“I think she’s looking at us” he returned the stare.

“You’re being stupid. Of course it’s looking at us.” Jiyong rubbed his hands together and cupped them around his mouth; exhaling a deep breath of hot air in to them.

It was winter in Seoul. The city was painted vividly with Christmas lights and a white blanket of snow. The two boys had ventured to this part of the city a year or so ago; partially for reaching their dreams, partially on a whim.

It was around this time last year that they had met each other in the flickering lights of the subway station they had just walked out of. The two college kids, Jiyong; who had come to the city to pick up his singing career, and Seunghyun; who had come to the city to start with a blank canvas, had been living together for a few months as they were already close friends and the cost of living alone was too great for just two young trainees to afford.

A swift gust of wind blew by and he felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. In the midst of his recollections he hadn’t noticed Seunghyun’s “game.”

The husky voiced man was staring back at the robot in the display case. He fidgeted around a bit to watch her eyes watch him move and follow him. He slowly put up his right hand and she followed suit. He made a bunny sign with two of his fingers and moved its “ears” back and forth. The robot smiled and carefully tried to manipulate her own fingers into the same shape.

“Hey, man, let’s go. It’s getting cold.” Jiyong nudged Seunghyun in the arm. The taller was clearly unaffected by the cold wind and continued to be mesmerized by the doe-eyed machine, “Seunghyun.”

“Ah, sorry.” He snapped out of his trance and turned to look at Jiyong. The robot’s sweet gazed stopped and she turned her head to look at Jiyong.

“C’mon.” Jiyong wasn’t at his best today anyway; he was down with a cold.

“Okay.” Seunghyun waited for Jiyong to turn around before he looked back to the robot. Her gaze was still following Jiyong’s feet and the footprints they left in the snow. Seunghyun signaled her by tapping on the glass lightly. Her gaze returned to be fixed on him. He watched her pupil lenses grow and shrink to refocus on his face; she smiled.

In some flurry of hand signals he tried to communicate that he had to leave. Her smile disappeared from her lips and she seemed to mouth something inaudible. Seunghyun bowed a bit to excuse himself and jogged to catch up with Jiyong who was already half a block away.

“P.BO3241984M…” Seunghyun read to himself, “the latest in technological advancements in human-simulation robots.” His fingers scrolled through the store’s website.

“Dude. It’s just a robot.” Jiyong rubbed his hair with a white checkered towel as he stepped into the apartment having just come back from the workout room on the first floor. A hot shower after a cold night and stifling practice would feel wonderful on his muscles.

“But she was a cute robot.” He laughed to himself, “She was just so interesting. She didn’t look like a robot.”

“Well,” Jiyong took a seat next to his roommate and flicked on the TV, “A robot is a robot, Seunghyun, go get a real girlfriend.”

“The latest humanoid robotic modeling, this is P.BO3241984M, or as her creator calls her, Park Bom, is a magnificent specimen to behold.” The news reporter said quickly into the microphone.

“She can recognize facial features and register different people into her internal memory,” said an old man, “She is able to respond to many different words and actions. Park Bom is able to learn like a human and adapt to human situations.” He smiled widely. His missing-toothed grin and wrinkles brought a humble effect to his features, “She is very special to me.”

“Why has she been put in this shop? Is she for sale? How much?”

He chuckled to himself, “of course she isn’t up for sale. I’m leaving her here to my son’s store for a bit while I finish recovering in the hospital. Hopefully she can bring him some much needed business.”

“Oh, that’s amazing.” The reporter’s interview was cut and shifted, “Many people have already acknowledged Dr. Park’s spectacular work.”

“Dude, dude, you’re on TV.” Jiyong shook Seunghyun’s arm wildly and pointed to the TV. It was just a short clip of him making hand signs and her responding. Seunghyun smiled.

“This young man demonstrated her motion tracking abilities. Bommie can follow instructions and do many things that normal humans can do.”

“You call your robot very affectionately.” She chided the doctor for a moment.

“Well, I’m sure anyone would be very attached to something which they’ve created. Like children, when you first have them they can be difficult, but once they grow up and develop, you will find it difficult to let them go.”

Jiyong switched off the TV and threw the remote to his side, “Get to bed soon.”

“It’s only 9.” Seunghyun looked at the clock and back at his computer screen. Jiyong was already out of ear shot and couldn’t hear him. The water from the shower switched on down the hallway and Seunghyun could hear Jiyong moan deeply as he stepped into the steamy water.

Suddenly, irrationally, oddly Seunghyun grabbed his bag from the hallway and strode out the door. He wasn’t sure where he was going.

The icy air stung against his lips and he pursed them in resistance. He puckered them and them warm as his long legs provided large strides down the street. The night-light spot-lights in which he always dreamed of standing in seemed to create pools of sunrays on the ground; contrasting with the monochromatic grey of the season.

His feet suddenly stopped and before he could realize where he was he heard a soft tap on the glass next to him.

Small hands were pressed up against the glass and a pink-lipped smile was directed at him. He turned to face the girl in the window. Her hands came off the glass and she perked two fingers up, wiggling them like the bunny ears he had made earlier. Seunghyun laughed to himself, returning the gesture.

The cars on the street provided a smooth vroom to the silent night. Their tires ran over the bumpy ground in a hurried fashion. Seunghyun wondered where so many people could be hurrying to at this hour. ‘Wouldn’t they just be happier not rushing? Enjoying life instead?’ he thought to himself.

A wave of water kicked up from the street as a black sports car made a sharp turn. Seunghyun was drenched in a mix of slush, dirt, and water. The robot’s hands shot up to ; showing that she was surprised. When Seunghyun turned around to face her again, she was gone. All he could see was the wave of the maroon satin curtain behind her.

A moment or so of shivering later, a young man emerged from the store.

“Are you okay?” he had come with a towel in his hand.

“Ye-yeah,” he stuttered, this guy in front of him was too young to be the shop-keeper; he was only a few years younger than himself. Seunghyun felt the warm towel wrap around him.

“I was leaving it next to the heater just incase something like this happened.”

“Thanks.” Seunghyun stuttered.

“Come in, I was just heating up some tea.” The young man ushered him into the small corner store. It was surprisingly warm for its cold decorations of glass and white walls. The barren walls were lined with little gadgets and electronics which were slick and shiny, “Like it?” he asked, noticing that Seunghyun had taken interest in one of the music players on display.

“Yeah, mine’s an older model. I’ve been thinking of getting a new one, but you know,” Seunghyun turned away from the wall to face the towel-giver, “money comes short nowadays.”

“Tell me about it.” He went into the back and came back out with two cups of hot tea.

“Thanks.” The tapping of his shoes walking across the wooden floor seemed incredibly loud in the quiet shop, but his footsteps weren’t alone, there was another set following behind his. Those footsteps were higher pitched, like stiletto heels walking on a ball-room floor.

Seunghyun stood next to the counter and carefully took his cup.

“Lee Seunghyun.” He smiled, “But you can call me Seungri.”

“Choi Seunghyun.” Seunghyun smiled back.

“Bommie, what are you doing?” Seungri chuckled. The robot was blowing on the glass, “Bommie, Bommie, stop.” He cooed.

The two men walked over to her. Her eyes were fixated on the glass in front of her lips. Her rib-cage heaved and her lips puckered as if she was blowing on the glass.

“Bommie is trying to create opaque drawing in glass.” She said with curiosity in her voice. Her eye brows pinched together as she tried again.

“She’s pretty amazing, huh?” Seungri admired the robot for a moment.

“Yes, she is.”

“I helped my grandpa make her. Of course, I did more watching than actually helping, but all the same, I had a lot of time to watch her grow.” Seungri’s eyes suddenly took on a sadder shade, “Bommie, you can’t do that, you’re not human.”

He pulled her gently to the side and blew on the glass for her. The feather-edged disk of fog appeared in front of his face, “You can draw on this, if you want.”

Her finger slowly went up to the circle and traced a smooth and symmetric heart on the glass, “Bommie wishes she could be human and blow on glass like Seungri-ssi.” He head tilted to the side as she watched the fog evaporate away and the heart disappear.

Seunghyun, in the middle of spacing out and watching Bom and Seungri, realized that his cup was searing his fingers. He put it back on the table to watch it cool off.

Deftly, the phone rang in the back of the shop and Seungri left to answer it.

Park Bom was still staring at the collected drops of moisture on the glass wall as if they were diamonds.

“B-Bommie.” Seunghyun called quietly as to not startle the robot.

She adverted her gaze and looked at him with a soft smile, “Hello. What is your name?”

“Choi Seunghyun.” He introduced himself.

“Nice to meet you, Choi Seunghyun.” She repeated. She seemed much less ‘human’ now than she did interacting with Seungri. Seunghyun supposed it was just part of her learning interface and that he was something new in her environment.

He walked over to the glass where she was standing unblinking. He put the hot cup of tea up against the wall, the rim of the ceramic cup was tangent to the wall. Its steam rolled up, gracing the flawless glass.

“See, you can do this without being human.” Seunghyun said in almost a whisper; as if he was choking on the words after a breath.

Bom took the cup carefully in her hands. Her fingers delicately bent to the shape of the white teacup as she held it still against the glass.

“Where did I put it?” Seungri mumbled to himself as he dug around behind the counter. Seunghyun jumped, only now taking notice of the shopkeeper’s son.

His lanky body drifted towards the young man, “Looking for something?”

“Just trying to take inventory before my dad gets back tonight.” He pulled out a box or two, Seunghyun wasn’t really paying attention, “I’m worried he’ll make Bommie go back to my grandfather.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah, ahjussi loves her, but in his current condition he can’t take care of Bommie. She won’t know how to adapt to that sort of environment.” He tallied the box on his clipboard and put it away again.

“I thought she could adapt to anything.”

“She can adapt to rational situations like things that are easily read and understood, such as holding things, responding to situations and emotions, but should my grandfather pass away, Bommie won’t understand.”

“Seunghyu-ssi, the tea has lost significant amounts of heat. It is not able to create the opaque glass.” Her head was turned towards them and she had taken the cup away from the glass.

“She doesn’t understand the concept of losing, of defeat, my grandfather wasn’t able to program that kind of thing before he fell ill. It would have been great if he could.” Seungri spun his empty cup on the table, “The concept of loss and how we feel when we lose things… it’s what makes us human.”

“Robots can’t be human.” A new voice had entered the room.

“Jiyong, what are you doing here?” Seunghyun turned around; the shock of Jiyong suddenly appearing was only momentary.

“You weren’t there when I got out of the shower.” He mozied over to where the two were standing, “I checked our whole apartment. I even went next door to Daesung’s house and called Youngbae.” Jiyong faced Seunghyun and Seungri “I figured you might be here.”

“Sorry I didn’t tell you.” Seunghyun scoffed and rolled his eyes. “This is Seungri, the shop keeper’s son.”

“Hello.” He bowed cautiously. The new arrival seemed quite agitated already, more disturbances might lead to unnecessary actions in his small shop.

“So you’ve been here playing with the robot this whole time?” Jiyong looked around the white-walled shop.

“Well, no. I was soaked earlier and Seungri took me in to get dry.” Seunghyun folded his arms; upset about his friend’s unwelcoming behavior.

“Thanks, Seungri.” Even Jiyong was surprised by the uncharacteristic words which slipped between his lips.

“You’re welcome, Jiyonggie.” Seunghyun sensed an odd air of familiarity between Jiyong and Seungri, but blew it off as just a lack of rest.

“So how’s gramps?” Jiyong leaned on the counter.

“Well, you know, he’s been better I can’t say too much else. I mean, he’s spent everyday in the hospital except for earlier today when the media started becoming incredibly interested in Bommie. She’ll attract attention for a while, but it’s only so long until someone thinks of stealing her or something.”

“Well, I hope your grandpa gets better soon.” Jiyong patted Seungri’s back and ruffled his hair.

“Do you two know each other?” Seunghyun shifted his weight between his feet.

Jiyong smiled, “Not at all.”

Seunghyun felt himself grow uncomfortable. The stillness of the shop was far-fetched. It seemed almost impossible for this level of motionlessness to exist.

Crrshhh.

The boys’ eyes moved to face a frozen Bom who had both hands at ; showing she was shocked again.

“I am sorry. The glass slipped from my hands. I miscalculated the grip strength.” She was monotone once again. Seunghyun supposed it was because she was unfamiliar with the stranger; Jiyong.

“It’s okay, Bommie, I’ll clean it up.” Seungri began picking up chunks of the ceramic cup from the floor. The shards of coarse terracotta were rough against his fingers.

“Do you need help?” Bom questioned above him.

“I’ll help him. You can stay there.” Jiyong bent down to help Seungri pick up the flakes. The two quickly picked up the larger shards and Seungri went to throw them away. Jiyong laid one finger flat on the floor and began sweeping the clay dust into his palm. He also walked to the back to wash off his hand in the bathroom sink; he left Seunghyun alone with the curious robot.

“Bommie, are you okay?” his husky voice startled her for a second.

“Bommie is fine.” She sighed.

“Have you met my friend, Jiyongie before?”

She processed the question for a moment. Seunghyun watched as her eyes went blank and then return back to their vibrant honey color, “Yes. Jiyong-ssi.  I’ve met him many times. He comes here for lunch often, almost everyday. He always runs in out of breath. He usually wears a tank top and grey sweatpants. More recently he comes in a black jacket. Seungri-ssi says that Jiyong is a close family friend of his.” Bom said quietly to Seunghyun whose eyes were wide with surprise. His eyes edged towards the back room where both Seungri and Jiyong were taking an awful long time to throw away a bit of ceramic. He swallowed back an awkward lump in his throat, coughing a bit to clear up his suspicions, “but you can not tell Seungri-ssi that I told you this. He will be unhappy.”

He didn’t know how to respond to her soft voice, “you have to promise.” She stuck out her hand.

He slowly removed his right hand from his pocket and hooked his pinky with hers. Their thumbs touched briefly and before Seunghyun realized it he had made a promise with something. Though in the short time he was in the shop he became conscious that he didn’t like referring to Bom as an ‘it’ or a ‘something’. When he looked into her glassy eyes, ‘it’ became ‘she’, became ‘her’ and ‘something’ became ‘someone’, became ‘special’, became warm.

“Seunghyun-ssi, why have you not released your hands? Are you feeling alright?” she asked unmoving.

“Y-Yeah, I’m fine.” He was cut off by Jiyong and Seungri returning in laughter.

“Seunghyun, it’s getting pretty late.” He hadn’t realized it, but the clock already read 12:19am, “I think we better get going and let Seungri close up shop.”

“Sorry I have to kick you guys out, but feel free to come back tomorrow.” Seungri held the keys in his hand, “Bommie, time to go home.”

The group of four walked slowly towards the door. The combined clatter of their heels on the wooden floor was rhythmic and hollow.

“Aish, it’s cold.” Jiyong blew on his hands as they stepped outside, “Let’s hurry home.”

------