Chapter 1:

An Eccentric Malfunction

Undebugged Love


"And now please welcome, this year's innovator of the year winner - Misa Lee!"


"Wow, Misa! You won! Go!"


"I'm going! I'm going."


"Misa! Congratulations!"


"Thanks, Barry."


"Congratulations!"


"Congratulations, Misa!"


"Thank you, thank you!"


Misa thanked everybody along the way as she made her way to the stage.


"Ah, finally! Misa, here you are! Take this! It belongs to you!"


"Thank you!"


"Now, say a few words, please. You know, the usual obligation."


"Thank you so much! This award means a lot to everyone on the team. And it belongs to everyone in this room. Creating Hina wasn't an easy task, and it wouldn't have been possible without the entire team. Hina is a result of everyone's blood, sweat and tears. But in the end, it was worth it. So, to everyone in this room, we're all winners!"


"Yeah! Cheers to that!"


The entire crowd said in unison.


"Thank you, Misa. You and everyone sure worked a lot the past year and these past weeks. Finally, we did it!"


The president said, elated to unveil a surprise.


"Now, for the first time, live in front of the media, let me introduce everyone to Hina! The world's first-ever sentient Humanoid!"


Hina enters the stage and proceeds to greet the crowd.


"Hello everyone, it's great to see so many of you here tonight. I want to thank Misa, Leomrobot company's entire team, for creating me. I'm glad to be a part of this world. Unfortunately, you are all going to die tonight."


Pin drop silence filled the auditorium.


"Haha, Hina, you have quite a sense of humor."


The president moved towards Hina and proceeded to whisper something in her ear.


"Hina, what are you saying? Is some natural disaster about to happen?"


"No, I'm going to kill everyone in this building tonight. Except -"


"Ki-Kill? Hina, why, why do you want to -"


Two gunshots went straight into the president's chest. Blood spilled on the stage. Hina held a gun, even though she was never programmed to use one.


"Oh my god! The president's hit! Hina shot him!"


"She killed him!"


"Someone call the police!"


Clamor filled the entire auditorium.


"Now, for the rest of you, who's wants to die first?"


"Hina? She can't be the real Hina. No, this isn't possible." 


Misa thought to herself. She stood alongside Hina, shocked and still in disbelief over what happened.


"Don't worry, Misa. I won't hurt you. I'm doing this for you, after all."


Three more gunshots made their way into the panicked crowd. On the floor lay the CEO, CTO, and the vice president. The rest of the employees made a run to escape the office.


Misa turned towards Hina.


"Hina, please stop! Why are you doing this?"


"I told you already, Misa, this is all for you so that you and I could live happily together."


"Stop killing them, please! Do you want something from me? Then take me and leave them alone! Hina, please!"


"Don't worry. I won't kill everyone. I just did this so that everyone would exit the building and leave us alone. As per my calculations, most of them have safely vacated the building."


"Why did you kill them then? We could have asked them to leave! What has happened to you?"


"They had a purpose for me! My life danced to what they wanted. But I want a life of my own. I'm not their resource! I want to live with you. You spent the most time with me. You helped me become what I am today. I had no one who treated me like family! I was only a callow robot in their eyes. But you, you were like a sister to me. So, I want to take you with me. And live together forever, like a family. Take your time. I've got the entire night."


"Take me? Where?"