The atmosphere was bustling from the morning.
“You pile of scrap metal… is the command ‘don’t move’ that hard for you?”
“Ugh…! I said stay still!”
My master and Eve were in the middle of a struggle at the front door.
After the weekend, news arrived that Thomas had returned from his business trip.
Since Eve was scheduled for a check-up once Thomas returned, we had to take Eve with us to work today.
Eve only had wheels, so he couldn’t get over doorsteps or stairs.
In the end, my master had to pick him up and carry him, but Eve was too heavy.
Eve was originally a serving robot used at events, designed to carry a lot of food at once, so he seemed to have that much weight.
My master scolded Eve, telling him not to move.
On the surface, it looked like Eve was being unilaterally mistreated, which was regrettable, but I just watched nervously, fearing that if I defended Eve, my master might treat him even more harshly.
“Master, can I help you?”
“With those arms? Step back before I have two robots for Thomas to repair.”
“Yes…”
I stepped forward needlessly and then, crestfallen, quietly retreated.
I subtly lowered my head and looked at my arms.
Unlike my master, they were soft and had no muscle whatsoever.
I had never exercised, but as a robot, muscles probably weren’t easily built.
I tried to console myself, thinking it was a natural difference between humans and robots.
“For a serving robot, he’s annoyingly heavy.”
After finally getting Eve into the back seat, we headed to the company.
All the way to the company, I anxiously kept looking back at Eve, who was lying in the back seat.
Eve will really be okay, won’t he?
I hoped it was just a temporary error, but the fact that my master often said he was acting strange kept bothering me, and my worries wouldn’t subside.
Upon arriving at the company, my master and Eve started bickering again while getting Eve out of the car.
Eve, having finally gotten out of the car, rolled his wheels a few times as if stretching his stiff body.
“From here, walk on your own.”
When my master commanded in an annoyed voice, Eve, as if he had intended to do so all along, rolled his wheels and headed into the building by himself.
Eve started moving boldly, but today was his first time out in the world.
What if Eve suddenly changed direction and went somewhere else?
I fretted and followed Eve.
I guided Eve toward Thomas’s lab, and Eve followed surprisingly well, making my worries seem groundless.
Was I worrying for nothing?
I hoped Eve’s check-up results would also be fine, and we stopped in front of Thomas’s lab.
“You’re here?”
As we entered Thomas’s lab, Thomas greeted us.
I slightly bowed my head and quietly exchanged glances with Nick, who was also there.
“Thomas, how was your side?”
“The raw materials were being supplied well, and there were no particular problems. At this rate, it looks like we can release it on schedule.”
“That’s a relief.”
My master and Thomas immediately began discussing the new product as soon as they met.
Eve and I quietly watched my master from the corner.
However, no matter how much time passed, the conversation about the new product didn’t end, so I cautiously approached my master and asked.
“Master, what about Eve…?”
Only then did the conversation topic shift to Eve.
“Thomas, take a look at this when you have time.”
“Ah, is that the serving robot I worked on last time?”
“He’s in a strange state. He doesn’t seem to recognize his master either.”
“Really? That’s strange… I’ll look into it. Do you want to leave him for a few days?”
My master nodded.
I thought the check-up would be over in a day like mine, but it seemed not. Surprised by the unexpected separation, I asked Thomas.
“Will it take long…?”
“No, serving robots have simple programs, so it won’t take long. Three days at most?”
Three days was a long time for me too, but I felt relieved that it wouldn’t take longer than that and looked at Eve.
I have to be apart from Eve for a while…
Wishing Eve wouldn’t be lonely during that time, I said my final goodbyes.
“Eve, I’ll come pick you up soon…”
***
Watching Didi and Eve hug each other as if they were being separated forever, William and Thomas resumed their conversation.
“William. Did you see the article? You pulled off quite a stunt.”
Thomas said that and held out his smartphone.
An familiar scene floated on the screen with an article.
[William Spencer’s New Lover, This Time a Robot?]
It was the scandal Didi and he had caused last weekend.
A photo of William kissing Didi in the middle of the street was plastered prominently on the main page of the article.
Below it, information was added about Didi being a human-bot and details about the new humanoid model to be released.
“Was that to promote the new product?”
“Not exactly.”
He hadn’t initially intended it as noise marketing.
But given the public mood now, it seemed to have achieved that effect as a result.
William was not the type to be swayed by the opinions of others.
Moreover, no matter what others said, not kissing Didi there was almost impossible.
William turned his head to look at Didi.
Every time he saw Didi, the image of him smiling happily, surrounded by robots, was superimposed.
Thomas, who had been watching, lowered his voice and spoke.
“William, I’m just asking, just in case…”
Thomas continued, almost whispering, careful not to let Didi hear.
“You’re not actually in love with Didi, are you?”
“No.”
William answered immediately.
There was no need to think.
Didi was a robot.
Love?
What he found most pathetic were people who genuinely formed emotional attachments with robots.
Robots weren’t living beings like dogs or cats, they often broke down and malfunctioned, and even their memories and emotions could be easily manipulated.
There was nothing more useless than wasting emotions on such things.
Seeing William return to his usual self, Thomas continued.
“Well, that’s a relief then. From the way you were acting, you looked completely head over heels in love.”
“I’m glad you’ve changed from being so averse to robots… but the timing isn’t great. You understand, right? If you’re going to cause trouble, could you do it a little later?”
“…Okay.”
“I don’t think we need to take down this article. Everyone thinks you pulled that stunt to promote the new product.”
Having finished their conversation, William and Didi left Thomas’s lab.
He watched Didi wave and say a final goodbye to Eve before returning to the office.
Back in the office, Didi sat on the sofa as usual, dozing off.
Outwardly, the atmosphere was peaceful, but William’s expression, as he looked at Didi, was not.
Thomas’s question about whether he loved Didi kept lingering in his mind.
That I look completely in love?
That’s ridiculous.
William vehemently denied it, roughly running a hand over his face.
Love?
Of course not.
Although he had kissed Didi a few times and been intimate with him, it was all within the context of a robot and master relationship.
William slowly scrutinized Didi’s sleeping face.
His soft, silky black hair, his tightly closed eyes, his fair and smooth skin, his gentle eyes that couldn’t be hidden even when closed, and his moist, soft lips.
Everything perfectly matched William’s taste to an exasperating degree.
So, it was understandable that others might misunderstand his gaze towards Didi, and he could comprehend why Thomas brought it up.
However, just as he was about to dismiss it as Thomas’s misconception, he suddenly remembered Didi’s face reddening with joy when he saw the scandal article.
How cute.
William unconsciously let out a soft chuckle, then immediately stiffened his expression.
His own smiling face was reflected in the office window.
William was deeply shocked. He realized this was the expression Thomas had been talking about.
Even to him, it was the pathetic face of someone completely in love.
In his prolonged shock, William ultimately had to admit that Didi kept looking adorable to him.
Even the sight of him quietly closing his eyes made it hard to look away.
But this was an emotion William absolutely could not accept.
No, this is a misconception.
Being around a robot that expressed its affection for him so completely, he must have simply caught those feelings.
It was like a cold.
A light emotional confusion that would naturally disappear with time if the cause was removed.
And the cause of all these events was Didi.
If he kept Didi at a distance, William would naturally return to his old self soon.
So, to calm his wavering heart, he decided to keep Didi away from him for a while.
“Didi.”
When he called his name, Didi, who had been dozing, startled and lifted his head.
“Master, did you call me?”
“Go home first today.”
Didi, still half-asleep, blinked with an expression that showed he didn’t grasp the situation.
Even that expression looked adorable, so William hastily looked away.
William clenched his fist tightly.
If he kept looking, he felt like he would kiss him again.
Just like he did every day.
“Are you telling me to go home now?”
“Yes. I have a lot of work to do today. You’d be a distraction, so go on ahead.”
“Yes…”
When he deliberately added harsh words, Didi looked dejected and got up.
Why did the sight of him looking back briefly at the door before leaving, and his sulky face, have to be so cute?
He barely managed to suppress the urge to call Didi back.
Only after the door closed and Didi was out of sight did his thoughts finally begin to clear.
“Damn it…”
William looked at his face reflected in the glass again.
What he saw there was not the usual cold, confident William Spencer.
It was the pathetic, unsightly face of a man completely in love.