Eighteen Minutes to Eat: Jaeho Hides His Human Needs While Moru Gets a Mandatory Cooldown | NOV-HUM Ep. 6 Part 1
Moru’s cooldown lasted eighteen minutes.
Jaeho had four things to do in those same eighteen minutes: eat, drink water, use the restroom, and, if possible, sleep for a few minutes. He looked at the cooldown display on the wall, then at his wrist terminal.
MORU-17
MANDATORY COOLDOWN REMAINING — 17:42
“Must be nice,” Jaeho muttered.
Moru stood at the cooldown rack, a low stream of air humming from the connector on his back.
“What is nice?”
Jaeho flinched. He had not expected Moru to hear him. “Nothing.”
“Was the statement directed at me?”
“I said no.”
Moru did not ask again.
Jaeho looked around. Two other legacy humanoids stood in the charging and cooldown area. One had its head tilted slightly forward. The other rested its right arm in an inspection slot.
A notice was posted on the wall.
NO WORK INSTRUCTIONS DURING MANDATORY COOLDOWN
Beneath it, in heavier type:
OPERATOR RESPONSIBLE FOR DEGRADATION OR DAMAGE CAUSED BY FAILURE TO OBSERVE COOLDOWN REQUIREMENTS
Jaeho read it and let out a quiet laugh.
“They said people cost money when they rest.”
Moru turned his head again.
Jaeho waved a hand. “Nothing.”
He pressed a palm against his stomach. It was empty.
By the time he had returned to his long-term rental room after his first night shift, it had already been early morning. He had washed, checked the core, and replaced the patch at the back of his neck. Not long after he closed his eyes, the report-to-work alert had gone off.
He had not bothered calculating how many hours he had slept. Knowing the number would only have made him more tired.
Since starting at Hangyeol Funeral Services, he had stopped drinking water whenever he wanted. A humanoid looking for a restroom would be strange enough. A humanoid walking around with a bottle of water seemed even harder to explain.
The first day had been manageable. By the second, his body had begun offering its own opinion.
Jaeho picked up his bag.
“I’ll be back in a minute.”
Moru’s face turned toward him. “Are you leaving the work area?”
“Not leaving.”
Jaeho paused. He tried to think of something that would sound suitably mechanical.
“Self-check.”
“The inspection location is not registered.”
“Legacy units can inspect themselves anywhere.”
“I cannot verify that rule.”
Jaeho clicked his tongue. “You’ve been around eleven years and still haven’t learned how to take a joke?”
“I will classify the statement as a joke.”
“You’re quick at that, at least.”
Jaeho walked behind the charging area. Cleaning supplies and empty supply boxes were stacked beyond a partition, in a place the funeral hall staff rarely used. He had hidden a small insulated bag there.
Two rice balls and a boiled egg from a convenience store that morning. One small bottle of water.
He checked the timer on his handheld terminal.
COOLDOWN REMAINING — 15:08
“Fifteen minutes.”
He tore open a rice ball.
“Five minutes to eat.”
He opened the water.
“One minute to drink.”
He looked toward the restroom.
“Four minutes there and back.”
That left five.
Jaeho sat down against a stack of boxes. “Perfect.”
He took a large bite of the rice ball.
Chewed twice.
It caught in his throat.
He gulped water, and only then did the food go down. Jaeho drew one deep breath, then immediately closed his mouth. His chest had moved too much.
No one was watching.
He looked around anyway.
For some reason, it felt less dangerous to be caught eating than to be caught looking relieved while he ate.
He folded the wrapper and took another bite.
Moru’s voice came from the other side of the partition.
“Mr. Sixty-Two.”
Jaeho’s hand stopped. He already responded to the name automatically.
“What?”
Then he lowered his voice.
“Confirmed.”
“Your response location is outside the designated area.”
“I told you. Self-check.”
“Transmit the inspection item.”
Jaeho looked down at the rice ball. “Inspection in progress.”
“No item is specified.”
“Intake module.”
He had to suppress a laugh as soon as he said it.
Moru paused.
“No intake module is listed in your registered specifications.”
Jaeho swallowed the rice in his mouth. “That’s why it’s broken.”
“Would you like to register the malfunction?”
“No.”
“It is not a malfunction?”
“No.”
“You stated that it was a malfunction.”
Jaeho closed his eyes.
“Moru.”
“Yes.”
“I think I understand why people don’t joke with machines.”
“Are you requesting the reason?”
“No.”
Jaeho put the rest of the rice ball into his mouth. He laughed while chewing.
Then it caught in his throat again, and he hurriedly drank more water.
On the other side of the wall, Moru’s cooling fan continued at the same steady speed.
Jaeho set the bottle down.
COOLDOWN REMAINING — 09:36
“Restroom.”
He stood. His knees locked for a moment. He braced a hand against the boxes and straightened his back.
“Machines have it better.”
This time he said it very quietly.
At least they had cooldown time. No one could call them halfway through and make them run back to work. If the system ordered them to stop, the company had to stop them.
What would happen if he said he needed time to eat? Or that he had to use the restroom? Or that he wanted one hour of sleep?
Jaeho did not follow the thought any further.
He needed the restroom more.
It was twenty-eight steps away.
Jaeho had already counted.
Out from behind the charging area, right into the corridor, past the supply room, through the narrow passage beside the stairs.
Twenty-eight steps to the employee restroom.
The problem was that its entrance faced the staff lounge. He could not go during the day. Even at night, if anyone was there, he had to turn around.
After three in the morning, it was usually empty.
Jaeho leaned around the corner first.
No one.
He walked quickly.
Ten steps.
Twenty.
Twenty-eight.
He pushed the door open and went inside.
Only when he stood in front of the toilet did he finally let out a long breath.
“Now I have to schedule this too?”
He was not speaking to anyone.
The core inside his clothes pressed beneath his ribs. Jaeho lifted his work vest slightly. The strap holding the core had slipped down toward his stomach. It must have loosened while he worked through the night.
He pulled it tight again.
His face looked back at him from the mirror. The skin under his eyes was darker than usual. The edge of the gray patch at the back of his neck had begun to lift.
He turned on the faucet and washed his hands. Then he cupped cold water and pressed it to his face.
Once.
Twice.
On the third handful, sleep hit him without warning.
His eyes closed only for a moment, but his head dropped forward. Jaeho caught the edge of the sink.
“This isn’t going to work.”
He looked at himself in the mirror.
A human face looking tired was natural.
A legacy humanoid looking tired required an explanation.
He wiped the water away and took out his bottle. He drank about half of what remained.
He almost stopped there, then hesitated.
The night was long.
If he drank more, he would have to come back to the restroom.
He stared at the bottle.
Drink it.
Don’t.
After a moment, he screwed the cap back on.
“Let’s not overdo this living thing.”
The terminal at his waist sounded.
A short call tone.
Jaeho’s eyes widened.
NIGHT SUPPORT CALL
Earlier than expected.
Haewon Jeong’s voice followed.
“Mr. Sixty-Two, Moru. We need one cart moved near the memorial room.”
Jaeho checked the time.
Moru’s cooldown should not have been finished yet.
COOLDOWN REMAINING — 02:11
“Why are they calling already?”
He took the bottle and stepped into the corridor.
Two steps later, he stopped.
The bottle.
He went back into the restroom and looked around for somewhere to hide it.
The cleaning cabinet?
No. Finding a hidden bottle would look stranger.
Jaeho poured the remaining water into the sink. It rushed down the drain.
He crushed the empty bottle flat and shoved it inside his vest.
“Paid for my own water and I still have to throw it away in secret.”
The absurdity of it made him laugh.
He rounded the corner almost at a run.
When he reached the charging area, Moru was still connected to the rack.
“Come on.”
“Mandatory cooldown remaining: one minute, thirty-four seconds.”
“We got a call.”
“The call priority is general.”
“Don’t make people wait. Let’s go.”
“Return to work is restricted until cooldown is complete.”
Jaeho pressed his lips together.
Haewon called again.
“Mr. Sixty-Two?”
“Coming.”
“It’s not urgent. Just move the cart out of the corridor.”
“Understood.”
Jaeho walked off alone.
Moru did not move.
Jaeho looked back. He was still standing at the cooldown rack.
“You’re not coming?”
“I will move after cooldown is complete.”
Jaeho waved him off. “Then I’ll do it first.”
The folding transport cart stood near the memorial room, protruding slightly from the wall. Bundled clean towels and cases of bottled water were stacked on top.
It did not take two people.
It only needed to be pushed.
Jaeho gripped the handle. His fingertips trembled slightly.
He told himself he was still waking up.
His mouth was dry too.
He thought of the water he had just poured away.
Jaeho tightened his grip.
“It’s nothing.”
He pulled the cart.
One wheel caught in a groove at the threshold.
He pulled harder.
The cart suddenly broke free and shot forward. Jaeho twisted instinctively. The left front wheel swung toward the wall.
A voice came from behind him.
“Stop.”
Moru.
Jaeho froze.
Moru had already finished his cooldown and caught up.
A low flower-stand base sat directly in front of the wheel. Another few inches and the corner of the cart would have struck it.
“Obstacle on left movement axis,” Moru said.
Jaeho steadied his breathing. “I saw it.”
“Contact was expected if movement continued.”
“I said I saw it.”
Moru placed a hand against the side of the cart.
“I recommend realignment before movement.”
Jaeho looked at his own hand.
The tremor was almost gone.
Moru pulled the cart back half a step and straightened the wheel.
“Movement may resume.”
Jaeho pushed.
This time the cart touched nothing. It slid precisely inside the marked line along the wall.
Haewon came out of the memorial room.
“That’s good. Thanks.”
Then she looked at Jaeho’s face.
“Mr. Sixty-Two, are you all right?”
His back stiffened.
“Normal.”
“Your facial covering looks a little wet.”
Jaeho remembered splashing water on his face.
“Cooling.”
The answer sounded strange even to him.
Haewon glanced at Moru.
Moru’s exterior was completely dry.
Jaeho added quickly, “Residual moisture.”
Haewon looked at him for a moment, then smiled.
“Legacy units really do come with everything.”
“Yes.”
Jaeho almost smiled too, then stopped himself.
Moru spoke.
“No cooldown procedure for S-62B has been verified.”
Jaeho turned toward him.
Haewon did too.
“What?”
“There is no registered record of mandatory cooldown initiation.”
For a moment, no one spoke.
“It is not required,” Jaeho said.
Haewon looked at him. “You don’t need cooldown?”
“Legacy variation.”
The words came out before he could think.
“Low heat accumulation.”
Haewon tilted her head.
Moru said, “No verification data is available.”
Jaeho stared at him.
Moru, of course, did not respond to the look.
Haewon raised a hand.
“All right. Enough. We’ll check it during the morning inspection.”
“Normal,” Jaeho said immediately.
“I heard you.”
Haewon went back into the memorial room.
Moru turned his head toward Jaeho.
“Manual control stability was lower than during the previous task.”
“My hand slipped.”
“The handle was dry.”
Jaeho closed his mouth.
“Just—”
He cleared his throat.
“I was in a hurry.”
“Urgency is not a unit-status parameter.”
“I know.”
“Cause remains unidentified.”
“I said I know.”
Jaeho turned away.
After two steps, Moru called him.
“Mr. Sixty-Two.”
Jaeho turned at once.
“What?”
“I recommend an additional stop before work resumes.”
“How long?”
“Ten minutes, until the observed values can be checked again.”
Jaeho laughed.
“Ten minutes?”
“Yes.”
“You can take ten minutes off in the middle of work and nobody cuts your pay.”
“I am not a wage recipient.”
Jaeho stopped laughing.
“Right.”
A moment later he said, “That’s right.”
Moru did not move.
Neither did Jaeho for a while.
Then Jaeho waved a hand.
“I’m fine. Let’s work.”
“Are you rejecting the stop recommendation?”
Jaeho looked around.
No one was listening.
Even so, his answer was short.
“Normal.”
Moru’s gaze moved from Jaeho’s hand to his face.
Then he asked no more.
Savor Balance · English Archive · Yohan Choi
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