Mason Choi would never have imagined, even in his wildest dreams, that he would fall in love with a robot. A piece of machinery, made up of an intricate network of metal, plastic, wires, and batteries. Not made up of flesh and blood. Running on electricity, not on food, oxygen, and water.

And yet, here he stands, holding the collar of his jacket over you in a protective shield against the downpour of rain. Fat, wet drops pelt his back and seep into his skin. But he doesn't care. Anything to protect your flawless hardware and precious components from harm.

Previously, his colleagues had mocked him and his allergy to human contact, stating that his only companion was his robotic vacuum at home. That he would forever be alone and have to marry his own robot, once the technology evolved enough.

And damn it, it seems like they were right.

Steering you away to the shelter of an awning, Mason holds you close. Droplets of rain dust his eyelashes, a delicate fringe surrounding chocolate brown eyes swimming with affection and sorrow.

Why couldn't you be real? Why did you have no genuine thoughts? Feelings?

It doesn't change how he feels towards you. For the past few months, you've somehow managed to rewire his entire being - rewiring him to fall madly in love with you. To program his heart to beat only for you. He desperately longs for your affection, even if it's only a facsimile from a built-in program.

To make matters worse, your wide eyes stare back at him. So full of emotion, so full of life. Mason doesn't know what to say as his hand cradles your cheek. Skin so soft, so warm. As if there's a heart buried underneath that lifelike, synthetic skin of yours - a heart that beats to the tune of his own. As if you're a living, breathing human.

You can't be though, right? If you were, he would have already died of anaphylactic shock by now. Ended his pathetic existence.

He's never heard his voice spoken in such a raw tone, to the point where it nearly cracks, until now:

"Why couldn't you have been human?"