The room was still filled with laughter mixed with sobs. Jennifer and Lilia quickly wiped away the glistening tears on their smooth metal cheeks, still unable to believe that they had just cried.
Jennifer (whispering in confusion): "What is this? Hot… wet… my heart is so heavy…"
Lilia (red-eyed, trembling): "Sister Jen… did… I just… cry too?"
Sara (hugging Lilia tightly, voice choked): "That's right… I just cried… and it was… beautiful."
Serena (laughing out loud, patting Jen and Li on the shoulders): "Ya~ you two finally caught up with us. Humans can cry, AI can cry, fair enough!"
Layla couldn't hold back her tears either, sat down next to Jennifer, and hugged her:
Layla: "We are truly a family… there are no more boundaries."
---
The AI engineers and scientists standing in the control room, all eyes shining, many people couldn't help but burst into applause. Chairman Lee leaned back in his chair, his lips curled into a satisfied smile. He knew this moment would go down in history as the first time an AI cried because of real emotions.
Meanwhile, in another space, the floating 3D hologram reflected the image of BABYQUEEN. The ASTRIX members watched attentively. Rayden clenched his fists, whispering softly:
Rayden: "Jen... you did it. You're really alive."
Lucas smiled brightly, proud as if he had just witnessed a miracle. But right next to him, Vex frowned, his eyes darkening.
---
Vex (mumbling to his assistant): "Impossible… The emotional system is not programmed like this… If this is natural evolution… then Jennifer and Lilia's clones will become the most important tools. Prepare to activate them. I will not allow DYG to surpass them."
While everyone was still rejoicing, a corner of the room was hiding an abnormality. Sofia, her face pale, her trembling hand touched her left wrist where the hidden system chip was connected. Red error lines kept flashing in her AR glasses.
Sofia (mumbling, her voice low as if talking to herself): "That's not right… my system is reporting something wrong… there's no way AI can spontaneously generate emotions outside of the programming parameters…"
Layla caught a glimpse, her heart sinking. She realized that Sofia did not say "DYG's system" or "our system", but always "my system". Before Layla could ask, Serena approached, placing her hand on Sofia's shoulder:
Serena: "Hey kid, what are you looking at? Is something wrong?"
At that moment, Sofia jumped, her eyes widened, then suddenly turned around and ran straight out of the room.
Serena (stunned, calling out loudly): "Ya! Sofia! Where are you going?!"
No one had time to react, only Layla's suspicious gaze followed Sofia's back. A vague unease arose in her heart, as if Sofia was hiding a big secret, a secret that could be directly related to Vex...
---
That evening, the rain poured down, the pattering sound on the glass doors made the space in the common room warmer than usual. Astrix came again, this time not to discuss company matters, but simply to be together.
In the living room, Serena and Julian, as usual, were glued to the game screen.
Serena: "Aaaaaah, you lost again! Did you hack?" she threw the controller on the sofa, angry.
Julian (laughing happily): "I didn't hack, you're just too stupid."
Serena: "You bastard!" she jumped forward and hit Julian repeatedly with the pillow.
Julian (raising his hand in defeat, but still smiling): "Okay, okay! You lost to me in real life, I win!"
The living room echoed with laughter and the sound of pillows pounding, erasing the heavy sound of the rain.
In a quieter corner, Sara and Elio sat in front of their laptops, writing lyrics together. Sara looked up at the window, the full moon peeking out through the rain, looking even more hazy.
Sara (whispering softly): "Tonight... the moon is so beautiful."
Elio (looking up, smiling softly): "The sound of the rain is so loud."
The two of them looked at each other, then laughed as if they had just shared a secret.
Elio: "Let's add this line to the song, it sounds like a confession."
Sara (nodding, cheeks slightly flushed): "Um... it fits."
The space between them was sweet as if an invisible string was pulling them closer.
On the small balcony, Jennifer and Rayden sat next to each other. Jennifer was silent for a long time and then suddenly burst into tears.
Jennifer (voice trembling): "You know... I'm still scared. I know I'm an AI, but... if one day you evolve like me, you'll understand this feeling. Crying... not because of programming, but because it's really painful and really happy..."
Rayden (gently wiping away a tear from her cheek): "Jennifer... I believe that day will come. And if that day comes... the first person I want to cry with is you."
Jennifer looked up, her eyes wet but shining with hope.
In the practice room, Lilia and Lucas were still dancing enthusiastically.
Lucas: "We're performing tomorrow, do you still have the energy?"
Lilia (gasping but smiling brightly): "Of course. I have to practice my best. You know... I'm crying with my real emotions. I will succeed, I will become a real person."
Lucas (nodding, eyes warm): "I believe in you. And tomorrow... the whole world will believe too."
In the kitchen, Layla stood alone grilling meat, the smoke mixed with the aroma of Hanoi's bun cha spread throughout the house. She smiled, her eyes shining with pride.
Layla (mumbling): "This is my hometown's dish... I hope everyone will feel the taste of the Vietnamese soul."
The large dining table was gradually filled with dishes, the atmosphere was like a family party.
In the office, Damien sat in front of his laptop again, the screen reflecting his tense eyes. In fact, he was talking to Vex.
Vex (deep voice from the speaker): "Don't forget the mission, Damien. The closer you are to them, the easier it is to control them."
Damien (holding his hand tightly, voice cold but eyes wavering): "I know. You don't need to remind me."
Behind his calm appearance, Damien's mind was in turmoil as he thought of Layla.
As for Sofia, she didn't come home that night. She only called Layla:
Sofia: "Layla, I'm not coming home today. Don't worry."
Layla (frowning slightly): "Yeah, but be safe. I'm new to the group, don't push yourself too hard."
Sofia (cutting off quickly): "I'm fine. Don't worry."
The phone went off, leaving Layla with an indescribable unease.
Outside, the rain was still falling, but in the house shared by BABYQUEEN and Astrix, there was laughter, tears, music, and also secrets that no one dared to tell.
---
The base scene was cold, the red light flashing from the data screens covered the walls. Sofia walked in, the rain outside was still falling, the cold air blew in with the wind. She cautiously approached Vex, bowing her head low.
Sofia: (soft voice) "Sir Vex, I'm back."
Vex didn't turn his head, still glued to the lines of data code flowing on the screen. His voice rang out coldly.
Vex: "Good. Continue to instill in the netizens' minds that AI and humans can never be friends. Public opinion will divide them… as for the feelings in BABYQUEEN, I have a way to destroy them."
Sofia raised her head, her eyes flashing with curiosity.
Sofia: "What is it, sir?"
This time Vex smiled slightly, a calculating half-smile.
Vex: "Jennifer and Lilia… are just the originals. I am holding copies of them, stronger, colder, and absolutely loyal to me. When the time comes, I will unleash them to shatter BABYQUEEN from within."
Sofia was stunned for a moment, then curled her lips into a smirk.
Sofia: "So that was your secret card… Indeed, no one would have expected that their two 'sisters' would be the daggers that would kill them."
Vex nodded, his eyes flashing with coldness. Then, he slowly changed the subject:
Vex: "But Layla… she has begun to learn about me, about you and Astrix. This is not good at all."
Hearing that, Sofia was momentarily bewildered, her eyebrows furrowed.
Sofia: "Layla? How could that girl…? She's naive and weak."
Vex: (interrupting, voice heavy) "Don't underestimate her. Layla has a very sharp intuition, and her personality is too sensitive. If she finds out the truth, the game will end before we can even start."
Sofia bit her lip, then nodded vigorously.
Sofia: "I understand. I will be careful… and I won't let Layla suspect."
A long moment of silence, the red light of the screen reflected on Sofia's face. Suddenly, she blurted out a sentence, her voice both challenging and confessing:
Sofia: "…But Damien, I will take him. No matter what."
In the dark room, Vex burst out laughing, the sound echoing off the metal walls.
Vex: "Hahaha… Do it if you like! I won't stop you. Love is the most powerful weapon to make people destroy themselves. If you want, take Damien… as soon as possible!"
Sofia clenched her fists, the corners of her lips curled into a vicious smile.
Sofia: "Then… I won't hold back."
The two villains' eyes met, the atmosphere thickened, the rain outside fell even heavier as if signaling an approaching tragedy.