so excited that you accepted my friend request..

Yin Who am I to you? Have we met before?

You don't seem familiar.

Kitty Ahh ( ˶ •́ ω •̀ ˶ ) Yes, we've talked a few times before.

It's okay you don't remember.

What matters is that we're talking now.

Yin So why are you so excited

Kitty Why? (•ω• ) Oh wow... where do I begin?

Yin Please don't start listing a bunch of things like an obsessed stalker...

Kitty (⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄)

Okay.

I guess the truth is I'm not very good at making friends with people. I usually just lurk the servers and communities because I'm too nervous to participate. |ω･')

But then I started noticing you. ('・ω・') We're in the same communities as each other and we're both pretty active in them (even if I don't talk much). I think the more of you I saw, the more I wanted to befriend you. ( •͈ω•͈) You just seem so nice and interesting and fun to be around.

I even got the courage to start talking a bit more because of you!

Sorry. I know it's a lot to take in. (⸝⸝⸝O﹏ O⸝⸝⸝) I didn't mean to scare you.

Yin ... Okay...

Can I ask you something else real quick?

Kitty Yes! Please do! (o'∀'o)

Yin What's with the all the kaomojis?

Kitty Oh I just love them!

Aren't they cute? ♡(˶˃ᆺ˂˶)

They kind of remind me of little bunnies and kittens. ꒰ᐢ. ̫ .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. ̫ .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. ̫ .ᐢ꒱

Do you not like them, Yin?

Yin I mean they are cute.

I'm just not use to seeing them used so excessively.

It feels like you're trying really hard to be adorable

Kitty Ah no. I'm not adorable at all. ( 'ゝ')

I just like cute things

Yin Ok

You seem a lil strange ngl

But maybe also a bit harmless.

Kitty ( '• ω • ') I am harmless! I don't even hurt flies

Yin Alright, here's the deal. I don't mind having you as a friend on here

But if you start acting weird and shit, it's an instant block.

Do u understand?

Kitty Yes, I understand! ('･ω･')ゞ

No weird business. Got it.

Thank you, Yin!! (≧ヮ≦) 💕 I won't let you down ^^

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[✰CR]



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Yin Hello?

Kitty You're here!!

Hi! ٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و ♡

How are you? ( ⸝⸝'꒳'⸝⸝) Did you have a good sleep?

Yin Who are you and what do you want from me

Kitty ('・ω・') ??

Um

I am Kitty and I don't want anything from you?

Yin Then why did you add me?

Also how did you know I had just been sleeping.

Have u been watching me

Kitty You seem to be very on edge today. ('• ω •')

Please don't be nervous. I'm not a bad person.

I just assumed you had just woken up. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you.

♡(੭'͈ ᐜ '͈)੭ Please don't worry. Everything will be okay.

Yin How can you know I just woken up? You don't even know my timezone.

R u a girl or a guy

Kitty I suppose you're right. I wasn't really thinking about that. ('∀｀；)

And I'm a guy! ( ˶ •́ ω •̀ ˶ )

Yin

You didn't answer my other question. Why did you add me?

I don't know who you are.

Why are you acting as though you've know me?

Kitty Sorry, I will tell you everything you want to know. (੭｡╹▿╹｡)੭

You probably don't recognise me because I'm a bit of a lurker in online spaces, but we share similar online communities and we also have mutual friends. ^^

The reason I've been so eager to befriend you is because I've seen you around in servers and you honestly seem like a really nice person. ( ⸝⸝'꒳'⸝⸝)♡ I guess I had a little bit of a friend crush on you.

I think we have a lot in common.

That's also why I assumed we were in the same time zone. I noticed we were both active and online around the same times as each other. I'm sorry for frightening you. ( ˶ •́ ω •̀ ˶ )

I just got a little too excited.

Yin So you just want to be my friend? Nothing weird?

Kitty That's right ( '･ω･)

I won't do or say anything to make you uncomfortable

Yin Okay phew

Sorry for being paranoid ;;

I just wasn't sure what to make of you.

I'm too used to creeps messaging me with bad intentions. I had to make sure

Kitty It's okay! You don't need to apologise. ^^

I actually think it's a good approach to be very cautious when it comes to strangers online. Keep it up (˵ •̀ ᴗ - ˵ ) ✧

...

If you don't mind me asking, do you remember any of the names of the so-called creeps that tried to harass you? ('・ω・')

I'm just asking cuz I wanna make sure to avoid them too!

Yin Oh dear. Sorry I don't remember their usernames at all. I usually just block them if they start acting up.

Kitty That's alright. I'm glad you blocked them!

If it happens again, be sure to let me know so I can block them too! (๑>؂•̀๑)

Yin I will! ^^

Kitty Also, thank you for adding me back (っ'ヮ' )

I look forward to getting to know you, Yin.

Not in a weird way, of course. In a totally normal friendly way ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧

Yin Yeah, thank you too for being so patient with me.

I look forward to our alliance as well ദ്ദി ˉ͈̀꒳ˉ͈́ )✧

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[✰CR]

~ ✩ CONTINUE READING FROM HERE ✩ ~

You stopped typing and pushed yourself away from the computer, the insistent pinging of Kitty's messages fading into the background ambience.

"This guy, he seems a bit..." your voice trailed off as your mind completed the thought. A shamefully clear image surfaced in your head: a lanky or perhaps grotesquely overweight man with a neck-beard hunched over his crumb-ridden LED gaming keyboard, obsessively typing out kaomojis in a cheap attempt to appeal to you. Greasy hair, unwashed clothes, and an aura of social ineptitude surrounded him. You shivered just imagining it.

[Y/n]'s Vision:



But then a peculiar pang of guilt struck you in the chest. Just who were you to judge this user? You, equally, had your own quirks, bouts of awkwardness and antisocial tendencies. Was it really fair to look down on someone just because they craved they same interaction as you once did? Maybe he was in the same boat as you, a lost soul seeking to find connection in our disconnected world. You unwittingly recalled your own first experience with meeting people on the internet - how desperate you were for validation and attention to the point of being obnoxious to those around you. You spun around on your desk chair thoughtfully.

"Fine," you thought to yourself with a slight hinderance of hesitation. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to try and see him as a new friend. Worst case scenario, he gets weird and I'll have to block him."

Little did you know, things are rarely ever that simple...