"Try not to look so uninterested."

Kyungsoo turned around to face his best friend who was leaning against one of the glass enclosures.

"It's not that."

"He's either uninterested or unimpressed," a new boy entered frowning, this one significantly taller than the other two, "Either way I'm gonna get fired."

"You will not be fired Yeollie," his friend traveled over to the taller boy, "then who would take care of me? I'm certainly not a free ride."

"Yah! You little..." he began tickling the shorter one's stomach and they both exploded into giggles.

He didn't particularly care to see this, this carelessness his friends felt when they where here. Even carelessness felt far too kind, after-all Chanyeol chose to work at this facility. Kyungsoo's Appa had offered him a job as an intern in his office, it wasn't like the taller one didn't have choices.

Sometimes he felt like he was the only one made uncomfortable by this whole ... situation. He'd been told his whole life that this was the norm, this was good, this made things better, but it didn't make his stomach loosen when he stood in front of these glass walls.

He thought he heard someone stir, but the clear cages were still empty after he'd sent the last group away.

"Are you ready for round two?"

"Do I have too?" he was grimacing; even though he knew he had too, this still made him so angry.

"Come on, don't tell me you're one of those 'activists' now," the shorter's tone was clearly annoyed, "this is the natural order of things and you putting it off is being irresponsible."

"Baek," Chanyeol cooed, rubbing the shorter's shoulders, "You're getting yourself all worked up over nothing, I'm sure Soo is just shy, it's natural."

Kyungsoo looked down at the floor, examining the sterile white tiles; if he had been a better actor he may have actually tried to blush and play off of Yeol's cue, but he couldn't find it in himself to even pretend to be like this.

"Is that all Kyungsoo? If you're shy you could have told me, I could help pick, I certainly have good taste," Baekhyun ran his fingers along the cold plating, "and Chanyeol's let me see some of the newer ones and I must say they've gotten an incredible shipment in."

"Ye-yeah, I'd like that if you could help me," Soo gave a little smile to try and make everyone more comfortable, "I'm just not used to seeing this kind of thing."

"You've got to, you're not going to be a little -pure forever,"

"I'm not like you Baekhyun, I've never even dated anyone,"

"Well," Baek had a devious grin, "Maybe this is your time to practice."

He hated that sentiment even more and it was one he'd heard constantly throughout his life. There were laws in place to stop this type of relationship, but of course that didn't stop people and it had become so mainstream that no one questioned the ion taking place anymore.

His Noona had lost her's to her Chattel and her friends had done the same.

Hell, even Baekhyun had given his 'flower' to his first Chattel; of course that was before he'd met Chanyeol.

As long as the relationships were solely physical, no one enforced the laws, but Kyungsoo had heard stories.

Biophiles.

"Yeol yeobo," the short blonde was addressing his boyfriend now, pouting, "You wouldn't mind selling one of the new ones too Soo would you?"

"You know what my boss said about bringing them out too early," his look was disapproving, but his eyes betrayed his weakness, "They aren't ready; I can bring him the second newest group."

"Oh don't be silly, it wouldn't hurt ... just one," Baek was persistent, "I've picked the perfect one for Soo and he was one of the well behaved ones."

"Mr. Cho might choose not to sell one from the newer group though," he could tell Chanyeol was grasping at straws right now.

"Not sell to a member of the Do family?" the blonde gave a faux shock expression, "Only a fool would cross Kyungsoo's family."

"Hey, that is my family you're talking about,"

"Your family with all their money and all their clout," Baek bounced over and placed his hands on Kyungsoo's shoulders, "you really should learn to flaunt your influence more."

"I don't have influence," or at least he thought he didn't, "and I don't want to get my Appa in trouble."

"Trouble? If anything you'd make him proud, his son's finally of age to have his own Chattel and not just any, but one of the best specimens," Baekhyun walked around to the other side of him and rested his chin on Soo's shoulder, "If anything, it would be a statement of your families power."

"Well I'll give Baek that, it would certainly tell people of your status if they didn't already know," Yeol smiled proudly.

Maybe that was the fear though.

Everything just made Soo so uncomfortable; his last name, his family, his responsibilities. He'd much rather read ... create ... anything where he was in control without hurting someone or something else in the process.

But he'd put this off for as long as he could and he knew if Baekhyun wasn't the one to force him to finally submit and go through with it, then it would have been his Appa and that would have been much worse.

He knew his Appa ... the older man would have probably made him get a female Chattel.

Not like gender really mattered anymore, but his father was of a generation who longed for the ways of old and it had been family tradition for the sons to have a female one till they eventually got married.

Soo was most uncomfortable with that prospect, thus he was allowing his friend to take care of the situation. If he 'chose himself' he knew his Appa would respect his decision and not try to force a lifestyle on him that he vehemently didn't want.

Still, he couldn't find calm ... his breath was coming in shallower than usual ... maybe seeing Baekhyun's pick would be good. He trusted his friend in this situation, after-all, he could remember the little crush he had when he met Joonmyeon, Baek's first.

"Is that a smile I see," Baek poked at his dimples that were forming at the thought of 'Suho', "It is isn't it? I knew you had faith in me, you just needed to think about it."

"Soo, do you want me to retrieve the group?" Yeol was still hesitant, he could tell by the body language, but his expression said that he was willing if they were ready.

"No," maybe the taller was willing, but Kyungsoo didn't want to see anymore groups, "please just bring the one Baekhyun is talking about