"I am Do Hojun, founder of Haneul Technologies. After years of being funded by GN Group, I proudly present you to CY.0.0.1, the project which my good friend Oh Mansik and I have been working on."

Slumped in the wicker chair beside the raised platform on which an unconscious Chanyeol lay - a complete mystery to Yixing - Sehun's mouth fell wide open as he saw the video titled 'Demo' playing on his news feed. A notification had appeared from all of the SNS applications on his phone, leading him to click it out of curiosity.

"CY.0.0.1, or Chanyeol, is the world's first sentient robot."

The audio blared around the room, piquing the interest of Yixing, who had been monitoring Chanyeol's system through the main computer in search for a reason as to how and why he had been randomly changing status. He immediately swerved his body to face the source of the sound, choosing to make his way over to Sehun.

"While our end goal is to have a public release, I will be transferring the entire project to OM Enterprises, as Haneul Technologies wishes to focus on other schemes."

The camera itself, revealing the familiar robot with its titanium frame and unsettling bulging eyes. Memories of a bygone Christmas Day came back to Sehun, who merely laughed upon seeing Chanyeol's original form again.

"For now, Chanyeol has the important duty of being a certain little boy's companion," Hojun smiled at the camera, which had refocused on him after briefly displaying the cameraman, or rather, camerabot. "Merry Christmas Oh Sehun!"

Following a brief pause, the video left Sehun with nothing but a black screen. Behind him, Yixing bit the inside of his cheek out of nervousness, not because he had learnt anything new, but because 'Demo' had been a private file in Chanyeol's database. Connecting the dots, Yixing realised that the internal computer had been hacked.

 After a snippet of static, the video resumed. In the same white room, another figure appeared.

"Hojun, I asked the chairman for more funding." Mansik said in a sombre tone, sitting on a chair a metre away from the camera.

After a snort of laughter, Hojun shook his head, arms folded as he leant back in his seat, "Asked or bribed?"

"Don't be like that, I swear it won't affect anyone." Mansik tried to reason with him, perspiration lining his forehead.

"I handed Chanyeol to you out of pity. I gave you my company's resources for free out of pity." Hojun retorted, rising from his chair as his voice grew louder, "Even then, you weren't satisfied. The chairman told me to practically hand my employees over to you the first time you 'asked' for more funding, and you have the audacity to say that it doesn't affect anyone?!"

With his hands to his head in frustration, Hojun paced across the small room as he continued to berate his partner. Mansik, who hadn't said another word, seemed to look straight at the camera in surprise, as if he had just noticed something. Abruptly rising from his chair, the man quickly moved closer to the lens, turning the video into a screen of reddish darkness.

The video stopped and Sehun could feel his heart sink. For a moment, the two men stood in silence, having yet to comprehend what they had just seen. On Sehun's phone, the comments section underneath the video erupted with accusations, speculations and calls for justice to be served.

On the other side of the room, the door clicked open, revealing Junmyeon, who wore a grave expression, "Judging from your dumbfounded looks, I'm guessing that you've seen the video." He said wryly, joining Yixing's side.

Nodding in response, Sehun slipped his phone back into his pocket, a frown on his lips, "So what does this mean exactly?" He asked, looking up at Junmyeon.

"It means that Do Hojun's suicide case is going to be re-opened." Yixing answered, exchanging looks with Junmyeon, who let out a frustrated sigh.

The sinking feeling in Sehun's chest hadn't been his imagination; his heart palpitated vigorously, the flesh beneath his skin suddenly turning cold.

Noticing the abrupt change in behaviour, Junmyeon pressed a hand against the younger man's cheek, and hastily warned Yixing of his drop in temperature. Their voices eventually became disjointed, a low hum resounding around Sehun.

With his vision blurring, Sehun collapsed into his seat, the rush of blood vibrating in his ears.

---

When Sehun woke up in a familiar hospital bed, a corruption scandal involving GN Group and OME had rapidly unfolded, making waves in the public's perception of the artificial intelligence industry. Having branded themselves as a conglomerate solely focused on the progression of science and technology, the controversy only served to betray their words.

In the corner of his eye, Sehun could make out Minseok's figure, his scrubs the same navy colour as they always had been. On the wall opposite his bed, the television screen displayed the news, which Sehun resigned himself to watching. Morphine ran through Sehun's system as the anchorwoman outlined the details of the recent court appearances and press conferences, her voice lulling him into a listless state.

"The chairman of GN Group and the CEO of OM Enterprises have been arrested over allegations of bribery, the evidence for which has been found in the leaked video 'Demo'…"

While the woman spoke in her clear cut Seoul dialect, Minseok opened the curtains, allowing light into the dimmed room. Sehun squinted, the beams catching in his eyes.

"…Chairman Lee Sangchul admitted to accepting bribes from Oh Mansik, who had asked for more investments in his company's projects…"

With a tray of food in his hands, Jongdae entered the room, throwing an apathetic glance at the television before quietly placing Sehun's lunch on his overbed table. Leaning his head back into his pillow, Sehun felt an emptiness in his stomach that wasn't a mere hunger.

"…Following the incident, ex-employees of Haneul Technologies have spoken up, stating that Mr. Lee had informed investors of his decision to completely withdraw funding from the aforementioned business…"

Jongdae held the spoon up to Sehun's lips, which parted reluctantly. Exhaustion washed over Sehun's body, making even swallowing a chore, while he continued to watch the screen with undivided attention.

"…resulting in a drastic fall in the company's stocks, but failed to inform or support Do Hojun. As such, Mr. Lee and Mr. Oh have been accused of 'manipulative behaviour' and ethical misconduct…"

While Jongdae and Minseok chatted with hushed voices, Sehun shifted slightly in his bed, feeling somewhat uncomfortable that Chanyeol wasn't there. For the majority of his life, Chanyeol had always been by his side and ironically, despite Sehun's initial protests about having someone observe him 24/7, there was nothing more he wanted than to be in Chanyeol's company again. He was family, after all.

"…to quote Mr. Oh's closing statement, 'I did it for my son. I apologise for my wrongdoings, but I don't regret what I've done.' "

For the first time in years, Sehun could feel the presence of the wires in his right arm, threading through muscle and around his bones. They felt more constricting, heavier. More alien.

While the nurses spoke idly of their weekend plans, Sehun's eyes were fixed on his limb, conflicted thoughts running through his mind. As he stretched out his fingers, he realised someone lost their life just so he could move an arm. His father had always told him that he deserved it, he was different from other children.

Slipping a finger underneath the thickest wire, Sehun bit down on his lip. They didn't belong there. They were never his.

He tore it out, the pain blindingly sharp as he felt his flesh twisting in the wire's grip. As the shock sent his mind into a frenzy, two pairs of panicked hands grabbed him, urging him to stop.

But Sehun kept pulling at his wires until he could no longer feel them. Until he was free.

---

With Oh Mansik in prison, leadership over OM Enterprises was transferred from the Korean branch to Changsha Institute, Yixing being the new CEO due to his extensive experience.

The person who leaked the video had never been found, despite Yixing having an inkling as to who it was. When Junmyeon brought up Do Kyungsoo as a suspect, Yixing immediately shot him down, stating, 'He's awful with technology. A smart boy, but absolutely terrible with computers."  At that, Junmyeon reasoned that Mansik did indeed hire Kyungsoo out of pity, not because of his supposedly outstanding qualifications.

Choosing to lay low for a while, the man in question spent the entirety of the scandal-ridden month focusing on his studies, occasionally dropping in at the OME building to confirm that he was, in fact, still a part of the workforce. Sometimes, a glance would be thrown Kyungsoo's way by Junmyeon as he walked down the corridor, though it lacked the suspicion or contempt Kyungsoo had expected. Instead, it hinted at regret with an underlying apology, one that had never truly been spoken by any of his colleagues. Not that it mattered anymore, Kyungsoo was going to leave in a month or so when his internship finished.

Two weeks after the start of the new year, the buzz of the festivities had died down, and Kyungsoo took delight in the peace and quiet that finally returned to the office. During the staff briefing earlier in the morning, which Kyungsoo had been informed of for once, an announcement was made by Junmyeon.

"I know that it's the new year and all of that, but please, settle down." He said, his lip curled in irritation, "'Since 'Sentience' is no longer viable, OME will be picking up some of Haneul Technologies' abandoned schemes because…well, it should be obvious by now if you've been paying attention to current affairs."

For a brief moment, Junmyeon's eyes met Kyungsoo's, who had been quietly standing in the back, "Mr. Oh's first project has already been finished, and the second dismantled, so we can put all of this behind us. Let's work hard again this year, okay?" Junmyeon concluded his speech, breaking eye contact with the younger man to survey the group of workers idly talking amongst themselves.

As the crowd separated, Kyungsoo turned to leave, muttering a few greetings to his colleagues on his way back to his desk. Out of nowhere, a hand landed on his shoulder, causing Kyungsoo's heart to jump in his chest.

"Kyungsoo." Junmyeon said, pulling his hand back as the man in question swerved around, bowing his head at his superior, "Yixing wants to talk to you. Here." After passing him the phone, Junmyeon left without another word.

"Hello?" Kyungsoo spoke, a heated flush forming on his cheeks as apprehension churned in his stomach.

"Don't sound so nervous, Kyungsoo." Yixing laughed, his voice partially cracking through the speaker, "I wanted to offer you a new job."

Fiddling with the hem of his jacket, Kyungsoo's tense fingers relaxed upon hearing Yixing's news, "How do you feel about working as my secretary in Changsha?" He continued, pausing to allow Kyungsoo to think.

"Why?" Kyungsoo asked with incredulity, sceptical of the man's intentions; his tone was guarded, a mistake that he inwardly groaned at. He only needed to keep up appearances for a month, so as not to draw unwanted attention, but Kyungsoo was already letting the façade slip with one phone call. "I mean, why me of all people? There are others better qualified for the job."

"I know it was you Kyungsoo." Yixing replied, his response turning Kyungsoo's blood cold. "But I won't hold it against you for leaking the video. You're a good kid and I don't want to see you ending up in jail."

Sweat formed on Kyungsoo's palms as his throat tightened, unsure of what to say, "You haven't answered my question," He said, trying his best to maintain his composure.

"Hmm…do I need to have a proper reason?" Yixing said, the warmth in his voice stirring up the guilt in Kyungsoo again, "You're good company, how's that?"

"Some people might call that an abuse of power," Kyungsoo responded drily, slipping into an unoccupied room away from the curious glances of the other employees. "How do I know that you're not lying to me?"

"Not everyone is like you, Kyungsoo." Yixing chuckled, an unintentionally scathing remark that Kyungsoo supposed he deserved. "How about you just trial it for a bit? You can leave anytime you want, it's good work experience, after all."

"…Okay, if you put it that way." Kyungsoo finally accepted, already regretting his decision.

"Good! I'll email you the details. See you soon." Yixing chirped, the genuineness so clear in his tone that Kyungsoo's doubts of the man's credibility felt terribly misplaced, "And before I go, have you talked to Sehun lately?"

Letting out a breath of a laugh, Kyungsoo firmly replied, "No and I most likely never will."

"How mean." Yixing said disappointedly. "Sehun's had all of his tech implants removed, so his entire right arm is immobile now. The rest of him will follow one of these days."

"Are you guilt-tripping me?" Kyungsoo asked, eyebrows knitted. There was a reason he tried to avoid Sehun and Chanyeol; the pair had begun to bear resemblances to Kyungsoo, ones which he didn't want to be reminded of. "I've ruined his life, I know."

"Quite the opposite, actually." Yixing corrected him, "He wanted this to happen and he's happier because of it."

"That's-"

"You probably already know this, but Sehun doesn't have much longer to live." Yixing interrupted, "I don't know when or how his disease will claim him, and to be honest with you, it's not something I want to think about. All I want is for him to be happy, so…thank you."

When Kyungsoo didn't respond, Yixing continued, "Thank you for everything you've done, Kyungsoo. I look forward to working with you."

With a low beep, the phone call ended, leaving Kyungsoo in an abrupt silence. Bittersweet emotions washed over him as he opened the door, returning to the office which he had inconspicuously left. On Kyungsoo's desk, a solitary white envelope was placed beside his computer, the words 'To Do Kyungsoo' neatly written on the front.

After tearing open the envelope, a cheque for one hundred million won was stared back at Kyungsoo, along with a short note, reading 'Good luck at university, make your father proud!'. Speechless, Kyungsoo scanned his co-workers, all of whom had their heads down, busily typing away. Not wanting to make a fuss, Kyungsoo quickly sat down on his chair and resumed his work, unaware of the hidden smiles and hushed exchanges surrounding his cubicle.

The words 'make your father proud' lingered in Kyungsoo's thoughts for the rest of the day. The evenings that followed were spent deliberating over the meaning behind the message, wondering whether his father would've been proud of all that he had done. It stayed with him even as he boarded the plane to Changsha, leaving behind the familiar comfort of home in favour of the unknown.

For Kyungsoo, it was no longer a question of making his parents proud, but a question of whether or not he even deserved their praise anymore.

---

In the months leading up to Sehun's twenty-first birthday, his life was a blur of operations and counselling sessions. Half of Sehun's time had been spent in Jongin's personal dance studio, where he danced in an effort to forget the numbness growing in his legs, while the other half involved travelling with Chanyeol around Asia, namely Japan, where Sehun would often tease his companion about his robotic cousins displayed at tech demonstrations. Unsurprisingly, Chanyeol fell in love with Akihabara, made particularly obvious by the endless streams of merchandise entering his suitcases.

For Chanyeol who no longer had to undergo any further upgrades, he continued his sole task of watching over Sehun. The database of memories he had amassed over the years grew each day, expanding his knowledge of the world ever more. Chanyeol didn't know when he'd suddenly have to stop recording, or when Sehun would simply be a collection of video files in his mind, but he tried not to think about.  Sehun was still there, and that's all that mattered.

On the evening of April 12, 2028, the floor of Sehun's lounge had been covered in party streamers and balloons, forming a sea of bright colours at the feet of six men and a machine. On the centre table, a store bought birthday cake was placed, seeing as how none of the attending guests had enough confidence to bake one; however, it didn't stop Baekhyun from gloating about how he had been the one to choose the design, which Sehun complimented.

"Happy Birthday!" They all cheered in unison as a single breath from Sehun blew out the candles, leaving trails of smoke to waft in the air.

While everyone chatted amongst themselves, Junmyeon joined Sehun's side after a long phone call, "Yixing's going to be here soon. He said he's going to be bringing his secretary as well."

"Who's his secretary?" Sehun asked, wiping the sliver of frosting from the corner of his lips. On the sofa, Jongin grumbled in frustration as Chanyeol beat him in another round of Mario Kart 12. With a smug grin on his face, Baekhyun off-handedly insulted Jongin's gaming skills, who in return bit back with equally snide remarks.

"Do Kyungsoo." Junmyeon answered, tutting at the supposedly grown men who were on the verge of initiating a brawl.

"Sounds familiar…" Sehun said, tapping his chin in thought. "Never heard of him."

"The name doesn't ring any bells? At all?" Junmyeon said, cocking an eyebrow. Behind him, Jongdae grabbed Baekhyun by the waist, pulling him back to stop the man from launching himself at Minseok, who had joined Jongin in his jeers.

With a shrug, Sehun replied dismissively, "Nope. Is he important or something?"

"Y-you…never mind." Junmyeon sighed, rubbing his temples as Sehun continued to eat his cake. "They should be here-"

Before he could finish, the doorbell rang, momentarily ending the discord between the guests. Sliding off his seat and away from a fuming Jongin, Chanyeol quickly made his way to the door, telling Junmyeon to sort Baekhyun out and calm Sehun, who had fallen into hysterics after witnessing the petty argument.

Upon opening the door, Chanyeol was greeted by Yixing's warm smile. "Hyung! You made it!"

After a brief hug and exchange about their days, Chanyeol finally noticed the stranger lingering in the doorway, his head lowered as if to avoid conversation, "Who's this?"

"Ah, this is Kyungsoo, my new secretary. He's the same age as Sehun." Yixing introduced Kyungsoo, who met his boss' eyes with a look of betrayal. "Don't be shy, Kyungsoo."

"I'm not." Kyungsoo muttered, stretching out his hand to shake Chanyeol's, all the while keeping his gaze elsewhere. "Nice to meet you, Chanyeol."

"Likewise." Chanyeol beamed, accepting the hand with enthusiasm. "Hey…you look kind of familiar. Did we go to the same school?"

"Err…no. You must've mistaken me for someone else." Kyungsoo said quickly, side-eyeing Yixing who had moved on to conversing with Junmyeon and Sehun.

"Oh really? I swear-"

"Kyungsoo! I forgot Sehun's present, can you fetch it from the car?" Yixing called out, eight pairs of eyes suddenly turning to his secretary. Withering under their looks, Kyungsoo nodded and hastily left the room, "Chanyeol, why don't you go with him?"

Before the man in question could protest, Chanyeol butted in with an eager grin, "Sure thing."

As he closed the door behind him, Kyungsoo threw one last pleading look at Yixing, who merely smiled, his expression bordering between unintentionally cunning and naturally innocent. Four months together and Kyungsoo was still uncertain of Yixing's true nature; it was to the point that, sometimes, he wondered if he was being played for leaking the video.

"So what did you get for Sehun?" Chanyeol asked, tilting his head to the side playfully while the pair walked down the hallway.

"Don't know. Yixing didn't tell me." Kyungsoo said, twiddling strands of his hair between his fingers. Beneath his feet, the carpeted floor seemed to go on for miles, the harsh yellow glow of the lights accentuating the dark shadows on Kyungsoo's face. Beside him, Chanyeol hadn't said another word in response, but simply looked at the shorter man with curiousity. "…Why are you staring at me?"

"I swear I've seen you before." He said, frowning in thought, "Hold on, I'm going to check my database…"

In a rush of adrenaline, Kyungsoo gripped Chanyeol's wrist, catching the latter by surprise, "Don’t. I lied. You have seen me before."

"It was at school, wasn't it?" Chanyeol said, to which Kyungsoo nodded in remorse, "Why did you lie? Better yet, why did you tell me the truth?"

"I…don't want to lie anymore." Kyungsoo answered earnestly, finally maintaining eye contact with Chanyeol. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he deeply regretted not being able to say those words earlier, during the time when Chanyeol had known him properly. "I want to say sorry. I mean it. I really am sorry."

"Gosh, it's just a little lie!" Chanyeol laughed, patting Kyungsoo on the back. "You don't have to be so serious about it."

The doors to the lift slid open, the mirror on the opposite wall reflecting back the image of the duo. Frowning, Kyungsoo couldn't help but envy the height difference, feeling that the extra few inches Chanyeol had on him was completely unnecessary.

"Kyungsoo." Chanyeol said, the doors closing in front of him. "Do you know Do Hojun?"

"Yeah." Kyungsoo said nonchalantly, pressing the button for the ground floor. Following the scandal, his father's name was on the lips of almost every Korean, hence it was no surprise that he'd be a conversation piece.

"Of course you would," Chanyeol chuckled, "He's your father."

At his words, Kyungsoo's shoulders stiffened. Shocked, he slowly turned to meet Chanyeol's piercing gaze, "How did you know?" He said in a gravelly voice, tone bordering that of a threat.

With a mischievous smile, Chanyeol edged closer to Kyungsoo, who could feel the heat emanating from the former's inner machinery, "You're not the only one who can lie, Do Kyungsoo."

As the numbers on the screen ticked away, Kyungsoo moved away, a scowl on his face, "I don't know what you're talking about." The guilt and regret was soon replaced with hostility, the indirect apology for his actions spoken earlier suddenly feeling unwarranted.

Snorting with unconvinced laughter, Chanyeol gripped Kyungsoo's sweater, twisting the fabric between his fingers impishly, "Oh, don't you remember? You hacked into my mind, told me that Sehun was trying to kill me and messed up my memories." Chanyeol said, though it lacked the fury Kyungsoo had expected. If anything, it was quite wicked. "But after everything that's happened, I only pity you. I truly do."

Prying the hand off his shirt, Kyungsoo strode out of the lift, hastily followed by Chanyeol, "So what are you going to do?" Kyungsoo hissed, one eye on the surveillance camera fixed on the hallway. Violence would only work against Chanyeol, he thought. "Either the process is still in you, or you've somehow retained your memories of the simulation."

"Both. You're a genius for making 'GN.OME', I'll give you that, but it's not perfect." Chanyeol smirked, his condescension boiling Kyungsoo's blood. "Careless traces here and there can add up, Kyungsoo. The self-destruct program didn't work all that well, so I remembered everything. All of it."

"So what are you going to do?" Kyungsoo said through gritted teeth.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing." Chanyeol said dismissively, taking Kyungsoo by surprise. "I know why you did it. Yixing seems to trust you, and Sehun's only danger is himself. You're not going to hurt anybody else, I can tell, so why should I do anything?"

"Because I'm pretty much the entire reason why Sehun is going to be completely paralysed!" Kyungsoo exclaimed, unable to comprehend how lightly Chanyeol was treating him.

"Pfft. You aren't and you never will be." Chanyeol shook his head, taking delight in Kyungsoo's perturbed demeanour. "But…there is one thing that I want you to do."

"What is it?" Kyungsoo asked dubiously.

"Be my friend." Chanyeol grinned, his tone undeniably sincere. "It gets terribly lonely when Sehun's not around."

With raised eyebrows, Kyungsoo responded in disbelief, "Are you insane?"

"Nope. I like you! We have the same interests, so why don't we become friends?" Chanyeol beamed, radiating an overwhelming happiness. It was a complete change in attitude, but one that Kyungsoo had grown used to - a characteristic childish innocence.

"…Sure?" Kyungsoo said, finding it difficult to decline the offer.

When Chanyeol squeezed him in a hefty bear hug, raising his body off the floor effortlessly, it dawned on Kyungsoo that he had just been played by a robot. A tall, bumbling, albeit contradictorily intelligent, robot.