AAE -- Wishes Of The Heart

Chapter 54

written by LoveCR2 -- 2005

edited by All-About-AAE -- 2017

 

"I'm never going to get it right! My brain will explode if I have to keep this up much longer!" -- Jin Sun-Mi

 

 

CHIEF KIM'S HOME IN SUBURBAN LONDON ...

 

"Let's go to McDonald's for a hamburger... we worked on 'hamburger' earlier, so let's try ‘McDonald' again, Sun-Mi," DORIS requests with a chipper voice. "McDonald's..."

 

"Maeg...do..nal...deu..." Sun-Mi butchers the pronunciation.

 

"Wrong," DORIS states, "listen closely, and pay attention... McDonald... McDonald..."

 

Sun-Mi tries altering her pronunciation to match DORIS's, "Mac...do..nal...duh..."

 

"Once more, Mac-Don-ald..." DORIS repeats the word slowly, saying each syllable distinctly. "This time stop looking elsewhere and focus on the images."

 

"How does she know where I'm looking?" Sun-Mi grumbles under her breath, thankful that DORIS hadn't said in Min-Cho's hearing exactly where she was looking, but still indignant at being scolded by a non-sentient object. "Since when is a computer so smart that it can read minds?"

 

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that!" DORIS responds sharply and then explains, "I don't have to read your mind, because my sensors track your posture, eye movements, lens curvature, and pupil dilation. Now, if you'll stop staring to your left, shall we get back to the lesson?"

 

At his desk, on Sun-Mi's left, Min-Cho grins...

 

"Er... Sorry," Sun-Mi apologizes, red-faced with embarrassment at being caught out.

 

Dutifully now, she pays closer attention to the multi-colored splotches, watching as they move in seemingly random directions over the clear acrylic visor of the headset as she repeats: "Mac...do...nal...duh...  Mac...do...nal...duh..."

 

"Wrong! Focus as I say it... Mac-Don-ald... Mac-Don-ald's... Now, try again, please..."

 

"Really, DORIS, how is this helping?" Sun-Mi refuses in frustration, "I must have said it 100 times already!"

 

"Don't exaggerate, Sun-Mi, it's only 37 times," DORIS corrects with the actual number. "Just try again, okay?"

 

Sun-Mi sighs, conceding she'll never win an argument with a computer. "Okay... Mac...don...aldu... Mac...don...aldu... How was that?"

 

"Better, but you're trying too hard. When it's right, it comes naturally," DORIS tempers her praise for the small improvement with only mild criticism. "Now close your eyes for a moment, and relax as you imagine the images moving correctly... Got it? Let's try once more..."

 

Sun-Mi does as instructed, reciting unenthusiastically, "Mac...don...aldu..."

 

"You sound tired, Sun-Mi. Take a short break, and we'll come back to this later," DORIS suggests.

 

"Actually, let's say we're done for today," Sun-Mi disagrees and quickly shuts DORIS off before the computer can contradict her.

 

 

Min-Cho looks up from his laptop computer. "You know, DORIS will scold you next time for doing that," he jokes. "Like a woman, she always wants the last word."

 

"What do you mean, 'like a woman'?" Sun-Mi gripes, speaking in English as required during the lessons. "YOU always seem to get the last word around here!"

 

Min-Cho declines taking the bait, and doesn't answer...

 

"Anyway, I don't care... I never knew conversation could be so exhausting," Sun-Mi remarks despondently as she removes the headset, "I'm never going to get it right! My brain will explode if I have to keep this up much longer!"

 

"Don't be too hard on yourself; you've already advanced to Step 2," Min-Cho tries to find a positive side.

 

"But I feel like I'm not learning anything... thinking about moving those colored blobs and repeating the same thing over and over."

 

"You've learned a lot in just a few weeks," he replies. "The problem is the level where you started from."

 

Irked, Sun-Mi gripes petulantly. "If you thought I was so bad, why agree to help me?"

 

"It doesn't matter how good or bad you were when you started, only that you're good when you finish. If my theories are right -- and I'm sure they are -- DORIS and I will make certain that you end up very good," he declares confidently.

 

Sun-Mi abruptly stands up, her face livid. "You... I've never met anyone so arrogant! I'm the one doing all the work, and yet you're taking all the credit for yourself!" she charges, reverting to Korean in her anger. "Don't you think that's too much?"

 

"If you had even an inkling of understanding about the science behind reprogramming the human brain and musculature memory that I'm trying to accomplish, you'd be thanking me for the privilege," he dismisses her complaint without a moment's consideration. "Instead I have to deal with your naive and childish attitudes, and frankly, I don't need that kind of bother!"

 

"I don't need it either!" she balks, eyes flashing in anger for being looked down on.

 

"Fine, if you think you're better off doing this by yourself, go right ahead!" Min-Cho dumps more fuel on the fire.

 

"I'd certainly be better off anyplace else, considering I'm treated here like an idiot, by you and by that... that stupid computer!" Sun-Mi spits out her frustrations.

 

Turning her back on him, she storms over to the study door. There she stops to glare at Min-Cho again...

 

"And about the other night... I was drunk, so just forget anything I said or did," she demands bluntly. "As far as I'm concerned, the unluckiest day of my life was the day I met you! ... Good day, Mr. Michael Atwater! I'll see myself out!"

 

 

With that, Sun-Mi storms out of the study, slamming the door behind her. Min-Cho listens to the rapping of her stacked-heel boots as she crosses the hardwood floor of the living room. A few seconds later, the front door opens and slams closed.

 

He goes back to his computer to continue working, but abandons the effort after a cursory attempt, turns to DORIS, and grumbles, "Why does she have to be so obstinate and illogical? Was I wrong about her?"

 

 

Then Min-Cho hears the front door open and close again, and footsteps briskly approaching the study, stopping just before a knock sounds on the door.

 

"Come in," he says, wondering why Sun-Mi has returned so quickly.

 

The door opens, but Sun-Mi just stands there, wearing her overcoat, holding her gloves. "My purse..." she says tersely, deliberately not looking at him. "On the floor..." she adds, but makes no move to come in.

 

"I'll get it for you," Min-Cho volunteers.

 

He gets up from his chair and brings the purse, handing it to Sun-Mi, asking, "Anything else?"

 

"No..." she snaps, but immediately changes her mind: "Yes..."

 

She hesitates, as if deliberating whether to continue or not, then surges ahead. "Actually, I have something to say..."

 

"I have something to say, first," he interrupts, taking charge. "You don't need to worry. I'll tell my uncle it happened because my program failed to work as expected, that I need more time before it's ready for actual use."

 

"You don't have to do that," she replies, raising her eyes to look at him. "It's my fault that I can't get it. I've always been slow at picking up new things... I'm sorry I've wasted your time."

 

"It wasn't a waste at all," he disagrees. "The data DORIS collected will be invaluable for continuing my research and improving the system. Actually, what you did is quite helpful; besides, I've learned a lot by watching you. I'm sorry if you feel differently, but I understand your frustration and wanting to quit..."

 

He pauses momentarily to think, then blurts out, "And I'm sorry that I upset you. I was rude..."

 

His step toward reconciliation leads her to reconsider, too...

 

"Despite what I said, I wasn't upset at you, but at myself," Sun-Mi apologizes in turn. "Actually, I was wondering... I don't have much else to do evenings, so would you mind if I come by sometimes, just to talk with DORIS and help out a little with your research?"

 

"Sure," he nods. "Actually I like the company when you're here. Spending all my time in the books gets boring fast."

 

Sun-Mi smiles and suggests, "Could we go to the club sometimes, too? My game can still use a lot of practice."

 

"I'd like that..." he agrees, smiling back, but is unsure whether to invite her in, or not, so stays non-committal: "Well..."

 

"Let's try it again. I'll put my coat back," she makes it clear that staying is her decision this time.

 

But as Sun-Mi turns to do that, her stomach rumbles loudly. She looks at him sheepishly. "Sorry, it seems to have a different opinion..."

 

"Keep your coat on. Let's eat something first," he says as he ushers Sun-Mi to the front door.

 

There, they stop for him to get his coat from the entry closet... "What are you up for?" Min-Cho asks her preference as he slips it on.

 

"Ever since DORIS mentioned food, I've been craving for a hamburger from McDonald's," she admits. "I'm famished!"

 

 

Min-Cho does a double-take and quickly asks: "What did you say, Sun-Mi?"

 

"That I'm famished?"

 

"No, before that."

 

"That I was craving for a McDonald's hamburger?" she repeats, and then it strikes her... "Did I just say... McDonald's?"

 

"By George, I think she's got it!" Min-Cho quotes Professor Higgins again.

 

Stunned, Sun-Mi looks at Min-Cho with utter amazement and exclaims, "Ohmigod... Min-Cho... DORIS really works!"