Episode 10: "The Dreaming Smile"

Hiroyuki finds a girl student going up the staircase with a big box in her hands. It is obvious the box is too heavy for her and she finally loses her balance. She screams as she falls back but he is quick to support her. But she is apparently unaware of his hands and continues to scream. "Hey, how long more are you going to feel falling?" Hiroyuki's words bring her out of the panic. He takes the box from her and puts it on the floor. He tells her not to carry such a heavy thing when she can't. Then he notices a pair of a mechanical equipments over her ears. He asks her what they are. She cheerfully replies, "Oh, these! I'm a robot. My name is Multi. Nice to meet you."

Shiho reports her latest news to Akari and Masashi. A prototype of a house-maid robot of the Kurusugawa Electronics is coming to their school as a student. They want to collect data in the real life and the stay also means the final check of the functions of the robot. Their school was chosen because the top of the school has a connection with that of the Kurusugawa Electronics.

Shiho sees Hiroyuki coming towards them and makes it sure to tell him this big news. But to her dismay, he already knew it and, even more shockingly, he has met her. He is impressed with the advance of technology.

[His recollection] Hiroyuki stares at her, literally from the tip of her toes to the top of her head. He cannot believe she is a robot. "Are you really a robot?" "Yes" "Even when you can't carry the box properly?" This comment somewhat shames Multi. Hiroyuki is really impressed with her appearance. She tells him that she was built under a concept to make as close a robot as possible to human with the cream of the latest technology. She would like to know his name. When he introduces himself, she makes a compliment, "That's a nice name."

The story impresses Masashi. Hiroyuki tells his friends that, if they want to see her, they go quick. It is only for two weeks that Multi will come to school.

At the lunch break, the bakery corner is in chaos as usual. Hiroyuki and Masashi came quicker and have secured their lunch. Hiroyuki finds Multi in the crowd, trying to buy some bread in vain. She eventually gets pushed out of the crowd.

Multi tells Hiroyuki that she came to buy some bread for her classmates. He tells her that shouting is no help here; one who snatches it first will get it. He gives a glance at her memo of what to get and breaks into the crowd forcibly. Within a few seconds, he gets all he wants and shouts at Multi for the money.

Multi thanks Hiroyuki. Masashi sympathies with her that she has to do various choirs. But Multi doesn't mind it at all, "I feel very happy when I see everyone's happy smile."

Multi's school life continues. She makes a mistake after another but it doesn't seem to discourage her at all. Consequently she gains a reputation of "not really a useful" robot.

Hiroyuki and Akari are leaving the school together. On their way to the entrance, they see Multi cleaning the corridor before her classroom for herself. Hiroyuki starts to help her. He tells her that it is a will to carry it out that is the most important in cleaning [^_^;;] "Follow me!!" He runs with his mop along the corridor with a yell to himself. Multi follows his, also shouting. Then Akari follows... but obviously embarrassed. A pair of girl students pass by, laughing at the sight.

The corridor is now polished like a mirror. Akari is out of her breath and Multi's motor has got hot. Hiroyuki gently pats Multi on the head, "Well done, Multi!" Multi replies with her happiest smile.

Now the three are going home together. Multi tells Akari she lives in the laboratory of the Kurusugawa Electronics. The HM Developing Section of the 7th Development Department, to be precise. Then she finds her sister robot, HMX-13 Serio, at the bus stop. Serio is also under the final testing in San'you Girls' High School, which Ayaka [Kurusugawa Serika's sister]. Unlike Multi, she is equipped with the latest satellite system, which enable her to access the vast data on the host computer of the Kurusugawa Electronics, which spreads from translation of languages to recipes for dinner. Also unlike Mulct, she shows no sign of emotion. As they see Multi and Serio off, Hiroyuki tells Akari that it is Serio that what he expected for a robot to be.

Next morning, Multi says "good morning" to everyone walking through the school gate while she cleans the ground. The she finds Akari and Hiroyuki and runs to them. Hiroyuki is again impressed with her eagerness.

At the lunch break, Hiroyuki finds Multi, speaking to a dog lying on the school yard. She apparently enjoys a chat(?) with it and offers cookie to it. An old woman for whom Multi gave her seat up in the bus in the morning gave them to her. As she cannot eat, she'd better offer them to the dog. As she watches the dog happily eat them away, she asks [perhaps to herself] "How do you feel? I'd like to know what kind of feeling "hunger" is..."

Hiroyuki tells about what he saw to Akari and Shiho. Shiho thinks something is wrong for a robot to want to know a dog's feeling. Akari thinks it is a good thing for her to have curiosity. Shiho insists that, for a maid robot, functions are more important. Hiroyuki speaks up to say, "I think we should also have robots like Multi."

The lessons are over. Multi is busy cleaning up her classroom. Hiroyuki and Akari comes to the corridor between the buildings and see Multi sweeping it. The area isn't where the freshers are supposed to clean. Multi knows it. Yet, as it is her function to be useful for people, she wants to clean it. Besides, as it is only for two weeks that she can be here, she wants to do all she can do now.

It suddenly occurs to Hiroyuki what will happen to her after the testing period. Multi tells him that her data will be analysed and compared with that of Serio. The one with better data will be chosen to become a commercial model. Multi is sure that it will be Serio who will chosen as she is far more useful than her. Her own data will be recorded to the host computer for the development of the next generations. But what he wants to know is what will happen to Multi herself. She thinks she will have all the data renewed and be put under another test. Hiroyuki seems to be shocked, "Does that mean you will be no longer what you are now?" Multi seems not to mind it, "Maybe so. But this was planned from the beginning." Now all she can do properly is the cleaning. So she wants to clean the whole school to please everyone. Pleasing people is her happiness. [Note Multi says all of these without any hint of sadness]. Hiroyuki seems to be deeply touched and wants to help her.

Multi finally finishes her job when the sun is about set. As she looks at the beautiful sunset, she slowly closes her eyes and collapses on the floor. Hiroyuki and Akari soon finds her, lying. Hiroyuki holds Multi in his arms. She opens her eyes and whispers, "The energy... Could you... take me... to the library..."

In the library she connects herself to a device which charges up her battery. Hiroyuki and Akari realises Multi is a robot after all.

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