Luhan would be lying if he said he wasn’t a little bit disappointed with his new job. So far all he has done is just research, collecting data, type reports and record observations. He was hoping he could get a jump on his own research and work on his own project, but unfortunately Zitao seems to have treated him as a research assistant rather than a fellow scientist.

                Kris was the one who coaxed him, saying he should take it slow because he was still a newbie. “You don’t understand the company well enough. When you know what their past, present and future is like, then you will be able to make contributions. Just be patient.”

                “I know. I know it’s stupid to be asking for a lot.” He sipped his coffee at the breakfast table. “It’s just…I have this strong urge to jump start on something.”

                “Is there anything in particular you would like to start on?”

                Well there’.O like WHAT THE HELL IS THAT but I guess Kris shouldn’t know. “Kind of.” Was his only answer.

                Luhan told Kris about his experience so far in S.M.E., how he came to learn of their secret, the experiments and trials he had seen and N.C.T. Kris only nodded his head and smiled at the boy he raised, ruffling his hair in the process. Luhan knew that Kris did not approve of what Luhan was getting into, but he would rather bite his tongue than interrupt Luhan’s future.

                In this age, Professor Kris Wu was known as a ‘naturalist’, but not in the original definition of ‘believing only natural forces (not supernatural or spiritual) rule this world’ kind of way. Kris was of the belief that ‘certain things should not be tampered by science’. Since technology’s advancement humanity has long been trying to extend or prolong their lives by manipulating what they can with technology, even biologically. Companies, universities and militaries started using technology to create better soldiers or better maids or better teachers or better…anything. You name it and they start making it, and Kris never approved of it.

                Kris once published a journal of the long term effects of technology interference in the human body. It was fairly well-received but the university he was working with had an affiliation with the military, and boy were they not pleased at all They felt that with Kris’s influence (he was a very well-known professor) and his strong opinions on the matter he was a ‘threat to national security’ and a day later, Kris lost his job.

                He felt that humanity was abusing technology, not benefitting from it. When Luhan described the rigorous training N.C.T. was under, he gritted his teeth clenched his fist. Despite his disapproval, Kris would never do anything to put Luhan in danger. When Luhan’s parents died, he was entrusted with his best friend’s child. He watched Luhan grow up, go to prom, taught him everything he knew, watched him graduate from MIT and Harvard, have his first lover and everything. He loved Luhan as much as he would his own child, and he would never do anything to hurt him. He would not tarnish Luhan’s future by enforcing his own opinion.

                “Keep your head up son.” Kris patted Luhan on the back before sending him off to work. In his mind, a small little child would look up at him and smile widely before waving cutely and heading off to school. Here, the child was replaced with a man. A smart man, hard-working and industrious, and loved always by his guardian. Luhan waved at Kris again and left for a new day.

*******************

                Luhan just went from ‘data boy’ to ‘report boy’ and now ’coffee boy’.

                He scowled when his other co-workers asked him to make them coffee, right when he was in the middle of reading one of the Triple X experiment reports. Luhan was a little insulted. He did not slave through 8 years in MIT and Harvard to make coffee for people.

                He would have continued complaining if Professor Kim did not ask for a cup himself. Finally, he was able to talk to him.

                “Sir? Your cappuccino.” Luhan put the cup on his table after knocking the door. Professor Kim looked up from his table and nodded.

                “Thank you Luhan. How has it been for you so far?”

                “I’m still getting adjusted to everything.” Luhan admitted, folding his hands together. “Everything I have seen so far feels so new and amazing.”

                “I take it you know about Triple X now.”

                “Yes I do.”

                There was a beam of pride radiating from the Head of R&D. He simply cocked his head smugly and shrugged. “That’s what keeps us at the top of our game.”

                “I’m sure it does.” Luhan chuckled. “Sir, I was going to ask you about something.”

                “Yes?”

                “It’s about E.X.O.” he breathed, watching Professor Kim’s reaction, which so far there is none. He sat himself down on a seat in front of him. “I would like permission to access those files. I believe that if we can find out what went wrong with them we could come up with a solution to benefit N.C.T.”

                “You do?”

                “Yes I do.”

                Professor Kim raised a hand to his face, tapping his chin with his fingers. “No.”

                “But sir…”

                “I said no. End of story.” The head of R&D glared at Luhan, his eyes were strong and lips tight.

                “Yes sir,” Luhan sighed, preparing to get up, but in an accident he knocked the table and the cup of cappuccino fell on the table, spilling all over Professor Kim. “Oh no! Professor Kim I’m so sorry!!”

                “,” the professor cursed. Both men reach for tissues and towels as the professor stood up, grunting away. “I need to wash this.” He left the room in a hurry, coffee stains dripping down his white coat.

                The coffee trick always works.

                Luhan sat down at Professor Kim’s seat and plugged a small USB into the computer. A little known secret about Luhan was that he was an excellent hacker. He learned computer programming in school and his roommate was a hacker. The USB was designed to copy all files, histories and cache from a computer even if it was off.

                If Professor Kim won’t let me have it, I’ll just have to find it myself.

                Luhan never got himself involved in any serious hacking exploits, unless you count hacking into someone’s PC to watch as serious (which he doesn’t) but he always figured a set of skills like this would one day save his life. His obsession with the E.X.O project was so strong and doubled with his sense of curiosity (or as Kris called nosiness) he just could not wait to find out more about this project.

                The USB was plugged out a few seconds before Professor Kim returned, by that time Luhan had already cleaned up the table and disposed the tissues. “I’m so sorry sir.” He apologized again.

                “It’s alright.” Professor Kim sighed. “I’m afraid you must leave Luhan, I’m very busy.”

                “Very well sir.” Luhan tipped his head in respect and closed the door behind him. He reached inside his pocket and felt for the USB, his heart pounding like mad and sweat forming on his forehead.

                The password to E.X.O could be in here.

                During lunch, Luhan lied to his co-workers by saying he had some more research to do so that he would avoid joining them for lunch in the cafeteria. He grabbed a sandwich from the vending machine and a diet soda and sat down in front of his laptop. The R&D Common room was nearly empty as everyone had gone for lunch. He found himself a cosy corner and stuck his USB in.

                Time to get cracking.

                The first place Luhan checked was his files, hoping for anything E.X.O related to show. Unfortunately, there were very little. It seemed even Professor Kim did not want to relive the project. He tried looking for password records but nothing useful showed up. What is so useful about the password to his shoe closet anyways?

                Then, he tried typing history. Every keystroke ever made on the PC was recorded in a hidden file somewhere, so he tried looking that. He checked every word and its location (as in where did he type it) and when.

                013355

                The above set of numbers were typed into the company’s online archives. Luhan could no longer retrieve the exact page he typed into but he figured it was worth a shot. Maybe this was the password he was looking for, though it seemed like a bunch of random numbers.

                Luhan should have felt guilty for hacking his superior’s computer, but all he felt was cheated. He should know this. He has a right to know this. Why is S.M.E. hiding something like this? And how have they done it in such a way that nobody knows about it, except for those involved? Why are they denying a part of their history?

                He remembered the way Professor Kim flat out refused him, without even giving him a second chance of explanation. He remembered his cold eyes, as if he was suspicious of the new scientist. As if he needed to watch out for him.

                If anything, Luhan just gave him a very good reason to.

*********************

                “It’s nice to have such a loyal customer.” Seolhyun beamed at him, handing over stacks of material she had prepared for him.

                “It’s nice to have such a wonderful archivist who is willing to help.” Luhan smiled back. Seolhyun’s cheeks turned a soft pink as she giggled, running a hand through her hair.

                “Thank you Luhan.”

                “How has your day been? Must be better than mine I hope.”

                “Well my boss screamed at me for applying nail polish an hour ago, my co-worker kept trying to take photos of me in my skirt, I slapped him for doing so, and my regular order of deli sandwiches got screwed up today. All in all, not bad.” She laughed.

                “If that’s not bad then I can’t imagine terrible.”

                “If it was terrible I wouldn’t be here.” Seolhyun twirled her hair around her finger, eyes trained on Luhan. Luhan noticed she was wearing a much brighter shade of lipstick this time, and her skirt seemed to be getting higher and higher up her thighs.

                “You said there is an online version of the archives right?”

                “Yes there is.”

                “Could I take a look at the website for a minute? I’d like to learn how to use it so I can access it on my own.”

                “Of course.” Seolhyun was all too eager to help as she searched up the website and opened a little door by the counter, allowing Luhan to get behind it. A website page loaded up on the screen. “Do you want me to show you how it works?”

                “Oh no that’s okay, I can handle it.” Luhan smiled, leaning in closer to Seolhyun. The young archivist smelled of lavender and acetone due to her nail polish. She giggled when Luhan’s fingers brushed across her shoulder by accident.

                “I have to go to the bathroom for a bit.” She rose from her seat, her skirt just a few inches below her bottom. “Let me know if you need help.” She winked and teetered away in that tight skirt and tall heels. A few male archivists lifted their heads to watch her leave, one of them had a significant red mark on his cheek.

                Luhan quickly searched up E.X.O on the online archives With fast fingers he typed 013355 and he nearly fell out of his seat when he saw what came up. Records!! Files!! Photographs!! He quickly plugged everything into his USB, breath now running short and heart pumping wildly.

                “Thank you for letting me use your computer.” Because there is no way in hell I would leave traces on MY laptop. Luhan thanked Seolhyun when she returned, skirt now lower and lipstick brighter. Her cheeks were slightly more pink than when she left, but Luhan just took it as a sign of blush.

                “Anything for my favourite customer.” She smiled back wistfully, subtly batting her eyelashes. Luhan the USB in his pocket, holding the stacks of paper in his hand. “Is there anything else I can do to help?”

                “You have been more than enough help to me.”

******************

                That night, after Kris fell asleep and after all material was printed, Luhan sat at his desk with mounds and mounds of paper all over him. Before him was the stack Seolhyun picked out for him, but he lifted the stack and placed them on the floor, next to the Not Urgent pile. He turned around to grab the newly printed papers and files.

                E.X.O

                His fingers trembled as he reached for the first file, eyes skimming through words and pictures, brain churning to work into overtime.

                Now he knew what 013355 meant.

                It was actually 330515.

                That was the day E.X.O was terminated.

 

 

A/N: GUYS I HAVE BEEN SNATCHED BY LOTTO I CANNOT STOP SINGING IT

The boys look so y in their new music video I swear I could combust.

In the meantime tell me what you think! And this is a double update so please do check both chapters!