Page 33
“I don’t know, today… My classmate said so. She said I’m too much that she’s ashamed to be with me.”
Trying not to get angry, I spoke in a casual voice like hers.
She mustered a weary smile. She got out of bed and showed me the stickers in her palm.
“How are they? Cute?”
I was still furious, but when she handed the stickers, I took them gladly. There were butterfly patterns, squirrels, and ducks. Mina’s favorite animals to play with.
“Yes. Can I use them?”
“Of course! But don’t waste them, rookie—these band-aids are for wrapping our wounds in battle!”
“Are we talking about the squirrel-patterned stickers?”
“What stickers, Remi? Don’t you know these are band-aids? I can’t believe you didn’t get that.” She rolled her eyes.
“You’re right, captain,” I saluted. “I just got confused for a moment.”
“It happens, rookie. You’ll learn with time.”
I tried to reassure her with a small, tentative smile, but whatever little warmth had reached her eyes quickly faded. Lately, that seemed to happen a lot.
“Remi…” She began in broken tone, and I immediately took a duck-shaped sticker and stuck it on my forehead.
“Do I look cute?”
She chuckled, reaching out to stroke my hair. My eyes closed almost unconsciously under her touch. As her soft hands moved across my skin, I felt a sense of peace. But when I opened my eyes, she was still looking at the floor.
“Wouldn’t you like to have a cooler master, Remi?”
I exhaled. “You’re already cool.”
“Well, wouldn’t you want a more beautiful master?”
“You’re already beautiful.”
I glanced at her reaction. With a small smile on her face didn’t reach her eyes, I realized it wasn’t the right answer, but it was too late.
“Thank you, Remi. I’ll keep trying to be the kind of master you won’t be ashamed of.”
“I’ll never be ashamed of you.”
I didn’t know what else to say. My family had raised me to be emotionally intelligent; I’d been reading books and taking psychology classes since I was six years old, but when it came to Mina, my mind was completely confused. I used to think people were simple beings who could be figured out at a glance, but because of her, the idea that they were an endless chaos and unpredictable beings seemed more accurate.
It had already been six months since I became her robot. This was my longest home visit so far. I enrolled at the Siena Academy—where the capital’s elite gathered—and had started building connections among Mars’ most distinguished. My parents never said a word against me because of it, but their feelings were written plainly enough.
They weren’t fond of Mina and the whole caretaker robot situation. At least, not anymore.
“Mina Olind,” my father said her name in a bitter tone. “You’ve been acting unusual since you met that girl, Ray. What’s the reason?”
I remained silent. His tone annoyed me immensely.
“I asked you a question, son. You’re not willing to speak with me anymore?”
“She’s no different from the other children.”
“I went to the academy today. Also spoke with Aneta. According to her, you said, ‘Don’t make me forget Mina,’ during the surgery. I doubt you know anyone named Mina other than Olind.”
