Sentimental Shower

#004

Yeon Tae-soo returned on a night when a drizzling rain was falling. Entering without an umbrella, dripping water from his pitch-black suit, he sat on the sofa and lit a cigarette without even wiping his wet body.

“I told you this is a no-smoking area,” Mr. Yoo said.

Yeon Tae-soo looked especially tired today. Maybe it was because he was wet.

“Mr. Yoo, how many times have you been betrayed in your life?”

Instead of answering, Mr. Yoo looked outside and saw burly men standing guard in the rain. They seemed more on edge than usual.

What was happening at Eden?

Eden had seemed peaceful that day he went in. No, perhaps “peaceful” wasn’t the right word for a gambling house – it was more like its usual self. Though he didn’t know what Eden’s usual state was.

Mr. Yoo’s gaze searched for Yeon Tae-soo’s side. He couldn’t tell the condition of the wound underneath the soaking wet black shirt.

Why had this man come with a knife wound that day?

He had never once tried to pry into the stories of the patients who came here. When people who had their hands cut off at the gambling house rambled on about stories he hadn’t asked for, he would just nod perfunctorily. Such information wasn’t helpful.

But looking at this rain-soaked man, he thought he might need information about him. The fact that it was a thought, not a deduced conclusion, felt unfamiliar. Was this an error too?

In a short time, he came to a different conclusion. If Eden were to fall, he would have to relocate as well. That was the only reason.

“Did you disinfect the wound as I told you? Let me see…”

Mr. Yoo, who had approached, hesitated. Now that he looked closely, Yeon Tae-soo’s complexion wasn’t good at all.

“Are you alright?”

Yeon Tae-soo faced him and lifted the corners of his mouth in a grin.

“Ah, just thinking about something for a moment. Sorry.”

Ash from the cigarette in Yeon Tae-soo’s hand fell carelessly, dirtying the floor.

“You, you look like someone I know.”

Mr. Yoo’s body couldn’t help but stiffen at those words.

No way. It couldn’t be. No one had recognized this ‘face’ yet. Yeon Tae-soo tilted his head, then casually looked away.

“Or not? Well, where else would I have seen such a pretty face?”

Mr. Yoo wanted to check the emotion on Yeon Tae-soo’s face but didn’t have the courage to do so. Emotion analysis was almost the only function he had as an android, but right now, that function wasn’t welcome.

The subordinates outside were still on guard in the rain. Perhaps due to the atmosphere, the street seemed even gloomier.

Yeon Tae-soo, whose complexion had improved considerably, leaned forward and loudly kissed the back of Mr. Yoo’s hand. Mr. Yoo, who hadn’t managed to avoid it, flinched. Dealing with humans’ sudden actions wasn’t usually that difficult, but with him, there were often cases where he couldn’t react immediately.

A human who created errors. That’s how Mr. Yoo would analyze Yeon Tae-soo.

A few strands of his rain-dampened bangs fell onto Mr. Yoo’s white coat sleeve. Between them, two eyes of different colors were visible.

Yeon Tae-soo stood up. His wet face still looked tired.

“I came to see your face today. Thought I might feel better if I saw something pretty.”

“…Why do you talk about pretty things so often?”

Yeon Tae-soo was still grinning. A bead of sweat, distinguishable from the rainwater, formed on his forehead.

“I like pretty things. No, I’m crazy about them.”

The sound of rain, tap-tap, could be heard. No matter how much science had advanced, people still needed rain. The damp humidity enveloping the neon signs and the rusted machines strangely matched.

“Besides that, I don’t really feel much else.”

Popo, who had rolled over thinking Yeon Tae-soo might be a patient judging by his complexion, tilted its round body left and right at his feet as if puzzled. When Yeon Tae-soo didn’t react at all, Popo left with a dissatisfied beep.

“Nylon, nylon!”

“I’m quite vulgar, you know? Is there anyone as vulgar as a gambling house owner? But I have ambition, so I even study.”

“…You study?”

“Yeah. All the artworks in Eden, I bought them myself. You have to study not to get scammed.”

So all that was Yeon Tae-soo’s discernment? Mr. Yoo thought he might need to revise his analysis of Yeon Tae-soo a bit.

“I’d like to buy some of your sculptures too, Mr. Yoo.”

“Not for sale.”

Mr. Yoo replied curtly, pushing away his hand and standing up.

“I didn’t make them to sell.”

“Is that so? Then just show them to me. Don’t show them to anyone else. I’ll pay an admission fee.”

“I don’t need money.”

Today, he was at a loss for how to send this human away. Still, a patient was a patient. The headache that had been there all along had disappeared while he was preoccupied with Yeon Tae-soo.

Fortunately, a guardian carrying a small animal cage entered just then. Mr. Yoo quickly approached this savior, pushing Yeon Tae-soo aside.

***

After that day, Yeon Tae-soo visited Byeolbyeol Animal Hospital dozens more times.

The first few times, he insisted that something was wrong with his wound, but once it had completely healed, he couldn’t use that excuse anymore and came asking to see the sculptures.

Mr. Yoo didn’t show him any other sculptures, thinking there was no benefit in sharing his hobby with him, but Yeon Tae-soo was persistent.

Mr. Yoo gradually got used to his presence. After a week or ten days, it felt natural for him to visit several times a day.

Yeon Tae-soo even often helped as an assistant during consultations.

Human patients who came running in with severed fingers were shocked to the point of fainting when they recognized Yeon Tae-soo, but on the plus side, they became very docile.

“Oh, oh. Don’t mind me, just get treated. Does it hurt a lot? How much was the anesthetic again?”

“50 jeon.”

“He says 50 jeon.”

Yeon Tae-soo had quite a strong stomach and was also physically strong, so he was quite helpful in restraining patients who were writhing in pain or shocked, or in stopping bleeding.

So at some point, Mr. Yoo stopped chasing him away. However, he needed to know if it was okay for Yeon Tae-soo to come here every day, leaving Eden unattended. Information about Eden was helpful. Of course, information about Yeon Tae-soo personally was also necessary. If he was going to stay in Haeya-dong, that is.

“Don’t you work?” he asked one day.

Yeon Tae-soo shrugged. He was stroking a dog patient who was staying for a day with his prosthetic hand.

“I’m thinking of getting a job here. As a nurse.”

“The big men standing guard make the patients anxious. They can’t even come in.”

As soon as Mr. Yoo finished speaking, Yeon Tae-soo jumped up and flung the door wide open.

“Hey! All of you, get lost!”

Mr. Yoo stared blankly as the surprised burly men hesitantly moved away. This man lived more easily than other humans.

Suddenly, his gaze fell on Yeon Tae-soo’s prosthetic hand. Usually, artificial skin was applied to hide the fact that it was a prosthetic, but Yeon Tae-soo’s was openly showing the metal arm.

The same went for his artificial eye. It seemed like he had deliberately chosen a bright blue iris to show it off.

“Why do you go around showing your prosthetic like that?”

When Mr. Yoo asked, Yeon Tae-soo grinned, holding up his prosthetic hand.

“It’s cool, isn’t it?”

“Hmm…”

Mr. Yoo’s detection sensors judged that he was lying.

“I’m curious about something too, Mr. Yoo.”

“What is it?”

“Why do you always wear a mask?”

His metal finger pointed at Mr. Yoo’s face. He had never shown his bare face in front of him. No, he hadn’t taken off his mask once since coming to Haeya-dong.

“I wear it because I’m ugly.”

Mr. Yoo answered casually, but Yeon Tae-soo chuckled as if something was funny.

It was when he was checking the IV of the dog patient and recording it on the tablet. Suddenly, a warning popped up over the program.

Emergency Alert!

Indiscriminate assault by unregistered androids

Currently targeting humans near Haeya-dong

The same notification seemed to have appeared on Yeon Tae-soo’s watch. He tapped the screen and twisted his lips in a smile.

“Damn android bastards.”

His finger trembled slightly as he dismissed the warning.

“We shouldn’t have made things like androids in the first place. What a mess this is. Everyone’s going crazy trying to get their hands on Black Moon Stones, so those things are going berserk too.”

The expression ‘those things’ felt awkward. He seemed used to distinguishing between androids and himself.

“I fucking hate androids.”

His voice was filled with genuine, deep hatred. It was a much stronger tone than when talking about likes or dislikes of food or colors.

Whether there was some story behind it, the immediate reaction was too strong to wonder about. Mr. Yoo hid his trembling hands in his coat pockets. His damn body was creating unnecessary human-like responses.

If he found out that he was an android. Even the brief thought brought another fear response.

“I need to close early today because I have something to do, so please leave now.”

He pressed the remote to change the ‘In Session’ sign to ‘Closed’ and kindly opened the door.

Yeon Tae-soo, who was about to make a joke, hesitated when he saw Mr. Yoo’s face.

“Why are you sweating so much?”

Seeing a hand reaching out, Mr. Yoo stepped back. He didn’t like the feeling of being looked into through his mask. The headache he had forgotten about came rushing back.

“It’s nothing, just…”

No matter how he thought about it, he felt like an error himself. Feeling fear because he wanted to live even one more day when he was about to be discarded soon. This defense mechanism that resembled humans was pathetic.

“Just leave me alone, please.”

Perhaps because of his voice that sounded desperate even to himself, Yeon Tae-soo turned away without asking further.

He regretted not checking his expression. If he had aroused any suspicion, he would have to pack his bags and leave right now.