One night, at 11:17 PM, Bug 012 triggered an alarm.
That’s how the Crush Bugs started.
He felt like a spy, but a romantic one. He wasn't stalking her. He was curating her. He learned she switched to "online" at exactly 11:15 PM every night, probably taking a break from homework. He learned she used the crying-laughing emoji three times more than any other. He learned, through Bug 007’s deep-dive into public sticker packs, that she loved obscure sci-fi and neon-drenched cityscapes.
Her name was Mira. She was in his advanced programming lab, two rows over, with glasses that magnified eyes the color of burnt honey and a laugh that sounded like a dropped tray of silverware—sharp, bright, and impossible to ignore.
He was falling in love with a collage of data.
The next night, the Echo Mite pinged.
Hey. I’m not sure how, but I think you’re getting my drafts. Or something weirder. Want to explain over coffee? The campus place. Tomorrow, 4 PM.