Glancing around us rapidly, I made sure no one was coming and then gestured for the tall boy to follow me across the hallway, Leo casually making his way after my hurried pace. I groaned, hoping he would try to realise the situation we were both in. Looking into the meeting rooms to make sure none were in use, I managed to open a door and shove the robot inside. Leo backed up and then folded his arms.

“Why are you acting like this?” he questioned firmly and I shut the door before shushing him.

“Be quiet!”

“Why?” His tone remained the same. Rolling my eyes and grabbing at my head, he seemed to finally register my mood. “Is this not safe?”

“Apart from my boss, none of the staff members here bring robots to work. Further, everyone knows my stance, so-”

“Which is?” His eyes showed interest.

I groaned. “It’s not something we need to discuss.”

“And yet you brought it up.” His head moved to take in the environment for a moment. “What will we do here?”

“You will stay here, and I will go back to work. I’m probably going to be in trouble for being away from my desk this long.”

Leo moved towards me and I instinctively backed up from him. He stopped and nodded. “So your stance is this?”

“I will be back in a short while. Stay here and be quiet.”

I didn’t wait for his response, hurrying out of the door and towards my department. Rushing through the doors, I rocked back on my heels as I came face to face with my boss, Lee Younha. She eyed me for a moment and then smiled. “I was worried about you, are you okay? Your first experience like that is always the most off-putting right?”

“Uh…”

“Yerin-ah, its okay to need time to recompose yourself if callers cause harm to your work ethic, but next time let me know before you leave the department, okay?” She rubbed my upper arms gently and smiled sympathetically again. “You poor thing, you look like you’ve faced quite an ordeal. Let me give you the rest of the day off calls. I’ve got some files that I need organising. Let’s work on that instead, hm?”

“Uh, yes Younha-unni.” In our office, rank was only addressed by age, though her authority was well known by anyone. I was thankful that I had the call to use as my cover up for my current state of mind.

Younha patted my arm and then smiled. “Go see Daniel in his office; he’ll give you what you need.”

Following orders, I hurried to the room she requested with more interest than usual. Although I was on pleasant terms with the robot, I had always felt a little awkward discussing anything but work with him. Today however, I was ready to be within his company, to see how my interactions with him matched Leo’s.

The robot looked up from his tasks at my arrival and his signature grin crossed his face. “Ah, Yerin-noona, hello!”

I gasped, remembering that all robots referred to humans they knew by age as well. I thought back to how Leo had been more formal with his addressing of my name, despite his adept ability to be able to search the entire staff records in record speed to find my age. Choi Yerin-ssi.

“Yerin-noona?” Daniel’s obvious scanning of my face began and he stopped smiling. “You are confused.”

“I uh, need the files that Younha-unni requested me to receive.”

“Yes! They are here.” He got up and handed them to me, waiting for my next response. I didn’t say anything and he began to assess me again. “Are you struggling, Yerin-noona? May I assist you with anything?

“Daniel, what mode are you functioning in?”

“Operation-mode.” He answered immediately. I nodded softly. “What mode would you like me to function in?”

“Can you function in any mode for people who are not your owner?” I enquired and Daniel shook his head.

“I must only function in operation mode or friend mode within the Kboy Cyborgs company building. Friend mode is only activated if we are in our allocated lunch and dinner break times. Friend mode is only accessible if I have been in contact with you for over three months of time. Shall I activate friend mode on our break together today, Yerin-noona?”

His manners and use of words relaxed me momentarily; this was what I was used to from my experience with Kboy bots. My thoughts moved back to Leo and I chewed my lip in thought again.

“You gave no answer to my question, shall I repeat it?”

Snapping out of my reverie, I clasped the folders more tightly to me and smiled at Daniel’s waiting face. I shook my head. “I won’t be available for the next break, thank you, Daniel.”

He bowed at my departure and sat back down effortlessly, without a noise. I left the room and rushed back to my cubicle, sitting down and dropping the files to one side of my desk. My hand reached for my mouse and woke up the computer in front of me.

“You took an hour to return, I was almost starting to think you wouldn’t,” Sohyun said teasingly. I didn’t respond immediately, hurrying to put in my passcode and open up the system I needed to look into. A huff of air left the girl and soon I was tapped on my shoulder.

“Oh. what?” I glanced briefly at her and then back at my screen.

“Testy. I thought since you are the best at helping customers here because you don’t like robots, you’d recover more quickly.”

I nodded, my eyes still on the internal system I was navigating. “I got a little caught up with something.”

“Well, I very much doubt it was something robot related,” she mused and I glanced at Sohyun, smiling softly to myself. “Our Yerin never would have a scandal involving a Kboy.”

“Why a scandal?” I asked, finding the pathway I required. I smiled and looked away from my screen at the girl. “I just don’t have issues like you do.”

“I-issues?!” Sohyun cried, pouting immediately. “I’ll have you know my Doyoung is not an issue!”

“But was Wonpil?” Smirking at her instant reaction, I let out a laugh. “I literally feel out of all the people who get face-ups on their kboy, you would top the list. How many times has he changed now?”

“That is beside the point, Yerin.” She folded her arms, pulling a face and then swinging back into her cubicle. “Fine, I like too many kpop idols and get easily swayed to a new crush. At least I enjoy the product we produce!”

“As long as I don’t get to hear about how well you enjoy it, I’m fine!”

“Choi Yerin!” she hissed, ducking completely out of my view and right back into her work.

My laughter eased off and knowing I would have deterred her enough, my eyes hurried to connect with the screen in front of me again, placing my headset back on but turning the function to headphone use only. I clicked on the file, waiting to hear the report.

“Can you identify yourself?”

“I am Leo of VIXX,” the robot responded. “I am created to serve my owner in a way to advance their life, without causing harm.”

“Very good. What are your modes?”

“I am currently in diagnostic mode. I can function within operation, friend, boyfriend, and lover modes.”

“Leo, Operation mode.”

“Yes, doctor. I am now in operation mode. How can I assist you today?”

“Leo, tell me of your unique characteristics.”

“I am modelled after a member from Jellyfish’s six-member idol group VIXX. I am quieter than other VIXX models. I have a competitive streak and can embarrass easily. I like sports and being active. My position is main vocalist. Would you like me to sing you a song?”

I stopped the report, not really receiving enough information from it. I read through the Leo profile, noticing there were fifty-seven Leo’s currently in use in the world out of the allocated hundred. Was the one I knew that last number? Or was he not yet registered due to failing to pass diagnostics?

Looking at my watch, I reluctantly grabbed at the first file; hoping time would fast forward so I could solve the questions I continued to fill up with.