Unknowing

“Let’s try this again. What’s your name?” Jackson asked.

“Akiko Takahashi,” The woman with a strange helmet on her head replied.

Jackson made a few adjustments to the wires attached to the helmet and asked again, “How about now?”

“Still Akiko. Have you considered the possibility that I really AM Akiko That your body swap device here is a failure? I think it’s pretty obvious I am who I say I am.”

“But she left here in your body saying she was Akiko.”

“Come on. Brian loves to mess with you. He was probably just pretending to be me.”

“Well, what do you remember?”

“I’m a Japanese student who came to this country to study at the university. You, I, and Brian have all been friends these past few years going to school together. I’m not sure what you want to know?”

“Do you remember being my girlfriend?”

“What? No! No way! Ew! Gross!”

“See. The real Akiko would remember. We’ve been keeping it a secret from Brian -- from you -- as to not hurt his feelings or make him feel like a third wheel.”

“Or maybe your device just fried that section of my brain! I mean, there’s no way it could’ve actually worked...and that I’m actually...”