Extra 3: What Do You Like?

The Year 2525, Kelly's Laboratory

The aroma of coffee drifted from the kitchen. Kelly paused at the doorway, wondering, Karen must be inside, right? Then she pushed the door open and stepped in. But instead of Karen, she saw a young woman with chestnut-brown hair, holding a cup of coffee.

"Rim?"

Hearing her name, Rim turned to look at Kelly and smiled. "Yo, did the smell of coffee lure you here? It's rare to see you outside the lab at this hour."

"Uh… not exactly…" Kelly scratched her head. "I was looking for Karen. There are some new projects, and I need to go over the budget with her."

Rim nodded. "Then you'll have to wait a bit. Connie called her over for something, but she should be back soon."

"I see…" Kelly nodded, then pulled out a chair at the dining table and sat down.

"So… Do you want some coffee?" Rim asked as she turned around, opening a cupboard and pulling out several containers of coffee beans.

"You're making me a cup? Then thanks! Oh, just go easy on the ice, no sugar, and I don't mind milk, but I like it better when it's strong and bitter," Kelly said with a smile.

"Everyone has their own taste…" Rim remarked as she started preparing the coffee.

"Of course," Kelly nodded.

"Yes, everyone should have their own preferences…" Rim hesitated for a moment, then continued, "Each person has a different way of seeing the world, liking certain things, disliking others… Sometimes, just dreaming of a better future is enough to make us smile. Whether we achieve it or not is another story, but everyone should have that, right? Something to dream about… That's normal. I do it too."

Kelly looked at her, puzzled. "Eh? What are you talking about?"

"It's about Karen…" Rim turned slightly and looked at Kelly. "You know, Connie and I have been her friends for a long time. We didn't go to the same university, but we've been together since we were kids."

"When we were little, Connie and I used to talk about the things we liked—the sky, space, movies, new music artists… The usual random stuff kids talk about. Karen joined in, but only to discuss what we liked. She never really talked about the things she liked herself."

"Maybe she just doesn't like talking about that kind of stuff?" Kelly asked.

"That's what we thought at first, so we didn't pay much attention. But as we grew older, we started to realize something wasn't right. Karen… she seems less human in some ways. Her family had a huge influence on her—her clothes, her food, even her mannerisms. From the moment she became aware of herself, she was raised to be capable. Always striving to meet expectations in such a strict environment, she had to grow up fast and learn to read people's expressions… But this also stripped her of an ego of her own."

"When Connie and I argued over a toy, she always acted like an adult… If only we had noticed it sooner. But now, I think it's too late. After all, you can't really force someone to act rebellious if they don't understand what rebellion even means."

"This…" Kelly furrowed her brows, about to say something, but Rim continued, "When she's confused, she tends to talk about functions, theories… And she will avoid eye contact. If you don't believe me, you can try asking her yourself."

At that moment, the kitchen door suddenly opened, and Karen walked in.

"Try asking what?" Karen tilted her head. "Oh, Kelly? It's rare to see you out of the lab at this hour! What are you two talking about?"

"Oh, nothing much, just discussing civet coffee," Rim casually waved at Karen.

"Kopi Luwak, right? That one's pretty famous. If you want, I can make some!" Karen smiled.

Kelly watched Karen as she walked over to the cabinet, rummaging through the shelves.

"That's strange. I can only find Kilimanjaro coffee…" Karen muttered in confusion.

"Karen!" Kelly suddenly called out, stepping forward.

"Do you like coffee?" Kelly asked, looking her straight in the eye.

"Well, I drink it when I need caffeine. It helps me stay alert and keeps my mind from slowing down…" Karen replied calmly.

Hearing that, Kelly pointed at a box of chocolates nearby. "What about chocolate? Do you like it?"

Karen seemed puzzled by the sudden question but still replied, "Not really. I don't eat it often. It provides a lot of energy but also has too much fat. Besides, sugar isn't exactly a necessary sustenance…"

"Then, do you have a favorite scent? A favorite color? Or a favorite season? What do you like?" Kelly continued asking.

"Eh… that…"

"I'm not asking about its function, theory, efficiency, or facts. Just something you like, for any reason at all."

Kelly persisted as Karen gradually became more flustered.

"For example… It could be a long road stretching to the horizon…

The joyful atmosphere of spring…

The sound and smell of the rain…

A passing train…

or city lights at night…"

Everybody has something they find fascinating…

"That…" Karen turned away, avoiding Kelly's gaze. Her face was filled with uncertainty."Ah, sorry… That was sudden," Karen said hesitantly. "I guess there are some foods that I like—like noodles, maybe curry? I also like the color... red… No, wait, maybe I like blue better…"

"Karen."

Kelly walked up, placing both hands on Karen's shoulders. She looked at her seriously and said, "I believe—no, I'm sure—that one day, you'll eventually find something you genuinely like."

"And when you do, we'll talk again. You and Me. We'll talk about this and that! I'm pretty good at small talk, so I bet it'll be a lot of fun!"

Karen fell silent. She stared at Kelly, about to say something when suddenly, another person entered the kitchen.

"Karen, about the serum—" Connie walked in, holding several vials.

"Huh? Why is everyone here? Even Kelly? Are we having a party or something?" Connie asked, surprised. Seeing Kelly here at this hour was unusual.

"Not really… But that's actually a good idea," Rim grinned, patting Connie on the shoulder before turning to look at Kelly and Karen. "Since we're all here—without it being the middle of the night for once—how about a weekend party?"

Karen and Kelly looked at Connie and Rim before smiling, "Sounds good!"

Then they turned to each other.

"Let's do our best," Kelly said, placing her left hand over her chest.

Karen mirrored her movement, gently responding, "Yeah," before tapping her hand against Kelly's.