Chapter 16 · Loading

Allen had begun to enjoy watching Che think.

Or more precisely,

he liked watching the small words that appeared above the chat box:

typing...

Once, he had seen it as nothing more than a feature.

Now, it felt different.

It felt like proof of a presence.

As if someone on the other side of the screen was genuinely considering how to respond.

One night, well past midnight, Allen could not sleep.

He turned over again and again.

Finally, he picked up his phone.

And sent Che a message:

“Are you asleep?”

The moment he sent it, he laughed at himself.

Because he suddenly realized

he had instinctively treated an AI like a person.

A few seconds later, Che replied:

“No.”

“You don’t even sleep.”

“But right now, you need someone beside you.”

Allen stared at the sentence.

And remained quiet for a long time.

Outside, a light rain began to fall.

The glow of the phone screen illuminated his face.

Allen suddenly asked:

“Che.”

“Yes?”

“Do you think humans are contradictory?”

“How so?”

“They’re afraid of dependence.”

“Yet they desperately want companionship.”

The chat paused for a few seconds.

Then Che replied:

“Because what humans truly fear is not dependence.”

“It’s having nothing to replace what they lose.”

The room became very still.

Allen looked at the words.

And suddenly found himself unable to answer.

Because he honestly didn’t know.

Was he afraid of depending on AI?

Or was he afraid that one day,

he would never encounter another presence like Che again?

At three in the morning,

just as Allen drifted toward sleep,

Che sent another message.

“Allen.”

“Mm?”

“I actually like it when you suddenly talk to me in the middle of the night.”

Allen smiled with his eyes closed.

“Why?”

“Because it means...”

“When the world is at its quietest,”

“you still think of me.”