“Kui Xian, wake up. Why are you even sleeping during the day anyways? You’re sleeping more and more recently…”

Time went by quickly. Again. I was still helping Kui Xian growing a heart, and he was really starting to act perfectly like a human being. Now that he could smile with his eyes too, he smiled a lot, and I loved that smile of his. It was beautiful, full of happiness. Plus, Kui Xian was so handsome when he smiled.

The only thing bugging me was that recently, he was sleeping more and more. Often, he would just walk to his bed during the day and sleep for a few hours before getting up again and doing what he was doing before feeling sleepy. I was afraid he was starting to lose some power, as if his battery was wearing out, but I didn’t want to change anything to him. I was afraid it would make him reset and he would forget about everything. I didn’t want this to happen. Anyways, I didn’t have the money or the material to make a new battery.

His eyes opened with difficulty and he yawned as he sat on his bed. He had started yawning only recently, and he was so cute when he yawned that I hugged him tight every time he did that. But not this time. I was too worried.

“Kui Xian, are you feeling alright? I mean…”

“I think my battery is wearing out. Maybe you should change it? I could help you get the money to make it by having a job.”

I was afraid he would say that. I hugged him, not really caring that he was only wearing boxers - after all, he never slept with other clothes than that, and most of the time he just slept completely - and kissed him softly.

“I’m afraid I would make you reset if I did that… I don’t want you to forget…”

“And I don’t want to forget. But if this continues, one day I’ll shut down for good. You know that, right, Mimi?”

I hid my face against his neck, not wanting him to see me cry again. I didn’t know what to do. He patted my head.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to make you sad.”

I cried for a while before calming down, and reached his lips to get another kiss. Kui Xian never kissed me by himself. I was always the one wanting to get the kiss, and he only kissed back once I started kissing him.

It made me a bit upset sometimes, because I dreamt of Kui Xian kissing me, just like he would always hug me no matter what I was doing at the moment. But he never did. Not that time, and not during the next two months after that conversation, as his battery was starting to wear out more and more. He now spent more time asleep than awake, and when he was sleeping I cried alone, afraid I would lose him for good. If he woke up while I was crying, he would come to me and hug me tight to comfort me. Otherwise I would just cry until I forced myself to concentrate on work.

It happened the day before his birthday, almost three years after his creation. I didn’t go out with him much now, because he always felt sleepy, so I decided to go and buy him a new video game to give him the day after. Before I left, he walked to me and hugged me tight. I kissed him softly.

“I’ll be back soon. I’m just going out for one or two hours.”

“You know I’d like to go with you. But I can’t, I’d fall asleep in the middle of the shopping center…”

“I know, and that’s why I’ll do my best to be quick and come back to your side. Okay?”

He nodded, and let me go. But before I could leave, he ran to me, took my hand, making me turn, and kissed me passionately. I got very surprised at first, before closing my eyes, and enjoying the kiss. I almost wanted to cry in happiness. Kui Xian had kissed me.

I was so happy I felt like I had wings, and I went out for only half an hour before coming back with the new game I had bought for him. I entered the place, and found Kui Xian asleep on the couch. I smiled, seeing him being so cute, before suddenly wondering why he was sleeping on the couch. Usually he would always sleep in his own bed. I walked to him.

“Kui Xian?”

There was no sound coming from him. No sound at all. He was not breathing, and his heartbeat had stopped. I touched his hand. It was cold. My sight got blurry from tears.

“Kui Xian!”

I took him in my arms, shaking him a little. He only made a metallic sound as I tried to wake him up.

“Kui Xian, wake up! Kui Xian! Cho Kyu Hyun! Wake up!”

My heart broke as I understood he wouldn’t open his eyes. Getting nervous and desperate, I rummaged through the room, trying to remember how I had made his battery. I quickly came up with something that would work for a while, long enough so that I could analyze his old battery and remember how I had made it.

I pulled Kui Xian to the table where I had always made the changes into him, and quickly tried to disassemble his body without breaking him apart. My tears made my sight blurry, making it difficult to accomplish what I was trying to do, but I finally got able to change his battery. While doing it, I noticed he was still completely robotic. Had I dreamt the changes into him? I smelled his hair, trying to find that faint scent I loved so much. I couldn’t feel it. Was… was he really only a robot?

I closed up his body, and tried to start him again. Charging his battery… making sure his program was still functioning… okay.

“Run program”, I whispered before I selected the option, holding my breath.

I turned to see him. He didn’t move for a while, and I was starting to cry crazily when he finally opened his eyes. He sat on the table, and I jumped to hug him.

“Kui Xian!”

He didn’t reply, and I got worried as I tried to meet his eyes. Cold, emotionless, dark eyes.

“Where am I?”

I froze. I froze, not wanting to accept what was happening. Kui Xian… had forgotten me.