After a few hours of working with the prototype, Donghae realises. The human like thing has nothing programmed in him except for the knowledge of his name and his creation date. Donghae sighs. It's going to be a tough journey. 

"Lee Hyukjae." Donghae speaks softly, and he finds the now slightly more familiar brown eyes staring at him. He finds himself blushing at the emotionless yet strong gaze. 

"Project number, 150486. Name, Lee Hyukjae. Height-"

"Wait, wait. Is that all you can say?" Hyukjae looks at Donghae, his gaze not faltering. 

"Project number, 150486. Name-"

"Stop!" Donghae exclaims, exasperated. Donghae wonders if this is how his professor felt every time he blew up the test tubes in the lab.

"Now. My name is Lee Donghae, and I will be working on you for the next year. So hello, Hyukjae."

“Good evening, Mr Donghae.”

“Lee.”

“Good evening, Mr Donghae Lee.”

“No, I meant-“

“Good evening, Mr No Donghae Lee.”

“Good lord, just call me Donghae.” Hyukjae blinks. 

“All right, Donghae.”

The first thing Donghae decides that he really needs to programme into Hyukjae is emotions. 

That night, Donghae sits in front of the computer, entering digits after digits into the system. He watches the digits flicker on the screen and as the red light flashes to confirm that all is ready, Donghae takes the wire attached to the computer, with a needle at its edge. He then takes Hyukjae's hand, searching carefully. Nodding to himself, he then pokes the needle gently through the pale skin. He looks up at Hyukjae, but the said man doesn't even flinch, his eyes staring blankly straight ahead. 

"Sleep." Donghae utters, and Hyukjae falls limp against Donghae. The smaller boy struggles to lay Hyukjae down on the bed, checking one last time to make sure the needle is in place, before switching off the lights, allowing the process to take place. 

-

The next morning, Donghae jumps off his bed excitedly the moment he opens his eyes. He hurries towards the corner of his room where the human like thing lies. 

Removing the needle, he dabs at the small hole with disinfectant, wanting to reach out for his nemo plaster but he stops when he sees the hole getting smaller and smaller, until it completely vanishes. Wow. He breathes out. He still sticks the nemo plaster on Hyukjae's wrist all the same.

"Hyukjae, wake up." Brown eyes. Fluttering. Said man sits up, facing Donghae. 

"Hello, Donghae." Donghae is delighted to hear more intonation in his voice and a slightly different expression in his eyes from the usual. 

-

During lunch break, Donghae chomps on his Big Mac, while typing furiously on his computer. Hyukjae only sits quietly beside him. 

Feeling a strong gaze on him, Donghae turns to find Hyukjae staring at him. Or rather, staring at his burger. 

"Do you want some?" He receives a shake of the head in return. Donghae shrugs, continuing to chew on his Big Mac. But a few seconds later, he turns to find Hyukjae, still staring at his burger. 

"Um..." Donghae fidgets awkwardly. "Are you curious about what this is?" 

Hyukjae frowns at the question, eyebrows slightly raised. 

"What is this 'curious'? Can it be eaten, just like the circular contraption in your hand?" 

Donghae nearly chokes. 

"Hyukjae, 'curious' is not a thing. Being curious is.... a part of human nature I guess. And this circular contraption I'm holding happens to be a burger." 

"Ah." Is the only thing Hyukjae says. 

At that moment, Donghae realises Hyukjae has not eaten anything since the day he met him. And he refused a Big Mac. Aha! 

A part of human nature...

That's it!  Donghae grins to himself. 

"Appetite.... Curiosity..." Donghae murmurs, while watching the digits flash, and the last thing Hyukjae sees is Donghae smiling widely, before he feels a tingly sensation against his wrist, the word "Sleep" is uttered, and he closes his eyes.  

The next morning, Hyukjae opens his eyes and he looks down to find a paper-like thing stuck onto his wrist. He recalls Donghae calling it... a plaster. He brings his wrist up to the light, looking curiously at the plaster. This time, it's a plaster with a cartoon drawing of two girls, one in a blue dress. Hyukjae recalls the plaster with a orange being on it stuck on his wrist yesterday. He finds the corner of his mouth twitching, just a little. 

-

Happy Birthday Hyukjae! <3