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‘SoulBot, your beloved company for you and your family, through ups and downs, a company for life!’
For the nth time, Chanyeol wonders what he’s doing here.
The automated voice that has been echoing throughout the spacious hall of the SoulBot Headquarters keeps making his head jerk towards the gigantic screen hanging from the high ceiling. There’s a repeated advertisement for the latest generation of androids. Human-like robots with gestures and expressions that could almost pass as authentic. Manufactured to be of any use for mankind.
A robot with a soul, they said.
‘SoulBot, completing homes since 2028.’
Then his eyes linger once more towards the huge hologram letters in neon yellow that reads - ‘Customer Service’.
The line is still long; there are nine customers before him, and he’s not sure whether each of them could get their business done in under ten minutes. It means that there’s a possibility he’d have to spend another 90 minutes waiting. Chanyeol has never had a problem with waiting; however, he’s done with waiting, and it’s the essence of his reason for being here.
No, he’s not wondering why he’s here. He’s just trying to tell himself that the reason is much nobler than it actually is.
‘SoulBot. For no one deserves to be alone.’
He stares at the back of the head of the person in front of him, processing the words he just heard, before shifting his gaze towards the gigantic screen once more.
There’s a scene of two people sitting side by side on a vintage looking couch, laughing with each other while holding hands. One of them is an android, but the difference can’t be distinguished right away; the lack of glint in their eyes and the temperature of the body are the only easy ways to tell. The scene stuns him, making him stay as still as an obsolete shell for a moment.
‘ Isn’t being alone the same as being lonely? ’
He, too, has a particular memory that is similar to the scene in the advertisement. He spent a lot of time on the couch, be it lazing around or having real heart to artificial heart talk. And there was someone with him, too. There was another existence next to him, laughing with him and holding his hand.
Baekhyun was there with him.
‘ Not really. Being alone means there is no one around you, while being lonely means feeling like there is no one you can be around. Being alone doesn’t necessarily mean being lonely, and you can still feel lonely even when you’re not alone. ’
‘ How about you? You weren’t alone. But did you feel lonely? Do you feel lonely? ’
Wordlessly, his gaze falls on the ownership card in his hand. He reads the names and registration numbers on the surface once more; the identities of the SoulBot and the legal owner. He glances at the shipping date that goes back ten years ago. Time really does fly, both for mankind and androids.
‘ I did. Before you came .’
‘ Does that mean I am a good company? ’
He lets out a smile, one that probably mimics the one that bloomed in the middle of that conversation a few years back.
‘ You are. ’
He gets pulled back to the present when he notices something has just dropped right in front of his shoes. Out of instinct, he bends down to pick up a hologram card with steel frame laying on the floor and gives it back to the owner - who has been in line with him since he came here this morning.
“Thanks,” the guy says in a hushed voice while bowing slightly. “Here for returns too?”
For a second, he glances at his own card before getting back to the guy. “How…?”
“Well, you’re here alone, meaning that you’re not here to get your bot fixed. And you’re holding that card, just like me.”
Chanyeol only nods as an acknowledgement, and the guy doesn’t say anything more. This isn’t the right time to have a casual talk anyway; although he admits that he’s curious about the reason the man in front of him is returning his SoulBot to the company and he's sure the man is curious about him too.
Fortunately, his turn comes in less than forty minutes. The officer takes a look at him for a second before bowing. “Good day, sir, welcome to SoulBot department of Soul Corporations. How may I help you today?”
Slowly, as if he’s trying to stall, he places the card on the surface of the pristine white counter. “I’m here for termination.”
“The termination of a SoulBot, sir?” The officer waits until he confirms with a nod. “But…”
“I know,” he says almost inaudibly. “But it’s technically possible, and I know there’ll be a few extra steps to take, and I’m willing to go through whatever it is.”
He watches as the officer examines the hologram card he brought. “SoulBot E921161.”
“Yes.”
“There will be extra steps, because it’s more of a technical case. But I would have to ask you first, before informing the other department, about the reason for this termination.”
“Okay.”
“Why, sir? Why do you want to terminate yourself? Is your owner aware of this?”
In that moment, his mind plays footage of Baekhyun smiling at him so brightly under the morning sun. It was so pretty, and he couldn’t understand how a smile could be so pretty because no one told him so.
And then it cuts to the one where he stayed the entire time Baekhyun’s breath ceased.
“Byun Baekhyun died two weeks ago.”
“... and, sir?”
And what?
Nothing.
“I don’t see any purpose for me to exist anymore.”
Everything has ended for him. No continuation.
“With returns, you could be of service to another human, sir.”
“I have no desire to be.”
There is no continuation for him if there is no Baekhyun there.
‘SoulBot, your beloved company for you and your family, through ups and downs, a company for life!’