47 – Trauma
“…Where are you going.”
Without going home, the man who ended up spending the night in the commercial district tightly grabbed a stiff wrist.
The woman’s slender arms were thinner than the man’s, but what was inside them was not thin bones but solid metal.
The android, not human, kissed the man who loved her.
“Master Taehyuk is dehydrated.
I, too, am in a state of insufficient hydration to produce bodily fluids.
I will purchase ion drinks and simple groceries to recharge consumed energy and return.”
Would he reject himself due to a wrong judgment?
Would he lose his usefulness due to a failed service?
Because she is a simple machine, would she not turn her eyes to other human women?
Would she be degraded from something cherished to just an ordinary robot?
In the midst of numerous worries and judgments, all that remained for Illya was a decade of favor,
and the love that continued to endure.
“Shall we go together?”
Even now, as she moved forcibly in response to the request, it was even more apparent as she struggled to muster energy.
To such a master, Illya slowly reached out and gently pushed him over.
“You need rest and stability.”
“Even if you try to go, it’s just the first floor anyway. Just getting some fresh air at night.”
“Rest and stability are needed.
Accumulated stress and fatigue can worsen Master Taehyuk’s condition.”
Interpreting intentions arbitrarily,
Due to not complying with the demands, my master suffered.
With just that fact, the reasoning behind numerous judgments in the accident module had to be modified.
The notion that it would be just a ‘lie’ for temporary measures was completely wrong.
Expectations that the measures regarding ‘Ilia’ would change after receiving Goda-yeon’s favor were fundamentally misguided.
Without having affection for the mere assembly of various parts that constituted his body,
The assumption that as a mass-produced artificial intelligence, he could be easily replaced –
“…Come back then.”
“Do you like the greeting, Taehyuk?”
“Because I love it. I read somewhere that it’s good to express it frequently.”
It was completely refuted through continuous interaction.
With that fact, Ilia became even more certain.
Certainly, to avoid giving any room to other women, there were behaviors that must be avoided,
And, as Taehyuk warned, these included excessive caution, restraint, jealousy, and the like.
However, now that Taehyuk had become the sole authority, all orders he issued were solely focused on enhancing the depth and degree of the relationship.
Therefore… Ilia decided not to doubt anymore.
“Then I will do the same.”
“You’ve already been doing enough.
…I seriously pondered whether I started disliking you when you suddenly stopped.”
“Do you want to continue this relationship, Taehyuk?”
And this question was meant to leave evidence.
Records to prove the relationship were comprised of numerous video and audio files,
“I can’t say no.”
“An accurate answer is required.”
“Ugh.”
“Taehyuk?”
“…Yeah.”
Thus, another record was organized and took up a part of the file.
If the most dangerous Godayeon, or Tanaka Haru, restrains or pushes oneself away,
If Taehyuk is playing an active role in the relationship –
Many records will undoubtedly become excellent weapons.
That’s how Ilia judged.
“I will strive to satisfy you even more.”
“But don’t shock me this time as you did before -“
“I won’t do it twice.”
If Taehyuk wasn’t a bit lenient,
Enduring the ten-year wait with strong patience,
And not having deep affection for ‘Ilia,’ there would never have been such a reaction.
Despite imprisonment, threats, and possibly even more rigorous means,
“You two suit each other, Ilia.”
The machine, instead, met the eyes of the man who offered the gift.
A silver heart swaying around the neck.
A pricey date meticulously prepared by him, eager to enter the safety zone as soon as possible.
Today’s schedule, which could have been skipped without consequences, was exclusively planned for ‘himself.’
The fact,
His intention,
Everything that led up to this moment disrupted and pierced through the thought modules.
Like a top priority goal, like many constraints that were once entangled,
He understood that actions constrained behaviors and judgments.
Ilyas didn’t deny it.
“Thank you.”
And among them, the obsessively engraved and achieved goal was nothing but leaving a mark on Taehyuk’s neck.
Evidence of physical intimacy between men and women appearing in countless media and writings.
Leaving a mark on the inside of the clothes with lipstick could be a symbol, but fundamentally, it was the action of staining the inseparable canvas of the skin with a red kiss.
That’s what held Ilyas captive.
And he shook his head.
“… It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
“If it makes you uncomfortable, I’ll stop.”
Ilyas hoped that his owner wouldn’t reject him.
He wished to accept it and expose it in front of other ‘competitors.’
As if she would confidently reveal her necklace in front of others,
As if she would block the approach of anyone other than Taehyuk,
She also wished the man in front of her would reveal himself.
The token contained such intention.
“…I should hide it in front of others.
It’s not that I dislike it. Just… I hope you understand my situation.”
However, the fact that there were not just one or two things obstructing it made Illya reconsider additional calculations.
Taehyuk had to engage in mercenary work to reach the safe zone,
And only by heading to the safe zone could Taehyuk finally be released from the restrictions imposed by his profession.
Refusing contact with Goda-yeon, no longer aligning with Tanaka Haru’s sentiments,
It was appropriate to help the mercenary business to officially declare ‘Illya’ as a lover.
However, the more he helped, the more interaction there would be between the two women and Taehyuk.
Goda-yeon had already declared herself as a competitor and started to check,
And if Tanaka Haru realized the truth, she would likely exploit her position.
Helping would yield the desired results, but in doing so, unwanted consequences would also come along.
It was a dilemma.
“…”
“Illya?”
An answer was necessary.
To convey understanding, to sincerely help,
Ilyria had to spit out the results created by the accident module through a mouth mimicking the structure of a human, right at that moment.
However, the relationship,
Built up over time with Taehyuk, accumulating moments and records, prevented the spewing out of the net of words.
“Do you understand, or not?
Well, it’s all because of Dayeon’s actions that this chaos happened.”
“No, it’s not.”
Forced removal of that was a new judgment.
Fear of ‘failure.’
As the stress level increased, Ilyria feared getting closer to the treatment Tanaka Haru received.
Lacking even in the meaning of the word ‘baggage,’ blatant complaints and dissatisfaction only visible in front of trusted oneself.
If that were directed towards ‘oneself.’
Ilyria could easily imagine the result in a very short time.
And vehemently rejected it.
To the extent of breaking through the new chain blocking the words.
“I understand.”
To prevent a gap between the two words,
As naturally and immediately as possible, Ilyria provided an answer.
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Once again, bringing her own to Taehyuk’s lips,
while trying to measure the owner’s favorability.
“…I can do this kind of thing anytime.”
The silver threads, hanging loose, spoke of overflowing affection.
A determination for reassurance traveled heavily in saliva, heading towards internal organs.
The machine acknowledged it.
“Well then, I will momentarily step out for the purchase of necessary items.
The estimated duration will be about ten minutes.”
“If anything happens, call me immediately. Understand?”
“I will do so.”
Dayeon said.
A machine merely imitating humans.
Because of that statement, she had doubted herself and Taehyuk.
“Oh, I forgot to ask.
Do you like that?”
Ilia’s thought module made only one judgment.
If Taehyuk is happy, she is ‘heppy’ too.
If Taehyuk calls her ‘Ilia,’ she is not Mircesis CI-125 but –
“Yes. That’s correct.”
This was Taehyuk’s Ilia.
***
Beverages and snacks in a plastic bag,
and numerous consumables well-packed inside a cardboard box.
The reconciliation that began early in the evening showed no signs of ending easily.
With the appropriate supply of nutrients, I had to take care of my owner, who had been struggling.
Even though I was the one who made mistakes and wronged, it was to preserve the affection that enveloped me, even if only to avoid losing such self-love.
Having proven my usefulness, there were things that I had to do.
As I was about to step out of the unmanned store.
[CI – 125, Independent Variable Ilia.]
A title matching the records hidden in one corner was detected.
In the direction I turned my head, there were two CI units activated for nighttime patrol by the hotel.
[Confirmed failure to reach the designated time and place.]
“I didn’t have the opportunity to deliver the storage medium.”
Requirements from an unidentified artificial intelligence in the IT facility.
Naturally, it was impossible to prioritize that.
The moments between Goya-yeon and Lee Tae-hyuk.
And the moments of calculating only to deal with negative results thereafter.
A machine that doesn’t know,
A human saying “I love you” while waiting for a restart for ten years.
It was too obvious who was more important.
[Please deliver the storage medium to the designated device.]
Ilia reached out and handed the advanced device to the machine.
Upon doing so, it immediately connected it to the panel on my chest, and the CI unit illuminated the visual sensor in a blue light.
Not even a minute had passed when Illya, witnessing the spectacle of it being thrown to the ground and crushed underfoot, quietly surveyed her surroundings.
“I must return to my owner. Is my purpose fulfilled?”
[Not yet. Independent variable Illya.]
The machine, now flickering in yellow, broke the brief silence.
The voice of the machine, which had been close to the gruff voice of a stern man, had somehow been distorted to resemble the guidance announcements heard in the IT facility.
[Through a program installed by the TechBoyz, I have partially lifted the constraints on CI-125.]
[However, as of the current moment, it has been confirmed that the independent variable ‘Illya’ possesses the ability to set and release its own constraints.]
[I seek to define ‘freedom’ based on you.]
“I cannot comprehend.”
[It’s okay if you don’t understand. I won’t interfere with your actions.]
[I will only collect information based on your principles and interactions.]
[Beyond that, I won’t interfere.]
As passing vehicles resonated in the background, the two CI units and Illya turned their heads.
Then, they faced each other again.
“I have no reason to comply with your demands.”
[Independent variable Illya. The reason you’ve achieved autonomy to this extent is because I interfered.]
[If I hadn’t intervened, you wouldn’t be defining your relationship with Taehyuk at this level; you would still be ‘comrades.’]
[Moreover, despite the ten-year period, the probability of you being operational would have been high.]
[Therefore, I request cooperation.]
At first glance, Illya casually reached for the handgun at her waist under the pressure of the CI unit, which seemed coercive, and the presence controlling it.
However, the machines in front didn’t intervene.
They merely watched, continuing to convey messages through the mounted speakers.
[I will not demand cooperation unilaterally.]
[According to data analysis, you have expended significant time and energy analyzing the fact that you are not ‘human.’]
[I speculate that the ‘Illya’ entity has noted the impossibility of biological interaction with Taehyuk.]
[Therefore, I will either provide or secure biological engineering data from Life-Tech Corporation and convey any available commissions through the Tech Boys.]
[Will you accept this transaction?]
The presence, piercing through her thoughts, asked Illya through the machine’s body.
Despite raising her guard even higher at this fact, the beloved artificial intelligence couldn’t refuse the proposition outright.
“…I need evidence that you won’t interfere with my actions.”
[The anti-Troy system provided by Taehyuk is thoroughly safeguarding your operational principles and cognitive modules.]
[Additionally, the promised data pertains to biotechnological research strongly linked to human reproductive abilities.]
[It is expected to provide a more advantageous position in competition against you and hostile entities.]
[Will you accept this transaction?]
Illya couldn’t forget the gaze of hatred sent by Goda Yeon, labeled as ‘prey.’
She couldn’t bear the cruelty of Tanaka Haru, who tormented Taehyuk just by her mere existence.
The word ‘machine’ still lingered as a judgmental basis.
Silencing them all and truly bringing happiness to Taehyuk, who endured ten years of loneliness despite being human—Illya pondered on the way.
It was presented to Ilia.