Feeling uneasy didn’t cover it. For some reason as I took Leo into the lab part of the building, a heavy sense of dread enveloped me and I couldn’t understand why. Today had been the most trying within my career at Kboys, and between the constant flow of questions I had internally, as well as being thrown off by my understanding of robots, I was growing exhausted. My shift hours were almost up and I couldn’t wait to go home and attempt to forget all about the weird happenings of my day.

Leo reminded me he was beside me then, his arm brushing mine gently as we went to step out of the elevator at the same time. We both glanced at each other and I sensed a similar experience of emotions across his features. It threw me off again further, my brain yelling at me that a robot could recognise our emotions but didn’t have their own set installed in them either. However, his face showed otherwise, the boy taking a deep breath and then nodding softly.

“What authorisation do you have here?” a short, balding man asked as we entered the diagnostic department. He eyed Leo questioningly and then my name badge. “Ah, Choi Yerin, you know Lee Gunhee, right?”

“I do. I found this Leo in the building, and wondered where I should take him.”

The doctor looked at Leo in confusion. “Is he not yours?”

“No, I don’t own a Kboy.” Both Leo and the doctor glanced at me and I blushed lightly at the former’s attention. The doctor nodded lightly and then moved towards Leo. The taller boy shifted back instinctively and the doctor halted his movement.

“You moved.”

“What are you doing?” Leo asked defensively and looked at me for understanding again. It was becoming a habit and I couldn’t help but feel his worry as well.

The man frowned deeply. “Leo, Operation mode.”

“Why do you all keep asking me to go into a mode?”

The doctor dropped the clipboard he had been holding this whole time and then dashed to the closest computer, rapidly typing on the keyboard. He glanced up a moment later and then ran off.

“Is this really going to end well?” Leo asked and I glanced at him. He lowered his eyes. “I must be very faulty.”

I didn’t respond, not sure how to accept the reactions around me. It was evident now that Leo functioned in a way that no one in the building was used to. The more I was around him though; I wondered how bad it was. I was starting to feel opposed emotions to the word faulty and it concerned me how I was processing this all.

A flurry of doctors appeared, Gunhee included. I felt relief from seeing my childhood friend there, though his expression was grim.

One of the doctors stepped forward and I recognised him as the head of the AI team. Doctor Jung Minwoo was renowned for his outstanding research and development in robotics, and I smiled, bowing in greeting to the older man. “He needs help, please.”

“This is the faulty specimen from the other day, sir,” a colleague informed and the older man nodded once, moving closer to us. He eyed Leo carefully and silently, walking around him slowly. Something within Leo seemed to come to an answer and he stepped back.

“I remember you.” His eyes were wide with his quiet voice and the doctor nodded. “It was you who said it.”

“It’s impressive how this robot escaped and survived all this time away from us. Did you hide him?” His accusation rocked me and I narrowed my eyes. “Did you charge him?”

“I don’t own a Kboy at all.”

“Then how did you come to find him and still in function?” He still didn’t even acknowledge me by looking at me and I felt my emotions rise.

“I found him within the building two hours ago. I had to return to my desk and brought him here now on my dinner break.”

“I see. You have done your duty then. Thank you, you can go.”

I turned, but didn’t walk off. My eyes lifted back up to Leo’s and he stood there staring back at me. His dark eyes searched mine as if to try and understand my thoughts. He then let them fall from mine, turning his head away.

“Choi Yerin you are dismissed here, please head off on your way.”

I followed orders, bowing lightly and then walked out of the department, each step I took away from the situation leaving me conflicted.

My shift had finished and somehow I had managed to remain on task when I sat back down at my desk from dropping Leo off. Now however, my mind was at its peak of distress, Leo’s final glance in my direction haunting me. None of my questions had been answered and it was unsettling my usually calm composure. I felt erratic, unable to be at ease with nothing resolved from my point of view.

“Shall we go get something to eat and then go watch a movie? Doyoung has to charge today, so I thought we could do something together instead?” Sohyun suggested and I looked at her, thinking of her robot at home. For once I wasn’t offended by her wording, knowing I was a dear friend of hers, but even I had wondered over time if her Kboy was more important to her than I was. Today that held no affect within my mind.

“Uh, I’m pretty tired, Sohyunnie.”

“Not even just dinner? Come on, I’ll take you to your favourite bulgogi restaurant!” Her arm slung through mine and the shorter girl led us out of the department and towards the elevators.

A surge of demand shot through me and I slipped out of her grasp, bowing abruptly. “Sorry, Sohyun! I have something I need to do here first! I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Like what?!” she cried after me, but I rushed down the hallway, heading towards another set of elevators and bashing the key rapidly. Jumping inside when the doors opened, I hit the floor I required and then waited to be transported to it. Once the doors opened again, I sprung out them, going through the department entrance with more purpose than I had earlier. I disregarded the staff member on the front desk, rounding him and the counter, going into the lab.

“You can’t be in here!” he cried, trying to grab me but I shook him off, looking at him once before walking off again. For some reason, he chose not to test me in that moment and I strode towards the edge of the balcony, looking down at the many chairs that housed Kboys that were either being built, repaired or having face-ups. I saw no Leo models and looked around the space, rushing along to the right to where I knew more closed off operation rooms existed. I saw a light on in the second one and opened the door, surprised it had no security access required on it.

A couple of doctors were in there and stopped their removal of a Sehun face. I smiled awkwardly and then quickly came up with a plotline. “I uh, I’m looking for Lee Gunhee? He was meant to be taking me on a date tonight.”

“Oh he must’ve not had time to tell you, there’s a big issue in room eight right now that he’s been assigned to.”

“No, he didn’t. Sorry for the intrusion.” I managed to smile again and then closed the door, continuing my way down the hall to the door I required.

Stopping just before it, I listened to the voices I could hear from the outside of the door and then tried to enter, once again the handle twisting within my grasp. I stepped inside and dropped my bag, finding six doctors surrounding a chair that housed a still alert Leo. Instead of what I had hoped for, there seemed to be some kind of forced atmosphere as three held the tall boy still despite him being tied to the chair. My eyes widened as Gunhee held a tablet at Doctor Minwoo’s side, recognising the words extraction settings at the top.

Someone finally realised I was there and I merely stared at him in shock. A small smile crossed his face then, his eyes more alive than they had been a moment before. And then he screamed.