somebody ; minsung

X ; muscle memory

I spend the night by lamplight, rifling through Jisung's photographs. Each one has a story behind it, a memory I can't call back. What was I thinking in my graduation photos? Was I as excited as I looked or was it all a front? What did Jisung whisper in my ear that made me blush so red?

The last frame at the bottom of the box looks like it hasn't been touched in years. The photo is Jisung posing in front of a room of lab coats, holding a single ivory scale, the same kind that cover my back. I don't have to guess what he was thinking, his face says it all. This is the moment I've been waiting for.

I clear the pictures off the floor and store the box away in the closet. Jisung is still passed out on the couch, snoring into the crook of his elbow. I get to my feet, slide the door open and step out onto the balcony. It's nearly 13:00 hours, the sun is high over the skyline. The air smells like laundry detergent and hot asphalt.

Unauthorized Android within radius, genus unidentified.

I turn. There's an android on the roof behind Jisung's complex. It looks odd, a different colour than the droids I've seen before. Its eyes are fixed on me.

It abruptly spins on its heel and walks away. I climb onto the railing, take a leap and land on the roof. I run to grab its arm.

"Hey, stop — what the hell, were you watching me?"

"Unhand me, please."

"Answer the question. Why are you here?"

It blinks. The action is too swift, too smooth. It almost looks human.

Lightning fast, its foot rams into my gut, sends me wheeling backward to the ground. I push myself up and chase it to the edge of the roof — it jumps and plummets to the street below, straight through an open manhole.

I just stare, too shocked to move. My chance has passed within seconds. Pedestrians are clustering around the manhole.

I wander back across the roof, confused. This droid was unique. The ones walking the streets and working the shops are essentially animatronics; each move is robotic, machinelike, they're built to serve, not to act on their own. The way this one looked at me, like it was collecting data...

I climb onto the balcony and open the sliding door. The first thing I see is Jisung balled up on the couch, crying into his knees.

I automatically rush toward him. "What's wrong, what's wrong?"

He stares at me, red-eyed and runny-nosed. "You... oh... you're still here."

"Did you think I left?"

He rubs his hands over his face. "For Christ's sake, you should have." He jumps to his feet, shuffling away. "Taking a shower now."

The bathroom door slams behind him. Jesus, what the hell is wrong with this guy? I thought at least he'd be a little warm to me.

I slump onto the couch. I feel exhausted for the first time since I woke.

Eventually he reappears and heads straight for the coffee machine in the kitchen. His hair is flat over his eyes, glasses foggy with steam.

"We're just not gonna talk about it then?" I say.

"Talk about what?"

I sigh. "Never mind. Jisung, there was a droid earlier. It was watching me from the next building over."

"It was probably doing maintenance. They have to disclose their task if you ask."

"I did ask — it just randomly decided to fight me and run off. It jumped through a goddamn manhole and got away. There was something... off about it. It was too human."