"You know I can't feel anything," Sung Kyu reminds Woo Hyun after he broke the subtle kiss that he suddenly wanted to give him.
     He looks at him carefully and, in that pair of opaque irises that are his eyes, a tiny spark of emotion seems to glow, or at least that's what Nam wants to believe.
     Despite all the time they have been together, it's still difficult for Woo Hyun to accept that this Sung Kyu is no longer a human being.
     "I know, but I do, and I have no one but you now," expresses the young man while holding the gun in his hands. A particle weapon that he invented a few years ago.
     It was thanks to his latest science project that he was able to enter the World Institute of Genetic Engineering, because since he was a child he wanted to work alongside the most outstanding person in that field: Kim Jong Wan, the renowned researcher and inventor of the Nano Technology of Genes, the same one now inside Sung Kyu; the last vestige of all that Dr. Kim accomplished after nearly forty years.
     "But I'm not someone anymore, and you're not going to die," Sung Kyu answers stoically, and Woo Hyun squints his eyes as he held the back of his neck to bring their foreheads together.
     "You are still a human being to me, and... I'm going to die very soon. I've already reached my limit. I no longer have batteries for my weapon; It's been a week since the food ran out, and this wound on my ribs has become infected."
     Sung Kyu continues to watch him and, even though he knows what Woo Hyun is referring to, it is impossible for him to feel empathy, concern or fear.
     All those emotions and sensations that humans can experience are now totally unknown to him. Of that he only knows the concepts. That is etched in his memory as the infinite amount of information about the planet, the human race, and the experimental work that brought them into this situation.
     No one would have predicted that a great achievement for humanity would also become the cause of the greatest war of all time.
     "What will we do then?" Sung Kyu says when Woo Hyun backs away a bit as the expression on his face becomes disfigured.
     The pain in his entire body is already unbearable.
     "Fight to the end. It doesn't matter that we can't achieve anything; It doesn't matter that the world ends. My only purpose in life has always been to be with you until I exhale my last breath."
     Sung Kyu's immutable gesture does not change at all at his words, but Woo Hyun wants to imagine that he is smiling and that his cheeks have turned red, just as they did years ago every time he told him how much he I loved him.

February 8, 2021

     "I've told you hundreds of times not to interrupt Woo Hyun when he's working, Sung Kyu." The older man chided him the moment he saw him enter the lab.
     "Forgive me, father. I just want to give you a gift. Today is his birthday, ”said the young man, smiling from ear to ear.
     "Okay," Mr. Kim agreed. "I'll give you five minutes."
     Woo Hyun nodded in shame, and as the older man left the room, happiness was reflected in his features of him.
     It has been a few months since he met Sung Kyu and he had never had a chance to be alone with him. Maybe because there was always someone around, taking care of the only son of the renowned Dr. Kim, but that day, there were only the two of them; facing each other, staring at each other.
     "You shouldn't have bothered," Woo Hyun mentioned when he extended his hand towards the other young man to hold the precious object. He opened the small box and his eyes of him began to flash in surprise.
     "I hope you like it," Sung Kyu whispered as the other boy took the beautiful black gold ring to slip it onto his middle finger.
     "Is beautiful. Thank you." Woo Hyun smiled at him and continued to admire the elegant piece, until Sung Kyu's next words left him speechless.
     "You want to be my boyfriend?" And Nam's eyes got too wide.
     "Yes," he replied, suddenly approaching Sung Kyu to steal a fleeting kiss.

April 14, 2029

     "I never imagined the day would come when I could see this," Woo Hyun pointed out, too surprised at the enormous progress of Dr. Kim's project. In which, he had integrated all his knowledge about genetics with nano technology, to make the human body regenerate and recover from multiple diseases. "This is going to save many lives."
     "That is my goal, Woo Hyun: the good of humanity. In a few days it will be included in every laboratory in the country, and I hope that, in a couple of months, this technology will reach all hospitals in the world."
     "You will see that yes, Dr. Kim." This is...
     "Dr. Kim !!" He was interrupted by one of his assistants when he entered the lab. "His son, Sung Kyu, just got emergency admission!"
     "What?! Why?!" The man became was impressed before running towards the lab exit with Woo Hyun behind him.
     They both came to the room where they were treating the young man and Jong Wan was stunned to observe the serious condition of his son.
     "What happened?" Woo Hyun asked, fighting back the urge to scream.
     "He was hit by a car. I am sorry. We had to induce him into a coma to avoid brain death, but I'm afraid that..."
     "Woo Hyun, we'll take Sung Kyu to my lab," Dr. Kim said suddenly. "We will save him at any cost."
     "Dr. Kim, we can't transfer you," replied the neurologist in charge," besides, there's not much we can anymore..."
     "Woo Hyun!!"
     "Yes."

     "How is he?" Woo Hyun asked when he entered the room. In that place Sung Kyu was, apparently recovered.
     "He has reacted very well to the whole process. His body has successfully fused with nanotechnology and his brain has fully recovered. Although, he still does not regain his memory. He seems as if he has no consciousness and is unable to experience any feelings," Dr. Kim explained. "I'll do other tests tomorrow. I will try to modify the connection between his neurons."
     "Dr. Kim, you've been doing this for five years. That one who is there is no longer Sung Kyu. His body isn't even that of a person anymore. The genetic work you did on him has been entirely modified by his own body. He is no longer a human being, besides, if someone discovers his experiments..."
     "This is Sung Kyu! He's our Sung Kyu. Woo Hyun... he will recognize us one day. It doesn't matter if I have to do this hundreds of times, I won't let my son forget us."
     The young man heard him, and could not deny that he believed his words, because he also longed with all his heart that Sung Kyu would remember him and tell him again that he loved him. But, everything seemed so far away.
     The laboratory alarm went off suddenly, and everyone inside became alert.
     "What's going on?!" Woo Hyun asked, too fidgety.
     "Cann't be! I thought he would have more time!"
     "Dr. Kim!" Woo Hyun called him, because he didn't know what was going on.
     "You must get Sung Kyu out of here!"
     "What?! But...!
     "QUICK!"
     Nam did what the man ordered without asking anything else, after all, Sung Kyu became his only priority for a long time. So Woo Hyun entered the room, he took him in his arms and ran.

It's been three years since Woo Hyun ran away with Sung Kyu. Many continue to search for them with the sole objective of seizing Dr. Kim's son to obtain his genetic work. Nam knows this, but he won't let them put a single finger on him.
     Not while he's still alive.
     "You slept well?" Sung Kyu questions as he saw Woo Hyun stirring on the ground.
     It's too cold, the snow hasn't stopped falling and it's getting harder and harder to hide. Also, Woo Hyun already has a fever and there is nothing Sung Kyu can do for him.
     "I'll get you something to eat," Kim tells him, before getting up.
     "Not. I'm fine."
     "But..."
     "I said I'm fine."
     Nam stands up and he takes his gun, but immediately throws it away; now he is useless.
     "We must go. We have already been here a long time." Sung Kyu nods and stands next to him. Woo Hyun plans to go south.
     They both take a couple of steps and, unexpectedly, a crash is heard. Several vehicles have arrived to surround the place and now they can no longer escape.
     "Damn!" Woo Hyun gets upset and holds Sung Kyu tightly by the wrist to try to flee in another direction, however, several National Police officers have arrived to take away Dr. Kim's son.
     "Nam Woo Hyun, you are arrested for collaborating on an illegal project and using genetic technology for your own benefit!"
     "My own benefit?" Bastards,” he mutters under his breath, holding Sung Kyu tighter. "Run as hard as you can,” he says to Kim. "I'm not going to give myself up. I won't let them have Sung Kyu!" He yells before dropping a smoke bomb.
     Then the two of them start running as fast as their legs allow. Although Woo Hyun is unable to keep up with Sung Kyu. His body is already too injured to continue escaping.
     "Stop or we'll open fire!!" He hears from behind him, but he doesn't stop.
     They manage to travel another how many meters, and then the detonations begin to be heard. The bullets graze Woo Hyun's arms and legs, but it's not until one manages to go through his back that he falls flat on the ground.
     Sung Kyu stops and manages to grab him before he hits his head.
     "Forgive me. I cann't anymore..."
     "Let me go with them, maybe that way they'll leave you alone and help you heal."
     "N-no," he splutters, blood gushing from his wounds. "Run. Don't let them catch you."
     "Woo Hyun..." Sung Kyu whispers, meeting his eyes.
     Then vague memories begin to form in his mind. Precious moments when he wouldn't stop talking to his father; beautiful scenes in which he couldn't stop laughing with his boyfriend.
     "Run..." Nam tells him again as tears begin to pool in Kim's eyes.
     "Woo Hyun..." he calls out to him again as a painful lump forms in his throat and a few drops of his crystalline salt water splash on his face.
     "Hold him!" A uniformed man orders when all the officers come up to them.
     "Woo Hyun!!" Sung Kyu yells before several subjects lead him away from the other young man.
     And in the end, a peaceful smile emerges on Woo Hyun's chapped lips, because he has seen the countenance of his loved one and the beautiful shine that his eyes had lost.
     "Sung Kyu, you have... remembered me."