Weapon | Ryeji

Chapter 2

After a long day, the day following Yeji's meeting with her new partner, her colonel granted her a suddenly free day-perhaps one of the last she would have before diving into a lifetime of relentless work with no respite.

She sat quietly, dining alone as usual in a restaurant. Yeji preferred solitude or the company of her cats, but bringing felines to a restaurant would undoubtedly draw attention, painting her as a lonely eccentric.

"Miss Hwang," Ryujin suddenly appeared in the midst of her supposed day off. "I've been searching for you. Some officers mentioned you might be dining alone. I've scoured nine different restaurants before finally finding you."

"What are you doing here?" Yeji demanded.

"I was sent by A.L. It's my duty to inform you that you've been assigned a case for this weekend-a homicide, and, predictably, an android is involved."

"This has to be a nightmare," Yeji muttered. Was the colonel toying with her emotions, tricking her into believing she had a free day only to send that plastic nuisance to ruin it? No, it had to be a nightmare.

"No, listen, this is my free day. Leave. I haven't finished my meal, and androids aren't allowed here," Yeji asserted. Most restaurants prohibited androids; after all, why would a machine need to dine when it lacked a functioning stomach?

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that. I was sent here by A.L., and it's my duty to-"

"I know. You've already said that five seconds ago," Yeji interrupted, her frustration mounting. She was 99% certain that Ryujin couldn't even think for herself. "But I want you to leave. Can you understand that?"

"I can't do that. My job is to be your assistant, and that means I have to be by your side even if you don't want me to," Ryujin persisted. Yeji pretended the other girl wasn't there and continued to enjoy her meal. "If you come with me, it'll make things easier for both of us. But if you prefer, I can work with someone else who's not afraid of androids. However, that would undoubtedly cast doubts on your bravery and fortitude in the eyes of others."

Was that machine mocking Yeji's childhood trauma? No that was not te real question. Did that robot lack feelings? Yeji refused to cower in fear of robots any longer.

Some might perceive Yeji as somewhat egocentric, but she didn't see it that way. She simply enjoyed winning and relished compliments that affirmed her skills, boosting her happiness. Was that really egocentric?

"Don't say that again, you piece of plastic," Yeji snapped at Ryujin. She didn't care if her words hurt the android's feelings; after all, Ryujin was just a collection of plastic, right? "Fine, let's go."

Naturally, Ryujin drove them to their destination. Throughout the journey, she remained silent, a stark contrast to Yeji's discomfort in the moment.

"Stay in the car," Yeji instructed as they arrived. Obviously, she preferred to handle the case alone.

"I can't. My mission is to be your assistant, and I can't deviate from my instructions," Ryujin replied.

"I won't take long. I don't need your help," Yeji insisted, stepping out into the rain, her mood souring further.

"Lieutenant Ryujin, I thought you weren't coming today," Jeongmin greeted, surprised to see her. He was a close friend of Ryujin's since their time at the police school, and it seemed he had been handling the case before Yeji's arrival.

"Why is everyone calling me lieutenant now? Since when am I a lieutenant?" Yeji wondered aloud.

"Well, you're an exceptional police officer, so it's fitting. You deserve the title," Jeongmin replied with a friendly punch to her arm. "But why didn't your boss inform you? Seems like he's been playing games with you lately."

"Is that your new partner?" he asked, nodding towards Ryujin.

What was Ryujin's problem? Normally, Yeji formed positive first impressions of people, but Ryujin was the exception.

Maybe Ryujin wasn't even considered a person by Yeji, just someone she despised. How could something be so annoying? Worse yet, there was nothing Yeji could do about it. Normally, she would have thrown a punch, but Ryujin was a robot. Besides, if she did, they'd likely fire her and bar her from any further interaction with androids for life.

"So, you've got an android," Jeongmin remarked with a chuckle.

"Shut up. I don't want to talk about it. What do you know about the case?" Yeji deflected, eager to change the subject.

"We received a call from some neighbors who hadn't seen the man leave his home in a week. They found it strange because he was usually quite sociable. Then, a girl came to collect rent and noticed a foul smell. She called us, and here we are. That's all we know," Jeongmin explained.

Entering the house, Yeji and Ryujin encountered the decaying body in the living room, just as Jeongmin had described.

It took Yeji mere minutes to analyze the crime scene and piece together the sequence of events. She truly was the most advanced android Ryujin had ever encountered.

"Lieutenant Hwang, I've finished my analysis," Ryujin reported.

"Alright, what happened?" Yeji was eager to witness Ryujin's analytical abilities firsthand, scanning a few items. It seemed impossible, but she needed to verify it.

"It began in the kitchen. The victim was stabbed 13 times in the chest by the android. As the android's synthetic blood stained, it felt trapped and panicked. Attempting to rectify the situation alone, it succumbed to the pressure and ultimately committed suicide in the basement," Ryujin concluded.

Yeji was genuinely impressed, but she maintained her stoic façade.

Descending to the basement, Yeji found the body, though she couldn't quite reconcile it as such. To her, it was merely a collection of plastic. Yet, how could a robot without emotions commit suicide? How could it experience pressure or despair? Yeji had never believed it possible, but apparently, it was.

After the forensic team completed their work, A.L. Company arrived to retrieve the android. Yeji remained intrigued by the concept of a machine, lacking a heart or brain, taking its own life. Was such a phenomenon possible in reality?

"Excuse me." Yeji addressed one of the company representatives.

"Yes?" he replied.

"Is it conceivable for an android to cease obeying and begin thinking independently? After witnessing that android hanging in the basement, I've been pondering the matter," Yeji inquired.

"We've been receiving numerous reports of androids disobeying their owners or fleeing their homes inexplicably. We're uncertain of the cause. Should we receive any updates, you'll hear about it through the news or other channels. But rest assured, SR900 is our latest creation, and she is flawless. I assure you she will always be perfect," the man assured, before away.

Yeji couldn't help but wonder: what did he mean by "Ryujin is perfect"? Everyone had their own interpretation of perfection. What did perfection mean to that man?

And what did it mean to Hwang Yeji?