Posters were stuck to any surface possible, from wooden fences to store facades. The three faces smiled at Yifan as he unlocked the candy store, right at the height of his eyes on the green door. Bold letters told him the opening day for Steam Powered Rabbit’s first concert in China, just two weeks away. The colorful advertisement covered the sign signalling the store was opened, but Yifan didn’t mind as he trekked inside, his shoe heels clicking against the tiles that were polished just days before. It was going to be a peaceful day with people not aware that the store was operating, and Yifan greatly appreciated that. He wouldn’t have to turn the other way to Tao stealing samples or the shrill screams of children on a sugar high. He could take inventory and survey the store in silence, and perhaps, if he was lucky enough, sneak a nap in.

     Of course, his thoughts of a lonely day were interrupted only a half hour later, the bells on the brass doorknob singing when the wooden structure swung open. Yifan forced a smile, though his bushy eyebrows gave away his agitation, and turned away from where he was refilling the wall of jellybeans. “Welcome,” he called out, only registering two bodies before turning back to the glass tubes attached to the wall.

     “Wow, I never thought I would be seeing you again,” a voice rang from behind him, and Yifan took in a deep breath when he heard those metallic clicks following the quiet words.

     The store owner finally turned, and his thick brows rose when he found Yixing. Without his John Bull top hat, clad with brass goggles that sat on the brim, his black hair was slicked into place. It looked so natural, with a healthy sheen, as if it had actually grown out of his scalp. “Yixing?” Yifan muttered.

     “That’s what I was named, yes,” the robot hummed, leaving Yifan’s vision to go further into the shop, a human man trailing behind him. The man nodded his head in greeting to Yifan before a small wooden basket was ed at him by Yixing. “This is Jongin,” Yixing stated, picking one piece of taffy from each bucket and tossing it into the shopping basket. “He’s a Lee Robotics worker who takes care of me.”

     “Lee Robotics?” Yifan questioned, not daring to move from his spot in front of the jellybean dispensers. Instead, he leaned against the counter.

     “You don’t know?” Yixing turned to look at the owner. A smile played on his copper lips.

     “Well, yeah, everyone knows Lee Robotics,” Yifan stuttered, a hand raising to scratch the back of his neck. The company was the biggest in robotics in South Korea, and the first to establish itself in China. Almost every bot and mechanical device was developed by them. Of course he knew. “I just didn’t expect you to be from Lee Robotics.”

     “I was made when he was still a lone inventor named Lee Sooman,” Yixing chuckled, almost as if he was reminiscing, wandering to the counter with his loot of colorful taffy. He shot another smile at Yifan, who was immediately at the cash register, weighing the candy the moment Yixing handing it to him.

     “Why are you buying candy? Can you even eat it?” Yifan asked, wrapping the purchase in a green-and-brown striped box. A sticker with Wu Sweet Shoppe was stuck onto the top.

     A sudden steam rose from Yixing’s neck as he cocked his head with a grin. “I can taste it. I’m not as inhuman as your typical robot,” he looked down at the box before him, and rose to meet Yifan’s eyes again, “Mr. Wu.”

     Yifan slid the box across the counter, and Yixing gently placed his coins next to it. “You really are just like a human.”

     “Hmm. I think that’s the point. The more human I am, the more likely I am to just appear human.” Yixing took his purchase and waved an ungloved hand before leaving with Jongin, the bells singing their swan song as the door shut.

     He was too human, Yifan thought, staring at the spot the automaton previously occupied. He was too human to be a normal robot, and Yifan didn’t understand why he was so fascinated by a human made of metal.

⛭⛭⛭

     Yixing is a member of the troupe of singing automatons called Steam Powered Rabbit. He is the only robot from Lee’s original creations that has a Chinese influence, and, in turn, was the only one constructed by his hands in the country. Yixing was finished in October of 1896.

     Read more about Steam Powered Rabbit, and its other members, Junmyeon and Minseok, here.

     Yifan ignored the link at the end of the page and instead slid through the gallery of photos, each one of Yixing from different concerts and shows. He could see the progression of the bot, and how his face slowly changed with discoloration over the years. While the rusted blue color of his copper features was concentrated on his left cheek, it still ran down his face, dripping down his neck. The outfits Yixing wore during performances always resembled the time from which he was made, always black with red details. Yifan’s tablet almost fell out of his hands when the door to his apartment slammed open. He closed the explorer and shoved the device onto the coffee table, just in time to see Tao barging into his abode. “So,” the younger started, slumping down onto the loveseat adjacent to the couch Yifan was situated on, “How did you enjoy the concert? You left without saying bye to me.”

     “It was fine,” Yifan replied, not adding anything else.

     “I heard you talked to the robots. Aren’t they cool? Were you scared? I heard they were all made out of steam boilers.”

     “They’re… nice, I guess.”

   Tao sat up from where he was sinking into the cushions, shooting Yifan a look. His hands rested on his knee caps and he leaned forward, like a child telling a secret. “So are you a fan yet? Will you come with me to a real concert?”

     “No. You heard my rules from last night. We don’t talk about this, and you shut up.”

     “Yifan, come on, I saw how amazed you were when they were singing. They’re going to be performing so many more songs during the tour. Don’t you want to hear the range they have?”

     Very much, Yifan refrained from saying. He wanted to hear Yixing’s voice, and just how talented the robot was. He wanted to hear every pitch and octave, and he wanted to hear any language pour from those metal lips, even if Yifan could not understand what he said. He just wanted to hear Yixing.

     Perhaps, a little too much.

  Instead of continuing on with the subject of Yifan’s desires, the elder directed his words at his friend. “Maybe you just want to see that mechanic again. You were flirting with him.”

     Tao scoffed and threw himself against the back of the seat. “Him dominating the conversation and just talking about programming the robots? Yeah, definitely flirting.”

     “He was cute, at least.”

     “He definitely wasn’t your type.”

     Yifan stood up then, picking up his tablet and giving one last glare at Tao.      “Anyway, do you have a reason for barging into my house without any invitation?”

     Tao jumped up and smiled, “No. I just wanted to ask you to come to the concert. I’ll even pay for your ticket. It’s extra for a ‘Meet and Greet’ ticket. I’d even pay for that if you went.”

     “I’ll think about it.”

   “What are you, a mom? Say yes or no.”

     “Maybe.”

     “Yifan, oh my God-”

   “Fine,” Yifan groaned, interrupting Tao before he could start with a rant about how Yifan is a terrible friend and won’t even accept a bribe, what kind of a person doesn’t accept a gift like that? Certainly not any friend of mine. Yifan had heard the same rant so many times, he could recite the words on a stage. “I’ll go with you.”

     “Then,” Tao smiled, and acted as if he had a hat to tip, “I’ll see you in two weeks.”