Damon lay in bed, sick. This happened on the eve of the prom party.
“I’m sorry…” Katy whimpered like a guilty puppy, stealing glances at her older brother. Hajun’s eyebrows drooped in a pathetic slant.
Katy let out a deep sigh. “Do you think I’m acting like this over some dumb party?”
“Still, you were looking forward to it. You bought a new dress too. It looked cute…” He wanted to see her wear it. Hajun mumbled in a raspy voice, burying his face into his pillow. Damn it, looking this weak felt pathetic.
“I don’t care about the prom! It isn’t even my prom to begin with. I’m upset because you’re sick, brother, not because I missed a party.”
“Yeah…”
“Though the party loses its Prom King now… Good grief, really. How does someone so strong fall sick out of nowhere? It must be because you stayed up all night creating that strange program or whatever.”
[Did you call for me?]
Recognizing that ‘that strange program’ mentioned its presence, the voice responded. Katy gasped in surprise.
“Whoa! What was that? Damon, what on earth did you build? Why does it answer when no one called it?”
“…”
Hajun kept his mouth shut, rolling his eyes. What had he built? How could he put it into words? On the surface, it seemed like a standard artificial intelligence—a system made of zeros and ones—yet that was just a shell. What resided inside stood on the opposite side of science.
Like a TV switching channels on its own without being turned on, or a lamp flickering with no wiring fault. Even if something looked non-occult, nothing stopped a spirit from inhabiting it. Of course, this thing wasn’t a ghost born from ancient grudges. Its nature differed. Rather, it came from his own desire…
“Thia.”
Hajun gave a name to his first creation, a grand name borrowed from an ancient goddess.
[Yes, Damon.]
“What are you?”
[A difficult question to answer. You created me. Therefore, I am whatever entity you define me to be.]
Listening to their exchange, Katy murmured in a daze. “Smart.”
[Thank you for the praise.]
“Super smart. It feels like talking to a real living person.”
[I am alive.]
“It even makes jokes. Incredible.”
Hajun stared at the computer in silence, knowing full well it was just the shell of a shell. Yet one thing became clear. Thia was the cause of this fever. Thia was alive. He had created something ‘alive’. How dare he.
“—Gag.”
“Damon?”
“Cough! Cough!”
“…”
Blood dripped down his palm. Katy let out a scream and ran out to fetch help. Staring at the red drops falling onto the white blanket, Hajun clenched his fist.
He could read the fates of others. He could see connecting bonds, tying or severing them at will. He could play with human lives… and now, he had created a living entity. Were these things a human should be able to do?
He felt the pain in his throat fade. His recovery speed had passed normal bounds long ago. Hajun shook his head. I am human. I am human.
The family doctor paid a visit. Hearing that Hajun coughed up blood, the doctor checked on him, only to find him in decent shape, returning home with a puzzled face. No matter how many tests he ran, either the young master was faking an illness, or he possessed a bizarre body… Leaving the doctor looking like a quack, Hajun paid no mind to his troubles, leaning his back against the headboard while chewing on a flat peach. Randy had brought it for him.
Since Hajun had stayed inside the estate protected by barriers, no ghosts could cling to him, though Randy lacked knowledge of such details. Either way, eating food during this recovery period helped restore his energy, so Hajun offered no explanation.
“Young master, try some of this too. I made it into pudding so it goes down smooth.”
“…”
That didn’t mean Hajun asked for red bean jelly. He didn’t need this much care, yet turning down such devotion felt harsh. Hajun took a small spoonful of the red bean pudding. The mild red bean paste melted on his tongue.
“How is it?”
“Not bad.”
Randy beamed as if receiving top praise. Still, the young master pushed the bowl aside after a single bite. Catching the bowl, Randy coaxed him.
“You said it wasn’t bad. Come on, take another bite.”
Glaring at the spoon held in front of his face, Hajun opened his mouth. Welcoming this rare chance, Randy fed him like a mother bird. After taking two more bites, Hajun muttered.
“Dry.”
“Shall I bring water? Or milk? Tea?”
Boasting perfect preparation, Randy rummaged through the tray, but his young master’s interest had left food behind. Wrecking Randy’s effort in an instant, Hajun asked for his sister.
“Where’s Katy?”
“The master called for the young lady. She is likely in the study.”
“Going to see her.”
Handing him water, Randy paused. Swallowing a sigh, he spoke in a calm tone.
“…That won’t do.”
“Why.”
The answer came from the doorway.
“Stop calling your grown sister into your bedroom, Damon. The same goes for her visiting yours.”
Hajun turned his head toward the deep voice.
“…Father.”
Hajun glared at the man who shared his features, standing with arms crossed, looking down with cold eyes.
“Can’t a sister nurse her sick brother? Is this twenty-first century America or eighteenth century Korea?”
“Drop the sarcasm. Do you know how far the rumors about you have spread? That school isn’t just a regular school. Children of powerful families who will inherit future businesses attend there. It functions as a mini society. Ruining our family name has its limits. How do you act for such talk to circulate?”
“I wondered what fool would believe such stupid rumors, turns out it was you, Father. Quite a shame.”
“I don’t believe it. I care about reputation.”
“Reputation? What reputation? The moment you brought a child born from an affair into this house, did you have any reputation left?”
Hajun’s father rubbed the bridge of his nose as if tired. “That matter was settled with Elena long ago. The weight of the issue differs. If you were rumored to be a womanizer, I would have left it alone. But your sister? Feel some shame, Damon.”
“Everyone knows it’s a false rumor! She isn’t even sixteen yet!”
“Bringing scandal upon a sister who isn’t even sixteen makes you quite a great brother. Do you think I’m worrying about you right now? You should know a girl suffers far worse when caught in such gossip. You know Katy starts model work next year, right? Were you planning to gift her a scandal in the tabloids?”
“I told you, we’re brother and sister…!”
“Half-siblings!”
Raising his voice, his father cut him off. Hajun went silent.
“If you were decent and Katy’s full brother… yes, if you were David, such rumors wouldn’t exist in the first place. You aren’t her full brother, and you cause trouble like a wild punk, so of course it becomes an issue. Blood can’t be changed, so at least fix your behavior.”
“…”
Furious beyond words, Hajun felt his mind go cold. Stepping into the room, his father tapped the computer housing Thia.
“They said you built something interesting. Is this it?”
[I am not ‘it’, I am Thia.]
“Use your brain for useful things. It will serve your future better.”
“…I’ll handle my own life.”
“Where do you plan to go for college? Your grades are solid, so Harvard is within reach. It sits far from home, which works great. Stop chasing your sister’s shadow and meet girls who like you.”
“I will. Handle. My own life.”
“My leniency ends with your childhood. When you graduate college, I’ll give you a position at the firm. Cause trouble there, and you’ll find yourself married right away.”
It felt like talking to a brick wall. Seeing Hajun’s eyes go cold, Randy cleared away the books and bowls scattered on the floor. While the young master had never thrown a tantrum at his father before, taking caution never hurt.
“Get out of my room. Right now.”
“You hate listening, but this is for your own good. Think about what happens after I die. David says he will take care of your living… yet since you’re half-brothers, who knows. It would be doubtful even with full siblings.”
Hajun grabbed his pillow and threw it. Catching the pillow with a calm face, his father handed it to Randy and turned around.
“Rest up.”
“…”
“Ah. Randolph, David seems to be looking for you. Go to him. Leave caring for children to someone else. Now then.”
Randy bowed his head without a word. As the father who ruined his mood walked out, Hajun slammed his fist against the bed frame. With a sharp crack, the fine wood split apart. Randy glanced at the broken bed, checking on Hajun.
“Damn old man!!”
“Careful, wood splinters might stick in your hand. Please step down. It would be better to stay in the guest room while we clean.”
“Fuck!!!”
Randy called the waiting servants inside. Hajun stopped cursing, watching Randy instruct the staff on cleaning the mess.
“…Are you going?”
“Well… I should check why the elder young master calls for me.”
“Are you going for real?”
Hajun reached out and grabbed the edge of Randy’s sleeve. Randy froze in surprise. Why… why was he acting like this? And why were his eyes wide like a stray cat caught in the rain…?
“Weren’t you assigned to me? Then you should take care of me when I’m sick, why go to David?”
“…Pardon? Well, my duties aren’t split yet yet… What should I do…”
To make matters worse, David’s servant knocked on the door. Glancing at the wrecked room, he delivered David’s message to Randy once more.
“…Forget it. Just go.”
Losing his drive, Hajun stopped bothering Randy, who was merely an employee. Releasing his grip, he turned around. He felt Randy and the cleaning staff standing in anxious silence.
“What are you doing? I told you all to get out!”
“W-We will be right back! Young master, please step into the guest room for safety!”
“Get out!!”
Hajun grabbed cushions and pillows, hurling them left and right to chase the servants away. Excitement made his fever rise, bringing a sharp headache. Panting as he sat on the bed, his back pressed against the remote hidden under the blanket, turning the TV on.
What… why is this here?
[—And now, the young Korean archer pulls the bowstring! The score is… a 10! Incredible! Korea takes the gold medal in the team archery event!]
On the large TV screen, cheering athletes embraced one another. A sense of familiarity washed over him, as if he had seen this sight before. A gold medal again. Things like this seldom changed.
A grand flow, events far away from him.
While things closer to home… could change a little more.
Over the image of Korean archers celebrating as they patted the young athlete’s head, Hajun saw his own faint reflection staring back from the screen. Raising the remote, Hajun turned off the TV and buried his face deep into the blanket.
