For missdoer, your comments touch my heart.

Always win

“AI! Let’s play chess!”

I produced a brand new chess set, shoving it into the droid’s arms.

“Now? But Young Master I—“

“Yes now! Come on, Father taught me how to play yesterday. I bet I can win you!” I grinned cheekily, grabbing AI’s arm and dragging him towards the drawing room.

___________________

“Why the fuck are you so good at chess?” I groaned, staring at the board—cornered.

“I am not entirely sure myself,” AI replied with a demure smile, slender fingers reaching for his Queen.

“And now, I believe this is the third game of the day—and my third victory.” 

Though I did not want to admit it, the droid was right.

Just this morning, I pulled out my old chess set—challenging AI to a game.

I figured that he was bored at the basement, but I guess not.

He was waiting patiently.

Waiting for his Master—

Who never came.

I looked at the droid who wore a perfect mask of indifference—when deep inside, he was just a hopeless vessel.

“Is something wrong, Young Master?” AI asked, pushing up the slim frame on the bridge of his nose—readjusting his mask.

I paused.

“No…” I propped up an elbow, leaning the side of my head against the back of my palm.

AI smiled fondly. “You sure resemble your Father at times, Young Master.”

I glanced sideways at him.

“What do you mean?”

“He does that too when I beat him at chess.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“—The hell? How can you win every single time? Have you ever lost?” I questioned, curious.

AI brought a finger to his lips in thought, and his head tilted to the side. “Come to think of it—no. No, I have never lost, Young Master,” He smiled gently.

“Perhaps it is because I am…artificially intelligent?” He continued, smiling—and yet I swear, the skies in his eyes darkened sadly.  

But that’s not possible.

Everyone knows how easy it is to win Artificial Intelligence at chess.

Like those games humans play on devices.

Aren’t they the easiest to defeat?

But then again—

Love breaks every password—

Love hacks—

Love cheats—

Love wins.

Love always wins.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

“Oh goodness! Suoh, where have you been—Lowe is here!” Margaret exclaimed with a hand to her chest in shock as we bumped into each other at the top of the stairs.

Lowe?

“Shit—“

“Don’t ‘shit’ me! Bring these to the drawing room now!” Margaret huffed, pushing a tray of cookies and milk into my arms. “I bet Lucinda was the one who forced her to stay here for a horrid week.”

I paused.

A week?

“I won’t have time for her—“

“I know that! But Lucinda won’t,” My sister pointed out cleverly, propelling me towards the drawing room. “Now go! Before both Lucinda and Lowe get mad at your amazing absence.”

The thought of spending less time with AI and more with two ladies—one, an old crack that only thinks about money; and another, who never actually intends to marry me—seized the angry monster in my stomach.

It roused—

Waking.

A low growl rose from my throat.

_________________________

“Oh! Suoh, what a pleasant surprise!”

“Who’s the fucking surprise here?” I retorted lazily, slamming down the tray of cookies and milk.

Lucinda shot me a glare.

The kind she gave to dogs when they did something wrong.

“Ah, cold again, I see? Very well, a seat beside me shall warm you up,” Lowe replied cunningly, a twinkle in her eye as she patted the sofa seat beside her.

“No—“

“Boy,” Lucinda glanced at me sideways, “we were talking about an important union between two of the most prestigious families in the country. Will you please have a sense of respect?”

I clicked my tongue involuntarily—

Then moved lazily to sit beside Lowe.

She, however, had no indication of hearing Lucinda’s outright demolition of my personal rights.

“I am quite flattered, Lady Lucinda. My humble thanks to you for recognizing our family name—but of course, we are nothing as compared to the Lynches,” Lowe returned politely, leaning forward to snag a cookie between her fingers.

“I after all, do have the honor of becoming the wife of the most desired Lord in every lady’s mind and heart.” 

Lucinda merely nodded at the compliment, without even bothering to thank her—as if it was all very normal.

She smiled.

And Lowe smiled back.

And I watched the two humans—

Who have become the monsters—

Of Society.

_____________________

“So, my Lord, what have you been up to during my absence?” Lowe asked shamelessly, sipping her glass of milk.

I glanced at her.

Then looked towards the door Lucinda had walked out of just mere seconds ago.  

“Nothing you should know of.”

“Mm? Why so secretive?” She laughed. “Are you, perhaps, cheating on me?”

“Tch,” I raised an eyebrow, amused. “The one cheating is you, isn’t it?”

Lowe paused, a small smile on her lips.

“Whatever do you mean?”

I lounged on the opposite couch.

“Saw you and Lord Albert at the town square last month holding hands,” Shrugging, I bit into a cookie. “Kinda surprised when Lucinda told me you were going to be my fiancé just the next day.”

Lowe froze—

A bitter smile surfaced.

“What do you want?”

I laughed. “You out of my life—just like you want me out of yours.”

Lowe returned the laugh albeit coldly. “We both know that it not possible, Suoh.”

“Perhaps there is something else on your mind?” She added, staring at my soul.

I frowned.

“Tell me, what is it that clouds your eyes?”

The monster ripped and clawed at my insides—begging to make its entrance.

“What would you know?” I hissed, tasting bitterness in my mouth.

Lowe laughed, “I did not score the highest in the mechanical examination for nothing, my Lord.”

Mechanics?

“You…took mechanics?”

“Yes.”

“Engineering?”

“Yes.”

“You…studied droids?”

“Yes,” Lowe replied calmly, still staring at the windows of my soul—

I couldn’t run.

I couldn’t even hide.

As she stared into my abyss, I, as well, saw hers.

And then I realized how scary women were—

And what powerful creatures they could be.

__________________________

“You say your droid’s recognition system has malfunctioned?”

I nodded hesitantly.

“He thinks I’m my Father.”

Lowe rolled her eyes. “Well—you do look alike.”

“Maybe, but can’t he tell from our physical status? And our heartbeat? He should be able to identify who is younger.”

“Perhaps he is unable to? After all, he did stay locked up in Lord Silas’ laboratory for five years,” Lowe replied thoughtfully.

“But I don’t see a problem—what’s so bad about mistaking you for your Father?”

I felt as if she had trampled over the glass heart I was busy patching up.

“Nothing.”

“Did he say something?” Lowe prodded.

“Maybe…” I sighed.

We were quiet for five minutes.

“Would you like me to undress?”

Lowe turned to face me. “Excuse me?”

“I said, would you like me to undress?” I dead-panned.

Lowe coughed. “What in the world—“

“That’s what AI said to me.”

She paused.

“Oh good Lord, thank Heavens—I thought you went insane. Well, I believe that must come as a shock to you; but it isn’t uncommon nowadays you see—“

The sparks lit up in flames.

A dangerous fury rose from the pit of my stomach.

“Uncommon?” I hissed, “My Father is some fucking bastard who can’t control his sexual desires and you say he is normal?”

“Suoh, calm down,” Lowe put forth in patience, “That was not what I meant—“

“He left me alone!” I was roaring.

“He left AI alone—He programmed AI to love HIM only, that selfish son of a bitch—“ 

Every inch of my body roared in anger and cried in pain—

I breathed—

Breathed fire and flames that set me ablaze.

“And he…he’s still waiting.”

I stopped—

Defeated.

“He’s still waiting…still waiting for his Master to come back.”

No—

I was defeated.

Defeated by Love.

I’m nothing.

Nothing in his eyes.

.

.

Fuck.

___________________

“You love him?” She said quietly.

So much it hurts.

“Yes.”

It came out as a mere whisper—weak as a leaf fluttering in the wind.

Lowe stood up.

“What are you waiting for?”

“Huh?” My head rose, heavy—weak.

“Let’s go find love.”

_________________________

“He’s…very beautiful,” said Lowe, eyes darting from AI’s head to toe.

“I know that,” I snapped instinctively, the thought of someone else’s eyes roaming my droid’s body put me in worst spirits.

“You are very impatient my Lord. Here I am—lending you my hand, and you don’t appreciate it!” Lowe replied hotly, turning away. “A mere look won’t kill.”

As we made our way towards AI, the lady beside me continued to voice her doubts.

“Still, I don’t see how it’s malfunctioning—“

His head turned at the sound, amazing skies locking onto my abyss.

“Master! Welcome back—“

“Oh I get it.”

AI’s gaze rested upon Lowe, who spoke, and he smiled gently.

“Good evening, my Lady,” And after further registration, he added, “Your dress really brings out your eyes.”

Lowe was flattered. “Why—thank you. That was the very reason I chose this silk! But no one has bothered to notice or even mention it before,” She replied in great enthusiasm, “You are a very charming droid.”

AI blushed lightly, and I could feel the aggravation in the tips of my fingers. “That is very kind of you, my Lady. I do not deserve such generosity.”

Lowe opened her mouth to reply—but I grabbed her arm and jerked her away before a single word escaped.

“Hey! Hey—what do you think you’re doing?”

“We need to talk,” I hissed, dragging her to the cushioned seats I brought into the laboratory a few days ago—out of earshot.

She yanked the captured arm away and swiveled around to face me.

“Look,” Lowe flicked her hair behind her shoulder haughtily, “I know you can be a possessive little ass—“

I gave her the middle finger.

“—But if you want the top scorer of the Mechanic Exam to help you, then you should step on your pride a bit, reign in those emotions, and compromise,” She stated, folding her arms across her chest.

“Your decision? Lord Suoh.”

She waited, staring again—at my soul.

“…Fine. I’m sorry…my temper’s as hot as my body so—“

“I certainly do not think your body is appealing in any way!” Lowe interrupted, “Okay, maybe you do have abs to die for, and well, your face might just be a little sharper than most men—“

“Just admit it.”

Lowe gave me a look.

“I shall not dwelve any further in your foolish assumptions! Now—the subject at hand,” She sat down, crossing her legs, “I have witnessed your droid’s problem—and yes, it might be a slight dysfunction in his recognition system, but first, I need to check his mode of recognition. Might you have his details?”

I pointed to Father’s laptop on his workbench, and then the last platform behind it. “That’s the command system—and that’s his platform. How much time do you need?”

“A professional never tells the time,” Lowe replied pointedly, smiling strangely. “Now, out of that door, may you please—my Lord.”

I paused.

“What?”

“I believe,” She repeated, stalking over to the workbench and placing herself elegantly on the chair, “I told you to leave the room.”

I frowned. “Why?”

Lowe looked at me as if I was crazy.

“Why? Suoh—Professionals never let others look when they are at work! That’s why,”

“Now shoo,” She waved her hands in a sweeping motion.

I was torn between choices.

Should I leave it like this—and have a possibility of gaining AI’s affection?

Or make him see who I truly am—

And lose everything?

______________________

A/N:

Suoh’s name means dragon ^^ it explains the monster in him.

-Cuppiecake.