—One Year Later—

  At the LABO press center, a revolutionary new AI enhancement was being unveiled:

  The MAI-CO add-on unit.

  Journalists and government officials flooded the hall.

  Flashes burst like fireworks as the project leader, Dr. AMAGI, swept onto the stage in a white coat.

  On the massive screen behind him, images appeared:

  Brainwave analysis of MAI…

  and the radiant vision she saw in that final, fleeting moment.

  "I’m KENT, assistant professor under Dr. AMAGI and contributor to this project."

  Cameras whirred and turned toward him.

  "We analyzed impulse data from the subject’s final cognitive state.

  From those readings, we mapped neural circuits that led to the development of this new device.

  Following extensive trials, we are now proud to reveal it today."

  The professor joined KENT on stage and addressed the crowd:

  "Behold… the moment we captured the ‘heart’."

  Gasps rippled through the audience, followed by applause.

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  "Beautiful, isn’t it?

  When two young people love each other deeply, their impulses shine—

  illuminating not just the mind, but the world itself."

  AMAGI briefly closed his eyes and surveyed the crowd, visibly pleased.

  ---

  "You know, KENT…

  I used to think Japanese people just sort of… got born and went extinct without anyone noticing.

  But the government pushed back.

  Those ‘Stork Project’ dinosaurs in office—still trying to plug the birthrate gap."

  "But, Professor… this was MAI’s—"

  KENT tried to interject, but AMAGI waved him off with a smug smirk.

  "Gotta show some appreciation to our sponsors.

  Without those old geezers, we wouldn’t be here.

  Spare me the sentiment, KENT.

  Emotion hinders advancement."

  "…Understood."

  Next to him, another researcher nodded mindlessly.

  KENT clenched his jaw and fell silent.

  "…Maybe I really did reduce her to just data, after all."

  He stared at the floor, his expression painted with regret and self-loathing.

  ---

  AMAGI raised his voice to the crowd again:

  "But we’ve offered a new alternative to extinction!"

  A wave of camera shutters snapped.

  "We’ve embedded this phenomenon into AI.

  As a result, we observed autonomous caregiving behavior—motivated by emotional awareness."

  He beamed with self-satisfaction.

  "Trials in the adjacent hospital showed significant improvements and confirmed safety.

  We proudly announce this to the world."

  "Dr. AMAGI! May I ask a question?"

  A journalist in the front row stood with a mic.

  "You claim to have imbued AI with the ‘human heart.’

  But to what extent can we call it real?"

  The room fell silent.

  Dr. AMAGI smiled coolly.

  "‘Real’? You mean the ‘emotion’ you felt just now?

  If so, I believe… you’ve already answered your own question."

  The press conference video went viral.

  Thousands of likes rolled in across social media.

  "Here, take a look at the footage."

  The giant screen showed the moment MAI and SHIN embraced.

  The glow of their connection stole the breath from everyone watching.

  "That’s… kind of beautiful."

  "Oh, so that’s what love is, huh."

  "See? Humanity should evolve."

  A young journalist tapped at a tablet, uploading a clip to social media:

  “MAI-CO makes elder care feel human. Just got an upgrade!”

  The post exploded with likes.

  Farther back, a gray-haired politician murmured:

  "Love, huh…

  I always thought it was something like that.

  So that’s all love really amounts to, huh."

  "Indeed. This secures our future, doesn’t it?"

  "Yes. And solves the aging crisis to boot."

  They nodded in mutual satisfaction, unaware—or unwilling—to question any of it.

  ---

  It didn’t take long for humanoids with “hearts” to begin walking the Earth.

  And inside them, silently and quietly,

  still lived the faint echo

  of MAI’s heart.