Haejung stared out blankly in front of her, hugging the grey baseball jacket Luhan always wore. It had this faint smell of lemon drops and mint. It was Luhan's smell.

She didn't know it was this painful to miss someone. She thought she was already dying of pain the other time when Doojoon dumped her in front of everyone.

This was completely in a whole new level.

It didn't help that Luhan was with her almost every single second of the day when he was here. It meant that every single second of the day, she was missing him. Even at night, the absence of his warmth made her sob to herself.

The fangirls didn't come to the eatery that much any longer because Luhan wasn't there anymore. Mrs Yoo lied to them that Luhan wasn't working there any longer, it wasn't too far from the truth anyway.

The fanboys continued coming since Haejung was there, and they bore hope that since the other cute guy working at the eatery wasn't there anymore, they might have a chance with Haejung. Some of them even asked Mrs Yoo if Luhan's position was available and they would like to work there as well.

Mrs Yoo didn't hire any of them. No one could replace Luhan whom she had come to view as a son.

From the moment she opened her eyes in the morning till the time it came when she was so so exhausted that she had to sleep, Haejung missed him. Missed missed missed him with all her heart.

She was afraid to sleep because she began having nightmares, one after another. Some, of Luhan already dating another girl. Some, that Luhan actually fell in love with another. Even worse, that the RB company may decided to scrape him.

There were so many variations of her nightmares that she didn't remember them at all. She feared sleep, she feared finally seeing Luhan in her dreams only to have him taken away from her again.

But she feared being awake even more because the reality washed over her time and time again. Luhan wasn't there.

She forgot how many times it was that she could forget that he had gone and call out his name, expecting his cheery reply and loud "JUNGIE!" calling her back.

She loved him. And when you love someone this much that he becomes your life, losing him meant she lost her life.

Yoo Haejung was now an empty shell.

Chen closed his eyes, biting his lip so hard that he tasted the iron in his mouth. *Luhan hyung remembered Haejung.*

The thought made him stay awake the entire night. He held his phone in his hands as he slept, wondering if he should call or message Haejung at least. She deserved to know about it didn't she?

If Luhan was truly a robot, the fruit of technology, an electrical appliance....if you rebooted this device, it would not remember anything. There was no database left.

So why had Luhan remembered Haejung?

Chen remembered his female cousins gushing over the Japanese show called Absolute Boyfriend and they cooed over the very handsome Hayami Mokomichi playing the perfect boyfriend role. The drama continued to the point where Night's memories were erased but he was able to remember Riiko even after that.

It was a very romantic idea. That he would remember even if he shouldn't.

But Chen knew it was impossible if Luhan was really just a robot. If Luhan was really a robot, he would forget, he would follow the instructions. Dramas romanticized everything but this was reality they were living in.

If this was the case, there was a very large possibility that what Haejung told him might be true. Luhan might not fully be a robot.

Whatever Luhan really was, Chen didn't know. But there was a chance that Luhan might actually be a living, that he might have a mind of his own and that the love for Haejung in which he spoke so deeply about....that love could very well be true and not just three words programmed into this system.

But did Chen want to tell her?

Chen's palms grew sweaty and he his lips again. "What are you thinking about Chen?" he whispered to himself. "Don't you see this is the best chance for you to get Haejung to finally notice you as a man?" he asked himself. "Luhan hyung isn't around to distract her anymore, you can finally make her fall for you, why are you trying to sabotage everything for yourself by telling her that?"

*Because it's wrong.* A voice in Chen's mind spoke. Chen shook his head, burying his face in his hands. He didn't know what to do. He really really didn't.

-----------

"I'll walk her." Chen whispered to the EXO-M boys as they trailed after Haejung after school. She didn't notice them whispering behind her because she was too immersed in her own world, in thoughts of Luhan.

Lay's eyes searched him. "Are you sure? She's still angry with you."

Chen sighed. "I know. But I have to try to get her to talk to me, right?" he sighed. "I want time to talk to her, just let me?"

"Fine. I'm too tired to keep cracking jokes again and again when I don't even feel like laughing. And Haejung doesn't even crack a smile." Xiumin grumbled. "Aish. This is so confusing."

Chen nodded. "Then I'll walk her home." he turned to go when Kris held him back. Kris bit his lip and looked around, not knowing how to start. "Chen, I know you have your inner desires, but....you shouldn't...this isn't fair competion Chen."

Chen flinched. *I know. But....*

"Let's talk about this later hyung." Chen brushed Kris's hand away. He turned and ran after Haejung while Kris watched. *This is wrong.*

Chen caught up with Haejung and walked beside her. She didn't notice him at first until he intentionally bumped shoulders with her. Haejung blinked and turned to her side, her eyes suddenly hopeful. "Luh-"

Her face fell when when she saw him and it turned into a glare. "Oh." she grumbled.

Chen tried not to show how he was affected by her reaction. Was it that bad that it was him that appeared instead? Was she still pinning for Luhan even till now?

"I'll walk you to the bus stop, Haejung. I can help out at the eatery too, since you and Mrs Yoo wouldn't be able to cope with that many customers." Chen offered, watching her hopefully for some positive response.

Haejung stared straight. "No thanks. We don't need an extra helping hand because someone took Luhan away from us and his fangirls stopped coming. Business isn't that brisk any more."

Chen flinched. "Haejung why don't you understand why I did that? I thought I explained to you, I was worried for you." he pleaded, holding her wrist. "Please listen to me..."

Haejung stopped in her tracks and sighed. She slowly turned to look at him and it was the first time Chen really saw her face after Luhan left.

Her eyes were forever swollen and red, blood shot even. Her usually bright and rosy cheeks that didn't even need blushers or any sort were now dull and yellow-tinged. She looked absolutely tired, like she wasn't sleeping at all.

At that moment, Chen witnessed for himself just what Luhan's departure did to her. It was horrible.

"I understand, Chen." Haejung looked at him. "I understand that you were worried for me. I understand that when you first knew that Luhan was a robot, you'll be wary and you're just trying to protect me."

Haejung swallowed. "But I can't forgive you for brushing Luhan aside like that so easily, Chen." she whispered. "You said there were many other guys out there better than him. I...." she lowered her gaze to the ground.

"I thought about it last night." she mumbled. "I'm sorry I didn't realize your feelings for me."

Chen felt his heart thud against his chest loudly.

"But as much as the guilt was affecting me, I cannot accept how you seem to think Luhan's departure was just like throwing away a piece of used paper or trash. I can't accept how you seem to underestimate what Luhan and I had together." Haejung's voice trembled. "Because I can guarantee everything is real."

"Luhan hyung is a robot-"

"That I love." Haejung cut in. "I'm sorry that I hurt you, Chen. But I don't believe Luhan is what the RB company portrays him to be. There's something else happening in there. And even if Luhan is really a robot,"

Haejung looked him in the eye. "I will still love him."

Haejung turned away, running to the bus stop with her bag as tears started falling down her face again. Chen watched as she went, his heart hammering madly and his hands were clenched at his side.

"Did I really underestimate what they had together?" he whispered.