“Zelo, please wake up!”

Jong Up frantically placed him into the machine that charged him. After the moment he had found donsaeng, he finally knew what his heart had been trying to tell him. Zelo was in trouble and needed him. Jong Up had promised that he would always take care of Zelo and, even though he was late, he was not going to give up now. Jong Up had finally connected Zelo into the machine. He momentarily thanked God that he was given such strong muscles to carry the heavy Zelo. He turned the machine on and pressed whatever buttons his heart told him to press. Bang Yongguk always did this bit. Jong Up cursed himself for never paying attention. Think Jong Up, he begged himself. His mind was blank. He thought of nothing until he saw a flashing screen on the machine. He paid it some attention and read that Zelo was 5% away from permanent shut down.

“Permanent Shut Down!!” Jong Up cried. He cursed again, unable to hold his emotions. He realised he had his phone with him. Without a moment to lose, he dialled the leader’s number.

“Yeo-”

“I need your help. Zelo is 5% away from permanent shut down.”

“What? Why didn’t he charge himself earlier?”

“I don’t know! I found him lying in an alleyway and he’s unconscious.”

“Oh my God…”

“What?! Is that it? Tell me how to charge him.”

“It’s too late. After he gets below 10%, there’s nothing you can do. The machine rejects him.”

“Please, hyung…”

“Look, I care about him the most. If there was something to do, I’d tell you to do it.”

“YAH, BANG YONGGUK! No one cares about Zelo more than I do. I am the one who always sticks by him! I am the one who makes him happy whenever you guys make him sad. I am the one who is standing here right now. I care the most about him – not you!” None of what Jong Up had said had come from his mind – he wasn’t even sure if it had made sense. Every single word was from his heart. Still, whatever Jong Up had said, he was glad he had said it. It just felt… right.

Jong inhaled as he heard his hyung apologise. He realised his eyes were slightly watering. “No hyung, I’m sorry. It was rude of me to shout at you like that. I just want Zelo back. I need him.” He disconnected the phone. He didn’t want any more of Yongguk’s sweet words, he only wanted Zelo. He walked over to his robot friend and gently placed his hands on either side of his head.

“Zelo, please wake up. Please.”

“Zelo is on 4%.” Jong Up’s eyes widened. Zelo’s eyes were still closed, but his mouth opened slightly to mumble out those words.

“Zelo!”

“J-Jong Up?”

“Zelo, I’m here. Talk again.”

“J-Jong Up, t-take Zelo’s m-memory card and k-keep it. R-Remember Zelo.”

“Stay with me, Zelo. Don’t go!”

“Zelo is almost on 3%.”

“No, Zelo!”

“Bye, Jong Up… Zelo’s best friend…”

Zelo was still, but not completely. The screen on the machine had stopped flashing, but it was still on. The screen now said: Automatic Machine Shut Down. Manual Robot Function Activated. Jong Up punched the screen in frustration and there was now a dent in the side. he tried to calm his breathing but it was too hard for him. He went to his donsaeng and took out the memory card and stared it. This was all he had left of his best friend. He made an attempt to walk out and leave Zelo - but halfway there, he dropped to the floor. There was a piercing pain in his heart. He stayed and the floor and cried his heart out into the emptiness of what was now left...

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Daehyun woke up, covered in sweat. He had just slept through a nightmare where Yongguk had left him. He turned around and looked to see if he was there... he was. Yongguk was wide awake and deep in his own trance of thoughts. He didn't realise Daehyun was awake and jolted in surprise when Daehyun wrapped his arm around him.

"You scared me." Daehyun whispered. "I thought you had left." He frowned as he received no response from the older. "Yongguk!" he called. Yongguk suddenly looked at Daehyun. There was water in his eyes, threatening to stain his clear skin. "Yongguk, what's wrong?"

"It's Zelo... I think he's gone."

"What are you talking about? I'm sure he's fine."

"No, he's not. Jong Up told me that he was lower than 10%. He's gone Daehyun. Gone." Daehyun froze in shock. It couldn't be true. The maknae was a kid but he was responsible enough to know when he had to charge himself. Something big must have happened in order for Zelo to act this way. What was it? He returned his gaze to the older and saw tears trailing down his face. Daehyun caressed his cheek and wiped the tears away.

"Yongguk, please don't cry. Your tears face more misfortune than you do. They now have to deal with leaving the most beautiful being in existence." He hated this feeling: the feeling of helplessness when Yongguk was upset. It took a lot of strength to break a man like him, and it required even more strength to pick up the pieces. But Daehyun was determined that he's be able to do it - his heart was strong enough.

"Yongguk, don't feel this way."

"How can I not? Zelo has gone because of my selfishness and carelessness of not taking proper care of him."

"What about me?"

"What about you?"

"Why can't you take care me?"

"Now is not the time to be selfish. Did you not hear me when I said it was the reason why Zelo is gone."

"We need to be selfish, Yongguk. We have to take care and love ourselves, otherwise we'll end up in depression and eventually... like Zelo."

"You're heartless, Jung Daehyun. How can you say that?" A sharp pain stung in Daehyun's chest. It was painful to know that Yongguk did not acknowledge the heart that Daehyun loved him with. Daehyun was trying so hard to say the right things - but the wrong ones were coming out instead.

"I'm not heartless."

"Yes, you are."

"NO, I am not! Tell me, was I heartless when I said that I love you? Was I heartless when I took you into my arms and said I would take care of you? Am I heartless now by trying to make you feel better?"

"How are you trying to make me feel better?"

"I'm trying to show you! I'm here, pouring out my heart to you and trying to pick up the pieces. I'm trying to make you realise that we have one another and that alone is enough. Why can't you just forget everyone and think about me? I know i'm being selfish but I need it. I need you. I'm always here waiting on the sidelines for you to realise that I'm here. When you finally do, you turn away and look for another person. Why can't I be the person you care for, cry for and fall in love with - because I've already fallen for you."

Daehyun paused to breathe. It was pointless saying another word. He thought that he had secured his hold on his Yongguk, but he was wrong. He knew that it was disrespectful to Zelo to speak this way, to be so selfish, but he couldn't control his anger and frustration. He couldn't control his tongue.

"Well, I'm the idiot for not realising it was pointless to even try and get you to love me. I'm sorry for being a waste of time and space, Yongguk." Daehyun left the bed and walked out of the room, onto the balcony. He heard no call or response from his hyung. He took it as confirmation he wasn't wanted. He gripped tightly onto the metal barrier outside. The cold air returned: from Youngjae's home to his. It was always following him, eating away the warmth in his heart.

He looked down at the pavement beneath him. He admired the ability of the hard stone. It was able to remove pain and anger... and life. A tear ran down his face. He wasn't ashamed of the thoughts running through his head - but his heart told him he should be. He looked up to the starry sky for an answer and deeply inhaled and exhaled. Inhaled and exhaled. He looked down again.

Inhaled and exhaled... and smiled sadly...