#119
Yoo Seong-woo’s emotional function gradually recovered over several weeks.
The first thing Yoo Seong-woo did upon realizing his emotions had returned was to take out that ridiculous sculpture of Yeon Tae-soo’s and place it on an elaborate pedestal in the middle of the hotel room.
“Please, Seong-woo. Let’s throw that away. Hmm?”
“No. It’s mine.”
He remained unmoved despite Yeon Tae-soo’s pleas and begging. The sculpture sitting prominently on the living room table of the suite even emitted a strange atmosphere. It was too ugly to be considered abstract art, and was small and monstrous.
“I’ll make you a new one instead.”
When Yeon Tae-soo spoke up, unable to bear it any longer, Yoo Seong-woo brightened and his eyes sparkled.
“You’ll make me another one?”
“Ah, no…”
“Then I’ll put this one in the bedroom. No, the study would be good too. Secretary Kim would like it.”
“Please…”
Though he pleaded, the corners of Yeon Tae-soo’s mouth were actually turned upward.
Yoo Seong-woo’s emotions had returned. They weren’t fully back to pre-surgery levels yet. Sometimes he still appeared awkward or strangely cold.
But watching him slowly return to the Yoo Seong-woo he knew over the past few weeks, Yeon Tae-soo decided not to rush. The gradual transformation of Yoo Seong-woo was even awe-inspiring. His complexion had visibly improved, and his smile was natural. Yeon Tae-soo realized that the smiles Yoo Seong-woo had worn before the surgery were meant to hide his pain.
The engineer disappeared one day and didn’t show herself afterward. Yoo Seong-woo couldn’t help feeling regretful.
“I didn’t expect her to leave so suddenly. I wanted to thank her properly.”
“I know. I’ll see if there’s any way to contact her. We should at least be able to convey our thanks.”
“Yes.”
Even if Yoo Seong-woo hadn’t mentioned it, Yeon Tae-soo would have tried to locate the engineer. He was worried she might harm Yoo Seong-woo out of curiosity.
‘Well, since I’ll be with him 24 hours a day from now on, I probably don’t need to worry.’
He embraced Yoo Seong-woo’s waist and buried his nose at the crown of his head. There was no need to inform him that from now on, anyone who approached him, whether he requested it or not, would have to pass his scrutiny.
“It’s nice…”
As he inhaled deeply and murmured, Yoo Seong-woo laughed while nestled in his arms.
“What is?”
“Seong-woo’s scent.”
He breathed in deeply, filling himself with the now-familiar scent. Yoo Seong-woo stayed quietly in his embrace.
***
After sending Kim Ji-heon back to Korea as there was nothing left for him to do in India, Yeon Tae-soo took Yoo Seong-woo to various places around India.
Upon seeing the Taj Mahal, which he had wanted to visit before the surgery, Yoo Seong-woo exclaimed with great admiration.
The mausoleum, containing years of history, shone white under the clear sky, and its reflection in the water channel in front made it seem to approach them.
Inside the building, the central memorial tomb stated that the emperor buried there was born when Jupiter and Venus were in the same constellation. It also explained that Jupiter represented the emperor and Venus the empress.
“Do you think fate really exists?”
Yoo Seong-woo asked. What would it feel like to have a predestined partner even before birth?
“I don’t believe in that nonsense.”
It was a typical Yeon Tae-soo response, so it wasn’t particularly surprising. Yeon Tae-soo followed alongside as he exited the memorial tomb. When a group of tourists surged in, he firmly wrapped his arm around Yoo Seong-woo’s waist.
“I believe in what I see and feel rather than fate.”
His whispered words amid the unfamiliar foreign languages sweetly moistened his ears. Yoo Seong-woo walked faster, blaming his suddenly warming face.
Yeon Tae-soo’s words were comforting.
It was because while there might be plenty of stars that could symbolize him as a human, there probably wouldn’t be any for himself as an android.
Yet if he had been chosen by Yeon Tae-soo in this vast universe, wouldn’t that be a miracle in itself?
***
India was vast with many places to see. And wherever they went, there were androids. People seemed to accept this naturally.
Yoo Seong-woo preciously stored each moment of his first-ever trip in his memory. There wasn’t a single moment that wasn’t valuable.
The vitality emanating from the Ganges River, the humming sound of auto-rickshaws carrying people, the scent of sand from the vast Rajasthan Desert, and even the smell of metal.
And there was something he couldn’t fully capture even with all his sensory functions. It was Yeon Tae-soo by his side.
Yeon Tae-soo seemed to have no interest in the exotic scenery and would occasionally just stare at Yoo Seong-woo’s face. The ticklish heat felt from that gaze was pleasant.
It was okay not to capture everything, not to save everything in memory.
Such thoughts came naturally at some point. And he knew that Yeon Tae-soo’s heart wasn’t much different from his own.
“Did you enjoy the trip?”
One evening, after wandering wherever their feet took them, Yeon Tae-soo asked on a hill facing the sunset. There were hardly any people at the hilltop café. The sound of cows mooing could be heard from somewhere, and the fields visible in the distance rippled with golden light.
“It was so enjoyable that it’s hard to express fully with my vocabulary.”
“I’m glad.”
Yeon Tae-soo rested his chin on his hand and smiled contentedly. Yoo Seong-woo’s face was tinted by the sunset, making it appear flushed.
“I’d like to visit other countries too.”
“Let’s go. Where should we go first?”
“The private jet should be done with inspection, so we should start using it soon,” Yeon Tae-soo said, rolling his shoulders. Yoo Seong-woo laughed inwardly, thinking anyone watching would think he was a pilot.
“First… after returning to Korea.”
He added cautiously. Yeon Tae-soo seemed not to have expected that answer. He gave a slightly surprised look before picking up the now-cold coffee cup.
“Why Korea? Do you want to go back?”
As an android, he had neither nationality nor patriotism. In fact, it would be the same regardless of which country he belonged to. After all, androids weren’t recognized as citizens but were exploited nonetheless.
Yoo Seong-woo’s gaze drifted far away before returning to the table. He held the cold coffee cup with both hands as if it were a warm hand warmer.
“It’s not so much wanting to go back as wanting to confirm something.”
“What does my baby want to confirm?”
The gentle tone automatically brought a smile to his face. After suppressing his smile, he took a sip of the cold coffee and put it down.
“What I can do.”
He, created for performances, had become a veterinarian and treated animals. He had also mingled with people like Old Man Chang and President Min who supplied drugs. Choco’s guardian had thanked him for treating her. Old Man Chang’s granddaughter still contacted him, calling him “uncle.”
Haeya-dong was a slum where humans called “the worst kind” gathered. He, who lived there fixing people’s severed fingers, was also of the slums, as was Yeon Tae-soo who ran a gambling den.
Nevertheless, in Haeya-dong, he was an ordinary person.
“I want to know what I can do while living normally, among people.”
Neither as Yoo-hyun nor as a broken android, but simply as a person, Yoo Seong-woo wanted to protect him ordinarily.
Just as Yeon Tae-soo had protected him all this time, he now wanted to protect Yeon Tae-soo’s daily life.
“I’d like it if Tae-soo came back with me.”
Yeon Tae-soo’s eyes widened slightly, then broke into a smile.
“Alright, then let’s go together.”
“…Yes.”
“Just grant me one request.”
What request? When Yoo Seong-woo looked at him with somewhat suspicious eyes, Yeon Tae-soo shook his head innocently. Well, considering what he’d done until now, he didn’t have much room to explain.
“That form of address, it sounds nice… but I’d like to hear another one too.”
He said this while lightly caressing the back of Yoo Seong-woo’s hand on the table with his fingertips, as if scratching it.
“Say ‘big brother.'”
This time, Yoo Seong-woo’s face turned red. His instantly flushed face looked so tempting, as if it could be sucked. Did he know how stimulating each of his expressions was?
Yoo Seong-woo’s lips quivered. His face was so red it looked like it might bleed. Only after keeping them in suspense for a while did he finally open his mouth.
“…big…”
“Yes, yes.”
“…sir…”
Yeon Tae-soo’s smiling face froze upon hearing the deliberately added “sir.” Then he let out a half-laugh, “Pfft.”
“I’ve heard that form of address at Eden, no, even before Eden, to the point of being sick of it…”
“…Do you dislike it?”
Before, he would have just blushed and not known what to do, but Yoo Seong-woo narrowed his eyes sharply and asked.
“No, no. It’s cute. Let’s drop the ‘sir’ part gradually. ‘Tae-soo’ isn’t bad either.”
Yes, it’s much better than being called “CEO.” Right. Yeon Tae-soo reached a somewhat cool compromise.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
