After the Mission

A soft, tired moan came from inside the bathroom. The faint sound of breathing. The faint sound of water dripping onto the floor.

Donovan, with his eyes closed, wanted to sleep in the bathtub filled with warm water. But he refrained from doing so, because he wanted to eat some hot noodles.

After fifteen minutes, he slowly stood up, water slowly flowing on his bare naked body. He grabbed a towel and covered his lower half with it.

After drying himself off, he exited the shower while only wearing shorts. Then, he saw snow everywhere on the floor. It was snow that was stuck on his clothes from before.

Donovan sighed, and began tidying up the clothes he just threw on the floor before he entered the bathroom. He looked at the part where it got torn by the Annihilith's blade arm.

He sighed once again. He first planned on having the Laundry robot wash his clothes before repairing it.

After cleaning up the snow and giving his torn clothes to the Laundry robot, Donovan sat on the sofa beside the small Vorlan, Alfred.

Alfred looked at him and said in a deep, rough voice, "Don't tell me you tried to fight it? At your current level, you're not strong enough to defeat a berserk Reaper. You should've ran."

Donovan glanced at the Vorlan for a second and turned his attention back to the TV. Then, he said, "I did. I ran, and won."

Alfred paused. It stayed silent, and focused on the TV.

...

10:20 a.m., at Dean's apartment.

Dean sat by the edge of the bed, smoking a cigarette. He was only wearing shorts, and his upper body was filled with bite marks and nail scratches.

Lying down on the bed was his AI girlfriend, Mina, who was covered with a blanket, also naked, and was currently breathing softly. It was clear that she was tired.

Although Mina was a machine, because of the very advanced technology, even AI machines could now perfectly act as a human.

After a while, Dean put out his cigarette on the ashtray and stood up. He put on a t-shirt and walked towards the kitchen.

After making two ham sandwiches, he glanced at the holographic screen that was floating in the middle of the living room.

It contained the missions details for today:

MISSION BRIEFING:

TARGET WORLD: 62-Litus-55

THREAT LEVEL: Moderate

OBJECTIVE: Eradicate six Drone-type Annihiliths and one Reaper-type Annihilith.

But Dean Aldridge, who was known for not doing his missions, ignored it. He tore off a very small piece of his sandwich, and threw it at the holographic screen, causing it to disappear.

He then returned to his bedroom with a small plate containing two ham sandwiches with mayo, and a glass of water.

Glancing at the handsome man with blonde hair who entered the bedroom, Mina smiled and said, "Thank you."

"It's nothing," said Dean. Then, he put the small plate on the bed, and the glass of water on the desk beside the bed.

Although Mina was machine, she could also act as a human by eating food humans would eat. This also gave her energy.

As they both ate, Dean stared at Mina who was eating slowly and gracefully. Her every action captivated Dean.

Mina noticed this, and smiled. Then, she took a bite of her sandwich, and while it was still inside her mouth, she suddenly planted her soft lips on Dean's lips.

The sandwich that was inside her mouth was transferred onto him. Dean was surprised and disgusted at first, but he soon found the food, or rather, the sandwich delicious.

This was one of the things that "AI Girlfriends" could do. This was because every AI Girlfriends had everything that can make their partners happy. And what she just did was make the food inside her mouth to become more tasty, and pass it onto Dean's mouth through kissing.

Dean swallowed. Then, he said, "Do... that again."

Mina smiled, and took another bite of her sandwich. She kissed Dean again, and the same process continued for a while until they both finished their sandwiches.

"Let's do this again after lunch," said Dean.

Mina nodded, and asked for the glass of water. Dean grabbed the glass of water that was sitting on the desk beside the bed and gave it to her.

As she drank the water, she caught Dean staring at him. With a smile, she said softly and seductively, "Do you want to go again?"

Dean gulped, and nodded with a yes. Following that, Mina grabbed Dean's right arm and pulled him towards her.

A minute later, the neighbor next door heard those sounds of intimacy and lovemaking again.

...

2:57 p.m., at Sylvia's apartment.

She had just finished a moderate difficulty mission with Sasha, a Healer-type Visitor, accompanying her. She was only wearing a loose, oversized white t-shirt and underwear.

Sylvia was standing on the balcony with a cigarette between her fingers.

She kept thinking about Donovan's words the other day:

"Friends. Let's... stay friends."

She groaned, and scratched her head with her free hand.

Friends?! I just had a date with you! I'm being so obvious that I want you, and you want us to stay friends?!

Sylvia sighed, and took a puff of her cigarette.

I might just be overreacting... I'm not good with romance at all, and he's the first ever guy I started having feelings for... I have to try harder...

She stared into the distance for a while, before turning her head and looking at her smartphone that was on top of the sofa.

Sylvia wanted to call him, to talk to him. She wanted to hear his voice, but she refrained from doing so.

In his perspective, I probably appear as cool, calm, easygoing... I have to maintain that image of me. If I call him right now, I might appear clingy and possessive or something...

...

Meanwhile, at Donovan's apartment, same time.

He was playing a video game in his computer, and he suddenly glanced at the phone that was sitting on desk beside him.

No, no... I shouldn't. I have to maintain my persona of the mysterious and reserved Donovan... Sigh, if only I had transmigrated into the body of someone who had the same personality as me, then I wouldn't be acting so much...

Donovan wanted to call Sylvia. He really did, but he refrained from doing so.

I can't believe I thought of her when I almost died from that berserk Reaper...

He sighed, and focused his attention on the video game. He also remembered when he said to her he wanted to stay friends.

I messed up so badly... This is what I get for being an inexperienced virgin in my previous life, and the fact that the original Donovan is also an inexperienced virgin makes me want to cry...

Because of his self-deprecating thoughts, he didn't want to continue playing and turned off his computer.

He went to the balcony and grabbed his dried clothes that were now clean. Then, he went to the bathroom, facing a button beside the washing machine. It contained the word: Repair.

Donovan pressed it, and the wall suddenly opened up, revealing a medium-sized box. Donovan threw his dry but torn clothes on the box. Then, he pressed the button again, causing the wall to close.

His clothes would be repaired the next day.

Thank goodness for the advanced technology here...

He left the bathroom, and Alfred was still seated on the sofa, watching a horror movie on the TV. Donovan sat down beside Alfred. He wanted to ask this Vorlan why it loved watching the TV so much. Mustering up his courage, he asked, "Why do you always watch the TV?"

"Because I do not have much to do here as a Vorlan. This TV cures my boredom. I cannot leave this apartment for reasons I cannot tell you yet. You will know in the future," said Alfred in a deep, rough voice.