"Boss…",said a shy office man."Shall we make ... .make…",he stuttered.
"Hmph,what…Don't be scared.Business is not for the coward",said his director."Tell me…don't be shy or lie",he added.
"Shall we make…love androids",the office man said and smiled to hide his red face.
"Love robots?No,we make robots to give people knowledge or just simple…be their maids or servants.Although our androids are very cute (Pointing at an android blueprint)...but we can not let people love them",said the director.
"But a lot of people are loving androids now"
"Liar…why don't they love humans"
"Because if they find it is hard to love a girl that made by blood and flesh"
"Weird",the director said.Then,he took a sip of tea."Will we marry androids",he asked.Sadly,the office man nodded.
The director sighed.Then,he looked at the city through the window
.Everything was modern.Skyscrapers were growing as if they were mushrooms after rainy days.Cars not only moved on road,but also air.
He remembered the great history of humans.
"When we were just cavemen,we fought tooth and claws to find lovers under caves.They fought to love a human that was made by flesh and bones,not irons.We used to fight for real girls,but now we are loving androids instead of girls",he sighed.
The office man sighed.Then,he left the room of his director and went to his desk.Then,he got a phone call from a client.
"Hmmm…an android…a female android ... .Yes,we have an android named Nyako that has cat ears .We often make our androids in anime style…(Laughing) Oh thank you sir…Can we have your address?"
Then,he jotted down the address of the client.Then,that paper went to the hands of couriers.
A few days later,couriers went to a small apartment in a skyscraper.Then,the door was opened.A young man showed up.
"Hmmmm sir,are you Murachiro Ei…?"
The young man nodded.Yes,he was Murachiro Ei.
Now,we will just call him Ei.
Back to our story !
Ei saw the big box.He knew what stood inside it:an android.
Couriers carried the box into his apartment and opened it.
Before him showed up a beautiful android named Nyako.She had long black hair and two black cat ears.
After giving the couriers money,Ei read the guidebook.Then,he pushed a button behind the back of Nyako the android.Then,Nyako smiled and waved at him like a human.
He hadn't seen anybody smiled and waved for a long time.
"Hello,I am Nyako.How can I help you…by the way,who are you?",asked Nyako.
"I am Ei",said Ei.
Nyako smiled."Ei?Such a short but cute name",she added
Then,Nyako asked him
"Choose mode:knowledge or servant"
Ei was surprised.Nyako didn't need to be his teacher or his servant.But,he had bought her from her .He needed to do something or his money would become papers.
He walked around Nyako.Nyako looked at him with her blue eyes. EI looked at her face .It was beautiful like a flower.
"Why are you walking around me,Ei?",asked Nyako.
Ei stopped.Then,he paused and thought.
"Nyako…(kneeling down) can I…love you?",asked Eim
"Sorry,but I'm not made to be a love android",said Nyako.
Ei felt a bit sad.Then,his sadness became a weight in his throat.
"N-nyako…I just want to say that I'm lonely.I'm going to be 25 years old ... .I really need a girlfriend…please love me Nyako",begged Ei.
Nyako closed her eyes and shook head.Then,she asked Ei:
"Why don't you love any human girls ?"
"I did.But when I confessed,she rejected me because of my poverty",answered Ei.His voice trembled.
"Oh gosh,so sad…But there must be another girl,right?"
"Maybe no…",answered Ei.Then,he shedded tears.
"I just want to be loved but my empty wallet doesn't let me love or be loved.Why can't the poor be happy?",he sobbed.
Nyako saw her tears.Then,she knelt down and patted his head.
"Oh,let it out…"
Then,she sighed and whispered to herself
"I thought humans were strong"
Ei stopped crying and wiped her tears.Then,he realized that he had soaked her shirt so he stood up and apologized to Nyako.
"I'm just too vulnerable and poor (sighing) I can't love…Sorry Nyako"
Nyako was surprised for the first time.
"No no…you are not weak.You don't need to apologize to me",said Nyako.
"No,I am weak",replied Ei.His eyes still had tears.
"No no no,you are not weak…and if you are weak,you can be strong"
Ei sighed .He looked at Nyako with his tearful eyes.Nyako knew that she had to do something to not make him cry.
"Ei…don't cry",Nyako said softly."I'm here".
Nyako wondered for the first time:Why did humans cry a lot?They cried even when they were smiling.
Ei looked away to hide his tears.
"Hey…hey…if you want,cry",Nyako said.
Ei didn't look at Nyako. He wasn't angry .But he knew that he couldn't look at Nyako with tears.
Suddenly,Ei felt something warm wrap. He realized that he was hugged.
He lived alone. How could he have anybody to hug,or be hugged? Who could that person be ? Nyako the android ? Yes,Nyako did
"Shh…I'm here!",said Nyako.
Ei didn't say anything,but his eyes.They tried to say something beautiful.
"Ei…"
"Yes…"
"Hungry…lemem cook for you"
"No…lemme cook for you,Nyako!Hold up,are you able to eat?",asked Ei.
Nyako paused.Then,she shook her head.Right,the android couldn't eat.
"Oh gosh,but I don't need you to cook for me"
"That is ok",said Ei.
Then,he went to the kitchen and cooked.Just some eggs and bacon.
"So good,"Nyako admired."Why don't you be a chef?",she added.
Ei smiled.Nyako smiled
"You smiled"
"Yes"
"Oh I forgot one thing…you didn't choose my mode"
"Nyako…you can choose it by yourself"
"No,I…"
"Listen here,don't let people choose who you will be,ok?"
Nyako nodded.
"Ei…"
"Yes,Nyako.."
"Why do you want me to be your girlfriend ?"
"Because I'm lonely",answered Ei.Then,he served a meal on a plate and started eating.Nyako sat before him.
"Why do you need to eat",asked Nyako
"Because I need to live",answered Ei.
Nyako wasn't dumb to ask that question,but curious to see the truth:we don't live to eat,but eat to live.
Ei looked at Nyako.She was an emotionless android.Maybe her smiles and hugs were just made by her system.
"So,she just hugged me because it was a part of her system",whispered Ei.His chopsticks fell.
He covered his ears.
"Hey,what is wrong ?",asked Nyako
"Nyako…I wish you had emotions",said Ei.
"No…but I can copy them"
"No,Nyako should have emotions"
"No,I can't"
"You must",said Ei.
Suddenly,Nyako stood up and said angrily:
"Stop telling me do what I can't"
"Hey Nyako…don't be angry",begged Ei.
"Angry?",asked Nyako.Then,she paused for a few seconds.She felt something weird. It was not in her system .So weird !
"Ei…"
"Yes…"
"Sorry,I was…I was…a bit mad",Nyako apologized.
Ei blinked .He needed to know what Nyako had said.
"You…were…mad?"
Nyako nodded.
Ei knew that he had annoyed Nyako. But he also…gave her an emotion.
"Nyako…you get…an emotion:angry"
Nyako was surprised.
"Really ?",asked Nyako.
Ei nodded.
"I…I thought it was made by my system",wondered Nyako.
"No,you were actually mad".
Nyako paused.
"We have three main emotions:happy,sad,and angry.Right ?",asked Nyako
"and love too…",Ei added.
"Love?Is it…beautiful",asked Nyako
"Yes"
"Is it…painful",Nyako asked again.
"Maybe",Ei answered.Then,he looked away.
"Why don't you let me look at your tears",asked Nyako.
Ei didn't answer. Nyako felt weird. It was normal to cry,but why did humans need to hide their tears,especially when they cried before who cared for them.
Actually,Ei wasn't crying .He was just thinking.
"Why are you looking out of nowhere?"asked Nyako.
Ei still answered her in silence .
Nyako didn't know that humans might look out of nowhere. They didn't talk or express any emotions,but their eyes. Even eyes could tell stories.
"Hey…Ei…look at me…I'm…I'm so lonely",begged Nyako.
Ei looked at Nyako .His eyes didn't have tears,but they were still sad .
Nyako looked at him and held his hands.Her metal hands could make people feel a bit cool,but Ei held it tightly .It might be cool for the others,but warm for him.
"Ei..you can vent now"
"Vent…No,I'm ok"
Then,he stood up and washed plates. Nyako looked at him .Then,she took a smartphone and used it to not look at Ei.
She didn't hate him,but was scared to look at his sad face.
"Nyako…"
"Yes ?"
"I….I…like you"
"But…."
Nyako suddenly paused .She asked Ei:
"Why do you need it ?"
"Because I'm lonely…I don't want to gie alone in my office"
"But why don't you ... .love your ex",Nyako aksed.Suddenly,she heard a plate was snapped into many pieces. Then,Ei looked at her .His hands were a bit bloody.
"No no…I don't want to make you mad,Ei",begged Nyako.That was the first time she was scared by somebody.
"I won't be mad",said Ei.Then,he bandaged his hands and threw away shattered pieces of that plate.
"Are you scared ?"
Nyako nodded.
"Sorry…"
Nyako shook her head,"No,not your fault .My fault"
Ei sighed and patted her head .Her hairs and cat ears were still soft.
"Fine…you just need to be my servant",said Ei.Maybe he gave up confessing to her
Nyako nodded. Then,her system announced :"you have chosen"servant " mode."
Ei felt bad. Nyako could have been his lover .But now she could only be a servant.
Then,Ei stood up .He saw something was written on her shirt
"Lifespan:1 month after started"
Ei gulped .He looked at his smartphone:
"September 14th.Thus,Nyako will die on October 14th",whispered Ei.
Ei couldn't believe that love had a lifespan .So cruel !
Then,Ei went to his bedroom. He looked at the ceiling fan and sighed.
Then,he remembered his ex,who had dumped him and loved a rich old man. That girl wasn't blind,but money blinded her.
He sat up,looked at his wallet and threw it away .He remembered the love story of his parents .They had just needed love letters.
Then,he lay down and shed a hot tear .It was a tear of both sadness and loneliness.
After soaking his pillow by tears,Ei closed his eyes.
One hour passed.
Two hours passed.
Then,Ei opened his eyes .He looked around him and saw Nyako lie next to him.
He smiled,then chuckled. Nyako woke up and asked
"Why are you chuckling at night ?"
Ei looked at Nyako .He held her hands. They were soft and warm like human hands .Then,he cried.
"Why are you crying",asked Nyako.
"I'm happy…so you are not…an android"
"Yes"
Ei lied down on the bed and slept with tears .Nyako felt weird but she ignored and slept.
The next day,Ei woke up on his wet pillow. Nyako didn't lie next to him .
Ei opened the door and left his bedroom. He saw Nyako sleeping on the couch .Then,he sat on it and touched Nyako's hand . It was still a hard and cool metal piece.
"So…it was just a dream",Ei sighed. So,there was no human Nyako.
Nyako woke up and looked at Ei.
"Hello master"
"Don't call me that",said Ei.
"Why ?"
Ei kept silent.
"Just because I don't want to be called master"
"Fine"
Then,Ei went to his room and closed the door. A few minutes later,he left with an office outfit: white blouse,tie and a bag that had documents.
"Are you going work ?…so…bye",said Nyako
Ei looked at Nyako and smiled. Then,he left his apartment.
Nyako realized that she had nothing to do so she slept again.
Thirty minutes later,she woke up and started cleaning the apartment.She still wondered why Ei wanted to love her.
"I am a robot…I'm not made to love .Why did he smile at me when I said goodbye ?",wondered Nyako .
At noon,Ei returned .He was exhausted.
"Thanks god,I don't need to work at afternoon"
"That is so good…you look exhausted (smiling) you should take a rest",said Nyako.
Ei smiled. Then he went to the dining room and saw meals. He shed a hot tear .
"Is this my happiness .When I return from home,a wife greets me .Then,we will eat together and sleep on the same bed together .We can work in the same office,or that wife will run her own small business or stay at home",Ei imagined.
He looked at Nyako .She was watching TV and laughing. So happy ! But sadly,that girl couldn't love him like a normal girl.
Nyako was a strange lover:Emotionless like a machine,but able to make somebody happy
Nyako looked at Ei .He was cleaning plates happily .She suddenly smiled. Then,she paused and thought
"Why did I smile ?"
Nyako felt weird .
Suddenly
"Ei,I want to go out !"
"Eh,going out…?"
Nyako nodded .Ei smiled .
"Where should we go?"
"Hmmm,what about an aquarium ?"
Ei nodded.
In the afternoon,Ei and Nyako went to an aquarium.
Nyako looked at the fish .They were colorful and beautiful.
"I wish I could have one of them "
"Fish ?"
Nyako nodded.
"Oh,I see. I will buy you one "
Nyako smiled.Then,Ei told her to stay and left to buy a fish
A few minutes later,Ei returned with a bag of water with a goldfish in it.
"Fish ! Fish !"Nyako laughed like a child.
"Calm down,or you will make him scared",Ei said softly. Then,they returned to the apartment.
"Gosh,I forgot to buy a small fish tank",complained Ei.
"We will use…use…a jar",Nyako said. Then,she took a big jar and poured water and the goldfish into it.
"You are so smart Nyako",said Ei.
Nyako smiled .Before her swam a small soul. She loved that soul.
"I think…I love that fish"
"Really…you should feed him"
"How ?"
"Don't worry…I will buy you his food",said Ei. He also added a smile.Then,he left the apartment.
Nyako played with the goldfish.She touched the water.She could because she was also made to swim.
"Who is my little fish",asked Nyako.
Then,Nyako laughed happily.The goldfish waved his tail.Nyako chuckled
"He is happy"
That was her happiness…
So simple !
But so beautiful !
An hour passed,Nyako lied on the couch and intended to sleep.Suddenly,she sat up.She realized something was not right.Where is Ei ?
She called Ei. No response. She worried about Ei for the first time.
Then,she got a phone call from Ei.She listened.Then,she dropped her smartphone.
Nyako trembled…Then,she left the apartment fastly and ran into a hospital.
When she arrived,she rushed into the emergency room.
"Hey girl,who are you ?",asked a doctor
Nyako stopped and told him her name.The doctor said
"Do you know Muichiro Ei"
Nyako nodded.Then,the doctor shook his head.
"He got an accident and passed away"
Nyako was shocked.Then,she knelt down and cried for the first time.
"Ei…Ei…"
Her tears left her eyes. They were black because they were just oil.
Nyako looked at a mirror.She saw black tears.She didn't know why they came.She just knew that it came when she learnt that Ei had passed away.
Some people tried to calm her
"Girl,don't cry",said somebody.
Nyako remembered when she told Ei not to cry.
She remembered the goldfish .It was her first gift from Ei.
She remembered the wish of Ei:loving her.
Then,Nyako stood up and left the hospital.
She went home,closed the door of the apartment.She couldn't believe that she had cried for a dead guy.
She remembered everything she did to Ei.She didn't know why Ei smiled at her.
She didn't know why she hugged him.
"I don't know…I'dont know…Why did I do them?",said Nyako.Then,she looked at the goldfish.
He swam peacefully.But the mind of Nyako was chaotic.
"Why did I ask for a fish"asked Nyako.
Then,she went to the bedroom of Ei.She lied in the bed and slept.
A few hours later
"Wake up darling"
Nyako woke up.Who had called her that?She was not made to love.And,she was alone.Whose was that voice . It was so familiar
"Darling…wake up"
She looked next to her.That voice came from…Ei.
"Hey,you are scared by something,right?"
Nyako didn't say anything.But she cried.Her tears were not oil,but real tears.
'Yes,a nightmare"
Then,Ei hugged her and kissed her.Nyako shed a little happy tears.
It should have been her reality.But her alarm dragged her out of it.
Nyako woke up on Ei's bed. Ei wasn't here.Yes,he was in a coffin now.
She looked at the pillow .It was soaked by her oil.
"What should I do…?"stuttered Nyako."Am I having problems…I should check myself"
Nyako left the apartment and went to the company that she was made.
"Sir…can you check my body ?",asked Nyako. An engineer of the company nodded and decided to check her.
He turned her off.Then,he used his toolbox and started checking her.
No problems,except a weird problem:her eyes were full of oil.
Having finished checking and rebuilding her,the engineer pushed the button.Nyako woke up.
"Nyako…You are ok.But your eyes are full of oil.I don't know why"
"Sir…I….I…"
"What"
"I cried"
The engineer stood up fastly.
"You what?"
"I cried for a dead guy"
"You are not joking ?"
Nyako nodded sadly.Then,the engineer left and returned with some people.
"She cried?How…she is a robot",asked somebody
"Has she got emotions?",asked an engineer.
Nyako didn't know why they asked those questions.
"Why…why are you asking those questions ?",asked Nyako
People paused and looked at her.
"Hey,can you tell me more about that dead guy",asked an engineer.
"He was Murachiro Ei .He was my owner"
"Anything else"
"He often smiled at me….And he….confessed me"
"He loved you?"
Nyako nodded. People sighed and shook their heads.
"What is wrong?",asked Nyako.
Nobody answered her ,so she asked to leave.People agreed.
Nyako left that company and headed to the apartment.
When she arrived,she saw the goldfish die.
"No…fishy…no",she cried."I love you fish…why did you die?"
Suddenly,she knew why she cried for Ei.
"Did…did…I…love him",asked Nyako.
Then,she remembered Ei.Alas poor Ei !
"Ei…Ei…",shouted Nyako."I got emotions…",Nyako cried happily.
Then,she heard somebody knock the door.She opened it and saw a young girl.
"I…I am Murachiro Rei.I am the younger sister of Ei",said that girl.
"Oh,a sister",said Nyako
"So…you are…his lover",
Nyako paused.She didn't know how to answer Rei.But then…
"Rei…Rei…No,I am…his robot maid"
"Maid…?Oh,I see.You looked sad.Are you missing him?",asked Rei
Nyako nodded.Then,Rei sighed.
"We have buried him…poor you,brother",Rei said.Her eyes were tearful.
Suddenly,Nyako hugged Rei and patted her back.
"I'm here"
Rei sobbed.Nyako patted Rei's head.She had known a truth:humans were not totally strong.They could be fragile like eggshells.
A few days later
In a graveyard stood two persons.They stood before a new grave.
They were Nyako and Rei.
Rei's eyes were still tearful.She still missed Ei.
"Oh Ei-chan,I miss you…",said Rei.Then,tears left her eyes
Nyako placed a bouquet on the grave of Ei. Then,she said:
"Ei,why did you love an emotionless android ?"
"He…loved you?"
"Yes…But I couldn't love him"
Then,Nyako paused. She closed her eyes. Then,she trembled .How ?
Rei saw Nyako tremble,so she held the metal hand of Nyako.
Suddenly,Nyako knelt down and hugged the grave of Ei
"I love you,Ei",said Nyako.Then,she cried.Her face was soaked by oil again.
"This is a strange love .Because when you die…I…I…suddenly love you. Ei,forgive me for my emotionless mind !"
Then,she looked at Rei,who was crying like a child.
"Oh..Nyako…"
Nyako looked at Rei with her blue eyes.They were full of black oil,but Nyako didn't wipe them away.
"Girl…Now,I can love him !"
Then,Nyako kissed the grave of Ei. Then,she looked back.Rei was not here since he had gone home by bike.
Rei couldn't bear that emotional moment.She had to leave or she would cry more.
Nyako knelt down with her hands around the grave of Ei.
She didn't go home.Although the sky was rainy,windy,or hot,She still knelt like that
A few weeks later.
Nyako was tired.But she didn't care.She just closed her eyes with a smile.
Maybe,she slept.But she wouldn't be able to wake up.
But it was her happiness,because,after all,she could love Ei,like a human girl.