Quondam

Abstract

This fictional story follows Robert, an advanced human-like robot, as he navigates the daily life of a human in contrast with the life he leads as a robot in a lab. Created by a scientist who dislikes humans for their flaws, Robert struggles with his identity as a human-like robot and a machine hoping to achieve the perfection of artificial intelligence. An encounter with a high school student introduces Robert to Quondam, a mysterious book that starts his curiosity about human emotions, experiences, and the idea of imperfection. As Robert unravels the truth about himself, he discovers that his creator has been hiding secrets about their shared past and Robert's true purpose. It is revealed that both the creator and Robert had been human once, but the creator regretted a mistake he had made, and thus decided to make them both perfect to eliminate future mistakes. Told through alternating perspectives, this story explores themes of humanity and the limits of perfection.