I'd like to thank the one reviewer for actually reading this story. I can't believe someone will actually take their time to read this. It made me really happy and it got me motivated to write the next chapter. Hope you enjoy it.

Chapter 2: Loss

The sun has just begun to rise up into the light, blue sky. In the distance, birds could be heard blissfully singing with grace and passion as they flew from the tree to tree. A soft breeze has picked up and darted between blades of grass as the leaves waltzed with the gentle wind.

However, a certain persocom did not notice the beautiful sunrise, or the joyous birds, or the waltzing wind. As she sat on her cold, metallic chair, her posture is slumped and her lifeless eyes continued to stare blankly at the white-washed floor. To her, today was no different than any other day. The sky did not seem to be as blue without his arms to hold her and the sun appear dimmer without his smile. To Chii, the day did not look as wonderful when he is not with her.

Her motionswere much more sluggish than normal. She had been awake ever since the day he was first admitted in the hospital. Her eyelids became too heavy for her to hold up as her head drooped slightly before taking a much needed rest. Silence fell unto the only two occupants in the room.

The music of raindrops landing on the damp sidewalk is the only thing that Hideki could hear as he finally finished his shift. His muscles are sore and weary from working overtime at his part-time job. His feet scraped on the concrete from exhaustion as he continued his journey back to his apartment.

Great, it just needs to rain right after washing fifty beer mugs, cleaning a dozen tables and catering to a loud gang of drunkards. Not only that, but I got a beer stain from some guy that bumped me.

His mind duly caught his own name called amidst the continued pattering of the rain.

"Hideki?"

Hideki's head shot up to see a familiar blonde persocom standing a few feet ahead of him holding an umbrella above her head. She beamed with pleasure when Hideki stared in shock and immediately flew to his side.

"Chii? What are you doing here? I thought the job at Chiroru's finished a couple of hours ago."

Chii offered her umbrella to Hideki which he took gladly and held it over both of them. As they continued to walk down the street, her arm waved around Hideki's and leaned her head on his shoulder. This action made him very self-conscious and brought a tinge to his cheeks.

"Chii wants to wait for Hideki today. The TV says it will rain so Chii brings umbrella for Hideki." She paused and looked up to his face. "Is Hideki happy to see Chii?"

He was absolutely stunned by this thoughtful act of kindness. Chii waited outside in the rain just so she can see me? His brain blanked out for a second and it took him a while to realize that Chii is still looking straight at him still expecting an answer. Hideki glimpsed at Chii's innocent expression and the sides of his mouth pulled up faintly.

"Aw, thanks Chii." Hideki replied affectionately. He patted her head with appreciation. This caused Chii to lean even closer into his side and she carried a content smile as they strode along the moist sidewalk.

As their footsteps brought them closer to their destination, Chii noticed a small butterfly. It flew with desperation as it fought against the overpowering torrent of wind and rain. Before Hideki could stop her, Chii ran out across the humid grass and snatched the butterfly from the continued onslaught of water and held it close to her chest.

"Chii! What are you doing? You'll get soaked if you just run off on your own!" Hideki sped over and landed on his knees next to her slender form.

She felt a hint of guilt pass through her body. "Chii wants to help the butterfly out of rain." She held it out to Hideki for him to see.

However, Hideki gazed down in her hands to see the butterfly completely motionless. It died out of sheer exhaustion from its flight against the elements. The words that he planned to say before got caught halfway up his throat. What could he possibly say to her that the living creature she had just saved is now dead in her open palms?

"Um, uh, Chii…" Hideki fumbled, trying to find the right words to explain. "The butterfly, it…well, it's…..gone." he finished lamely.

Chii's visual connection with Hideki broke to glance down at the deceased insect in her hands. Her once happy smile slowly dripped off her face as she came to the realization that the life she had rescued slipped from her fingertips.

"It's…dead?"

"Yeah, it's dead….you should put it down now. Or you can bury it if you like." Hideki sighed dejectedly. God, he didn't think something like this could be so difficult.

Hideki looked at Chii and she looked so discouraged and disheartened that it took all his willpower to control himself from throwing his arms around her. The drops of rain glistened on her cheeks and fell across her face leaving trails behind. If Hideki didn't know any better, he would have thought she was crying.

His hands dug a small well in the wet soil and let Chii carefully place the fragile insect inside. He covered it again with a small layer and they sat there for what seemed like hours. His mind drifted to how the rain seemed to be much heavier now than it was before.

"Come on Chii, let's go home."

Chii nodded and they both stood up. She clutched Hideki's arm more rigidly as if he would slowly disappear if she relented her grip.

She had a look of deep concentration and a few minutes passed before she asked in a hesitating voice.

"Will Hideki die too?"

Hideki's brain grounded to a halt. How is he supposed to answer a question like that? Oh man, what can I tell her? I can't say that I won't die, but…I don't want her to be sad either. I can't just lie about this sort of thing! Yet, I don't want her to think that I'll leave her! What do I do? What do I say? Both sides of his mind threw one argument after another like a ping pong ball bouncing back and forth.He honestly had no idea what to do. The sad yet hopeful look from Chii did not help him with his decision.

With a long sigh, he finally chose to say the truth.

"Well, uh…" Choosing to say something is one thing and actually saying it is another. Hideki struggled as he tried to find the right words. "Living things….all die. Everyone has to….die…..one day, that's how life works. " He glanced down, slightly fearful of Chii's reaction.

She looked away. The cold seeped through her skin and it made her shiver. Her grip grew stronger at first, but then she lets go, her arms hanging limply by her side.

"Chii…does not…want to say goodbye." She said, more to herself than anyone else.

Hideki felt another crack in the depths of his heart. Chii looked so sad and helpless, and he was powerless to do anything to make her feel better. No one can escape the constant flow of time or the awaiting jaws of death. Persocoms seemed to be the only things that can cheat out of this never ending cycle, but in exchange they can never feel what it's like to be 'alive'.

Hideki placed a hand on Chii's shoulder. Her head turned slightly from his sudden gesture.

"Chii, I know that there may be one day that I might not be around, but you must know that…I will always be there for you. No matter what happens, I won't say goodbye because I'm always here if you need me."

Chii broke down from these words. She lunged into Hideki's body and held him tightly to make sure he wouldn't drift away from her. Hideki responded with his arms enfolded around her shivering body. The overwhelming number of emotions running through her caused her petite frame to shake even more than the outside air. Hideki stroked her gently, rubbing away her worries and provided a sense of warm comfort.

Only the sound of the rain could be heard as it fell endlessly upon the two figures standing on the deserted sidewalk.

"I really don't think we should do it now."

"Nonsense, it's been far too long since he first came here. He needs to go now."

"Are you sure about that? Shouldn't you at least tell someone he is related to?"

"His records show the only existent relatives he have are in the country. We already sent a letter to them about the circumstances and they did say it was for the best."

Two men in white uniforms entered into Hideki's ward. They wheeled in a table, undoubtedly to move someone to another location.

"Well, I'm not sure if it's wise to make him go so soon."

"Look, there's nothing we can do." The doctor looked at him with a distant expression on his face. "His time is up."

"…"

"I know it's going to be hard, but it's better off if he moves on elsewhere."

The first doctor glanced at the patient sadly.

"All right."

Between the two of them, they lifted his body carefully and laid him on the steel board.

They were about to roll him out the door when the questioning doctor saw the motionless persocom next to the bed, her hand grasping near the place where Hideki's hand used to be. It was rather a pitiful sight.

"Hey, shouldn't we wake her up, to let her know where he's going?"

The other doctor glimpsed at the momentarily inactive Chii sitting innocently on her stool.

"It's just a persocom. It doesn't matter."

And so they left the room, their footsteps steadily grew softer, leaving with the one person that meant the whole world to her.

That was a bit depressing. I guess we'll see what would happen next. Please review so I know that people are actually reading this.