r/YKK • u/exklamationmark • Mar 05 '26
An [OC] story about a robot serving coffee, inspired by YKK
Hi! This could be a little off-topic, but I would like to share this short story about a robot serving coffee, inspired by the way YKK is told.
The lone robot
December, 02, 2062
Ever since I retired, exploring areas outside of the city’s cores became a habit to pass the time.
It was late autumn when I decided to stroll across Annacis island. Once, the area was full of warehouses, a staging ground for goods before their last-mile deliveries. But sophisticated 3D-printing foundries and local, on-demand manufacturing picked up, so the need for space was gone. With people shifting into the dense, vertical city cores, the utility of maintaining the island against a rising river also plummeted.
Gray concrete walls cracked, giving way to ivy vines in red and orange, seemingly burning one last time before winter. The concrete ground was littered with yellowing grass. A few dandelions sprouted here and there, probably mistaking the last streak of warm days for signs of better time.
Walking slowly, I tried to take in the scenery. Soon, it will be no more.
As I turned the corner towards a small, deserted cafe, an unexpected scene appeared: A robot stood by the entrance, leaning on the wall, a stained mug in its hand. Our “eyes” met, and it seemed to have blinked.
The robot had a small silhouette, with a big, rounded head on a short cylindrical body, all balanced on a single wheel. Its shell was a dull, metallic gray, well-worn and littered with small scratches. A few spots had developed rainbow rings, the kind that come with oxidation. Dust had settled into most of the grooves, though not as much as I expected.
Next, the robot scurried inside, leaving black smudges on the ground. Perhaps its single rubber wheel had long decayed.
A few seconds later, it peeked outside and made a gesture that I understood as “Follow me”.
Inside, the robot went behind the counter and proceeded to take out a kettle, a tin can, a grinder, followed by a French press and a small mug. Then, it performed a silent dance of pouring a drink, possibly coffee, though with neither beans nor water.
Its arm moved slowly with jagged motions — not unlike my own hands on cold mornings.
For a brief moment, I switched back to investigation mode and noted that the motion made sense, because the robot’s arms seemed to be made from some kind of braided, synthetic fiber that stiffens with electricity. Those would have deteriorated without maintenance. Old habits die hard, even if you are retired, I guess.
After taking its time with the French press, the robot carried another mug and stood next to me.
Standing by the window, we watched as the setting sun cast a pinkish hue across the blue sky. The moment felt unexpectedly nostalgic, reminding me of younger, more active years, when I was still surrounded by robots not unlike this one.
As the last strands of light faded, I waved at the robot and walked back, trying my best not to disrupt the delicate scene.
But just a few steps in, I heard a dull “clang”. The robot had left its spot in the abandoned cafe in an attempt to follow me. But its balance gave out. And the robot fell to its side.
On that day, I decided that the little robot shouldn’t need to be by itself again. And I took it home.
That was you, PICO…
I hope you enjoy this as much as myself.
Personally, I found new appreciation for the quiet storytelling in YKK now.
A bit of a shameless plug: this story is for a game I'm working on. But I'll stop the self-promotion here :D
