As Cold As Metall

Chapter 8

I wake up startled. The dreams I have are getting longer and somehow seem to fit together. There are always these two boys, or man, talking about a girl, or woman, that seems to be in a coma. Wait, coma... That reminds me of Tae's friend. I still feel bad that I made him sad yesterday by talking about his friend. I hope she will get better soon, so Tae doesn't have to be sad anymore. I lie in bed a little longer before I stand up. I hope Tae is still in bed so I can try making breakfast for us. I leave my room and make my way to the kitchen as silent as possible and to my luck Tae doesn't wake up. I get all the ingredients I need for his favourite breakfast and memorize what to do now. While I was making our food I hear slow footsteps in the hallway. A few moments later Tae steps in the kitchen, rubbing one of his eyes sleepily. „Good morning", he says and yawns. I repeat his words and smile at him. Only then he realizes that I'm making breakfast. „You cook?", he asks and I nod. „The breakfast you showed me the other day. I wanted to make you happy..." He smiles at me in a gentle way, I think, and starts to set the table. „It's almost ready. Take a seat please", I say and Tae sits down. A few moments later the eggs and bacon were ready. I put the pan on the table and get the orange juice. In the meantime Tae puts the food on our plates. I sit down opposite of him and we start to eat. „It's really delicious!", Tae nearly shouts with sparkling eyes to which I giggle. „I'm glad you like it." I smile at him and take another bite. It really isn't bad but in my opinion it's nothing compared to the food Tae makes. It's my first time to cook anyway so I can't expect it to be as tasty as Tae's. While we eat I glance at the clock that hangs at the wall behind Tae and nearly choke on my food. It's 7:23 and today is Monday, means we have to be at work in 30 minutes. I look at Tae, who doesn't seem to notice my shocked expression, and nudge his arm. „What is it?", he asks confused and I say: „We have to be at work in 30 minutes!" Now his eyes widen in shock. „Oh shit!", he curses and jumps from his seat. „We have to hurry!", he yells and sprints out of the kitchen. I, on the other hand, put away the plates which are empty already and go to the door. Other than Tae I am already dressed and ready to go. But to my surprise he didn't need much time to also get ready. He comes to the door out of breath and we exit the apartment. Luckily the way to our workplace isn't that long so we reach it in time. „Good morning Mina and Taehyung", Yuna greets us and we repeat it. We hurry to change our clothes and start to work. Work hasn't changed at all, only that I get exhausted, now that I am more like a human. I missed working. I always hated weekends because I never had anything to do but this one was wonderful. Not only that I haven't been at home like always, I also could spent it with Taehyung, who I can't think away anymore. It's strange that I think like this already because I only met him last week but I have the strange feeling that he is a special person. I feel like I have known him my whole life and I like it. Work goes by really quick and soon it ends. Tae and I change our clothes back to our normal ones and leave the place. „Are you hungry?", Tae asks and I nod. „What do you want to eat?", he asks again but I have no answer for him. „Why don't you choose?", I ask this time and smile at him. Tae tips on his chin in a thinking manner before his eyes light up. „Let's go to the place down the street. They have a giant menu so you can choose what you think you would like." He smiles at me, making me laugh because of the words he used again. „Ok, let's go there." We walk slowly next to each other, talking about some things. He also tells me some things about his best friend. I feel sad again. It's not fair that Tae has lost his best friend. And now he lives together with a girl that looks exactly like her. „Tae...", I whisper catching his attention. „Yeah?", he asks looking at me curious. „I think I should move out again... Maybe to another city..." My voice gets softer the more I speak, while I can't manage to look at him. Suddenly he stops me with his hand on my wrist and turns me around. „Why?! I thought we are friends. Why would you leave me?", he asks desperately, now taking hold of both my shoulders. I'm still not able to look at him. „B-because, I d-don't want t-to make you s-sad..." „What the actual fuck are you talking about?!! You don't make me sad!" „But I look like your best friend. I could be her twin. Doesn't that make you sad? Seeing a girl that looks like her but actual isn't?" I look at him, seeing his puzzled face. „You don't look like her", he says, letting go of my shoulders. Now I'm the one who looks at him puzzled. „But the photos. It was like I look at my own reflection." „Believe me, you don't look like her so promise me to not leave me like she did..." He looks to the ground with a sad face. My body moves on its own, wrapping my arms around him, hugging him with all my love. Well at least I think it's love... He also wraps his arms around me, pressing me against his body. I don't believe him. I obviously look like his friend. I think that's the reason he lied. Maybe he uses me to forget his sadness. Maybe he wants to think that I'm her. I really don't know. I should not talk about her anymore. I let go of Tae and look into his eyes. "I promise, that I'll never leave you, Tae", I say and smile at him, what makes him smile his cute boxy smile. We continue our way to the restaurant and enter it when we finally reach it. We get a table right next to the window so you can watch the people and cars pass by. Soon a waiter comes to give us the menu. We look through it and Tae soon put his down, while I still don't know what to pick. "Need help?", Tae asks with a grin plastered on his face. I feel my face heating up a little because I have no idea of how all of these meals will taste. I nod ad ask: "What did you pick?" "I picked one of my favourite foods, Japchae", he answers and points on my menu where the name stands. I read through the food description and decide to try it out. "I'll try it out", I say and put my menu down as well. Soon after the waiter comes back and writes down our order. While waiting for our food, we talk about some things. "So, you don't know anything? How you were created or who created you nor why?", Tae asks before taking a sip of his cola. I nod and say: "I don't know anything. And I wonder if my creator wanted me to have feelings someday. Maybe he had them programmed but sealed them away in my software. And in the amusement park we broke it..." My thoughts drift away not knowing what will happen in the future. Taehyung pulls me out of my thoughts by saying: "Mina, the food is here." I blink a few times and look at Tae who smiles at me. "Let's dig in", he says while happily grabbing the chopsticks. I look at them, unsure if I am able to eat with those sticks. "What's wrong?", Tae asks between two bites and looks at me concerned. I smile reassuringly and say: "I don't know how to use chopsticks." Tae giggles lightly, glad there is nothing badly wrong. He shows me how to hold the chopsticks and shows me how to use them. I try it myself, not getting the hang of it at all. "What are you doing?", Tae asks while trying to hold back his laughter. "I can't use them properly", I say in a desperate tone and sigh. "Come on I show you again", Tae says and shows me again how to use them. The next time I try worked better. We continue our meal with a bit conversation. After we finished Tae payed and we left the restaurant. We continue talking on our way home. It's already late and I feel a little tired. I yawn and Tae giggles. "Tired already?", he asks and earns a nod from me. "I don't feel so well...", I say while taking a hold of Taes arm. "Are you ok?", Tae asks worryingly, coming to a stop. I shrug my shoulders while my vision starts to get blurrier. "It's probably my battery that ran out of power", I whisper but Tae looks at me doubtful. "You told me your battery recharges every time you sleep and gives you power for at least a week with no sleep. I doubt it's your battery. Something is happening again. Like the incident in the amusement park." Shit he listens too good. There is no use lying, even though I didn't intend to do so. "You're probably right, T-Tae...", I whisper again. My body starts to feel heavy. My eyes closing like I have no more power over my body. My grip on Taes arm gets loose and I can feel myself falling but before my body could hit the ground I feel arms catching me. That was the last thing I remember before the darkness took over me.

"Jin, what happened?!" "Her heart stopped for a moment. We had to reanimate her... Did something in her dream happen?" "Yeah, she fell unconscious. She'll probably sleep for a few hours. I brought her back to our apartment." "Good, you should rest too, Taehyung." "I can't leave her..." "You can use the bed beside her, so you'll be by her side all the time." "Thanks Jin. You're the best."