The next day at the laboratory…

“Hey Onew! Want to go for lunch with us later?” Suzy jumped beside Onew and asked. Onew was slightly frightened but he recomposed himself and pretended that he wasn’t. “No problem!” Onew said and smiled. “Let’s hope that Min Ho don’t hold you back for work.” Key said and laughed. “Today I am in a super good luck, no way man!” Onew looked up for a moment and said. Then, Min Ho entered his sight.

“You. Stay behind during lunch. I have something to discuss with you.” Min Ho said expressionlessly and left. What followed after Min Ho left was a series of laughter. “Geez. This guy!” Onew muttered under his breath. “Bye bye~ Enjoy your sandwich from the vending machine downstairs…” Jong Hyun said in a sarcastic tone before the group left for lunch. Min Ho entered a while after the guys left.

“What is it that you want to discuss with me?” Onew asked in a slightly unhappy tone. “Follow me.” Min Ho said and walked towards the direction of the ‘forbidden’ room. He unlocked it with the key and entered. Onew followed closely behind and closed the door behind him before locking from the inside. “Why are we here?” Onew said as he raised his eyebrow.

Min Ho went to the refrigerator on the other end of the room and removed a bowl. “Here it is. The food for that thing. You are in charge of its feeding now. I have an important research component which requires a lot of my attention so Professor told me to pass you this job. You need to feed it twice a day. Once in the noon and another at night. Here is the duplicated key.” Min Ho said and threw Onew the key.

Onew nodded and kept the key in his white cloak pocket. Onew walked over to Min Ho and inched forward to peep at what is inside the bowl. “Oh my god! Raw meat? Ok. It is actually… kind of normal for an animal I guess?” Onew thought to himself. “You. Stop staring and start working! So… you open this gap here and just drop the food in like this.” Min Ho demonstrated as he spoke. Instantly when the raw meat touched the base of the glass, the creature leapt forward and bit it.

“This is a carnivore?” Onew asked as he swallowed his saliva. “We can’t say for sure. Just that it doesn’t eat vegetables. Be careful with it anyways, it bites. That day when you discovered…I was attacked by it when I drew its blood for chemical testing. And that time… There was another of its kind which attempted to kill Professor so we took it down.”  “Took it down?” Onew questioned, hoping that Min Ho didn’t mean killing it.

“We killed it. We didn’t have a choice. Anyways, do you understand how to feed it?” Min Ho replied coldly. “Oh… Yes.” Onew answered. “In that case, I will leave the rest to you.” Min Ho shoved the bowl of raw meat to Onew and left the room. He felt it. He knew Min Ho was a bit sad about it just that he pretended that he was neutral. Onew looked down at the bowl of raw feed and was disgusted at the sight of the veins and blood.

He continued feeding but the creature did not leap forward like before. It stayed in its position, lying down motionlessly. It seems sad…? Onew squatted down to its level and look at its eyes. “Oh man. The more I look at it. It really looks like a human…It has a build of a human. And is it sad because it heard us talking about its dead friend? “Onew thought to himself. Onew knocked at the glass enclosure and said, “It’s okay. I think your friend is in a better place right now. At least it would not experience more pain or torture? Cheer up and eat so that your wound will heal faster…”

The creature’s mouth moved slightly. “Did you just… smile?!” Onew blurted out and stared with his eyes wide open. The creature just remained there and looks at Onew. “Okay, I must be insane. Insane. Pure madness. I thought that thing smiled?! “Onew said to himself as he stood up and made his way out.

As Onew sat at the lounge with the sandwich he just out from the vending machine, he couldn’t help but think. “What is with that feeling? Why do I feel that way when I see that thing?! “Onew said to himself. Onew took a bite from the sandwich. Then, he was startled by a “Boo” from behind him. “Hehes… We are back from lunch. So what did Min Ho say?” Suzy took the seat beside him on the sofa and asked.

“Oh that. Erm… Nothing much. He just told me to help him with something.” Onew replied as he looked away. Suzy nodded and continued the conversation, “So how are you coping? It is interesting here, rights? Like… you can see all the weird and fun creatures here.” “Indeed…Weird enough. “ Onew said as he gazed into the space before him. “Huh?” Suzy asked and scratched her head. “Oh. Nothing nothing… I am just randomly saying. Let’s get going before we are late.” Onew said and got up.

Onew took the last bite from the sandwich, threw the wrapper in the dustbin and left the lounge. Suzy followed beside him jumping about and they made their way to the laboratory. They exited the lift and entered the lab together. “Oh… So Suzy you found a new target?” Key teased. “You. Stop speaking nonsense before I…” Suzy said in an embarrassed way but was interrupted. “You. Stop fooling around and start work.” Min Ho said in a strict way.

Suzy nodded her head and scampered to her work desk. Onew also walked back to his table and continued with his work. The day passed by without many happenings. When everybody left, as usual, Onew had to stay behind. However, this time he is alone. Professor went to a medical research talk by Professor Chen and Min Ho went to another research Centre. Onew inserted the duplicated key and opened it gently. He stepped into the room and switched on the lights.

He was looking for raw meat in the fridge to feed it. Then, he realized that he was supposed to buy it himself. Although Min Ho had said that the thing doesn’t eat vegetables, there were no other options. The nearest supermarket is kind of far from here. Onew intended to buy tomorrow on his way to work so for today he thought of trying with vegetable. Onew took the bowl of vegetable and dropped a stalk into the hole.

The creature looked at Onew and at the vegetable. It picked up and started eating. “What is with the it don’t eat vegetables then?” Onew muttered and continued feeding it. Surprisingly, the creature finished off the whole bowl of vegetable.

Author's note:

Nothing much happened in this chapter. Nonetheless, Hope  you like it ! :D
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