Once upon a time, there was a monster born without a heart.

One day, someone had come to its lair, drawn a heart on a piece of paper and given it to the Monster.

"How long can this heart last?"

The Monster asked, half overjoyed, half nervous.

"As long as you remember this moment, this heart will continue to beat till the end of the world."

The girl answered, all cherished and loving.

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The first lesson that the Monster learned from a human was "Good morning" and "Good night".

"When the first rays of sunlight enter your dark cave, let's say "Good morning" to the person next to you."

The girl said, while lying inside its arms.

"Then as the darkness returns, let's say "Good night" to that person and put a kiss on their forehead."

Next, she gently kissed its forehead as an example.

The Monster stunned, its heartbeat kept getting faster and faster.

The girl chuckled, her ears pressed against its chest.

"See? You also have a heart of your own."

The Monster hid its heating face behind her neck and waited for the orange odor to cover its nose.

The girl came to its solitary life on a summer night, when the fireflies flickered their bright lights to attract their mates.

The Monster once thought it would endure this loneliness for eternity, never expecting to be loved by anyone, including itself.

However, a miracle also happened to a scary creature without a heart like it.

"You're my miracle, the light that finally shines on me after those endless nights."

Lowering her head, the girl used both of her hands to hold its hand as if a faithful believer.

"Even if I have to commit countless crimes and taint this soul into black,..."

"...I wish this beautiful dream never saw its end."

The final lesson that the Monster learned from that human was about lies.

Although that piece of paper is still kept carefully in its hands, the heartbeat seemed to be lost when that person never woke up again in its arms.

No matter how many times it called the girl's name, how many touches it used to caress her face, how many "Good morning" and "Good night" it greeted her, the Monster couldn't make her lively like she used to be.

The warmth in her body almost disappeared after the first day she didn't reply to whatever it did. Next it was her skin that turned into gray white, then the orange fragrance from her hair that helped the Monster sleep better slowly faded away.

It tried to hug her tightly and never left her alone for any second. Yet all of her traces just easily vanished like the sands fell from the gaps between fingers.

"No one lasts forever."

The girl used to whisper that line beside the Monster's ears day by day, when the first strand of white appeared on her hair.

"My heart may perish sooner than yours."

Watching her reflected image on the river, the girl sadly murmured, but her sounds still entered its ears.

"Your ruby eyes are still a beautiful pair."

The Monster caressed the wrinkles on her cheeks and put a kiss on one of them.

Somehow, there were warm water drops that fell to its palms, although the sky in its memory was a clear one.

The Monster doesn't remember how long time has passed since the day she left it.

The days and nights have already returned to the same darkness.

Each season comes and leaves without its notice.

As the heart doesn't beat anymore, the Monster no longer lives in reality.

It's only dreams and memories where it can find those familiar heartbeats.

Dreams in dreams, memories create dreams, then dreams become memories.

What is real, what is fake, what is right, what is wrong.

The Monster grabs that image of her, decorates it with pearls and feathers, then puts it inside a never withered orange orchard.

"Open your heart."

The girl points at its pocket, where the paper heart resides.

The Monster opens the folded paper and reads the single word on the wrinkled surface.

"SCHNEIDER"

As soon as word leaves its mouth, the world begins to collapse.

"Seeing you live in grief like this was more painful than I thought."

Her transparent arms extend and give the Monster a parting hug.

"This time, I won't let you say anything, so please, be safe and sound the next time you meet me."

In her ruby eyes, the reflected image of the Monster gradually changes and soon returns to human's appearance.

"Farewell, my Lord."

The paper heart shattered into pieces and the Monster immediately fell into an eternal sleep.

Somewhere in reality, the Timekeeper just wakes up from her long dream.