Xejo looked at her daughter, her expression heavy with quiet sadness.
She said nothing more.
Instead, she gently led Lata home.
Lata didn't resist.
But she didn't respond either.
Her face was empty.
Lifeless.
She didn't even touch her food.
Xejo placed the bowl in front of her.
"You need to eat…"
"… "
No answer.
Xejo's fingers tightened slightly.
"Why are you so obsessed with him?"
Silence.
"You still have people who love you," Xejo continued softly.
"If you lose what you have now… you'll regret it."
A pause.
"…like I did."
"…or even your friends."
Still nothing.
Xejo lowered her voice.
"…Please. Eat something."
"… "
Her chest tightened.
She looked at Lata again, forcing a small, fragile smile.
"So… you're choosing to give up?"
"To let that girl have him?"
For a moment—
Nothing changed.
Then—
Lata's expression shifted.
Her empty eyes sharpened.
Something returned.
"No."
Her voice was quiet.
But firm.
"I won't give up."
[If I lose him again…]
[How can I live with myself…?]
Xejo froze for a second.
Then slowly—
She smiled.
"I'll support you."
[I don't have a choice…]
[I can't let her break like this…]
Lata looked up.
A faint light returned to her eyes.
"Really…?"
Xejo nodded.
"…Yes."
Her voice carried hesitation she couldn't fully hide.
Lata leaned forward and hugged her tightly.
"I'm sorry, Mom…"
"My selfishness… I only think about myself…"
Her voice trembled.
Tears gathered at the corner of her eyes.
Xejo closed her eyes for a moment.
Then gently held her daughter.
"Even if you fall into darkness…"
"…I will never abandon you."
Those words—
Cut deeper than comfort.
Lata's chest tightened.
[I wish…]
[In my past life… I didn't abandon him…]
[But this time…]
[I won't lose again.]
They ate together after that.
The atmosphere slowly softened.
For the first time in a long while—
They talked freely.
Old memories.
Small stories.
Moments from the past.
But not a single word—
About Sana.
Then suddenly—
The television flickered.
A news broadcast interrupted the quiet.
Lata glanced at the screen.
"AI again… what's new this time?"
Xejo crossed her arms slightly.
"I heard there are AI living among us now… hiding as humans."
"With current technology… their skin, their hair—everything looks real."
Lata frowned.
"…Then how do we recognize them?"
Xejo shook her head.
"…It's difficult."
The TV continued:
"—No matter how advanced these artificial intelligences are…"
"…they still have a weakness."
Lata's eyes narrowed slightly.
Curious.
In her previous world, AI had only just begun to develop.
But here—
It had already gone much further.
And yet—
Everything related to AI had been restricted.
Abandoned by the government.
Because of the danger.
The screen flickered again.
"…Their weakness is—"