Loved by the War Machine

41 – There’s a Reason for Obsession (5)

“…Blood?”

As if body and head were throbbing, it seemed an actual wound had opened up.

The bandage was soaking up red.

“Just a moment, I’ll change the bandage quickly…”

After wiping away tears and hastily leaving the room, Da-yeon was followed by Il-ya.

As if wanting to unravel the blood-soaked bandage, on the arm closing the gap –

“Let go.”

“There’s a risk of infection. It needs to be replaced immediately.”

“…Even when Da-yeon said she would do it, you want to do it?”

Ignoring the pain from the stubborn wound, Il-ya stared straight into Da-yeon’s eyes.

Those eyes, fixated only on me, were problematic.

Because they saw nothing but me.

“Secondary infection slows down wound healing, and Mr. Tae-hyuk’s health -“

“So. Da-yeon will bring it soon anyway.

There’s a limit to jealousy, Il-ya.

It’s not like I said I’ll leave you and do something with someone else.”

The hand reaching out towards the wound stopped, and it returned to its place.

Standing still for a moment, he soon bowed his head.

“I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful.”

“I clearly sent you to reconcile.”

“…Yes.”

“But why did it turn out like this?”

It felt like scolding a child, laying Ilyia in front of me as if I were a teacher or a parent, trying to somehow suppress the throbbing pain in my body and head—

I tried to unravel the situation as much as possible.

Feeling the weight of the lukewarm and moist bandages.

“I’m sorry. To prevent such incidents from happening again—”

“No, Ilyia.

I’m asking why it turned out like this.

Whether the bed is broken,

or being showered with love,

why did those words have to come from a child who should be receiving apologies?”

The question of whether I was facing a robot or not had been thrown at me countless times.

Now, I felt confident that I could answer that question decisively and without hesitation.

The scars were too deep to attribute this incident to a mere robot.

Ilyia had become Ilyia.

As I wished.

“I intended to explain my relationship with Taehyuk.

To clarify the reasons behind the actions taken before your eyes…”

“Don’t just brush it off.

There should be a record of the situation at that time.

Send it through your phone.”

“…Understood.

Sending it now.”

A long vibration emanated from the drawer.

The injured arm couldn’t move, and yet, Illya couldn’t bring herself to extend the right hand firmly attached to her body.

“Give it here.”

Only after hearing the command did the lad reluctantly raise the screen displaying the message above his left hand.

Without hesitation, he unlocked it and immediately played the voice file.

[Go Dayeon, sir.]

[What’s up, you.]

[I apologize for the unfortunate incident in Taehyuk’s hospital room.]

[…You?]

Perhaps sending Illya alone from the beginning was the real issue.

The person meant to receive the apology seemed to have no intention of reconciling whatsoever.

The voice, if not exactly, was somewhat different – because there were thorns.

[You know I like Taehyuk, don’t you?]

But at the same time, the wetness on the young neck seemed to evoke an unjust feeling.

When it came to me, it was already far beyond the limit.

[But now you apologize?]

[Yes, that’s right. Following Taehyuk’s orders.]

[Sigh…]

After a long sigh, there was a bit of a lengthy silence.

Maybe about three seconds had passed.

“Let’s hear what you have to say.”

It seemed the part I needed to hear had surfaced.

I raised the volume slightly and looked at Illya.

What were those moving eyes watching?

“My relationship with Taehyuk has deepened in various ways.”

“Of course, I continue to stand on the battlefield with Taehyuk as before, but I am also faithfully performing other functions.”

“Kissing in front of me and marking my neck— are these your functions?”

The trembling girl’s voice already indicated that tears were flowing.

Without properly continuing my words, sobbing sounds were spreading from the phone.

“These actions were to reciprocate Taehyuk’s attention and affection towards me.”

“This has been repeated several times since the functioning began.”

[Numbers, in order?]

[Yes. Due to recent volunteer work that resulted in damaging the bed, Taehyuk had to cover the expenses.]

Static filled the air once again.

Three, four, five… Six seconds passed.

Throughout, my gaze remained fixed on Ilyia.

[…Is that so?]

Dayeon asked with a hint of disbelief.

Even without seeing it through a video, one could roughly guess the state of her face.

Was it the face that crumbled before me?

[She has been kind enough to consider various conveniences for a mechanical being like me.]

Upon hearing those words, I immediately tapped my phone.

In terms of the level of each statement, it wasn’t too high.

“I remember distinctly telling you to talk while looking at your opponent, especially when you talked about the first time you fought with Dayeon.”

The problem was that the person who heard that was Dayeon, who had harbored sympathy for me.

Losing to an athlete, and to Ilyia, a mechanical being I had underestimated, would surely be enough to make the girl scream.

“I apologize. I did not anticipate this outcome.”

“No, you should have.

You already boldly left a kiss mark in front of her.

I even let that pass.

I understood when you were jealous after hugging her.”

However, going to someone you clearly despise as an adversary and uttering such words…

You should have known what would happen.”

“I’m sorry.”

Even if Ilydia wanted to firmly establish the difference between her and Dayeon by saying such things,

or whether she truly couldn’t predict it as her excuse suggested,

the water had already been spilled.

“…Dayeon is a programmer in the IT team of Tech Boys.

He’s a teammate of Matthew Vance and a client I can entrust work to.

Dayeon and Matthew are the ones I assigned this job to.

I don’t know how it affects a mercenary like me.”

“I’m sorry -“

“Ilydia.”

I couldn’t keep listening to the repeated apologies.

…The ground was wet, and responsibility had to be taken for this matter.

“I won’t punish you in the way you mentioned.

I have no intention of doing such things to you, like deletion or whatever,

and I know it’s even more distasteful if it’s something you dislike and care about.”

“…Yes.”

“Dayeon will be here soon, and I will ease his mind.

I hope you won’t interfere in that process.”

“Taehyuk-nim -“

“My client has been deeply hurt by this.

It’s true that personal emotions should be excluded from public relationships,

but humans can never act entirely rationally. I’ve told you that, haven’t I?”

“Taehyuk-nim, Go Dayeon -“

A finger was raised above the lips.

For the sake of the future, it had to be made clear that such a situation could arise with Illya.

“I won’t cross the line.

Because I like you.

Our relationship is not ordinary. Isn’t that right?”

“I don’t like it.”

Though he was a guy who seemed ready to push me down and crush me with his chest at any moment –

The visual sensor, staring at me without blinking an eye, was fluctuating.

As if it were a real human.

“You, Taehyuk-nim, clearly value me.

But, these measures -“

“Do you value me?”

Reacting so extremely might be because she was looking at me as Illya after all.

Not as the artificial intelligence of the 125th CI unit, but as a

A comrade who once roamed the battlefield with me,

Now, as a lover who shares even the bed with me.

“I am currently using the relationship with Taehyuk as the basis for judgment.

Therefore, Taehyuk is the most precious existence to me.

So,”

Kneeling slowly, lowering the posture, where have I seen this before?

Is holding onto my leg and pleading something learned from my past encounters?

“Ilia.”

Go Dayeon.

And Ilia.

Their reactions, though seemingly similar, were different.

That gave me confidence.

Ilia was clearly loving as Ilia.

If not, despite my orders, there wouldn’t be such a desperate attempt to turn his heart.

If judged rationally, he would have stepped back,

If he had simply followed the orders, such a thing wouldn’t have happened in the first place.

That’s why I gently stroked his head.

“…I hope this serves as a realization for you, the meaning of responsibility.”

“…”

The trembling in his eyes ceased in an instant.

The hand that had been clutching the blanket now lay open.

And then, he slowly rose from his seat.

“Yes, I understand.”

“Go and sit over there.

And don’t interfere until I give you an order.

You might say that, but you know well enough what you shouldn’t do.”

“…Yes.”

“I would prefer not to be disappointed in you anymore, Ilya.”

“I will try to please you, Taehyuk.”

Where Dayeon had been sitting, now it was Ilya who took the place.

After watching this for a moment, he turned his eyes toward the door.

…At least if someone is eavesdropping, they should have hidden their shadow.

“Um, Taehyuk, I’ve brought… the bandages.”

He was worried whether he could naturally smile at the awkward knocking.

He also wondered if he could pretend not to notice Ilya sending glances his way while slightly curling the corners of his mouth.

“You’re a bit late.”

“That, it took me a bit… long to find them…”

Still holding the medical scissors and sterilized gauze diligently,

whether it’s because they know exactly what to do and look dignified doing it, or

perhaps due to anticipation for what lies ahead,

should I say they are dignified for making an effort to leave a good impression on me?

“I’m sorry. Earlier, I… said something unnecessary.”

“Even if I look sturdy, I wish I could at least remember the fact that I got hurt.”

“I’ll be more careful from now on.”

I turned my eyes to Ilia, quietly observing Dayeon’s figure.

It was a moment when I could see that those eyes that always looked at me were warm.