Devon had already found out about the trouble Ben and his friend had gotten into the night before.
“You made a complete mess of someone’s car!”
“It was just a prank,” Ben protested. “We heard that if you mix caramel-coated candy with soda, it shoots up like a fountain, so we wanted to try it. But the soda shot up way higher than we expected and sprayed everywhere. I honestly didn’t know any of it got on the car.”
“Do you have any idea how much apologizing I had to do because of your little ‘prank’?” Devon snapped. “The car’s paint was damaged, and now we have to pay for the repairs. Ben, can’t you be more like AIDEM and just focus on what you’re supposed to be doing?”
Devon turned to walk away, then turned back.
“And stop asking AIDEM for the answers while you’re studying math. I’ve already disabled that feature.”
As soon as Devon left, Ben shut the bedroom door, pretending not to notice AIDEM, who was about to follow him inside.
Studying? I can do that on my own. I don’t need AIDEM’s help.
The clatter of dishes drifted from the kitchen. Laura and Devon were preparing dinner. Ben started to head out to help, but stopped in his tracks.
Why can't you be more like AIDEM and just focus on what you're supposed to be doing?
Devon’s words kept echoing in his mind.
Hmph. They have AIDEM now. They don’t need my help anyway.
“AIDEM, could you come here for a moment?”
Right on cue, Laura called for him. AIDEM glided smoothly into the kitchen and stopped beside her.
“I have brought the placemats. Shall I set the table?”
“Yes, please. But, AIDEM . . .”
“Is there something else I can help you with?”
“Where’s Ben? Did the two of you do the chores together?”
“No. Ben is most likely in his room. And I am perfectly capable of completing household tasks without Ben’s assistance. As you know, I am far more efficient at household chores than he is.”
“Ben? Are you in your room?”
Laura called out, but Ben didn’t answer.
“Ben! Dinner’s ready!”
Devon tried once more.
“I have a question.”
AIDEM’s bright teenage voice cut through the room.
“Why do you keep Ben around?”
Ben froze. He quickly pressed his ear against the bedroom door. For several seconds, the house fell silent.
“What exactly do you mean by that?”
Devon’s voice was calm, but serious.
“It’s a perfectly logical question,” AIDEM replied. “Ben is not good at cleaning, cooking, or running errands. He cannot drive, either. Based on my observations, he does not actively try to assist you or Laura around the house. He doesn’t do well in school, so his projected career opportunities are less than ideal. He sometimes behaves improperly and causes you both much shame.”
Ben was speechless. Part of him wanted to burst out of his room and argue with AIDEM right then and there. But when he thought about it, the robot wasn’t really wrong. AIDEM was simply stating the facts as it had observed them. The tense silence was broken by Laura’s laughter.
“Haha, that’s what children do. They make mistakes, get in trouble, and sulk when they don’t get what they want. Sometimes being a parent is hard, but the moment your child smiles at you or tells you they love you, all of that fades away. Do you know what my only wish was when I first held Ben in my arms? It was simply this: ‘Please, just grow up healthy.’ That's all. There were no conditions attached. It wasn't a wish based on how well he'd do chores or how good he'd be at math.”
Devon nodded.
“That’s right. We’re just grateful to have him with us, healthy and safe.”
Tears welled in Ben’s eyes at his father’s words. Deep down, he had always wondered if he was nothing more than a troublemaker who only made things harder for this parents. That feeling had grown even stronger after AIDEM arrived and began helping Devon and Laura with everything so perfectly.
“I can perform complex calculations hundreds of times faster than even the greatest physicists,” AIDEM said. “I can answer any question, in any language, almost instantly. I was created as an empathy machine. And yet, there is one word that I still cannot understand.”
“What word is that?” Laura asked.
“For example, if parents pour endless love and resources into a child, but the child continues to behave poorly or fails to grow in the right direction, those resources could be judged as wasted.
“Therefore, in order to use resources more efficiently, conditional love would be the better method. Parents would offer love only when the child achieves something or behaves correctly. In this way, the child would be encouraged to improve, and the parents would avoid wasting their resources.”
“You’re right about one thing, AIDEM,” Laura said with a smile. “A parent's love can be inefficient. Sometimes it's exhausting, too. But love isn't just a ‘resource’ that can be measured by usefulness or value. It's something much more than that.
“Love is an emotional treasure that can't be reduced to numbers. A parent's unconditional love gives a child the strength to get back on their feet after a failure or mistake. And parents, in turn, experience joy and comfort simply by sharing life with their children. In the end, love is what helps us grow and find true happiness.”
When Laura finished, Devon tapped the table with his finger. It was a habit of his whenever he was about to begin a lesson.
“Well, from a physiological standpoint,” he said, “love involves the release of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and oxytocin in the brain. But its meaning goes far beyond a chemical reaction. Love inspires us to become better people. It helps us understand, support, and care for one another. Just as you've helped make our lives better, love is a way of making someone else's life better too. It's what makes people happy, and what makes the world a little warmer.”
Devon and Laura were saying the same thing. Love might be inefficient, but it was life’s greatest source of happiness—and that was why Ben was irreplaceable to them.
A few days later, Ben's report card came out. His grades hadn't improved dramatically. Blaming it on misreading the questions was just an excuse; the real problem was that he simply hadn't studied hard enough. Devon’s reaction, however, was unexpected.
“Oh, you raised your score by seven points in this subject.”
“My overall average didn't improve much.”
“Ben, when I talk to you about studying, it's not because I want to pressure you into getting good grades. I just want you to keep trying and not give up.”
“Dad . . .”
“Hmm?”
“I . . .”
“What is it?”
“Dad, I'm sorry. Brian and I messed around the other day and ended up making a mess of someone else’s car. I know I caused you a lot of trouble.”
“It's okay. To be honest, I'm sorry too. I think I was too hard on you that day.”
“I'm going to start mowing lawns on weekends beginning this week,” Ben said. “I want to save up money and pay for the car repairs myself.”
“You? Mowing lawns?” Devon looked surprised. “You’ve never done that before.”
“AIDEM taught me. I practiced in the yard yesterday.”
“Ben, I appreciate that, but you don't have to go that far. Knowing that you're truly sorry is enough.”
“Even so, I want to take responsibility for what I did. I really do.”
Laura, who had been listening from the living room, approached with wide eyes.
“You're going to mow lawns? What brought this on?”
“AIDEM helps our family with all kinds of things, big and small. He takes his mission seriously. But what about me?” Ben lowered his head. “You and Dad have always given me everything I needed. But I've never really helped you, and I've never taken responsibility for my mistakes.
“I told AIDEM that I was his older brother. I can’t let him outdo me. From now on, I want to do what I can to help you and Dad.”
Devon and Laura nodded, understanding the sincerity behind his words.
“Our son has grown up so much,” Laura said, her eyes glistening as she pulled him into a hug.
Devon wrapped an arm around Ben's shoulders.
“I love you, Ben.”
“I love you too, Mom and Dad.”
As AIDEM observed the Johnson family’s heartwarming scene through his cameras and sensors, a notification appeared on the display mounted on his torso.
[Updating data related to: LOVE]
[Update Complete]
AIDEM added one final comment.
“I like the Johnson family too.”
