The next morning, Joohyun didn’t waste her time to get straight to the new laboratory. Having herself wash, dressed up and groomed, she grabbed a plate of eggs and sandwich on the countertop that was prepared by their hired chef.

Walking towards the laboratory, she found Subject 0001 and 0003 awake while the others are asleep. “Areum, open the doors to the hexacubicle.”

[Access granted] Areum responded.

The door opens and she walked inside. “Do you guys wake up early?”

“Wake up? We do not sleep.” 0003 said. “Maybe when you said that I was a machine, maybe I am.”

“Good day Doctor.” 0001 greeted her brightly.

“Good morning. Is there anything you want for breakfast?” Joohyun asked.

“I do not eat.” 0003 clarified.

“I feel full.” 0001 said.

“Great. I’ll just finish my breakfast and we will start with the tests 0001.” She informed him and when she turned her back towards the exit, Wendy is already approaching her way.

“Good morning everyone.” She greeted them with her energetic mood.

Each respective cubicles of the subjects have average squaremeter of a regular room which could accommodate a control pad on the walls that could scan their vital signs, examination and examination table. It is made of 8.3mm walls that is made up of metallic glass that is a hundred times stronger than a regular one.

Joohyun went inside 0001 cubicle staring at her hologram chart that she formulated last night. “Areum report vital signs.”

[Blood pressure 90/70mmHg, heart rate 100bpm, temperature 37C. vital signs are normal.] Areum reported.

“Great.” Joohyun said. “Now undress yourself.” Joohyun commanded 0001.

He placed pads of her four fingers on his forearm nearest to his wrist and a screen like controls appeared and the next thing happened was he’s and the screen control was detached from his forearm. “Should I surrender this?”

Joohyun, of course, tried her best not to look and was able to maintain look professional. Taking the control screen from Taehyung, she placed it in her Lab gown.

Kicking the side of the examination table, a drawer opened and it has clothes in it. “Dress up.” She ordered.

Clearing and blinking to clear her view more, she managed to look at her subject taking the clothes that seemed to be unfamiliar to him. Observing the arm holes, neck hole and even the length of the pants.

“How am I supposed to?” He asked.

“Areum, provide sample videos for dressing.” Joohyun ordered and her hologram chart turned into video player. “Watch.”

And 0001 was able to watch how it is done. Keeping his eyes on the video without blinking, he managed to wear the upper and lower garment but he didn’t know the orientation so he worn it reversed.

“Clueless.” Joohyun said and she swiped the hologram screen back to her chart and record what she observed. “Here’s how you do it.”

Joohyun assisted to doff the upper garment from 0001 which made her feel nervous with their close distance. “Are you alright Doctor?”

“Yes I am.” Joohyun said nervously. “uhm.. I- “she lost her words as she stares to the half- subject.

“No you’re not. I told you, our mind is connected.” 0001 said.

“Well this, is how you wear this clothes.” Joohyun said and made a deep exhale to ease herself. “Head in.” She commanded as she placed the neck hole in front of the subject. “Right arm in.” She ordered and 0001 inserted his arm inside and as well as the other.  

--

0003 managed to dress himself and surrender his scanner control to Wendy as well. She couldn’t be more amazed with how the scanner could absorbed by the skin and make suits to protect their bodies.

After proving that its only the one arm and one leg that are metal parts of the subject, Wendy asked him to sit opposite to her and gave him chopstics, knife, fork and spoon and a meal.

“That is food. Can you show me how you can eat?” She asked him.

“I apologize but I do not eat. I am already built with my organs fully functioning well without consuming and eliminating anything in my body.” He explained.

“So by the means of your recharging that could be I assumed the way you feed yourself.” Wendy said.

“Maybe not.” He said. “You know breathing beings like you could take it without consuming for at least 3 days or a week and you guys will still be alive. While in my case, if I am not charged after my battery dies I am considered as dead.”

“Do not say that.” Wendy said and for once she felt stupid for unintentionally offending him.

“Well that’s the truth.”

--

After undressing and politely handing the control scanner to Seugi. 0002 was able to dress himself after some verbal assistance from Seulgi and consumed the meal using his bare hands.

The next thing that he was asked to do was to face in the mirror and a toothbrush, toothpaste, razor, nail cutter and a face towel was presented to him.

“Use them.” Seulgi said.

“How?” He asked.

“Well, I can’t tell you the purpose of each tools, it will manipulate the findings.” Seulgi explained and that she concluded that her subject doesn’t know anything about grooming.

“Just one question.” She asked.

“That day when you attempted to attacked us. I didn’t pierce the syringe on you.” She said. “What made you calm down?”

“To tell you honestly, my strength and my anger are quite connected. The more I get angry the more I get stronger and it always results to a disaster.” He confessed. “What I hate the most is when that happens I couldn’t have the memory of it.”

“So what makes you suppress the strength or the anger?” Seulgi asked.

“Before when I was considered as a dangerous specie, they will lock me up or chained me. Until I found a soul. An eye and physical contact makes me calm and weak.”

“Soul… that’s what you call it?”

“Yes.” He said. “and it seems like no matter what I do you’re going to be my soul until I am here.”

--

Subject 0005 wasn’t able to dress himself alone, but just like what the other subjects did, he surrenders his control scanner to Yeri.

He also consumed his meal using one chopstick to stab the meat and the rest of the food was consumed by finger feeding. Presenting the tools for grooming, Yeri didn’t also find any evidences that the subject is aware of the tool’s functions.

Observing how he make anything that he touches explore by his hand and his eyes away from it, Yeri concluded something. “You can’t see can you?”

“I don’t have a clear vision of what you can see.”

“Oh. I watched how you were able to make the electricity flow in and out of your body and you were able to hit your target back there. How did you do that?”

“Well other than my vision, my hearing, smell and touch are excellent. I could detect and filter out voices, I could feel every single weapon’s direction before it will hit my body.”

“Wow.”

“Thank you.” He said and laughed. “I think you’re the first one who saw how amazing I am.”

“Of course.” Yeri said and laughed at him.

--

While the professors are inside the hexacubicle, Joy is at the laboratory feeling bored that her subject is still asleep. His vital signs are down and he’s even recorded as dead by the hexacubicle’s scanner.

The doorbell rings at the Lead’s quarter and unfortunately, it’s only Joy who’s available to entertain whoever she is. Making her way out from the hidden doors of the quarter, she make her way to the front doors of the quarter.

“Professor Hayoung.” She greeted her.

“Oh, Professor Park. This are the reports that we made with what happened back there.” Hayoung politely handed it to her.

“Its handwritten.” She giggled.

“To show our sincerety, it is more like an apology letter for being so incompetent. We would have escaped earlier if we prevented them from trespassing at the aircraft.” She explained,

“Oh no please.” Joy said. “No one knows that we will be betrayed.”

“Please take time to read those. We wrote those from our hearts.” She said.

“Yes of course. Thank you.” Hayoung turned her back after she bowed at her but she dropped the book that she just tucked in between her trunk and arm.  “You drop something.”

“Oh thank you,” she politely took it from Joy’s hand.

“Species from the ancient?” Joy asked her.

“Well as a biological scientist like you it is quite motivating to read something like this.” She said.

“Based on fiction?”

“Come on, fiction still is entertaining.”

“Right.” She said and she bowed back at her before she went back to her laboratory.

An hour before the evening strikes, the tests and interpretation are done and the respective professors are at the round dining table discussing their findings with each other while having their early dinner.

[WARNING moderate damages in cubicle 4.] Areum reported

The girls looked at each other and rushed to the hidden laboratory where they magnify thorugh the monitor cubicle 4.

“Report vital signs.” Joy ordered.

[No Vital signs gathered. WARNING moderate damage is reported]

“Why is he like that?” Joy asked.

“I guess he is trying to escape.” Joohyun said. Pressing the access to the speaker at the hexacubicle Joohyun ordered “0001 hold subject 0004. Do not let the walls break.”

And 0001 opened her palm to hold 0004 away from the glass walls that has already plenty of cracks.

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