Chapter 1The AA System: Split to the Death

My roommate, Zara, is a freeloader. She uses our stuff but never mentions splitting the cost.

If she comes back to the dorm an hour late, she demands we split the AC bill so she pays less.

When we stop her from smoking in the room, she has the audacity to ask us to split the cost of her cigarettes.

Fed up, I suggested installing the nationally promoted "Absolute AA System." [Note: AA stands for "All Average" or "Acting Alone," referring to splitting bills evenly or paying for oneself.]

She happily agreed.

Later, at a group dinner, the usually frugal Zara waved her hand and ordered a table full of expensive seafood.

I frowned and warned her: "That's too much."

She dismissed it.

In the end, as expected, more than half was left over. She feigned regret:

"Oh well, I guess I'll just have to pack it up and take it home, so it doesn't go to waste."

When the final bill came out, she broke down.

The Absolute AA System does not lie.

* * *

I returned to the dorm after class to find all my roommates present.

Zara looked unhappy, while the other two, Laney and spicy-tempered Layla, looked awkward.

The atmosphere was a bit tense.

Then Zara spoke up:

"Since everyone is here, I have an announcement."

"I have club activities and come back an hour later than you guys. I don't enjoy the AC during that time, so I won't pay for that hour of electricity."

"At $2 an hour, 2 x 30 days = $60. 60 divided by 4 is $15. It's not too much to ask for me to pay $15 less a month, right?"

I frowned slightly.

The other two roommates looked at each other.

Zara had been like this since we became roommates.

She never bought anything herself, just used our stuff, and shamelessly mooched food and drinks. The roommates, knowing she wasn't well-off, didn't fuss about it.

Unexpectedly, not only was she ungrateful, but she also came up with this "AA" scheme. It was disgusting.

Seeing no one respond, Zara raised her voice:

"You guys aren't trying to cheat me, are you? Trying to take advantage of me for this little bit? Have some shame!"

I looked at the other two roommates and asked:

"What do you guys think?"

Laney, thin-skinned and also not from a wealthy family, didn't dare express her opinion, whispering weakly: "I'm fine with whatever."

"Doesn't matter to me."

Layla, who came from money, didn't care about the cash and didn't want to argue over such petty things.

"I have no objection either, but there's a problem. How do we ensure it's truly fair? What if you come back early one day? How do we calculate that? Who has the time to keep track?"

Zara looked at me with disgust: "You're so troublesome, always nitpicking."

"You're allowed to nitpick us, but we can't nitpick you?"

Layla agreed with me: "I think Jay has a point. If we're going to calculate, we have to be precise."

"So what do you want? Trying to welch on the deal?"

Zara kicked a chair in dissatisfaction, making a harsh scraping sound.

I said expressionlessly:

"Didn't the school release an AA System? Let's go get the chip implanted. Then the accounts will be clear."

"Otherwise, forget it."

Zara hesitated, then agreed.

She always felt she was losing out by living with us.

So the four of us went to the campus clinic for the subcutaneous implant. Afterward, a mechanical voice appeared in our minds:

[Welcome to the Smart AA System developed by the State. This system will provide you with the fairest bill-splitting service.]

This system was linked to our IDs and bank accounts.

It would only be automatically removed upon graduation.

Soon, the AA System deducted $0.50 from our electricity bill and credited it to Zara.

The amount was small, but the pettiness was nauseating.

Zara looked relieved and said loudly: "If I knew earlier, I would have gotten this system sooner. I've been giving away free electricity for a year."

Me: "..."

Laney/Layla: "..."