Artificial Love | SB19 Justin ✓

9

Ayi was able to go home from the hospital that afternoon.

Justin drove them home, although the robot was seemingly annoyed. The entire car ride was quiet. Unlike usual, hindi nagtatanong ng kung anu-ano si Justin. This did not escape Ayi's attention.

"Hoy, robot," sabi ni Ayi.

Hindi siya pinansin ni Justin. Mukhang FO pa sila.

"Jah," she tried to call his attention again. "Anong dinadrama mo diyan? May prinoproblema ba ang mga robot?"

"Ako? Meron," sagot ni Justin. "Ikaw."

Hindi man lang siya lumingon. He kept his eyes on the road. Hanggang sa makarating sila sa bahay, hindi pa rin kinibo ni Justin si Ayi.

"I need to go to Sejun and Stell's to charge," Justin announced after a while.

"Okay. Tara," sabi ni Ayi, standing up from the couch.

"No. Maiwan ka na. Just rest," Justin said sternly.

Why is he suddenly like this? Ayi thought.

"But how will you get there?" Tanong niya rito.

"Kapag pumayag kang gamitin ko yung kotse mo, I'll drive myself there," Justin said. "But if not, magco-commute ako."

"No. That's too dangerous for you," sabi ni Ayi. "Take the car."

"Okay," Justin replied flatly.

"I can come with you," Ayi offered, hoping he'd agree.

She didn't want to be left alone at home. Since Justin came into her life, she's been accustomed to having someone with her all the time.

"Wag na," Justin said. "Ken told you to rest up, remember?"

He took the keys from the table and started walking away.

"Bye, Ayi," he said. "Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone."

—

"Nakabusangot ka?" Tanong ni Stell pagkatapak ni Justin sa kusina nila ni Sejun.

"Kumain ka na," Alok naman ni Sejun.

"Ayoko na," Justin said, putting down Ayi's car keys on the kitchen island.

"Nakakapagod. Ang hirap-hirap samahan ng kaibigan ninyo," he added. "Napakatanga sa pag-ibig."

"Jah, idea mo to," Sejun reminded Justin. "Thesis mo. Kaya tapusin mo."

Justin is, in reality, not a robot. He's, in fact, a very normal human. Hindi naman kasi talaga kaya nina Sejun at Stell gumawa ng perfectly human na robot.

What's real is that this entire thing is for a thesis, but not Sejun and Stell's. The entire pretending to be a robot thing is for Justin's thesis.

Psychology student kasi si Justin sa South Korea. Pinsan siya ni Sejun na hiningan niya ng favor para sa thesis niya. He wanted to know if a lonely and sad human would trust a human-like robot with their flaws.

Unfortunately, they weren't able to make that robot so Justin has to pose as one himself.

"We warned you before. She's difficult. Pero sabi mo she'd be the perfect candidate for your thesis because she doesn't touch people," dagdag ni Sejun.

"Oo nga naman, Jah. Tapusin mo na yung sinimulan natin," sabi ni Stell.

"Nakasalalay rin dito yung pagkakaibigan namin," he added.

Nakokonsensya parin kasi si Stell ginagawa nila kay Ayi. He was against the idea at first. He knows their friend. Once she says you are completely out of her life, ligwak ka na. No erase.

Which is why Stell hopes, even if they stupidly agreed to Justin's proposal, that Ayi will never find out about this. Pagkatapos naman nito, babalik na si Justin sa Seoul. Justin and Ayi's paths will never have to cross again.

"Arrgh," Justin pulled his hair. "Ano ba tong pinasok ko?"

"Your friend..." he complained.

"Do you know she stripped in front of me noong unang araw palang?" He asked Sejun and Stell.

"Yes, we saw sa footage ng hidden cam," said Sejun.

"Live," dagdag ni Stell. "Buti nalang di kami straight."

"But I am," sabi ni Justin.

"Well, we did warn you she's not a Maria Clara–not your type," Sejun said in his and Stell's defense. "I mean, which works, because we don't want you falling for her because of this thesis, right?"

Justin nodded.

"No chance, Sej," sabi niya. "For a UP student, she's quite stupid."

—

"Today is the day," Ayi singsonged as she got out of her room that morning. "It's Lantern Parade day!"

She theatrically took a seat next to the kitchen counter. "A.k.a. the day of my date with Ken Suson."

Justin didn't even look at her. Patuloy lang ito sa pagluluto.

"No 'Good morning, Ayi' today?" Tanong ni Ayi dito.

"Good morning, Ayi," Justin said flatly.

San ka nakakita ng robot na marunong magtampo? Ayi thought. "Jah."

No response. Are his robot eardrums broken?

"Jah, why are you being like this?" Ayi asked. She stood up and went beside Justin. "What did I do?"

Pinatay ni Justin ang electric stove and faced Ayi. They were so close to each other Ayi had to step back.

"I am your personal self-care robot," sabi ni Justin. "I'm supposed to make sure you are okay."

"Pero lahat ng ginagawa mo ngayon with this Ken Suson is putting you in harm's way," dagdag pa nito.

"The shellfish incident was not his fault," depensa ni Ayi. "It was mine."

"And that makes it even worse," Justin argued. "Nawawalan ka ng control sa mga desisyon mo because you let your feelings rule over you."

"Are you trying to say I'm stupid?" Ayi asked.

Justin missed a beat or two, but he replied, "Yes."

He wanted to take it back the moment he said it, but it was too late.

"Aray," was Ayi's immediate reaction.  Ayi took a few more steps back as she felt tears prickle in her eyes.

"Sorry ha? Baka kasi it's the first time someone noticed me," Ayi said, choking up.

"Siguro hindi mo naiintindihan kasi robot ka," she continued, "pero for most of my life I was ignored. I don't have people to call family, my classmates think I'm a weirdo..."

Justin's heart sank. What did he just do?

"So I'm sorry if you think marupok ako kay Ken," Ayi wiped her tears.

"Fuck, why am I even apologizing to a robot?" said Ayi, who now seemed frustrated at herself.

Umiwas siya ng tingin kay Justin. "I'm calling Sejun and Stell. I-I'll have them take you away for a while."