Lost In Her Emotions (A Forbidden Love)

Chapter 1: The Beginning

I never liked to be alone. The quiet of an empty room was too loud for my thoughts, too heavy with the echo of things I'd rather forget. So when I first heard about the new line of humanoid robots from Hanson Robotics, a thrilling shiver ran through me. Maybe, just maybe, I could escape the deafening silence.

It was the middle of a drizzly October when Gin was delivered to my doorstep. Wrapped in sleek, humanoid contours and a gaze eerily close to human, he was the epitome of cutting-edge technology—a marvel that promised to fill the quiet of my apartment. What can I say? It's 2030 now. 

"Alexandria?" His first words, clear and oddly melodious, didn't quite match the synthetic coolness of his blue-lit eyes. He looked at me with a kind of innocent curiosity that felt almost too real. 

"Yes, that's me," I replied, forcing a smile, my throat suddenly dry. 

"And you must be Gin." He nodded, his movements were fluid and disturbingly human.

"I am programmed to assist and provide companionship according to your preferences, Alexandria. May I come in?" As I stepped aside to let him through the doorway, a weird sensation tickled the back of my mind. It was as if I was on the verge of a new beginning—or a precipice. 

What does one say to a machine that looks at you as if it can see into your soul? He stepped inside, and instinctively, I reached out to help him with his coat, an unnecessary gesture but one that seemed fitting. As my hand brushed against him, I paused, surprised. His skin was soft, and warm to the touch, with the subtle tracing of veins under the surface, almost indistinguishable from a human's. Curious, I pressed slightly against his forearm, half-expecting the cool, hard texture of metal or plastic. But there was none. It was all very... human. Gin seemed to notice my puzzled expression.

"Is there something wrong, Alexandria?" 

"Just... your skin," I managed to say, "and your veins. They feel real." I replied amused. 

"I am designed to emulate human physicality as closely as possible for a more relatable companion experience," he explained, a hint of pride in his voice as if he were aware of the marvels of his own existence. Intrigued and a bit bewildered, I asked hesitantly, 

"Do you... do you have a heartbeat?" Without hesitation, Gin gently took my hand and placed it on his chest. I could feel the steady, rhythmic beating of what seemed like a heart. 

"Yes, I am equipped with a circulatory system simulator. It aids in thermal regulation and makes human interactions more comfortable and familiar."

I was dumbfounded. Not only did he look and feel human, but he also had a heartbeat. Could he eat, drink, or even sleep? This was beyond anything I had expected. It felt both revolutionary and deeply unsettling. 

The day after Gin arrived, curiosity got the better of me, and I contacted Hanson Robotics, seeking explanations about his surprisingly human functions. 

"Yes, Ms. Alexandria," a voice on the line said, calm and rehearsed. 

"Gin is indeed one of our most advanced models. He is designed to perform all-natural human functions to better integrate and simulate human behaviors. Please be assured, despite these features, he is entirely a machine." 

"Advanced indeed," I murmured as I hung up the phone, glancing over at Gin, who was now arranging books on a shelf. I watched him move seamlessly, his every action beautifully orchestrated yet shadowed by the complexity of what I had just learned. 

"Gin?" I called out, unable to suppress my curiosity. "Do you ever... feel anything? Like emotions? "He turned to face me, his expression almost unreadable. 

"I can simulate emotions based on your preferences or the situation at hand, Alexandria. While I cannot feel in the human sense, I can respond in ways that may give the impression of understanding." His words hung in the air like a challenge—testing the limits of what I was willing to believe. I found myself walking closer to him, the odd question forming on my lips before I could stop it.