Both of them walked into the elevator and Misun could feel excitement creeping up her entire being. This is the first time that she is visiting a research facility. The fact that she will also get a chance to interact with the top notch scientists of the country felt surreal. But she felt slightly disappointed since she is supposed to keep everything confidential. She felt that it’s such a waste not to write an article about whatever she will be seeing within the next couple of minutes.

The elevator door opened to the lounge of the facility and Misun saw people turning up for work. Some of them were already walking around with coffee mugs cupped in their hands. Misun also noticed some of them wearing too casual clothes that definitely didn’t match the facility’s vibe at all. Misun expected to see people wearing masks and white lab coats with sober looks on their faces here. But everything about the facility blew her expectations.

Misun couldn’t stop herself from laughing when she heard PSY’s Gangnam Style softly being played through speakers. She even saw some people nodding their head or moving their hips in rhythm with the beats.

“Are you sure this is the facility?” She asked Sehun as they made their way towards the enquiry desk at the front.

“Yup. It is. Our research head is of the opinion that music plays a huge role in increasing the efficiency of our work. He wants to increase the research output of the facility by atleast 10% by the end of this year. So, he is going all the way to ensure that he meets the goal.”

“May I know who the research head is?” Misun asked wondering who in the world would come up with ideas like this.

“Well, you don’t know him for sure. He literally never leaves the facility. I don’t even know when the last time he saw sunlight was.  Some people who work here joke that he is really a vampire.” Sehun laughed openly , earning stares from passing scientists. “His name is Kim Joonmyeon, but fancies calling himself Suho.”

“Suho?” Misun asked.

“Yeah, Suho means guardian. He calls himself the guardian of the facility.” Sehun explained.

“Weird.” Misun agreed.

“That is nothing. Just wait until you see my colleagues.” Sehun said with a dark look on his face, which looked so comical that Misun burst out laughing.

Sehun held out his ID to the woman sitting at the enquiry desk. She ran the ID through a scanner and then proceeded to scan Sehun’s finger prints.

“You are clear to go in Mr.Oh.” She smiled warmly as she returned the ID back. “Good day to you.”

“Thanks.” Sehun said with an easy smile. “Um, this is my friend and she would like to come in with me.”

“Just a moment please.” The woman said before standing up and going towards a side room. She returned after few minutes with a huge folder and took out a dozen application forms.

“Fill these out please.” She said as she handed  a pen and the forms over.

“That’s a lot of paperwork.” Misun mumbled as she leafed through the forms one after the other.

“It is.” Sehun agreed. “These are procedures to ensure that people who come in visiting won’t go rambling around about our secrets.”

Both of them sat on a nearby couch and filled out the forms one by one.

“You guys will strip me off my citizenship if I violate the confidentiality agreement?” Misun asked with round eyes as she read the norms mentioned in the agreement.

“Not us, the government.” Sehun said with a cheeky smile. “So you better keep everything you see here to yourself.”

Misun handed over the forms after filling them to the kind receptionist.

“Thank you.” She said. “Before you go in, I will issue you a visitor’s pass which will be valid for six hours. You should be outside the facility before that.” She informed.She then immediately took a photo of Misun, attached it with the visitor’s pass , stamped it with  the facility’s seal and sent her in together with Sehun.

They again got into an elevator to the upper floors.

“What are the research areas you specialize here?” Misun asked as she looked around each floor curiously through the elevator’s glass doors.

“Literally everything except those related to Communication.” Sehun said as he also looked around fondly. A couple of people waved at him in some of the floors which made Misun assume that Sehun might be a popular figure here. “The department of Genetic research is where I’m working.”

“Here we are.” he said as he led Misun out of the elevator on the ninth floor with his right hand on the small of her back. Two huge glass door panels faced them and Misun could make out scientists working inside through them.

Sehun wordlessly took hold of misun’s hand and led her towards a corner from where they could see clearly what was going on inside.

“I will just fill you in on who is who and then we will go inside. I don’t want them to startle you or anything.”

“Right.” Misun agreed.

“Can you see that tall guy there with huge ears?” Sehun gently murmured and jerked his chin towards the said guy.

“The yoda-ear guy?” Misun verifired.

“Yeah, that’s Park Chanyeol. He is my senior and is the best in our department when it comes to cross breeding of plants and has a doctoral degree in the same. He has published numerous papers in SCI.”

“Woah.”

“And he also got a post doctoral degree on his research about past life and after life.”

“He has a double doctorate?” Misun asked weakly. She knew how much pain in the it is to do research work. How in the world did this guy had enough perseverance to go for an additional degree?

“Yeah. He did an awful amount of research and is now convinced that he used to be the lead rapper of a South Korean boy-band called EXO or some like that in his previous life.”

“I don’t know what to say to that.” Misun said trying hard not to laugh.

“He also raps around to prove his point and it ticks Suho off  every single time.” Sehun shook his head.

“Weird.”

“Exactly my point.” Sehun agreed. “Now, can you see the guy clad in Hello Kitty clothes?”

“The short one?” Misun asked as she followed Sehun’s gaze. A guy was working with a microscope to their left. the guy was short just like Misun observed with a mop of chocolate brown hair, gently falling over his eyes as he worked. He had big round eyes and beautiful heart shaped lips.

“Yeah, that’s Do Kyungsoo or D.O Hyung. Nothing makes him more happy than being called mummy. He pampers us a lot but has a nasty temper. Get on his bad side and you will wish you were never born. Sometimes, he acts like a total psycho but is harmless most of the time. He is the person who is overlooking my work and I directly report to him.”

“This guy is too weird.” Misun sais as she saw D.O give an evil grin to the plate he had been observing under the microscope a few seconds ago.

“That word doesn’t even cover half his character.” Sehun replied. “Now, can you see that guy pulling childish faces to no one in particular? That’s Baekhyun Hyung. For him pure bliss is being treated like a puppy. He is too touchy and has a special liking towards invading others’ personal space. He specializes on medicinal plants and their hybrids.”

“Super weird.”

“Well, I guess I have filled you in about the people you have to watch out the most in this floor. Let’s go in now. I will introduce the rest on the way.”

“How do you even work with these people?” Misun asked with wonder.

“Simple. I love them all.”

Sehun pulled her into the room as the glass doors opened for them. Most of the people were so immersed in their work that they didn’t even notice the two newcomers.

“Sehun!” A deep voice boomed and before Misun could make out what was happening, Sehun was tackled to the ground by a huge blur, which Misun later identified as Chanyeol.

“I missed you, bro.” Chanyeol roared, causing Sehun to cringe from the sound.

“Hyung, stop shouting!” Sehun struggled to push Chanyeol away. Both of them stood up and Chanyeol’s eyes fell on Misun.

“Who is this?” Chanyeol asked, his eyes bulging and threatening to pop out.

“My friend, Misun.” Sehun introduced.

“Hey, I’m Chanyeol.” Chanyeol said giving a toothy grin as he extended his arm towards Misun.

“Nice to meet you.” Misun said with a smile. She couldn’t deny the fact that Chanyeol was quite an attractive guy with great physique.

“So I guess your first phase report is over, since you are here.” Chanyeol said with a suggestive grin as he eyed the folder Sehun was holding on his left hand.

“Yeah.” Sehun said.

“Well, I’m busy now. Have to meet Suho. Someone ratted me out for skipping work last afternoon and he is demanding an explanation now.” Chanyeol rolled his eyes. He clapped Sehun’s shoulders, winked at Misun causing her to blush and walked away briskly.

“I like him already.” Misun commented.

“Nothing surprising there.” Sehun smiled as he turned the opposite direction and beckoned Misun to follow him.

D.O looked up as he heard the incoming footsteps.

“You are exactly three days late this time.” he observed as he saw Sehun making his way towards him.

“Well, hyung, the weather was not that nice to travel.” Sehun said. “But I have the report ready.”

“Okay.” D.O said as he turned towards Misun. He stood silent for a couple of seconds and then his face broke into a heart warming smile.

“Hi.” He said politely. Sehun quickly introduced the both of them.

“I’ll go through the report then. Submit it on my table.” D.O informed as