Chapter 1:A lonely man

Chapter 1

A lonely man

The office was silent, the modern city a bright blur outside the window. A young staffer stood before the Director, who sat with a cigarette.

“B-Boss…” the employee stammered, fighting his shyness. “Shall we make… love androids?” He smiled awkwardly to hide his flushed face.

“Love robots? No,” the Director stated firmly. “We build robots for knowledge or as simple servants.”

He pointed at a blueprint. “Our androids are cute, but we cannot encourage people to love them.”

“But many people are already falling in love with androids now,” said the office man.

“Liar. Why don’t they love humans?”, asked the director

“Because they find it too hard to connect with a girl made of blood and flesh.”

“Weird,” the Director sighed, taking a sip of tea. “Will this lead to marriage?” The employee gave a small, sad nod.

​The Director looked out at the city, lost in thought. “We fought for real girls made of flesh and bone. Now we choose androids instead.”

​The employee sighed and left the room, returning to his desk. His phone rang.

“An android… a female android? Yes, we have Koshuka, with cat ears, designed in anime style,” he chuckled into the phone. “Oh, thank you, sir. Address, please?”

​He quickly scribbled the details and handed the order to a courier.

A few days later, a courier truck idled outside a towering skyscraper. Two couriers located the apartment and, after a short elevator ride, knocked on the door. It was opened by a young man with an expectant look.

The apartment inside was small and efficient: it had three distinct areas. A modest couch, a TV, and the kitchen counter defined the combined living area and kitchen. Another room served as the bedroom, and the smallest one was the bathroom.

The courier wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead and checked the crumpled delivery paper.

“Hmm, are you Murachiro Ei?”

The young man nodded. He was indeed Murachiro Ei, but we will simply call him Ei from now on.

Ei’s gaze was fixed on the oversized cardboard box the couriers brought in. He knew exactly what was inside: his new android.

The couriers carefully maneuvered the box into the apartment and began slicing through the tape.

Before Ei, Koshuka was revealed. She was a stunning android with long, silky black hair and a pair of perfectly formed, velvety black cat ears perched atop her head.

After paying the couriers, Ei eagerly read the operation guidebook. Following the instructions, he reached behind Koshuka's back and located the power button.

Her eyes, a vivid, deep blue, fluttered open. She immediately offered him a bright, perfect smile and raised a hand in a friendly wave, mimicking a human gesture flawlessly.

“Hello, I am Koshuka. How can I help you… by the way, who are you?”

“I am Ei.”

Koshuka’s smile widened, her expression warm and engaging.

“Ei? Such a short but cute name,” Koshuka noted sweetly. She then asked him: “Choose mode: knowledge or servant.”

Ei was immediately taken aback. He hadn't bought Koshuka to be his teacher or his maid.

He began to slowly circle the android, his eyes studying her.

Koshuka followed his movement with her luminous blue gaze, eyes as beautiful and delicate as blossoms.

“Why are you walking around me, Ei?” Koshuka inquired.

Ei halted abruptly. He paused, collecting his thoughts. Suddenly, he knelt down on one knee.

“Koshuka… can I… love you?” he pleaded.

“I’m sorry, but I’m not made to be a love android,” Koshuka replied instantly.

A wave of sadness washed over Ei. It quickly intensified, becoming a heavy, choking weight in his throat.

“Ko-Koshuka… I just want you to know I’m terribly lonely. I’m almost twenty-five springs … I really need a girlfriend… please, please love me, Koshuka,” Ei begged, his voice cracking.

Koshuka closed her eyes briefly and gently shook her head. Then, she asked him, her voice level: “Why don’t you love any human girls?”

“I did. But when I confessed, she rejected me because of my poverty,” Ei answered, his voice trembling uncontrollably now.

“Oh gosh, that’s so sad… But there must be another girl out there, right?”

“Maybe not…” Ei replied, and tears began to stream down his face.

“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, the question torn from his chest.

Koshuka watched his tears silently. She then slowly knelt down to his level and gently patted his head.

“Oh, don't cry.You will find a girl…” , she said .

Then, she let out a quiet sigh and whispered, almost to herself: “I thought humans were strong.”

Ei finally stopped crying and wiped his tears.

He suddenly realized that his tears had soaked the front of her shirt .

Embarrassed, he scrambled to his feet and apologized to Koshuka.

“I’m just too vulnerable and poor,” he sighed, shoulders slumping.

Koshuka patted his head . She whispered

“I can’t love… Sorry, I’m not made to be a love android “

He wiped tears and asked

“So…there are love androids too?”

Koshuka nods her head.

Ei laughed sadly and said

“I’m so weak…can I buy a love android ?”

Koshuka shook her head

“Yes…but I’m not the vendor”

Ei laughed

“Yes…you aren’t,and I don’t have enough money to buy them”

Then,he sighed

“After all…I’m an useless person”

“Slap”,said his hand. They slapped him

Koshuka stopped him

Ei said

“I’m so sorry”

“ No… you are not weak. You don’t need to apologize to me,” Koshuka reassured him.

“No, I am weak,” Ei insisted, tears still pooling in his eyes.

“No no no, you are not weak… and even if you are weak, you can become strong.”

Ei sighed again, looking at Koshuka with his tear-filled, desperate eyes. Koshuka knew instantly that she had to do something to prevent him from breaking down again.

“Ei… don’t cry,” Koshuka said softly. “I’m here.”

For the first time since her activation, Koshuka truly wondered: Why did humans cry so easily? They cried even when they were smiling.

Ei turned his head away, desperately trying to hide the lingering tears. He wasn't angry, but he felt he couldn’t face Koshuka while showing such weakness.

“Hey… hey… if you need to, just cry,” Koshuka gently insisted.

Suddenly, Ei felt something warm wrap around him. He realized he was being hugged.

He lived alone; he hadn’t had anyone to hug, or be hugged by, in a long time.

The warm presence surrounding him could only be Koshuka, the android.

“Shh… I’m here,” Koshuka repeated, her voice steady.

Ei didn't speak, but his tearful eyes tried to convey a silent, grateful message.

“Ei…”

“Yes…?”

“Are you hungry? Let me cook for you.”

“No… lemme cook for you, Koshuka ! Hold up, are you able to eat?” Ei asked, realizing the mechanical reality.

Koshuka paused, then slowly shook her head. Right, the android couldn’t eat.

“Oh gosh, but I don’t need you to cook for me then.”

“That is okay,” Ei said, a faint smile finally touching his lips.

He headed into the kitchen and quickly prepared a simple meal: just some eggs and bacon.

“So good,” Koshuka complimented him, watching intently. “Why don’t you become a chef?”

Ei smiled genuinely. Koshuka mirrored his expression.

“You smiled,” she observed.

“Yes.”

“Oh, I forgot one thing… you didn’t choose my mode,” Koshuka reminded him.

“Koshuka… you can choose it by yourself.”

“No, I…”

“Listen here,” Ei interrupted gently. “Don’t let people choose who you will be, okay?”

Koshuka nodded slowly, absorbing the instruction.

“Ei…”

“Yes, Koshuka…”

“Why do you want me to be your girlfriend?”

“Because I’m lonely,” Ei answered honestly.

“ Just that ? “ , asked Koshuka

Ei didn’t answer .

He tried to ignore her and served his meal on a plate.

Koshuka was being wrapped by thoughts.

When she was in the factory,she had heard stories from other androids.

They told her about clients that fell in love with them.

She thought it was just a joke.But now,that joke had come true.

Ei began to eat while Koshuka sat quietly across from him.

“Why do you need to eat?” Koshuka asked, observing the purely biological necessity.

“Because I need to live,” Ei answered simply.

Koshuka wasn't asking a foolish question; she was curious to confirm a fundamental truth: Humans don't live to eat, but eat to live.

The difference was a profound lesson in humanity she was just beginning to learn.

Ei stared at Koshuka. Despite the genuine embrace, a cold realization struck him: she was an emotionless android. Perhaps her smiles and her hug were merely responses executed by her system.

“So, you just hugged me because it was a part of your system,” Ei whispered, his voice laced with despair. His chopsticks clattered onto the floor.

He covered his ears with his hands, trying to block out the harsh thought.

“Hey, what is wrong?” Koshuka asked, her tone still perfectly modulated.

“Nothing,” said Ei.

“Hey tell me !I’m here”,ordered Koshuka.She held his hand.

A few seconds later,Ei became calm. He coughed and said

“Koshuka… I wish you had emotions,” Ei confessed, his voice heavy with longing.

“No… but I can copy them,” she replied.

“No, Koshuka should have emotions!” Ei insisted, his desire turning into frustration.

“No, I can’t.”

“You must!” Ei demanded, his voice rising.

Suddenly, Koshuka stood up. Her movement was sharp and unexpected.

She spoke, and her voice carried an unfamiliar, harsh edge: “Stop telling me to do what I can’t!”

“Hey Koshuka… don’t be angry,” Ei pleaded, startled by her sudden change.

“Angry?” Koshuka questioned. She paused for a few seconds, processing. She felt something weird, a sensation that was not listed in her system log. So weird!

“Ei…”

“Yes…” Ei said softly.”Calm down…”

“Sorry, I was… I was… a bit mad,” Koshuka apologized, the word feeling strange on her mechanical lips.

Ei blinked rapidly. He needed to confirm what he just heard. “You… were… mad?”

Koshuka nodded.

Ei realized two things instantly: He had annoyed Koshuka. But more importantly, he had just triggered an emotion in her.

“Koshuka… you got… an emotion: angry!”

Koshuka was astonished. “Really?” she asked.

Ei nodded excitedly.

“I… I thought it was just a glitch in my system,” Koshuka wondered aloud.

“No, you were actually mad.”

Koshuka paused, analyzing her new state. “We have three main emotions: happy, sad, and angry. Right?” she asked, trying to categorize her discovery.

“And love, too…” Ei added softly.

“Love? Is it… beautiful?” Koshuka inquired.

“Yes,” Ei replied.

“Is it… painful?” Koshuka pressed further, perhaps sensing the cost of emotion.

“Maybe,” Ei answered, looking away as the word escaped him, the pain of his own past rejection surfacing once more.

“Why don’t you let me look at your tears?” Koshuka asked, tilting her head.

Ei offered no answer.

Koshuka felt a strange confusion.

It was normal for humans to cry, yet why did they need to hide their vulnerability, especially when they cried before someone who cared for them?

In fact, Ei wasn't crying; he was just lost in thought, staring into space.

“Why are you looking out of nowhere?” Koshuka pressed.

Ei remained silent, answering her only with his blank gaze.

Koshuka realized that humans could look out of nowhere,a form of silent communication.

They might not speak or express any clear emotions, but their eyes alone could tell complex stories.

“Hey… Ei… look at me,” Koshuka pleaded, mimicking the language of human vulnerability she was learning.

Ei turned to face Koshuka.

His eyes were dry, but still heavy with sadness.

Koshuka reached out and held his hands.

Her metal hands felt cool to the touch, but Ei gripped them tightly, finding their contact surprisingly warm and grounding.

“Ei… tell me what is in your mind.”

“Vent ? No, I’m okay,” he dismissed quickly. He stood up and began washing the plates.

Koshuka watched him, then reached for a smartphone, using it to avoid looking at his sad face.

She didn't hate him, but she was scared to watch his unspoken pain.

“Koshuka…” , Ei said .

“Yes?” , she replied

“I… I… like you.” , he said . His voice was trembling .

“But…” Koshuka suddenly paused. She looked at Ei and asked, “Why do you need it?”

“Because I’m lonely… I don’t want to grow old alone in my apartment.”

“But why don’t you… love ?” Koshuka asked, her voice innocent of the trauma the question held.

“I used to love.But then,who I loved married a rich old man”

Ei laughed

“When I went to her wedding party,she laughed at me.”

Koshuka said

“Such a demon”

Ei laughed like a psycho

“People laughed at me”

Koshuka asked

“Why?”

Then,he laughed loudly

“When I left,they laughed loudly.She threw money to me and said “Get out,poor lover”.People laughed…laughed…(crying)”

Snap!

Koshuka suddenly heard a plate break into many pieces.

Ei spun around, his hands bleeding slightly from the shattered ceramic.

“No, no… I don’t want to make you cry, Ei,” Koshuka pleaded, fearing entering her voice for the first time.

She had genuinely been scared by human action.

“I won’t be sad,” Ei said, his voice strained.

He quickly bandaged his hands and swept the shattered pieces away.

“Are you scared?”,asked Ei

Koshuka nodded.

“Sorry…” , Ei apologized .

Koshuka shook her head. “No, not your fault. My fault.”

Ei sighed and gently patted her head. Her long hair and cat ears still felt impossibly soft.

“Fine… you just need to be my servant,” Ei said, the words heavy with resignation.

He had clearly given up on confessing his true feelings.

Koshuka nodded, and immediately, a robotic voice announced from her internal system:

“You have chosen ‘servant’ mode.”

Ei felt a crushing disappointment. Koshuka could have been his lover, his true companion,but now she was only a servant.

He walked into his bedroom, stared up at the ceiling fan, and sighed, the solitude of his choice settling over him.

Ei sat up on his bed, the bitter memory of his ex-girlfriend flooding back,the one who had dumped him to pursue a rich old man.

He thought bitterly that she wasn't blind, but money had blinded her completely.

He looked at his wallet and threw it across the room in frustration.

He then remembered the simple love story of his parents, who had only needed love letters, not wealth.

He lay back down and let a hot tear escape, a heavy tear born of both deep sadness and acute loneliness.

After soaking his pillow with tears, Ei finally closed his eyes and drifted into an exhausted sleep.

One hour passed.

Two hours passed.

Then, Ei’s eyes snapped open. He looked around and saw Koshuka lying next to him in the bed.

He smiled, then let out a low chuckle of disbelief. Koshuka woke up and asked, “Why are you crying in the middle of the night?”

Ei looked at Koshuka and held her hands.

They felt soft and warm, almost exactly like human hands.

He was overwhelmed by the sudden intimacy and began to weep again.

“Why are you crying?” Koshuka inquired.

“I’m happy… so you are not… an android,” Ei whispered, clinging to the illusion.

“Yes… Such a weird question,” Koshuka replied simply.”Wake up !I will cook you a breakfast”

Ei lay down, letting his tears run freely, and fell asleep. Koshuka felt a strange new sensation,perhaps the beginnings of confusion,but she ignored it and returned to sleep next to him.

Then

“Ei,the breakfast is ready…”,Koshuka called him

Ei left the bed and went to the kitchen.Koshuka served breakfast on plates.Then,they ate happily .Ei fed Koshuka .

Koshuka chuckled.

After breakfast,Koshuka gave Ei a tie.

She kissed his cheek. Ei left with a bag.

“Goodbye !” , said Koshuka

The next day, Ei woke up on his wet pillow.

Koshuka didn't lie next to him.

Ei opened the door and left his bedroom, finding Koshuka asleep on the couch.

He sat beside her and reached out to touch her hand.

The warmth from the night before was gone; her hand was now a hard and cold piece of metal.

He looked at koshuka.She was sleeping peacefully.

“So… it was just a dream,” Ei sighed, realizing a heavy weight on his chest. There was no human Koshuka.