Moonbyul was sitting on the doorstep of her apartment in the warm breeze of a Saturday morning, yet she was shaking. She genuinely believed she was falling for Solar. If she had stayed up all night it would have made no difference to her exhaustion. By the morning her bed sheets were in a knot and aside from a few fit-full half hours of vivid dreams, she didn’t sleep a wink. Her brain is constantly searching for any sign that she was wrong. Does that make her a freak? She was dating a robot, a synth none the less. The robots were so human that nobody could tell the difference. They moved, talked and gestured like anyone else. They sometimes made bad jokes and looked socially awkward. Sometimes they were charming and self-assured. They could read even your micro-facial expressions and alter their conversation accordingly. In Solar’s case, they were police officers and the differences became more apparent when the bullets bounced off and they could run four times the speed of anyone else. They could even marry and become parents, it wasn’t illegal to be in a relationship with a synth. But rarely was this looked upon fondly, it didn’t matter to Byul though. It wasn’t the fact that Solar was a synthetic that uneased her. It was that Solar reminded her so much of Seulgi. Byul’s stomach shifts uneasily and she notices that the hands that she is hugging herself with are pinching into her skin. She releases her hands but then can’t figure out what to do with them, so instead she clasps and unclasps them as if in constant need of touch and reassurance. A muscle twitched involuntarily at the corner of her right eye, formed a rigid smile. With arms folded tightly across her chest she tapped her foot furiously. This fitfully sunny morning would either see the dawn of her new life or snap her dreams in two.

“Byul what you doing”~Solar said resting her hand on Byul’s shoulder

“Oh hey.... just sitting here thinking”~Byul said standing up.

“Well you said you wanted to tell me something”~Solar 

“Did you want to get a bite to eat?”~Moonbyul suggested

“Byul, I don’t need to eat”~Solar retorted

“Oh yeah...... But can you eat, I’ve always wondered”~Moonbyul said trying to change the subject

“Well I’m an S.L.R. I am completely anatomically correct, I can eat but it wouldn’t provide me nourishment”~Solar said rubbing her abdomen

“Oh ok, well did you get some sushi?”~Moonbyul said gesturing towards the car

“Is that all you wanted Byul”~Solar asked confused

“No, um..... look, about the other day....”~Moonbyul said making Solar sigh

“I can see where this is going”~Solar said making Byul turn her head

“Wait you can?”~Moonbyul said quite puzzled

“You wanna take back what you did the other day, I understand”~Solar stated bluntly

“No”~Moonbyul replied shaking her head

“So do you plan on using me for any particular ‘desire’ “~Solar asked biting her bottom lip softly

“Excuse me?”~Moonbyul asked confused

“Are you wondering if I operate like a pleasure doll?”~Solar asked revealing a bit more cleavage

“Oh No No No No No”~Moonbyul said repeatedly trying to avert her eyes as Solar laughed

“I’m joking Byul, just say what’s on your mind”~Solar said flashing a smile

“I’m sorry, I’m not very good at this”~Moonbyul said looking down

“What are you good at?”~Solar said making Byul chuckle

“It’s just, I don’t know how you feel about this, and I don’t know if you like me, and I don’t know if you can like me, was I being too direct? Am I a crazy for thinking this? I just.....just..”~Moonbyul awkwardly said making Solar giggle

“Just say whats on your mind”~Solar said

“I’m sorry,”~Moonbyul said as she put her face into her hands

“Why do you like me Byul?”~Solar asked making Byul slightly go pale.

“You’re just..... You are...... You make me feel like I matter”~Moonbyul said while putting her hands into her pockets

“I don’t quite understand”~Solar said bewildered

“It’’s just that, when I lost my arm..... I lost everything, my job, my life, Seul.....”~Moonbyul said as her voice trailed off. She shook slightly as the memory escapes her.

“Do you need a moment Byul?”~Solar 

“No it’s ok, I’ve been lost, been lost for awhile now, but being with you makes me feel like I’ve found a part of me I’ve lost”~Moonbyul

“Oh..... has this been going on for awhile?”~Solar asked sincerely

“Yeah..... You remind me of her........”~Moonbyul said with a sigh, a single tear streamed down her face

“Im sorry, I can’t know how you must feel Byul”~Solar

“Why is that? You have emotions, don’t you”~Moonbyul said with a puzzled look

“I’m a synth, I feel differently than you”~Solar said as she sat down on the steps.

“Well what do you feel?”~Moonbyul asked plopping herself down next to her

“My systems say that I am feeling a deep affection towards you Byul, but I don’t know if synths could truly feel love”~Solar said as her eyes glowed a hint of blue

“There is nothing more human than feeling love. It takes over our minds, allowing us to love so many places, things, maybe even people”~Moonbyul said putting her hand on Solar’s thigh.

“I’m still not human though, I’m only built to feel like one”~Solar stated while sadness filled her eyes

“What’s wrong with that, you’re a synth that can feel, enjoy it”~Moonbyul said making Solar look at her

“But what if what I’m feeling isn’t true? What if I’m just replicating something that I’m programmed to?”~Solar said looking deeply into Byul’s eyes

“Love isn’t limited in that way. We can love “this and that,” “this person and that person.” We can be less competitive, less jealous over who is the more loved. The more love we give, the more we have, like the most awesome magic trick in the world. You may be a synth but you’re more human than other people I know.”~Moonbyul declared making Solar smile.

“Being human sure must be weird”~Solar said with wide grin

“Humans are weird creatures. They search for perfecion in others, although there’s no perfection in them. We sit around judging people simply because of one poor judgment or choice. We all just wanna be loved”~Moonbyul said grabbing Solar’s hand.

“How bout that sushi now?”~Solar asked as she leaned in to kiss Byul on her cheek.

“Hm, can you taste?”~Moonbyul asked 

“Yes but I don’t really have a reference for tastes”~Solar said as they began walking towards the car.

“Let’s fix that, baby”~Moonbyul said as she hopped into the driver seat

“New nickname?”~Solar said with giddy in the passenger seat

“Well I gotta call you something new to spice it up”~Moonbyul said as she started the car

“I was manufactured only 5 years ago, so technically I’m 5 years old”~Solar said with a smirk to Byul’s shock and sudden realization.

“Yeah...... Well if anyone asks you’re 26”~Moonbyul said as she started driving off.

“Gotcha Byulie”~Solar said as she gave Byul a small kiss on the cheek.