Two mechanic eyes blink as they focus on a particular human in the lab.

The human is currently writing a report on a hologram screen projected by a little palm-sized device. He’s wearing thin glasses on his nose. His gaze is centered at the screen for a short period of time before he looks away at one of the co-workers that are standing beside him.

He doesn’t know who the particular human is, though. He had only seen him a couple of times from afar.

“How long ‘til his arm is back?” – He hears the human speak to the other man beside him.

“It’ll be attached in a few days.” – He receives a reply.
Both humans turn their heads to him and the one wearing glasses looks at the empty spot where an arm is missing: “Seriously, whose idea was to place an AI’s vocal projector in the machinery of their left arm?”

“Hey, not everything in this world is perfect, alright?” – The other man scoffs and uses the inside of his palm to tap the other human’s back. The AI returns his focus from the hand, to the face of the human wearing glasses. He’s also staring back at him.

“Just call me when he can speak again, okay?” – He hears said human speak, and then watches him stand up from the chair and exit the lab.

 

 

 

The next time he sees the same man is 4 days, 9 hours and 24 minutes later. The AI isn’t aware that he’s calculated the time passed since the last time he had seen the human until the moment he finally sees him again.

This time, again, he’s closed in a glassed space and sitting on the ground when the other walks over to him. He stands up when the other stands in front of the glass.

“Hello, BH-1” – He’s being greeted.

“Hello.” – He replies.

The human moves his look from the AI’s eyes to the arm to his side and asks: “How’s the arm?”

“Excellent.” – He gives the human an answer and lifts his arm slowly to demonstrate the functionality. He forms a fist with his palm and then swirls the arm from beneath the elbow to the side. The human watches with amusement and removes his hologram device from his pocket to type in something.

“That’s great.” – He gives him a little comment and proceeds typing.

The AI looks up from the human’s fingers to his face and notices how the end of the little strand of hair on his forehead curls a bit to the side. He scans the exact color of his hair: #1E0C07.

The human looks up at him and blinks a few times before giving him a little smile.

“How long have you been in sleep mode?” – He asks the AI.

“3 months.” – He gives the human an answer.

The human looks back into the hologram and bites the inside of his cheek, it seems only normal for the AI to copy that action, even though he knows that it is one of the many human facial movements he’s been programmed to be able to perform.

The thing is – he doesn’t understand why that action matters.

“Do you know why you’ve been shut down in the first place?” – He gets another question from the human.

“There are a few changes I’ve went through. One of which is the skin.”

He looks down at the skin covering his legs. He lifts up the white material of his shirt to see that his waist has remained see-through. His right arm is covered with skin, his left forearm including the palm is covered in skin as well, yet it’s all robotic from the elbow – up to the shoulder.

“Yes, you have a unique face now as well.” – The human says with a nod and the AI places a palm on the side of his cheek: “I’ve noticed that, but I don’t know what I look like. They didn’t give me a mirror.”

The human smiles and points at his own hair, to which the AI nods once and says: “And now I have hair, to which I also don’t know the color of.”

“Don’t worry.” – The human says and closes the hologram screen. He then returns the device in his pocket and says: “You will soon.”

The AI remains alone in the glassed room inside the lab for 5 hours after that.
When he hears the door open later that day, he turns around and walks over to the glass, he sees one of the assistants that work here walk inside the lab and head over to him.

“Hey, BH-1. Are you ready to go outside?”

The AI blinks once and nods almost eagerly. “Of course, I’ve been sitting here doing nothing for days.”

He watches the human walk over to one of the computers; he presses a button on the touch screen. The automatic glass door opens for the AI and he slowly makes a careful step outside, taking in the new surroundings.

“Well then, I would say you’re ready, just a tiny bit of preparation.” – The human adds a cheery comment and quickly runs over to the other side of the lab to grab a suit designed for the AI.

“Put this on, I’ll be waiting outside.” – He tells him and walks out, leaving the AI alone. A few seconds later, the AI changes into the new attire and looks at the door. He starts walking towards it, but then stops his steps and turns to the side.

At the end of the lab there is a little bathroom that the humans use, so he walks over there in hopes to see a mirror.

He stands in front of his mirror and lets out a tiny gasp at his new look.

His eyes travel from the reflection of his eyebrows, to his nose and then lips. He opens his mouth to see a red colored tongue, as well as a set of perfect straight teeth. When he closes his mouth – he spots a tiny dark brown dot at the line of his upper lip.

Leaning closer, he concludes that it’s a mole.
“Humans have moles.” – He says out loud.

Stepping back a little, he nods to himself. “I do look human.”

He’s greeted with the same man outside. “Let’s go.” – The man says and they start walking down the bright hall.

Taking an elevator up, they arrive at a medium sized hall. “I’ve brought you guys the robot.” – The man beside him raises his voice a little and the little group of people turn to face him and the human. The AI immediately recognizes all of them, he also recognizes the man with the glasses, only he doesn’t know his name.

“Thank you, Chanyeol.” – One of the men says and walks over to the AI. “Do you know who I am?” – He asks slowly.

One of the humans sighs and then says: “He went through some bodily changes, Junmyeon. He didn’t lose his memory.”

The rest of the humans laugh and the AI nods once. Humans sure laugh at everything – He noticed.

“I know who all of you are.” – He says before turning his head to the man wearing glasses. “But you never told me your name.”

“Let’s drop the introductions for some other time; we need to run some quick tests on you first, BH-1.” – Junmyeon says and places a hand on the AI’s shoulder, he points towards the end of the hall: “This way.” – He adds and the AI starts walking along with him and the rest of the group, minus the man he doesn’t know the name of.

 

 

 

“Kim Jongdae.” – He hears the man say after greeting him once he walks inside the other’s concealed room that night.

The AI sits up from the bed and watches the human come closer to one of the chairs across the bed.

“Your name?” – The AI asks and crosses his legs Indian style on the bed. The human nods once and looks down at the floor. “I apologize. We didn’t have a proper introduction.” – He says and looks up at the AI.

The AI’s lips lift up into a tiny but noticeable smile. “I suppose its okay.” – He says quietly and looks to his side. “You’ve been visiting me for a couple of times before I got my voice back, so I know you from the first time you walked into the lab. I guessed that you are somebody new.”

Jongdae nods. “Yes, I am. I mean, I am new for you. I worked on your looks.” – He says and the AI looks closer at him. “You mean, you designed my face?” – He asks, his voice in a slightly higher pitch due to a little excitement.

“That’s correct.” – Jongdae says with a little laugh, his eyes forming into tiny crescents just for a second there. “I created every human component on your body. Your hair. That includes your eyebrows and eyelashes, your eyes, your mouth, and the skin itself, of course.”

“In that case, thank you. I like the way I look.” – The AI says.

“That’s because you’ve been programmed to have self-esteem. You will always like the way you look.”

The AI frowns.

“Programmed? I truly like what I see in the mirror.” – He says. “I might’ve been programmed to like my face as a whole, but I also like the tiny details. More specifically, this mole.” – He points on the top of his lip. “I like that mole. I’m not programmed to like it as a detailed particle. I just do.”

The human hums to the other’s words, he seems to understand what the other is trying to say.

“I like that mole, too.”

 

 

 

The AI sees Jongdae 4 days later, when he walks into the lab where he first saw him.

“Hello.” – He greets the human.

“Oh, hey.” – Jongdae greets back, standing up from the chair with a cup of coffee in his hand. “You came.”

“Yes, I was told to come here.”

The human places the cup of coffee on the desk and says: “I just need to do a little check-up. Nothing to worry about.”

He’s walking towards a chair used for examination. “Come here, sit down.”

The AI takes a seat and the human puts on gloves. He stands in front of him and places his hands on the side of the AI’s head. He turns on the lights and inspects the other’s face up close. “No sign of skin damage.” – He mumbles to himself.

He looks into the AI’s eyes and says: “Your sight?”

“Normal.”

Jongdae nods once and then uses his fingers to test the stretchiness of the skin on his cheeks. He then places a finger on top of the AI’s lip. “Open up.” – He says quietly and the AI obeys. “Good, good.” – Jongdae says as he checks the teeth.

The AI closes his mouth and Jongdae places his gloved hands on each side of the AI’s temples. Looking around, he makes sure the AI’s hair is normal before going around him to check his neck and then the ears.

“Do you have trouble hearing?” – He asks.

“No, I hear perfectly fine.”

“Good. Your ears are okay.” – Jongdae notes.

He stands in front of the AI and smiles. “You seem to be just fine. You may go now.”

The AI stands up and watches the other go over to one of the touch screens of the lab’s computer. He starts typing something in, almost forgetting that the AI has remained in place.

He stops and turns his head to the side to see the AI looking around the lab. “You’re not leaving?” – He asks a little confused.

The AI turns to look at him. “Must I? Can’t I stay here a little longer?” – He asks the human, his voice a little softer. “I have nothing to do today.”

Jongdae raises both of his eyebrows and blinks once. “Oh, you want to hang out? I suppose you can stay, then.” He turns back to the screen. “It must be really boring to stay in your room all day anyways.” – He says sympathetically.

“Yes.” – The AI says and walks over to the human.

He watches him type on the screen for a bit before giving the cup of coffee a glance.

“What does coffee taste like?” – He asks the other curiously and carefully picks up the cup. His eyes scan the dark substance and he brings it closer to his nose to give it a smell. He detects nothing but the ingredients of it.

He doesn’t register smells. These are one of those times he wishes he could feel things the way humans do.

Jongdae is looking at him when he smells the coffee and his lips curl up into a light smile. “Coffee is...” – He begins but stops, not knowing where to go with it.

“Coffee tastes like a strong punch in the face, its taste brings back your focus, and you feel sort of, alarmed.”

The AI appears like it understands. He places the cup back on the desk and looks at the human.

“You don’t seem to look alarmed right now.” – He says and the human laughs.

“You made a joke.” – He points out and laughs once again. “And, you’re correct. I think that the coffee can punch me as much as it wants to, I’m still very tired.”

To that, the AI’s expression softens, he places a hand on the human’s shoulder and quietly says: “In that case, you should go and rest.”

He knows that humans have a different kind of energy compared to his own, which can be easily recharged.

Jongdae looks at his hand and slowly moves his gaze towards the AI, he lets out a little sigh and looks down at his own feet, the AI notices how the human uses his fingertips to scratch his own knee. “I guess I should.” – Jongdae says, looking up at the other.

 

 

 

The two see each other once more in 8 days when according to Jongdae, it’s time for another check-up for the AI. Only this time, Junmyeon is present. The AI has his skin tested out by Jongdae in front of Junmyeon that day.

“Everything looks great, Dr. Kim, his skin is fully adapted to his body. It hides the fact that he’s entirely metal from underneath, no one will ever tell he’s not human when they look at his face.”

The AI looks at Junmyeon who sighs to himself and places a gloved hand on the AI’s cheek. “I can tell he’s not human, Jongdae. His face looks too perfect to be true.” – He says, looking at the man next to him with a little laugh erupting from his mouth. “You really put a lot of effort in it. He looks super attractive.”

The AI notices Jongdae roll his eyes, a sign of annoyance. “Dr. Kim…” – He says.

“I’m just kidding, Jongdae!” – Junmyeon exclaims quite loudly as he stands up and pats Jongdae on the back a little too hard. “Loosen up a bit, will you? I was complimenting your work.”

He starts walking outside the lab and Jongdae watches him go through the exit before lowering his head and muttering a ‘Thanks’.

“Do I really look attractive?” – The AI asks, curious to know if the humans in fact thought like that.

Jongdae stares at him for a couple of seconds, and then his eyes quickly look away as he blinks a few times. He bites the inside of his cheek again, the AI watches him as he exhales quietly. “Yes, you are. You’re very attractive.” – He replies, not looking at the other.

He seems nervous, uneasy – the AI believes.
“Am I making you feel nervous?” – He asks.

The hum