“Almost. I just have to make sure everything settled,” Taemin says, while examining the cyborg, which looks like Minho.
“Hey, the clothes are ready,” says Key and Onew, who appears from nowhere, suddenly popped out in the room. They are bringing some clothes in their hands. Of course, the first thing they need to do after they get the robot out from the glass tube is dress it up. Seeing a cyborg without dressing is embarrassing, since it is exactly the same as human.
“Alright, thank you,” says Taemin, somehow feeling irritated by the sudden disturbing from Onew and Key. He is focusing on his work, which he spend his time the most. He wants everything to be as planned, as he has sleepless nights doing all this.
It is hard to make a cyborg. He has to grow it from the foetus to a perfect human form. What makes it more difficult for him is that he must shape the foetus into Minho, exactly Minho. He has to shape the fingers properly, together with the fingerprint patterns. Not enough of that, he needs to make sure the face is the same as the real Minho. Thanks to Jonghyun for providing all those information and willing to work with him for creating the robot.
“How are we going to get this thing out from the tube?” asks Jonghyun.
“Yeah. It is full of water...” says Key, staring at the greenish-pink sticky fluid. Onew doesn’t like the idea if they are going to break the glass of the tube to take the robot out. The sight of the fluid is enough to make him puke. But, the sticky fluid is essential in making sure the robot gets the nutrient needed to grow.
“I’ll flush away the water first. Then, I’ll pull down the glass,” Taemin says as an expert. He is the one that invent all the equipment in the lab based on his requirements to make the cyborg for his thesis. He knows how to control everything very well.
Then, the room is filled with silence. Jonghyun looks on how fast the boy is working. He helps him at the same time. Key and Onew are preparing the clothes for the naked cyborg. They need to dress the thing up immediately after it is out of the tube. After a few times checking on every details of the robot Minho, Taemin thinks they have done with everything.
“I think we’re done,” says Taemin.
“Means?” Key and Onew say in unison.
“Minho is ready to get out of the tube,” says Taemin nervously. This is his first try on the cyborg and he is quite anxious on how the outcome would be. He could feel edginess run down his spine. He looks at everybody.
“You are nervous, aren’t you? Me too. This is our work and we are going to use it immediately after this. If Emma could sense something different with the robot, means that we have to work on something else,” Jonghyun says.
“Yeah, I’m really nervous on how the outcome would be. This is the beginning of my thesis project. So, far I can see the progresses are very good, thanks to all of you to be in the team. But, I’m a bit anxious of the idea whether the robot working or not,” says Taemin.
“I’m su...sure it will work...I mean come on guys. Let’s expect for the best,” says Key nervously. He tries to calm the people around him while he is uneasy himself.
“I’m sure it will work. No matter how it is, it must be working,” Onew says optimistically. He has to think of that. If not, his attempt to make this robot to actually save his sister will be useless, and the effort of the three geniuses working over days and nights will end up to be nothing useful.
“So...ready?” says Taemin. He looks at then one by one. Onew nods. Key finds out that Onew is nodding, he nods too. Then, Taemin looks at Jonghyun. Jonghyun closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before he opens back his eyes. He nods with confidence this time.
Taemin inhales deeply. Next, he carefully presses the ‘wash out’ button on the system. They watch excitedly as the water comes out slowly from the tube, which nobody knows to where. Only Taemin knew it. Onew doesn’t want to imagine where the greenish-pink fluid will flow, but he definitely happy to know that it is gone. He watches the sticky fluid wash out delightfully.
The sticky fluid that helps the robot Minho to float in the glass tube is now gone, thus leaving Minho at the bottom of it. Taemin makes sure every single drop of the fluid is gone before he refills the tube with water and soap, to clean the cyborg from the disgusting fluid and stinky scent of it. They watch in amusement when the soap comes in and showers the cyborg.
“Did you invent this, Taemin?” Onew asks.
“Yeah, I did,” says Taemin nonchalantly, more focused to his work.
“I know you, Taemin. That is my bro,” says Jonghyun while patting his shoulder. Taemin smirks while Key flinches at the word ‘bro’. He feels quite jealous when Jonghyun says that, because Jonghyun is his brother. But, he has no right on him since Jonghyun is only his step brother.
“Well done, Taemin,” Key says professionally, as they are actually at work. They watch again in amusement as Taemin press another button and clean water showers the robot Minho. It rinses the bubble soap on Minho’s body and not even two minutes, everything is clean and perfect, which leave another job to dry him up.
Again, Taemin press another button. The ‘dry up’ button. Warm air enters the tube to dry the thing up. Slowly, the Minho robot is dried up.
“I think the robot is ready to be carried out from the glass tube,” Taemin says, expertly handling all the equipments and the cyborg.
“Alright,” Onew says, getting ready with the clothes.
Taemin pressed his finger on the exact button. The glass tube goes down inch by inch, until it is fully opened, revealing the handsome cyborg inside. Taemin can’t help but to smile at the sight of it. This is his first prototype, and he is very happy. The other elders just stay on their spot, expecting Taemin wanting to see his own creation. Taemin grab the chance given by them.
He slowly walks to the lifeless robot, and touch the skin. Oh My God! It is so real. Then, he moves the hands and Taemin could feel the joint are properly created inside. He feels joyful, due to the fact that he managed to create the perfect human-like robot for only the first try.
“Hey! I bet you wanna have a look at it. This is our work anyway. It’s perfect,” says Taemin to the others. The three others walk towards him. Key touches the skin first, sending ecstatic feeling down his spine. He is amazed by the artwork.
“The skin is so real! What an artwork! Taemin, you’re so good. I knew it from the university already,” says Key, full of contentment.
“I don’t do this alone. Jonghyun helps a lot,” Taemin says while smiling at Jonghyun.
“Well...I’m not very sure to really think that we did this together. It is just so real. The part that really impressed me is the iris. Taemin, you’d shaped it very well. It is similar to the real Minho,” says Jonghyun, while he opens the eyelid to show the iris to them. They nod in agreement.
“The joint attached very well and the bone is formed perfectly,” Onew says while moving the jaw. They enjoy seeing the robot, their piece of art. They happily touching other parts until Jonghyun realises something.
“Guys, should we dress him up first?” says Jonghyun, looking at the others. The three of them flush a red tomato, embarrassed. It is as though they are sexually harassing Minho, if only it is not a lifeless robot. Jonghyun chuckles at the sight of them.
“Well...yeah...we need to dress him up,” says Key. Together, the four of them are dressing up the robot. After a while, they finish dress him up. They stare at the handsome Minho in front of them.
“This robot really reminds me of Minho. He looks exactly like him,” says Onew, almost tearing up. He somehow feels a bit sad, hoping the real Minho to wake up from his comatose state. Jonghyun understands deeply what Onew is thinking, because he feels the same way as Onew. As a doctor, he really wants his patient to live healthily. Sometimes, when he was helping Taemin in constructing the robot, he feels guilty. His patient is fighting for dear life on his bed, but he is making a robot clone to him. But, this is the only way they have to save Emma, who always thinking of committing suicide.
“Yeah...it really looks like him. I don’t know whether to feel happy or sad. But, most of it is guilty,” Jonghyun voices his feeling.
“I know... you’re feeling guilty. But thinking of sleepless night we had, don’t you think you should be happy because at least all our hard works are paid?” Taemin says, persuading the two elder.
“I agree with Taemin. You see! How perfect this thing is!” Key says cheerfully, trying to change the solemn mood to a brighter mood. As a psychiatrist and a psychologist, it will be shame if he fails to change the mood. Luckily, he did.
“Oh yeah! Surely I’m happy! By the way, what is the next step?” asks Onew impatiently, suddenly become so hyped up remembering the fact that their mission is almost accomplished.
“Owh. The robot is completed except that I need to download all the data given by Jonghyun and Key regarding the brain and mental control of the body to the microchip that is implanted in the brain,” says Taemin.
“That’s all. After that?” asks Key.
“After that, the robot is perfectly completed and can act as normal as human being,” Taemin says excitedly.
“Let’s move to the next step then,” Onew says.
“You need to help me to move him to that side. Put him on the chair and attached the green wire on top if his head, the blue wire to his right and the red to his left,” says Taemin. Jonghyun bends down and takes Minho into his muscular arm. Then, he lifts him up.
“He weighs like a normal human,” says Jonghyun. He steadily carries Minho in his muscular arms towards the chair stated by Taemin. He puts Minho on the chair and Onew and Key help him with the wires. They attached the wire as instructed by Taemin.
“We’re done,” Key says once they are done with their work. Taemin nods and walks to his own seat. He sits and starts his work immediately. His fingers are dancing on the keyboard while the tapping sound fills the whole room. It is loud since the three others are watching him in silence but it doesn’t distract his concentration to the screen. He uploads all the data he listed out to the microchip in Minho’s brain. The information is essential for the robot to carry out vital function as human do.
His fingers continue the job without stopping. Onew looks at him in amazement. Key is focused on Taemin, looking at the boy without any blink of eyes. He compliments Taemin’s ability to focus on his work. While Jonghyun in the other hand, busily estimating words per minute that Taemin manages to type. He used to hold a fight with Taemin during their time in university, on who type the fastest between the two of them. He never lost to the boy, because he has been incredibly fast in typing until now, but the boy seems has improved a lot.
The data continues to flow with no visibility through the wire. The microchip in Minho’s brain continues to receive information as it increases by time. Taemin makes the final moves with his finger and everything is done with one loud tap on the keyboard of the computer. Then, the screen shows something that could make all of them jump in excitement, ‘All data is downloaded’. Taemin sighs. He looks at his watch.
“10 minutes Jonghyun. Still not as fast as you. But, I has improved a lot, hasn’t I?” he says while running to Jonghyun. Jonghyun laughs to Taemin’s words. The boy thinks of the same thing as him, about the typing competition they always had back then.
“Yes, you are,” says Jonghyun. The other two stare at them without slightest attempt to understand. But, Key knows it must be something to do with their past experience together.
Taemin and Jonghyun walk towards the robot Minho. Taemin gestures with his left hand for them to follow. Onew and Key walk as fast as they could to catch them. They walk together towards the robot.
“We need to detach the wires and then we’ll see whether or not this robot is functioning,” Taemin says while his hands are busy pulling the wires out of Minho’s head. He is done with that. All of them are waiting for a respond from the robot, but everything just remains silent.
“Are we failing?” Taemin asks after a few minutes the robot doesn’t come alive. All of them look at him.
“Maybe...” says Onew. He doesn’t mean to make the boy tears up but the three of them notice the crystal tears already filling up the boy’s eyes. Taemin looks down on the floor.
“Ermmm...I don’t think you fail Taemin,” Key says, attempting to cheer up the boy.
“Let’s wait for another few minutes. I’m very sure this robot will begin functioning,” Jonghyun says optimistically. Taemin sighs.
“You don’t need to give me false hope,” Taemin says disappointedly and turns on his heels.
“No, Taemin. I-” Jonghyun unable to finishes his words when suddenly they hear another voice.
“Hmmm...” the humming sound comes from the robot and Onew immediately recognizes it as Minho’s voice. Taemin turns to see the robot, while Jonghyun and Key’s attentions are back to the robot.
“Oh God! Minho is waking up! I mean...the robot Minho is waking up,” says Onew excitedly. The robot makes a few moves before he opens his eyes and look at the four of them.
Taemin fails to control his happiness and jumps onto the Minho’s lap and hugs him. He hugs him blissfully, satisfied with his work.
“I love you. I love you,” says Taemin. Minho watches him expressionless.
“Don’t get too excited Taemin. Asks him some basic information so that we know he get all the data you uploaded to him,” Jonghyun says.
“Oh yeah. Hey, what is your name and what did you know about yourself right now?” asks Taemin impatiently.
“My name is Choi Minho. I just involved in an accident. I have a girlfriend named Emma and a soon-to-be brother-in-law named Lee Onew,” he says. His brows are knitting while he tries to extract all the information. Taemin is very happy to see the expression in his face, not because he is handsome, but because the robot acts like normal human do, and he know he has succeeded.
“Hi, I’m Onew. Your soon-to-be brother-in-law,” Onew says as he extends his hand, expecting Minho to shake hand with him. And Minho shakes hand with him and leads to everybody’s surprise. He is so like human.
“I’m Key. Your girlfriend’s psychiatrist,” says Key. Minho doesn’t understand why his girlfriend needs a psychiatrist, but he shakes hand with the doctor he expect to be the same age as him.
“I’m Taemin, your engineer...nope...I mean your friend,” says Taemin, excitedly introduce himself. He cannot says that he is Minho’s engineer because Minho is programmed to know himself as human and which human needs engineer for himself? Minho nods and shakes hand with Taemin while smiling, as though he just met his old buddy. Then, his eyes move to Jonghyun who stays silent all the while.
Jonghyun feels happy that the robot comes alive. However, at the same time, he really hopes his patient, the real Minho to wake up. Minho is still unconscious in his hospital room and fighting to live. When he sees the robot Minho is moving, he is touched. He can imagine the real Minho is moving healthily like this. Remembering the real Minho just makes his doctor’s heart ached and he really hope to see him alive very soon.
“And you...who are you?” Minho asks while he is eyeing Jonghyun. He looks and thinks that the doctor is young and handsome. He has perfect jaw lines and perfect nose. Adding plump lips and big, dark brown eyes to his features, the doctor looks almost like a fallen angel.
“I’m Kim Jonghyun, your doctor,” says Jonghyun, really means it. He is Minho’s real doctor anyway. Onew, Key and Taemin understand his feeling, but they couldn’t help.
“Do you remember your job?” asks Jonghyun then. Minho looks at him dumbfounded, but he later registers that he had severe nerve injury. So, Jonghyun might be testing his memory.
“I’m a professional photographer and a part-time model,” he says.
“Well, you manage to get it right. Would you like to see your girlfriend?” he asks while smiling to Minho. Minho nods and that makes everyone in the room jump happily.
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“How is my patient today? You eat well?” Key is attending Emma, to check on his mental state before clarify whether or not she is in the suitable state to bring Minho in.
“Yes, doctor,” she says, smiling although Key can say it is not full-heartedly. Key knows Emma never feels really happy as long as she knows that Minho is still unconscious and if her mental broken down again, she won’t hesitate to kill herself again.
“I want to show you something today,” says Key, tenderly handling her. Emma looks at her doctor’s face, treasuring each part of his facial features. He has the look that can always calm her down and his words are always intoxicating, that makes her feels composed.
“What is it?” she asks the doctor. Key looks at her with a very sweet face.
“I’ll bring someone here that can make you happy,” says Emma.
“Who is it? My brother, Onew?” asks Emma. She doesn’t see her brother for a while since they told her she is quite busy with work. Key shakes his head teasingly. He decides to play with her.
“Then, Taeyon?” she asks about her future sister-in-law.
“Urmmm...no,” says Key. She wants the girl to guess.
“Dr. Jonghyun? Dr. Jessica?” she asks. The two of them also has become very busy lately. In fact, Jonghyun is busy making the robot while Jessica is looking after Minho while Jonghyun is not there.
“No. Not them,” says Key.
“Amber?” she asks delightfully.
“Who can make me happy then? You know me. I am only happy because of Minho and you and your girlfriend, and Onew and Taeyon and Dr. Jonghyun and Dr. Jessica. I won’t accept others,” says Emma while pouting.
“See? You remember him but you forget to mention him,” says Key, giving her an assuring smile.
“Huh?” Emma asks with a questioning look.
“Minho, come in!” Key shouts and a second later the door is opened revealing a smiling Minho. He walks in and smiles towards Emma, the smile that she missed so much.
Following from behind is Jonghyun and Jessica, together with Onew and Taeyon. Amber comes in too, waving to Emma. Then, she comes to sit at Key’s lap. Emma registers a new person, a boy whose light brown hair untidily reaches his shoulder, but since Minho is here, she completely ignores his presence.
She looks at Minho in front of him, between believe and not, but she is sure he is Minho. They make a surprise for her for not telling her that he already wakes up. While the other are waiting nervously for her reaction. Will she know that it is actually a robot? They are afraid if she notices any different although they know they have designed the robot perfectly.
Key and Amber already look at each other, noticing fears in each other’s eyes. Jessica unconsciously holding Jonghyun’s hand and he instinctively hold her hand in his, providing a protective feeling. Taeyon leans against Onew’s firm chest, and Onew hugs her in assurance. They are still waiting for her reaction.
“Minho!” she shouts and run towards the robot Minho that she doesn’t know it is a robot. She hugs him with teary eyes and all of them sigh in relief.
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