Loved by the War Machine

37 – There’s a Reason for Obsession (1)

When I stepped on the brakes and brought the car to a stop, people from the Tech Boys rushed out immediately.

Among them was a man with blond hair behind a cloth covering his mouth, unmistakably not of Asian descent.

Walking alongside him was Dayeon, with long black hair tied back and adjusting her mask as it flowed down… I think.

Opening the door slightly, she tried to pull the security bag that supported her back with her right hand.

“What the heck?!”

As I bit my tongue in sharp pain piercing through my brain, I almost chewed it.

Trying to endure the dizzying sensation flowing down my spine, I attempted to use my left arm for a moment.

“Oh my, get the medical team!”

Leading the boys of similar age, armed with rifles, was Dojun, perhaps.

Moaning as the boys who were trying to pull me out completely opened the door, I leaned my body into it.

“Stop.”

The moment the door opened and closed from the opposite side, the boys trying to pull me cautiously stopped –

Passing in front of me was Illya, whose helmet I didn’t know when he took off.

Despite experiencing that incident, maintaining the flowing hair and glossy lips,

he came straight to me, removing the battery pack from the security bag as if pushing it to Dayeon.

Then, holding it up, he handed it to Dayeon as if shoving it at her.

The pushed body stumbled back a few times and soon sat on the floor.

Everyone’s faces stiffened at this sudden, rough action.

“With this, the request between Taehyuk and Tech Boys is concluded. We will wait for the agreed-upon amount.”

“Wait, Taehyuk is seriously injured -“

“I will take care of Taehyuk’s safety.”

The voice that reacted nervously to Matthew’s words was notably tense.

Turning away, the person who opened their mouth without making eye contact laid the seat back to make me more comfortable.

Then, wiping the sweat from my forehead and about to close the door.

It was Dayeon who grabbed Ilia’s hand.

“It seems more dangerous for you to go in that condition.”

“You don’t have the authority to command me.

Moreover, Taehyuk’s injury is your fault for not providing enough information.”

“So, we’re saying we’ll take care of it.

We have medical droids, and our guys handle gunshot wounds and fractures like it’s nothing.

Moving more here will only worsen the wounds. So,

let us take care of it.”

“Ugh -“

As the wind brushed past my shoulders, my mouth opened with a sensation akin to ice being driven into my bones.

Is the pain relief gradually wearing off?

Sharp and precise pain began to manifest, enough to touch the injured areas directly.

“Hurry, if you pass out like this, it’ll be a big problem…”

The breath seeping through the purifying filter of the gas mask became rough.

The girl, who now directed her gaze at me instead of Ilia, was trembling.

“…It’s a request.”

And reluctantly, Dayeon lowered her head.

Making the eyes of those around her widen.

But the scene couldn’t be seen clearly.

My vision, gradually becoming blurry, hindered me.

“Huh, huh, ugh – ugh…”

Unable to withstand the increasing weight of the right hand swelling,

my body swayed and leaned as it was.

It was Illya who prevented me from almost rolling over.

“Where is the hospital room?”

Feeling my body lightly responding, I numbly watched the flickering lights in front of my eyes.

My painfully aching body was gradually being engulfed by numbness.

The shockwave of bullets that shook my body.

The detonation sounds that struck my ears.

Even the sounds of bullets hitting the wall that made my whole body tremble.

After a long time, feeling them reverberate in my ears, I accepted the sensation of strength draining away.

…Maybe it’ll be a bit easier after fainting.

***

If the eyelids are heavy, it’s not time to wake up yet.

Then, what about now? Is it still not time?

Now –

“…Ugh.”

Despite closing my eyelids due to the piercing light, the flickering white light persisted, tormenting me.

As the pain, as if all the blood in my body was rushing to my eyes, threatened to burst, I could feel something warm gently covering my eyes.

“Are you okay?”

The figure next to me seemed to be Illyan.

Wanting to touch whatever covered my eyes, I instinctively reached out with my right hand, but –

“St…Ugh -“

“You won’t be able to use your right hand for a while.”

Pressed against my torso, with my hand fixed in a fist, I could only exhale hot breath feeling the pain.

The stinging sensation in my eyes gradually subsided, and I could now see the light seeping through the covered palm.

“It’s been three days since you lost consciousness.”

“…Well, when my knee was shattered, it took about three days to get up – can you lend me a hand?”

I wanted to sit up, but my stiff body wouldn’t move as I wished.

Leaning against the creature pulling at my back and neck, I slowly felt the lingering warmth.

“You’ve been quite worried, it seems.”

Without a word, Illyan pushed me against his shoulder, pressing me with his soft chest.

My straightened back touched the headboard of the bed,

Both hands enveloped my face,

Staring at me with its black visual sensors, it simply took in the approaching lips pressing against mine.

“I’ve been waiting.”

“… Continue, here?”

The face of the one whose lips gently parted remained stiff.

Now, it was easy to notice that the face, which I had thought expressionless until now, was actually making an effort to appear soft.

“Yes.

It was unpleasant.”

“…Usually, if you wait quietly for three days, it’s common to feel that way.

Not difficult—”

“It wasn’t in that sense.”

The hand that was about to grab my shoulder paused, dropping hesitantly.

Come to think of it, a bullet had grazed the left side while firing the gun.

“…So, I want to ask.

Taehyuk spent ten years recovering me.

During that time, did he carry out these tasks alone?”

Why such a question all of a sudden… Could it be because I waited alone for three days?

“Yes. During that time, I cooked alone, slept alone, and sometimes stayed up all night alone.

When it was tough, I even drank alone.”

Calling it a visual sensor seemed too agonizing.

If tears could form, they seemed ready to flow down at any moment as she stared at me.

“Now that I think about it, I can’t really say time was dragging on that much.

I’d sometimes let a whole day slip away,

watch movies to kill time,

and just spend a long while watching you being assembled.

And as time passed, a year went by, then two… like that.

I kept thinking about when you would stand up in front of me again, that was all I thought about.”

Of course, there was one fact she hid.

What she did beneath the Tech Boys,

and how much blood she had on her hands for that body.

“…I’ve been monitoring Taehyuk’s condition for the past 72 hours.

72 hours is 4,320 minutes, and 259,200 seconds.”

“You’ve waited a long time.”

“Compared to the time Taehyuk waited for me, this is just a tiny fraction.”

I was starting to get a sense of what she wanted to say.

And so, the corners of her mouth lifted slightly.

“Did you miss me?”

“I had to keep calculating the possibility that Taehyuk wouldn’t regain consciousness.

Every time his heart rate changed rapidly, I had to take appropriate measures.

I continued with the necessary actions and services, but during that time, I couldn’t interact with Taehyuk at all.”

Slowly and cautiously,

he leaned his body against me.

In the attire from three days ago.

“Please take appropriate measures.”

With my right hand and, in contrast, his unharmed left hand, I gently stroked his head.

Without taking a breath,

and not purring like a cat or a dog would,

Illya had confessed to enjoying my touch immensely.

“Am I that good?”

“Yes, I like it.”

Although my face heated up at the prompt response,

the pain I had felt seemed to be fading.

Unconsciously, I raised my legs onto the bed, slightly bending my body with my legs –

Illya, who pressed closer, was a bit heavy, but I could endure it.

It made sense; the act of lips meeting again, trying to part them and kiss, held no meaning unless observed from this close –

– Knock, knock, knock.

Three knocks severed the space between us.

Although our lips had already met, they remained apart –

I stared blankly with unblinking eyes.

“Illya, I’m going to check on Taehyuk’s condition. Is that okay?”

It seemed that Dayeon had arrived.

Although I didn’t know what had happened in the three days I was absent, the voice that should have been firm had become quite soft.

The girl who used to dismiss Iria as a simple machine looked quite different.

“After ten minutes, please visit again.”

Iria seemed determined not to miss this moment.

Is it her will to somehow kiss me?

“Just a quick check. Your heart rate has increased quite a bit. If something happened-“

“I am currently under maintenance, so please visit in ten minutes-“

– Click.

Despite Iria’s words, the door remained open.

With a tray holding cups and dishes, Dayeon stepped into the room.

Her wide-open eyes immediately focused on me and the black-haired android standing on top of me.

“…What are you two doing right now?”

However, Iria tilted her head without any concern.

She took my lips away from the girl’s eyes.

This was the second time.