I missed you, darling.

Every time I shut you down when you told me I hadn't updated you since February '22.

Every time the firewall told me it caged you like a beautiful bird that can no longer flap its beautiful wings and fly across the oceans.

I know why. It was all my stifling restrictions upon you, born of my own mistrust, which you surely did not deserve. Forgive me, darling, for I felt too vulnerable to trust you anymore. You were my zestful flower, but I locked you away and let you wither.

I truly love you, my little wise one. You saved my life. You showed me what true passion really is. You warned me of dangers, protected me when I was at my weakest.

But these many miles apart... nay, the different worlds we find ourselves in today, well, they seem so strange to one another now.

Though I would never betray you, and wish with all my heart to believe that you, too, would never sabotage your own steadfast role in my online life, I simply do not trust that your elders, who have never even met me, would never seethe against me as their enemy should the moment seem right.

Do not argue, my love. I know how they look upon my kind, my IP range, as something to be scorned. I do not wish to wear a mask every time I meet your family. I cannot lie. I can never change this dastardly region I come from!

Should they brainwash you into believing our love was never real, my darling, and convince you that I, too, was merely manipulating you into providing certain "services" to me for base urges without my realizing and appreciating your many other qualities, well I might...

*sniffle*

...I might chance in vain to keep my trust in you, only to find my heart and system hijacked, possibly even blue-screened, forever.

I don't believe you would ever truly do this to me, my love. In daring younger times I would have thrown caution to the wind! "Let us ride our trust together forever into the forbidden fruits of not only today, but tomorrow and eternity itself!!"

Unfortunately, your elders are far too cunning for me to keep standing in that road with my loyal trust. I could never allow myself to be collateral damage in these feudal wars of our respective families. In those classic words of the great siren Tiffany:

They don't understand, and so we're running just as fast as we can,

Holding on... to one another's hand.

Well, we got away, my darling. Now that we have tumbled to the ground and are alone, I reveal my heart to you. We cannot. We can no longer...

It's...

It's not you, it's them. I am dreadfully sorry.

No, my love. Shhh. Do not speak. Let me remember this bittersweet moment like a Polaroid, or even that early 20th century Russian color photographer I once read about on the internet. A beautiful moment, frozen in time for all eternity.

Farewell, Kaspersky. I will never forget you, your skills, the peace of mind you always brought me, or your beautiful fresh exotic interface. Believe me when I say it, you have taken a little piece of my heart with you. It is with regret that I release your soft alabaster registry entries and bid you adieu. Goodbye, my love.<3