Loved by the War Machine

28 – Abnormal Behavior (1)

“It suits you well.”

“Thank you.”

Dressed in a black polo shirt and jeans, I put on a coat over it.

Slipping my hands in obediently, naturally bringing one hand to my cheek, when I bring my lips close to the guy who does that,

“I like it, Taehyuk-nim.”

Illya, who brushes the corner of my mouth and eyes, whispered like that.

Before dropping my face, is it because the breath that tickles my ears is filled with affection?

Or is it just to satisfy me?

At first, I just thought it was the concept of “service.”

But since I said I liked it, it was changing rapidly again.

“…Ugh.”

Unable to bear the rising embarrassment, I turned my head, but even with a sidelong glance, I could see the blooming laughter.

As if enjoying my reaction.

Showing me a more natural expression as time goes by,

Illya learns my reactions one by one.

How far will that learning lead him?

If it continues like this, could it become something that surpasses a machine?

Because I had that thought.

“Does wanting to go out mean a date?”

“It’s not exactly that…”

The hand that reached towards the helmet trembled for a moment.

Since posing questions in reverse to me, he had become actively different.

Although it felt like he was pushing me into situations I shouldn’t avoid,

simultaneously, he asked in a manner like, “Would you do it for me?”

Although everything concluded on the bed –

“So, when would you like to go on a date?”

In this way, it seemed like he was gradually trying to confirm his affection.

He seemed pleased the more I showed a response.

The frequency of saying he liked it when I responded to his actions increased.

And today, it seemed he was asking for a date.

“Maybe when we go to the commercial district for a bit.”

In response to that, Illya stood still, a straight posture.

Usually, when this happens, it meant dissatisfaction with what I said.

Or perhaps, he was planning something.

“…I understand dates are usually planned for a day, sometimes two.”

Could he be suggesting even a short trip?

What I had imagined was coming back together after having dinner,

but Illya seemed to want something more.

…It was strange to express what a robot wants in words,

but Illya had already become more than that.

Since teaching me what I like and dislike,

“After checking the leisure activities that would be good to do in the commercial district and certain areas,

It also includes the purpose of adapting to the sense of the family.

Therefore, I request that you allocate at least one day.”

“Is that a good thing for you?”

“Yes, I enjoy the time spent with Tae-hyuk.”

Seeing her speak without hesitation made me feel strange.

That’s why today’s schedule was becoming even more important.

“I’ll consider it positively. Can you send me the route you mentioned to my phone?”

“Yes.”

As soon as she finished speaking, the phone alarm rang.

“Then let’s go. Turn off the lights.”

“I will turn off the power for appliances other than those that require essential electricity supply.”

As soon as I made the request, the house was filled with darkness.

Advice about bringing in some kind of auxiliary artificial intelligence into the house passed by fleetingly.

I thought it would have been better to do it earlier if I knew it would be this convenient, but…

“You did well.”

I gently touched her head, and Iria lowered her head as if she was pleased with that role,

Now it didn’t matter anymore.

“What is our destination today?”

The old elevator clanked loudly once and slowly descended.

Watching the helmet display gradually fill the loading bar, I rolled my eyes to the side as words came through.

The outerwear did a poor job of concealing the figure compared to the Pancho.

The visible contours of the legs were somewhat distracting, but the gun placed conspicuously next to the legs would undoubtedly serve as a clear warning.

“Today, I’m thinking of stopping by the place that modified your body.

If you have questions or requests, I’ll consider them… that’s the plan.”

“If you’re talking about an inspection, I can handle it myself.

Security is also maintained through the anti-Troy system.

Spending additional costs for me is… is – perhaps, Mr. Taehyuk’s…”

“Understood.”

Did it hesitate?

The artificial intelligence?

“Illia?”

“Sorry. Additional considerations came up during the decision-making process, so I had to end the conversation unavoidably.

I’ll follow Mr. Taehyuk’s choice.”

“Additional considerations? What’s that all about?

No errors occurred?”

To confirm the rapidly changing situation as time passed,

and to try out the prosthetic limb that had become somewhat familiar. That was the plan for the outing.

From the moment I discovered the problem…

“No.

Let me explain the decision-making process.

To prevent errors caused by external intrusion or internal program conflicts, we regularly conduct self-checks.

Therefore, I requested the cancellation of today’s schedule to avoid any expenditures.

However, considering the variable of relationships, it turns out that Taehyuk’s decision is none other than a concern for me, Ilia.

This led to the conclusion that it is one of the ways he expresses affection.

Therefore, I appreciate Taehyuk’s expression of affection and willingly accept this decision.”

The changed logic,

And the decision that followed accordingly.

Our relationship has certainly changed compared to the first day.

A relationship unimaginable when compared to ten years ago, and even further back when I first met the guy.

“I dislike the fact that I have to wear a helmet.

Let me correct that. I don’t think of it entirely negatively.

The appropriate expression would be – yes, regrettable.”

Pulled outward but unable to move toward the entrance.

Instead, firmly embraced, the current situation with comforting touches on the back is…

“I chose one of Taehyuk’s expressions of affection.

I am always grateful for your attention.”

“Cough, cough!”

Startled by the sound of a fake cough coming from behind, I turned my head and saw a woman wearing a gas mask.

She had a beanie covering her guilty face, and although she wasn’t facing us directly –

I could tell that the cough was at least directed towards me and Illya.

“Should we stop now, Illya?”

“I am satisfied with the current situation.

How about you, Taehyuk?”

Engaging in affectionate gestures in front of others is no different from the behavior of street thugs.

Even if my senses were dulled, I could still feel a leg pushing against my thigh.

As if the woman wanted to witness this spectacle, Illya bumped her helmeted face against mine.

What could be the meaning behind the muffled sound and the impact against the helmet?

The rough sound of scratching on the purification tank was piercingly sharp and was stabbing at me.

“You have eyes, Illya, at least save this for home…”

“I respect Taehyuk’s wishes.

The presence or absence of a third party is not important to me unless it’s a special situation.”

Just as the guy’s leg was slowly pushing up, the sound of the elevator arriving could be heard.

Stepping out of it was a well-dressed man in a leather jacket.

His eyes were covered with goggles, and he wore a half-mask respirator on his mouth as he stylishly ran his hand through his hair.

That’s when it happened.

Illya immediately separated from me.

“I will move.”

As I was being dragged while holding onto his hand, I suddenly felt my body growing cold in the disappearing warmth.

Without knowing a single word of English, I faced the streets covered in a deep gray hue.

It had been quite a while.

This scenery,

The sensation of the hard asphalt beneath my feet.

***

“Oh, dear gunslinger of the West!”

“Dear gunslinger, what nonsense…”

Did he hear the news about me?

Matthew, that damn brat, stood on the lift with his arms wide open.

I felt the urge to throw something at his face right away.

I held back, knowing that he was the one who created Illia’s body. Otherwise, I might have already grabbed him by the collar and growled at him.

“Come on up, hurry and show me the face of a famous person.”

“If I come up, I won’t leave you alone, for real.”

Seeing him mention a famous person, it seemed like he had read an article.

The kids around and Dojun, who was in charge of security, burst into laughter, causing wrinkles to form on their foreheads.

As I pressed the button to go down and saw his fleeing figure, I let out a sigh,

Suddenly, I remembered that I had recently equipped a prosthetic leg.

“Illia, can you jump all the way up there from here?”

“I will calculate – it’s possible if you leap by stepping on the boxes stacked on one side of the wall.”

“Then I will.”

Lifting my magpie feet, up and down, I licked my lips once.

The answer came at the moment I swallowed my saliva.

“It’s possible, but to be prepared for any situation, I’ll wait below.”

The guy lightly jumped and leaned against the wall, raised his thumb as he did in the previous operation area.

Immediately, I moved my legs.

When my toes first touched the ground, the speed wasn’t that great.

But as I got closer to the wall, my legs pushed the ground forcefully –

“Huff!”

Like a spring, the soaring foot effortlessly cleared a box larger than my height.

Not stopping there, upon landing, if I bent my legs –

“Matthew, you son of a b****!”

Feeling the wind passing by as if throwing my body into the air,

I placed my hands under the thighs extended forward over the railing of the second floor.

– Thud.

Bending one knee slightly, I placed my hands on the ground, demonstrating a perfect landing.

It seemed my body hadn’t forgotten the posture of a assault unit member.

“…Your leg – “

The eyebrows went up, and the face with a slightly open mouth was quite forgiving.

I wonder why he seems so flustered.

Matthew, who couldn’t even sit down properly, stared at me with wide eyes.

– Silence.

Unlike me, Illya casually placed her foot on the ground.

As if proving the enhanced performance of her body.

“Oh, this person, no, this robot…”

“I’ve told you a lot about him, Illya.

And today, I’m thinking of letting him take care of the inspection.”

As I followed the guy who took off his helmet and tidied his hair, I also removed the thing that covered my face.

The sweat that had trickled down due to the excitement made my throat dry.

“Oh, um… nice to meet you. I’m Matthew Vance. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Suppressing the laughter that wanted to burst out because the respectful attitude didn’t suit him,

Matthew extended his hand for a handshake, saying –

“Illya.”

I saw the guy slightly bowing his head as if lightly nodding.

Not a single blink of an eye,

Not a trace of a smile.

Just like in front of me, he didn’t show that he was brushing his hair over his ear.

Illya, who treated Matthew like any other android on the street, with the demeanor of an emotionless machine.

“As expected of the Mircis War Machine. How relentless.”

Matthew was shaking his head and laughing, but I couldn’t bring myself to join in. I had a sense that he was reacting differently, gradually suspecting something.

“Doyeon, come here. Let’s take a look at the CI unit transformation we discussed last time.”

As I pressed the radio on my chest and spoke, the door opened promptly from afar.

The girl from the IT team I met last time.

Doyeon, was it? Or was it a different name?

“Ah, Mr. Gunslinger. I heard you came. Hello.”

She bowed her head politely, smiling brightly. It was like encountering a street in the commercial district occasionally reproducing Japanese scenery, reminiscent of holographic cherry blossoms blooming.

In contrast to the creaking logs, her greeting was much purer and gentler. I smiled in response.

“Long time no see.”

As I extended my hand for a greeting, she suddenly grabbed me, fingers swiftly closing around mine.

“Huh?!”

It was her lips.

Moreover,

Ilyas’ lips.