III
Increasingly Alive
musique
Lights blinked and flashed in front of Junhong's eyes while he stood in pure awe. Yongguk tugged on the end of the boy's sleeve to remind him that they had only left his house and still had to go to the square for the android market.
Junhong marveled at the scenery around him. There were small shrubs here and there, an old tree in the background, but other than that, everything was digital, machine-like, and flashy. Yongguk smiled at the mindless boy who was only a few hours old, take in everything that was around him. His other robots had done the same thing the first time they went out in public.
“Master.” Hyosung shouted from the hood of Yongguk's jacket. She hopped out, landing on his shoulder with a loud groan. She shouted his name once more, before tugging on his ear. “Zinger wants to know if she can have another teddy bear.”
Yongguk stifled a rude laugh. “How do you know that? She can't speak.”
“Humans are not the only ones who can speak through their eyes.” Hyosung said knowingly, placing her hands on her hips defiantly. Yongguk agreed to buy Zinger a new bear, while Hyosung still tugged on Yongguk's dark locks of hair. Junhong's eyes were wide with excitement, seeming almost human with his curiosity for the world around him.
Hyosung flicked the side of Yongguk's head. “Can I stay on Junhong's shoulder? I promise I'll behave!” She looked eager to jump on Junhong's shoulder, but waited as Yongguk scooped her up, and gently placed her upon Junhong's slouched shoulders. He hadn't even noticed she was sitting upon him, until she giggled quietly. Then he turned his gaze to her with gleaming eyes. Yongguk studied the strange shade of eye color Junhong had. Yongguk had never seen a human with glasz eyes, let alone a bot. With an undertone of blue, a layer of green, a ring of yellow fire around the pupil, and specks of gray topping it all off, it was nearly breathtaking compared to the usual green or blue eyed bots that ran around.
Junhong pulled himself away from the surrounding scene to bother Yongguk for only a second. “Master, where are we going for my clothes?”
“The android market, of course! They have a few shops there, so you'll have a great variety.” Yongguk paused and furrowed his brows. “And please stop calling me master.”
“But I am programmed this way.” Junhong said, trying to keep an attitude from forming in his voice. “I know your name is Yongguk, and it's an amazing name, but you're master more than you are Yongguk to me.”
The sidewalk ended, and two small signs stopped them from walking to the other side of the street. Junhong stood ridiculously close to the edge, and when a train sped by his face, he yelped and fell on his back. Yongguk hardly moved as the tracks screeched terribly loud. Hyosung held onto Junhong by his dark blue hair, hoping she hadn't hurt him.
“Silly!” Hyosung squealed. “That's just the train.”
“Train?” Junhong's response was no greater than a squeak. Yongguk reached a hand out to Junhong, pulling him off the clean sidewalk, wiped a crushed leaf away from Junhong's side, and looked back as the train was just passing by.
“The train carries all kinds of things that have to get to places really, really fast! They carry medicine, and people on there sometimes.”
“Only really important people, usually politicians.” Yongguk interrupted. “And it usually has viruses on there, too. Y'know, diseases that have been quarantined. It doesn't stop in the towns at all, but enough of that. C'mon, let's get going.”
As they approached the android square, citizens were rushing and searching for last minute gifts. Crowds rushed together around the front doors of the mall, shoving each other every which way. Yet the shops for robots were practically empty. Robots had an idea in their mind that only their master, or mistress, could buy them any possessions, so there obviously wasn't any point in buying your friend's bot a gift.
Junhong squeaked loudly as they walked through a bustling crowd of people. He held tightly to Yongguk's scarf, letting go only when they had safely made it through. Yongguk thought to himself about how strange it was to have such a sensitive bot, not that it was a bad thing.
They slipped inside of an android shop where the loud chatter of the crowd subsided into small talk between friends. The woman behind the counter smiled at Yongguk, and he did the same before tugging on the soft, silky sleeve of Junhong's shirt. Junhong gasped quietly before he realized that it was only Yongguk touching him, then let out a sigh of relief.
“Are you okay?” Yongguk said. Junhong nodded quickly. “Too many people?” Junhong nodded again. Yongguk pursed his lips thoughtfully. There were always two sides to teaching a robot how to live; being sensitive to their need, but also being firm and disciplined when the time called for it. Yongguk had to make sure not to upset his personal computers, but he also had to draw the line on sensitivity and give them a tough shell. Since Junhong was just a few hours old, Yongguk decided to let the discipline slip.
“Come here, Junhong.” Yongguk started towards a few racks of clothes. Graphic designs were printed on the shirts, and a few were just plain shirts with the name of the shirt on the center of it. Yongguk never bought those shirts for himself, but he had to be considerate of Junhong. He pulled one out, and placed it over his arm while Hyosung jumped from Junhong's shoulder to Yongguk's.
“Do you like it?” Yongguk said.
Junhong looked down at the shirt, waiting for his master to say something about it first. When Yongguk didn't say anything, or change his expression much, Junhong furrowed his brows in confusion.
“I... I like it.” Junhong nodded. His mind duly noted his likes and dislikes. Yongguk pulled out two other shirts. One Junhong rejected, the other he smiled and nodded at. Yongguk began to pick out shirts automatically from the first few, without paying Junhong much mind unless he gave a little squeak of hesitation. Hyosung chatted away, until she went silent for a few seconds, and then tugged on Yongguk's ear.
“Master.” She said. Yongguk didn't react until she said his name again. “The boy is gone.”
“What?” Yongguk turned to his right where Junhong should have been, but wasn't. Yongguk searched the store desperately to find that Junhong wasn't anywhere in the shop.
Yongguk was fuming. As much as he had grown fond of the boy in the few hours, he knew it was only a matter of time before he glitched and went against his own programming. That was exactly why Yongguk hadn't wanted a new computer in the first place! Well, his mother wasted her own money, because it wasn't Yongguk's fault that the boy glitched. Anger played at Yongguk's insides, and he rolled his eyes with a loud scoff.
“Excuse me.” Jieun pulled a lock of Yongguk's dark hair. “He didn't glitch master. I know you're thinking that he's broken, but he's not. Look, at the candy shop.” She pointed across the sidewalk to the other side of the square. “I heard his steps. I just know he's over there.”
Just as Jieun said, Yongguk could see the mess of navy hair skipping in the candy shop. He watched curiously as Junhong began to make choices in a store where they were rampant. Shelves of marshmallow treats, lollipops, gumdrops, gingerbread, gum, sugar sticks, rock candies, and so much more must have had Junhong in a frenzy.
Junhong seemed confused at the sudden variety of objects in his sights as he turned his attention back to the shop they were originally in. He ran out of the candy shop, skipping back into the android store, and next to Yongguk. He hastily latched on Yongguk's arm, excitement twinkling in his glasz eyes.
“Master, there are so many sweets next door. Look!” Junhong pointed eagerly across the way. “I-I have never seen so many choices, master,”
“You left.” Yongguk said firmly. His eyes were fill of disappointment in the boy. “You left my side without permission.” Junhong's eyes widened to look like a dear caught in the headlights, and he made almost a high pitched gasp. Yongguk wondered if his heart would start racing, as Yongguk's own would do when he grew nervous.
“I'm so sorry, master.” Junhong exclaimed. “Please forgive me. I just—“
Yongguk hushed him, giving him a gentle smile in return. “I wasn't going to punish you. Please don't do it again, though. I would hate for... someone like you to get lost in a place like this.”
“Someone like me?'' Junhong pointed at his own chest. “A bot?”
“Not a robot.” Yongguk said quickly. “Somebody so sensitive. Others would use you if the found you, and I only want you to be careful, Junhong.” His bot nodded quickly in response.
“Yes, master.”
“And my name is Yongguk. I know you can say it, Junhong.” He paused. “I just don't understand why you won't.”
Junhong made the same gesture that Yongguk did and sighed. “We have established this. You are my master. Of course I will call you master.”
Yongguk shook his head in defeat. He had tried to teach his other bots to call him Yongguk as well. It felt so degrading to have somebody call him, “master,” because it made it sound like he was better than them, but Yongguk didn't feel that way. He was just a person named Yongguk, and he wanted to be addressed as such. But so is the life of a master.
“Okay, fine. Just don't say it after every sentence.” Yongguk said. Junhong smiled, and nodded.
“Okay!”
Yongguk chewed on his bottom lip thoughtfully, staring at the vulnerable boy before him.
“Let me....” He trailed off, rolling his eyes with a smirk on his face. “We'll stop by the candy shop after we're done shopping for clothes.” Junhong squealed in happiness, clapping his hands together and jumping up before he suddenly stopped, and put his head down like a scorned puppy. He peeked at Yongguk only once. “You can celebrate, Junhong. Hyosung does all the time.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.”
Junhong smiled and put his hands together in front of him as he answered his master on what he liked and didn't like. The black jeans, yes; white jeans, yes; ripped jeans, no; sweatpants, yes; white shirts, no; red shirts, yes. Junhong answered every question, eager to run back to the candy shop and show his master how many treats there were waiting for them.
Finally Yongguk went to the counter where the cashier's eyes widened when she saw the pile of clothes Junhong and Yongguk carried in their arms. She scanned the items, almost as slow as possible before she spoke.
“Is he a bot?” She nodded in his direction. Yongguk glanced at Junhong, and then nodded back to her. “He looks so real!” She exclaimed. Junhong realized they were speaking of him, so he looked in her direction. She gasped audibly. “His eyes, they're so beautiful!” She said under her breath. Junhong looked confused, almost like he thought he was doing something wrong. “How much? Y'know, how much was he?”
Yongguk shrugged.
“He was a gift from my parents.”
“Some parents.” She murmured before she scanned the rest of their items. The dolls in Yongguk's hood spoke back and forth between Jieun and Hyosung, while Zinger only squeaked once or twice in agreement.
At last, the final shirt went through the scanner, and Yongguk placed a black card on the counter. Junhong was eager to leave the store, almost crashing through the window in excitement. Yongguk then thanked the cashier, grabbed the bags of clothes, and followed Junhong, who skipped all the way to the candy store.
Junhong held the door open for all of them, the two teenagers at the register waving at Yongguk with grins upon their faces.
“Oh, master, look!” Junhong tugged on Yongguk's arm, pulling him into an aisle full of bright colors, where candied apples, exploding gum, and color changing lollipop awaited them. Yongguk hadn't been in the candy shop in such a while, and everything had changed. What used to be simple little things had turned into delicious treats that were pleasing to the eye.
“Well?” Yongguk said. Junhong cocked his head slightly. “Well, what do you want? You can have whatever you like.”
The boy's jaw nearly dropped as he spun around the aisle, then he sprinted off to shelves full of candy, treats and sweets. After a few minutes, Junhong brought a bag of candy, but Yongguk couldn't see through the bag. Instead, he only saw the end of a large lollipop sticking out of the top.
“I can't see what you got?” Yongguk asked. Junhong shook his head, and grinned cheekily. “Why not?”
“Because.... Because I don't want you to. Or you can look, if you really want to, master!” Junhong leaned forward, nearly opening the bag. Yongguk placed his hand over it, avoiding the sight of the delicious candy.
“It's fine.” Yongguk said, messing with Junhong's soft hair. Junhong giggled, hiding his face behind the bag of candy. “Well. C'mon.” They walked to the register where the cashier scanned everything (while Yongguk had his back turned, of course). After they re-bagged the candy, and Yongguk paid for it all, he urged Junhong out of the story, quickly following suit.
Junhong would peek in the bag every so often with a childish smirk upon his face that Yongguk adored. He wondered if anyone couldn't love a genuine smile like Junhong's.
***
As Yongguk neared the front door to the apartment complex, there came a loud squeak from his hood. Zinger hopped out, soon followed by Hyosung, who looked angry and disappointed in Yongguk.
“What?” Yongguk grabbed Hyosung, and held her in front of his face. “What's with the attitude?”
“If you weren't my master, I would call you a jerk.” She stuck her tongue out at Yongguk. He raised his brows, but waited for her to keep talking. “Zinger wanted another teddy bear, and you forgot, master!” Yongguk gasped audibly, gently taking Zinger in his hand. He did forget to buy Zinger a new teddy bear...
“I'm sorry.” Yongguk said. Zinger nodded, wiping her eyes with the back of her small hands. Yongguk kissed the top of her head, sighing gently. “I'll get it tomorrow, okay? I promise.” Yongguk's voice was soft, and loving. Junhong watched in love, as Yongguk played innocently with Zinger. Junhong reached into his own bag of sweets and pulled out a large gummy bear. They weren't made of the same things, a gummy bear and a teddy bear, but they were both bears. It was nearly the same thing.
Junhong handed her the gummy bear that was almost as large as she was. Zinger marveled at it, squishing it in her arms tenderly. She looked at Junhong, raised her brows, and poked her own chest.
“Yes, you can have it.” Junhong smiled. Zinger kissed the gummy bear, and placed her fingertips at her bottom lip. Junhong furrowed his brows together.
“It means thank you.” Yongguk answered his question. “Since Zinger can't speak, she signs. Only a little, but it's better than nothing.”
“Wow.” Junhong leaned closer to her, studying her wide eyes. “You're very beautiful, Zinger.” He nodded, and Yongguk caught a glance of a dimple on Junhong's cheek. Yongguk smiled inwardly. Dimple on a robot? The creator obviously put plenty of thought into this generation of bots. “Very beautiful.”
Zinger giggled, and covered her face with the gummy bear. Then Hyosung yelled from Yongguk's shoulder.
“What about me?” She poked her own chest. Her purple locks of hair were matched only by her lovely rose eyes. Junhong agreed, and said they were all beautiful after he reached into Yongguk's hood, and pulled out a dazed Jieun. He her dark brown curls while she covered her pink cheeks.
It was a bit awkward as they stood in front of the apartment complex in pure silence, but Yongguk thought it was one of the cutest things he had seen while Junhong was only a few hours old. He was catching onto habits and emotions quite fast. He was taking a turn for the best. Yongguk could only hope he would stay that way.
“Wait, master.” Junhong pulled his attention away from the girls to look into Yongguk's eyes. “We were supposed to visit your friend.”
“Oh . I forgot.” Yongguk murmured. He quickly looked at Junhong. ''Don't say that word. That's not a good word.”
“Okay, master.” Junhong nodded. “Was it my fault you forgot?”
Yongguk shook his head quickly, to keep Junhong from feeling any guilt. “No, it wasn't your fault. We'll just go see him tomorrow or something.” Junhong still looked a bit sad, and his eyes were full of disdain. “Really, Junhong. It wasn't your fault. I just didn't keep track of time.” He nodded. “I swear.”
Joshua followed Yongguk into the building after he decided that he would just visit Himchan the next day instead. When Junhong turned to the door, he stared at the city skyline that they had just left behind. The town was full of colors, technology, and digital noises. Junhong cocked his head to the right when he saw something black fluttering in the air. He watched it intently. Then Yongguk stood next to him, leaning his head forward so he could find what Junhong was studying.
Yongguk grabbed Junhong's hand, curling his fingers around the boy's. He brought their hands to eye level, pointing one finger at the black object in the digital sky.
“That's a bird.” Yongguk said, looking at Junhong out of the corner of his eyes. “It's an animal.”
“Animal?” Junhong sounded the word out. Yongguk smiled and nodded. “Animal. Bird.”
“It has these things called wings, and it lets it fly around in the sky. They can go wherever they feel like going.” Junhong placed his hand back at his side, though the feeling of Yongguk's warm fingertips lingered.
“Why don't they go home?” Junhong asked. Yongguk shrugged.
“Why be home when you can take your friends and go someplace beautiful?”
This chapter is dedicated to forheart. She drew the wonderful picture up there ^
You can find her fantastic drawing here, don't forget to leave her a comment ;D
You can find her fantastic drawing here, don't forget to leave her a comment ;D
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