#117
Perhaps it was from being so thoroughly exhausted. Immediately after their intimacy ended, Yoo Seong-woo fell asleep drenched in sweat. Yeon Tae-soo wiped down his sleeping body, dressed him in a robe, roughly cleaned himself, and then sat beside the bed.
His body was healing slowly. Having grown accustomed to the abnormal recovery abilities from the black moonstone, this pace felt slow, but Yeon Tae-soo knew it was actually faster than normal healing.
Yoo Seong-woo had completely recovered. The fact that his condition was much better than before was evident just by looking at his face.
You were in pain since the moment we first met. Not knowing that earlier weighed on his heart.
Glancing to the side, he noticed the carving knife on the table. He got up again and cleaned the neglected knife with a cloth before putting it back in its case. He remembered how Yoo Seong-woo used to care for the knife. Yoo Seong-woo himself would probably remember too.
Despite this, the reason it had been left out might have been because he thought his emotions would return soon, believing that his future self, having resumed carving, would put it away properly. The reason was unclear.
After placing the case in a drawer, Yeon Tae-soo returned to the bed. He reached out toward the sleeping man’s cheek but couldn’t bring himself to touch it, fearing he might wake him.
‘If the black moonstone was attached to organs for a long time, problems could arise later. Since there haven’t been cases like this, I can’t say for certain, but…’
Neither the doctor nor the engineer could definitively assess Yeon Tae-soo’s physical condition. Even if something went wrong someday, it didn’t feel like a particularly important issue. Anyone could have an accident or fall ill. The same applied to his body. Even with the black moonstone, he wasn’t immortal.
Yeon Tae-soo suddenly felt that thought was unfamiliar.
Where had his desire to spend even one more day with Yoo Seong-woo gone?
‘Live with me, Seong-woo.’
Yoo Seong-woo had survived. And he had lost his emotions. He thought the feelings he had for Yeon Tae-soo were nothing. Even if it was painful, Yeon Tae-soo could endure it.
He pressed his hand against the area around his heart that was starting to ache. The medical pad was in the way.
As he burrowed under the blanket, Yoo Seong-woo stirred and made room for him. He embraced him tightly.
“Sleep well, Seong-woo.”
He whispered, kissing the top of his head. Yoo Seong-woo’s body temperature, now returned to normal, was slightly lower than Yeon Tae-soo’s.
***
Yeon Tae-soo didn’t wake up until late morning. Yoo Seong-woo, who had awakened earlier, checked on Popo and walked with him in the hotel garden.
The engineer who had always been a nuisance was nowhere to be seen. She had probably left after having seen all she wanted to see.
Although it was winter by season, the weather was still warm. Tropical plants swayed their green leaves, creating shade. It was a perfect day for a walk.
Sitting on a garden bench, watching Popo swing its robotic arm to provoke birds, Yoo Seong-woo suddenly thought:
‘If I were to live alone, it might be nice to stay here.’
Objectively speaking, this place was safer than the Republic of Korea. His face was equally well-known, but there were more of his kind here, and fewer android hunters.
His deliberation didn’t last long. He went to find Kim Ji-heon.
“What… staying here? It wouldn’t be difficult. Actually, the CEO has already prepared a place for you.”
At this unexpected response, Yoo Seong-woo was surprised.
“Are you saying the CEO has already arranged accommodations for me in India?”
“Yes. It’s not in the city but a rather quiet place, with routes for obtaining necessities already established.”
This would be completely unnecessary if he were staying with Yeon Tae-soo. The conclusion was clear.
‘He wants me to be independent.’
It wasn’t because Yeon Tae-soo found him annoying or because it had become inconvenient to take care of him. Yeon Tae-soo still loved him.
Analyzing based on Yeon Tae-soo’s behavior patterns stored in his memory, it was more appropriate to see this as being for his own benefit. Since they were no longer lovers, there was no need to stay together.
‘And… I’ve been indebted to him too much.’
Though he couldn’t feel gratitude, he knew how significant the things Yeon Tae-soo had done for him were. And if he became more indebted, there would be no way to repay him.
Above all, Nikita’s words wouldn’t leave his mind.
‘Just break up. Break up and he’ll forget naturally. At this rate, the boss will die…’
Yoo Seong-woo took a deep breath.
“Is it possible for you to find another place for me, Secretary Kim? I’ll compensate you, of course.”
Kim Ji-heon looked at Yoo Seong-woo and sighed deeply. For reasons unknown, he seemed frustrated.
“Please.”
When Yoo Seong-woo added this, he finally nodded.
***
The next day, while Yeon Tae-soo was being examined by the doctor, Yoo Seong-woo left the hotel.
He planned to visit the place Kim Ji-heon had told him about. As he traveled to the inputted address by taxi, he absently took in the exotic scenery outside the window.
Strangely, his chest ached again. It seemed like the same symptom he had experienced when he had been intimate with Yeon Tae-soo the day before yesterday.
If it were an error, a warning would have appeared, but seeing his clean display, it probably wasn’t an error. He concluded it was best not to worry about it.
The place Kim Ji-heon introduced was in a busy alley of a bustling area, deep within. Adjusting his mask, he pushed through the crowd and entered the narrow alley.
The apartment on the fifth floor of an old building was very small. The living room, barely large enough for a sofa and table, an even smaller kitchen, a bathroom without a shower booth, and a bedroom separated by a curtain were all there was.
However, since efficiency was the most important factor in his current emotionless state, Yoo Seong-woo thought it wasn’t bad for living alone.
‘I should find a job first.’
He wanted to look for employment nearby while he was out, but feeling that Yeon Tae-soo would be waiting, he thought it better to head back soon.
It was just as he opened the door to leave. Yoo Seong-woo stopped at the familiar figure standing in the narrow corridor.
“Sir?”
Yeon Tae-soo was standing there, sweating profusely. Though it was warm, it wasn’t particularly hot, so he must have been running. His dilated pupils captured Yoo Seong-woo’s emotionless face.
“I guess Secretary Kim told you. For independence, as quickly as possible…”
Before he could finish his sentence, Yeon Tae-soo’s hand reached out and grabbed his arm. He was pulled so roughly by Yeon Tae-soo that he was practically dragged outside the building.
He felt pain in his gripped arm. Looking down, he saw large palms and long, thick fingers holding him with strong force. Had this happened before? Searching through his memory, there were rarely times when Yeon Tae-soo had been violent toward him.
He was pushed into what was presumably the taxi Yeon Tae-soo had arrived in. Yoo Seong-woo obediently got into the car.
Even after entering the destination and the taxi began moving, Yeon Tae-soo remained silent. Anger was evident in his rigid profile, discernible even without emotion detection capabilities.
‘Is he angry because I left without saying anything?’
That made sense. Given his strong attachment.
“I’m sorry.”
He apologized immediately, but somehow Yeon Tae-soo’s expression worsened. His jaw muscles visibly tensed.
Unable to understand the reason for his anger, Yoo Seong-woo couldn’t say more. He chose to keep quiet.
As soon as they arrived at the hotel where they were staying, Yeon Tae-soo got out first and opened the door for him. As Yoo Seong-woo entered the hotel, the footsteps following behind somehow felt like an escort.
Yoo Seong-woo was led by Yeon Tae-soo into the room. Click, at the sound of the door locking, he turned around. Yeon Tae-soo stood there with a hardened face.
“Sir?”
A chill ran down his neck. His function activated, reading ominousness.
Despite his body having mostly recovered, Yeon Tae-soo looked extremely ill and in pain.
“What should I do with you?”
His voice, almost like a sigh, carried remorse. As the emotion detection function activated, all of Yeon Tae-soo’s emotions were revealed like pouring letters. Pain, regret, worry, lingering attachment, possessiveness, obsession, and… affection.
Yeon Tae-soo clenched and unclenched his empty hands. The veins on his large hands stood out sharply, and his fingers visibly turned white.
“Part of me wants to make it so you can’t even walk away…”
His body signaled alert again. His body hair stood on end and his body hunched. Even without emotions, he could detect danger. Despite not having thought of Yeon Tae-soo as a dangerous entity for a long time.
“Then would you hate me? Or can you not even do that without emotions?”
His blue eyes gleamed coldly. Though he couldn’t feel fear, his body responded.
Yoo Seong-woo clenched his clammy hands. Even in this situation, he truly didn’t think Yeon Tae-soo would harm him. Even though all signals spoke of danger.
They stood facing each other for a long while, eyes locked. Yoo Seong-woo found this confrontational situation perplexing.
“Haa…”
Yeon Tae-soo sighed quietly and ruffled his hair. Fatigue rapidly built up on his face beneath the disheveled hair.
Simultaneously, Yoo Seong-woo realized that the danger constricting him had disappeared.
“…I’m sorry.”
After uttering just those words, Yeon Tae-soo’s body trembled slightly. He seemed to be holding something back. Even the emotion detection function could not read his emotions this time.
“It’s fine.”
He answered that way because his arm only hurt a little despite being grabbed, but Yeon Tae-soo looked like someone who had been stabbed.
Yeon Tae-soo quietly gazed at Yoo Seong-woo, who was not performing any action as there had been no command. Unlike before, his gaze no longer emanated any sense of danger.
Only after several seconds had passed did he leave Yoo Seong-woo behind.
Yoo Seong-woo suddenly raised his hand and caressed his chest area. The area near his heart ached again. Since there was no error warning this time either, he ignored it again.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
