For the nth time since he was ‘powered on’, he stared wistfully at the band of numbers tattooed on the inside of his left wrist. It’s resembles a digital clock face,  right down to the jumping digits telling him how every second of his existence is diminishing.

 

Sigh.

 

Abandoning the thoughtful state he frequently finds himself in, he averts his gaze from his wrist to the blue sky above.

 

It’s another bright sunny day.

 

Actually there is nary a dark stormy day since 20 years ago, he had read. That was the time they had a very bad case of drought and so a storm was brought in to nourish the soil and fill the sea and riverbeds.

 

I wonder what it feels like to walk in a storm.

 

A loud ‘honk’ broke him from his reverie and he saw the bus came lumbering towards him. He got onto his feet as the numerous in the queue before him. The bus will come to a stop by the spotless pavement and they will board the bus in a orderly manner.

 

The bus driver did not spare them a glance, much less a friendly smile. None of the passengers climbing on board his bus spared him either too. They are just humanoids, their existence to ensure this fragile society of humans do not fall back into the ice age.

 

He made his way to the back of the bus and sat down in his usual seat as the bus starts again and went on its way, bringing its busload towards the many factories outside town where they will work at manufacturing the many things that fuel the humans’ needs and wants.

 

Looking out of the grimy window again, staring longingly at the blue sky, he wonders briefly what it felt like to be human.

 

@

 

“Hyung, what does it feel like to be in love?”

 

“Are you having those fantasies again, Kyu?”

 

“Don’t you ever wonder what it felt like to be a real human?”

 

“We are humans enough.”

 

“But….we can’t have feelings.”

 

“Trust your hyung, you are better off without those so-called feelings. Grief and anger can cause a lot of pain and harm.”

 

“Of course I trust you, hyung, but what about love? And joy, or excitement? I wonder what having tears of happiness feel like.”

 

“Kyu, listen to me. You know that our time is limited?”

 

“Y-yes…”

 

“There’s a very good reason why we have time limits. So that we complete the mission we are born with in the fastest, most efficient way.”

 

“I know….”

 

“No other failed human traits are built in so we will always be at our optimal best.”

 

“Failed…..human traits?”

 

“All that anger and greed destroyed this world and nearly ended the human race. They still have those….undesirable traits within them; they will kill themselves off if they don’t have us to help to live.

 

“That’s why we need to be what they can never be.”

 

“…”

 

“Look at me, Kyu.”

 

“Y-yes, hyung.”

 

“It’s really better that you don’t feel.”

 

@

 

“I’m a ….humanoid.” Kyuhyun’s voice faltered into almost nothingness.

 

The man who had moments ago grabbed his wrist and flip it over to look at the numbers engraved on his milky soft skin continued to stare at the digits quietly counting down.

 

“Si-Siwon sshi, please….let go…” The plea came out feeble and shaky. “Ple-please.”

 

They are not strangers, but neither are they friends. They are, for a lack of words, attracted to each other since they met in the corner café…..yesterday.

 

“You are hurting me.” Kyuhyun beseech again softly.

 

Siwon raises his eyes at last, fixing his gaze on the beautiful boy he is still grasping in his hand. “What do these numbers mean?” His breathing is also shaky.

 

Blood rushed off Kyuhyun’s face leaving the young boy pale. For some strange reason he is having a difficult time explaining himself today. “They…..they shows how long…..long be-before I run out of power.” Kyuhyun shudders as he met the cool onyx orbs of the man staring at him.

 

“It says…..” Siwon flounders as he looks down at the slim wrist still tightly gripped in his fingers.

 

“It says……I have 20 hours and 3 minutes before ‘shut down’.” Realisation seems to hit Kyuhyun finally and his body shook violently. Siwon flinched as he looked uncomprehendingly at the boy. “I….I…..please…..please….let me…go…..please….”

 

“Kyu ~”

 

“Please…..let me go….I have to bid farewell…..to my….” Kyuhyun pled tearfully but Siwon’s grip remains unyielding. With his other free hand, he is wiping the rapidly falling teardrops on the crying boy’s cheek.

 

“Be mine?” Siwon asks tenderly.

 

“Wh-what?” Kyuhyun stops sobbing to look at the man in surprise.

 

“I love you.” The older confesses calmly.

 

“Siwon sshi?”

 

“I would love very much to court you and romance you before asking you to be mine.” Siwon explains with a sad smile as he looked down at Kyuhyun’s wrist, the moving numbers with a fingertip as if hoping that he could erase it like an instant tattoo. “But….we don’t have enough time.”

 

Kyuhyun closed his eyes with a soft sigh while Siwon waited impatiently. Kyuhyun open his eyes again and look Siwon straight in the eye before nodding lightly.

 

“Ahahahaha!!! Thank you! Baby, thank you!” Siwon cheers as his own tears fell too. He pulled the boy into his arms ignoring the stiffening of Kyuhyun’s body, pressing the warm softness against his chest so the other could hear his heartbeats.

 

It took Siwon a while to calm down and loosen his strong clasp. That’s when he realised that Kyuhyun is still struggling with his blush. “You’re so beautiful, baby.” He said stealing a kiss on a heated cheek causing Kyuhyun to curl himself into a tighter ball out of embarrassment.

 

@

 

“Can you show me what a date feels like?”

 

All Kyuhyun needed to do was ask.

 

“Where are we going, Siwon sshi?” Kyuhyun asks curiously as he stares out of the sports car window at the scenery whizzing by.

 

“Well,” Siwon clears his throat exaggeratedly and hold up his index finger in a rather wise manner. “Firstly, we’ll have picnic lunch in the park. Then we’ll go window shopping followed by a couple spa session. Next, we’ll go for a stroll by the seaside to watch the sunset followed by dinner in a fancy restaurant. And then we ~”

 

Kyuhyun blinks cutely at the suddenly out of character shy Siwon hemming and hawing. He did not understand everything Siwon said because he is not privileged to know what humans do in their lives but the abrupt ending of Siwon’s narrative still sound strange to him.

 

“And we what?” Kyuhyun asks innocently.

 

Siwon dry coughed a few times. “You’ll find out later.” He said with a weak smile.

 

@

 

Kyuhyun stood by the pavement staring down at his mobile phone he is toying in his hands. Every now and then a vehicle whizzes by. The after draft lifts his curls and whips them around playfully.

 

 

Memories of last night linger in his mind as much as Siwon’s touch lingers on his skin. The human had brought him on a date, romancing him and courting him in earnest. The awareness of how short a time they have together had spurred their feelings for each other into a frenzy. They had to try everything and anything lovers experience between them.

 

After spending an exhausting but very joyous day together, Siwon proceeded to wine and dine his love till the young humanoid was tipsy and extremely giggly.

 

Kyuhyun did not tell Siwon that humanoids do not need to eat to survive. For that reason, Kyuhyun never had the chance to taste food or drink.

 

“You look like you have never tasted pasta.” Siwon remarked with a light laugh as he reached out to wipe a smear of tomato sauce on the corner of Kyuhyun’s lips.

 

Kyuhyun blushed and lower his head quickly to hide his embarrassed smile.

 

“You are so adorable when you eat.” Siwon hums with a soft chuckle. “I love you so much.”

 

 

And then….

 

Kyuhyun blushed unexpectedly as his memories took him further into the night.

 

Siwon brought Kyuhyun home. And he showed the impressionable youth what humans could do on their beds aside from resting their weary bodies at the end of the day.

 

That night was a first for both, the human deflowered the humanoid over and over again. Siwon found himself hopeless in love when Kyuhyun moan and whisper his name many times over as he thrashed about under the solid warm amazingly toned body that was Siwon. Kyuhyun never had intimate skin contact with anyone before and Siwon’s magical fingers are making every nerve end in his body tingles.

 

Siwon’s fingers wrapped around his heated , Siwon’s breath on his ear, Siwon’s lips gliding effortlessly on his neck and body, Siwon’s manhood filling him up to the point of bursting.

 

“Won ~” Kyuhyun murmurs absently, still lost in his reverie. “I want to feel you again ~”

 

Torn between wanting to return to Siwon’s side and needing to run as far away as possible, Kyuhyun felt intense pain where his heart is nestling within his chest cavity. He reached up and fists the material of his shirt where the ache resonated strongly. The ringing of his mobile phone finally brought him back to reality.

 

“Kyu! Where are you? Where did you go?!” Siwon’s anxious voice boomed through the speaker. “Kyu? Kyu! I know you can hear me! KYUHYUN! ANSWER ME!”

 

Kyuhyun’s grieving face twisted into a painful grimace. He wanted so much to hear Siwon’s voice again but when it is tensed like this, it only pains the humanoid more.

 

“Kyu? Please……speak to me…..I want to hear your voice…..again…..” Siwon is crying on the other end of the line now. He is painfully aware that he may not be able to hear the younger’s voice again very soon. “Please.”

 

Kyuhyun struggled to stay silent as tears fell. Then he caught sight of the numbers on his wrist. It is ticking down to its last 12 minutes and 43 seconds.

 

“Won ~”

 

“Kyu! Baby! Oh, baby ~” Siwon cried in relief.

 

“I love you, Won.” Kyuhyun sobs.

 

“Where are you, baby?” Siwon’s voice is shaking now. “Why did you leave?”

 

“…”

 

“Let me be with you till –“ Siwon fought to stay calm but he is shaking all over now.

 

“Won ~ no…..”

 

“Baby, please! Let me be with you……where are you?”

 

“The corner of 42^nd and 44^th street.” Kyuhyun couldn’t help giving into his feelings. He wants to see the human again one last time.

 

Hyung is right, this pain….it hurts so badly…..

 

“Wait for me, baby! Wait for me! I’m coming!” Siwon pled as he ran out of the house. “Stay with me on the line, please baby!”

 

“Won…..I…..I….I love you ~”

 

“I love you too, baby! You have no idea how much –“ Siwon replied tearfully.

 

“I wish…..I wish…..we me-met earlier…..” Kyuhyun sniffs. “We can have more time together.”

 

Siwon has no answer to that, he wish he has eternity with the boy humanoid. Why must the world he lives in tear them apart inadvertently like this?

 

“Won ~ “ Kyuhyun cried softly into his phone, turning his back to the flow of traffic on the street.

 

“I’m here, baby, I’m here. Tell me anything you want to say.” Siwon’s breathing is starting to sound ragged as he ran towards his destination.

 

“My hyung told me about feeling pain and grief. He said I would be glad I do not have to feel them.” Kyuhyun’s voice is no longer trembling. It is as if the weight of his grief weighted him down.

 

“Baby, please don’t cry.” Siwon beseeched breathlessly.

 

“But I am glad I can feel them…..it is painful…..but it is because I love you that I am feeling them…” Kyuhyun’s voice grew fainter. “I……don’t….regret……” He articulates with difficulty. Frowning down at his wrist, he saw that he is down to his last 30 seconds.

“Baby? Baby, are you alright?” Fear crept up Siwon’s heart. He suspects, he knows. “Baby?”

 

“Won ~” Kyuhyun breathes out unsteadily.

 

Siwon came to a grinding halt as he reached the corner where Kyuhyun said he is waiting. Just a few more steps for him but he could not make himself go forward as he witnessed Kyuhyun slumping heavily onto the concrete pavement like a puppet with its strings cut.

 

“BABY!!!!” Siwon screamed as he ran forward having from his will again to move his limbs.

 

Reaching Kyuhyun’s side, he swoops down and pulls the lifeless body into his arms. Kyuhyun’s eyes are wide open, the orbs within a dull grey without power to light them up. The cold seeping through his sleeves reminded him that what he is holding is a humanoid.

 

“Baby….baby please….please…..baby….please…..” Siwon whimpered tearfully as he chanted non-stop, rocking his body in his daze.