✏ project exo {chapter one - part I}
p r o j e c t e x o : chapter one - part i
⇢ authors: illegiblesigns and mouthwash
⇢ fandom: exo
⇢ pairings: various
⇢ 4060 words
⇢ pg-13 (possible disturbing content)
The sunlight woke him up and when Chanyeol realized what day it is he almost jumped out of bed. Usually, he would hide under the covers, damming the existence of mornings and classes and schedules, but on that day he was already on his feet even before his alarm rang.
It was his day, after all.
The boy rushed to the bathroom, taking a shower as fast as he could. He didn’t want to be late for his first day at work. Not only that, he didn’t want to hear his father complaining about how he couldn’t even manage to get on time. Chanyeol knew he couldn’t fail, not this time. He had disappointed his father plenty of other time and he already knew how much it sucked. His father finally gave him a chance and he wouldn’t waste for anything in the world.
He looked at the clock. Damn, he whispered, running back to his room, trying to find an appropriate outfit. It was the first time Chanyeol noticed the amount of skinny jeans and rock band t-shirts that filled his closet. He had a mini-panic attack because he actually had nothing he could wear to work. He picked random jeans and ran into his father’s room, picking a white button down shirt. Chanyeol looked at himself in the mirror and couldn’t help but to laugh at the sight of him. His father’s shirt was way too tight and his failed attempt to tame his hair ended up with him looking like a pampered poodle.
When he heard his alarm clock ring for the third time he knew there was no time to think about it anymore. Not if he wanted to make it on time.
When Chanyeol finally left home it was 6:30am and he decided to go to the Center on his bike instead of taking the Skytrain. The center was located in New Rome's government district, which was only five blocks away from Chanyeol's building. It was sunny and not too hot and not too cold, just perfect. Someone up there must like Chanyeol a whole lot, because everything was going perfectly on the most important day of his life. He took a deep breath, a big, bright smile growing on his face.
“I’m ready,” he whispered to himself, getting on his bike and riding it to the Center. Maybe it was because he was so happy but the whole city of Hera seemed brighter to him. Even Mr. Kim, an old wrinkled sulky man smiled at him when he passed by. Hera was the biggest and most evolved city in the whole world. The city buildings, which were mirrored by the Old World architecture, overwhelmed his view, making him notice how beautiful the streets were. The peaceful atmosphere made Chanyeol wonder if the war was really real or just something invented.
The Center wasn’t really something new to Chanyeol. There were times when he would spend weekends in his father’s office and dream about one day being a scientist was well. Working at the center has always been his goal and now that he finally achieved it looking at the building made him anxious. He chained his bike, getting weird looks from the employees that stood by the entrance. He heard a man someone whisper something like "How old-fashioned". Chanyeol frowned at his bike. Maybe he should ride the Skytrain for now on. This looked like the "grown up" thing to do. He walked towards the huge entrance, sighing deeply and closing his eyes a little. When he stepped inside the Center everything seemed the same as he remembered; the walls were white and tall and the reception was full with people and voices and phones ringing. He smiled to himself, trying to figure out where he was supposed to go.
Oh, second floor. He remembered, walking with long strides toward the circular shaped elevator. When he entered it a mechanical voice echoed:
“Please, insert your key-card and choose your destination.”
Chanyeol’s eyes widened, his hands searching his entire body for his key-card. Then the image of it on top of his desk, just lying there while Chanyeol completely forgot about its existence made him almost punch himself on the face.
“Fuck!” He cursed, making a lady who had just entered the elevator frown at him. “Oh, sorry, I’m sorry. Are you going to the second floor?”
“No. Can you please hurry up?” She said, making Chanyeol even more uncomfortable. He left the elevator still mumbling apologies. Back at the reception he looked around for someone who could help him, his eyes stopping at the receptionist. It was worth the try, if he didn’t make it in time his father would be pissed and Chanyeol would be reminded of the-day-he-actually-gave-him-a-shot-and-Chanyeol-blew-it-again for the rest of his life.
“Oh, hi! Hm, I actually have a tiny problem, could you help me?”
The man looked up at him with a bored face. It was obvious that dozens of people came to him every day with tiny problems.
“How can I help you, sir?” He asked in a monotonous tone.
“So, I’m a new worker here, I’m a genetic engineer student. I am supposed to meet my father on the second floor at 7 AM, but I’ve just noticed I forgot my key-card!” He smiled at the man who now was looking back at his tablet. “So-can you please help me?”
“No key-card, no entrance.”
“B-But-” He stuttered, the person behind him asking him to hurry up. “Just a minute, ok? Look, sir, seriously I work here. I just forgot the key-card! It’s my first day.”
“No key-card, no entrance.”
“Yeah, I heard you the first time, but my father is waiting for me. Please, it’s just this time!” Someone behind him poked his ribs again. “JUST-Just a second!”
“If you keep bothering me I’ll have to call security, sir.”
“No, please don’t do that,” he laughed, nervous, and the receptionist looked at him with contempt. Chanyeol felt his ribs being poked again. “FUCK, JUST A FUCKING SECOND OK? Why is everyone so fucking hasty on this-”
He stopped midway, swallowing his words. His father was standing behind him, a look of complete disgust on his face. Chanyeol opened his mouth but just the look his father gave him made the boy purse his lips shut, lowering his head.
“Dr. Park!” The receptionist exclaimed, standing up immediately, giving Chanyeol’s father a small reverence. “I’m- I’m sorry I didn’t know this boy was your son!”
“You remember him, right? I used to bring him around when he was little.”
“Yes, of course. He was a really cute kid.”
“Was, eh? It seems he’s not that cute anymore.” The man turned around to face Chanyeol, who was still looking at the ground. “Say, Chanyeol? Don’t you think Mr. Kim deserves an apology from you? Since you decided to blurt such ugly words at his face while he was just doing his job?”
Chanyeol lifted his face, murmuring an “I’m sorry” to the receptionist, who seemed quite pleased with the scene. He looked back at his father: He was as tall as Chanyeol but even skinnier. While Chanyeol’s face was round and handsome, his father’s was angular and wrinkled from frowning so much. Dr. Park made a small reverence to the receptionist and then placed his hands on the boy’s shoulder, leading him to an elevator. They were in silence until they reached it, finally being alone.
“This- Are you serious, Chanyeol? A fucking scene at my workplace? These people know me and you embarrassed me in front of all of them, I’m so disappointed.”
“I’m sorry, father! It’s that I forgot my-”
“I don’t give a fuck about what you forgot. You won’t repeat this again, Chanyeol. I give you a fucking chance and then you just blew it!”
And there it was.
“It won’t happen again, father, I’m really sorry.”
It seemed like forever until they finally reached the second floor, the familiar white corridors and bright lights. Chanyeol didn’t smile this time. His father was right at his side and he didn’t want to look like a too excited teenager. He was a grown up now and he had to act like one.
Or at least that was what his father was always saying-
“Hey, wait!” He exclaimed when they passed through the Laboratory door. “Why are we not going to the lab?”
“The job I have for you is not in the lab. Of course you will have access to it, and even your own desk. But that’s not why I’m giving you a tour first, right?”
Chanyeol found weird when his father said he would give him a tour around the Center. He knew the Center quite well and moving around in there wouldn’t be a problem. He ended up being leaded into a room he never was before.
The room was circular and dark, in contrast with the usual brightness of the rest of the place. Screens filled the walls and a big table filled with buttons and commands circulated the room. A lot of scientists were seated around, watching the screens closely, taking notes at times. A closer look explained to Chanyeol what they were watching.
Finally he had a look at the famous Prototypes.
He didn’t know exactly what he was expecting but his mouth was filled with a bitter taste. He knew the prototypes were people, he had prepared himself for that day for a long time, but still he couldn’t help but feel extremely uncomfortable. Some screens showed him images of boys smiling and laughing at each other. Other showed him a boy sitting on his bed, a spoon bending itself over his intense stare. Another displayed a tall man playing with a rubik’s cube, sitting on thin air. His stomach twisted inside his guts, it was too much for him. They were too human.
“Chanyeol, come here,” Dr. Park called him. He stopped at the side of another scientist and when Chanyeol got closer he could hear him saying:
“Please, show me Prototype Lux.”
The man pulled a touchscreen keyboard and typed “LUX” on it. At that very moment all screens in front of them zoomed on a smiling face. An extremely handsome smile face, Chanyeol noticed.
The prototype was trying to do some martial art moves, another Prototype tutoring him by his side. The other showed him an intricate move, looking smooth and strong. Lux was looking at him carefully. However, when it was his turn to actually do it, he paled in comparison.
“This is Prototype Lux. He was given the power of light,” his father started, a sign of discontent on his voice. “When I was working on his project I had great expectations for him. The man who will bring light to this world, I used to think. Well it didn’t take much time with him to notice he was a failure. He never could develop his power properly. He was always far behind the other Prototypes in almost every important subject. The only subjects he excels are… Language and Old History? But these are irrelevant. He can’t fight; he can’t think like a fighter, he can’t do anything a weapon should do. I gave him the best of my team but he never gave us any good results.”
Chanyeol still had his eyes locked on the screen. The boy was now sitting on the grass, a defeated expression. He felt his father’s hands on his shoulders and looked back at him.
“And that’s why I need you, my son. I already put the all best minds to work on this boy but nobody could fix him. The only person I can trust now is you.”
The boy felt his eyes wide and for a second he hated himself and his lack of power over his facial expressions.
“Are you fuckin-” He stopped himself, clearing his throat. “I mean. Are you sure, father? This seems like a big responsibility.”
“Aren’t you ready for responsibilities, Park Chanyeol? And please don’t call me “father” while we’re at work. I’m Dr. Park for you from now on.”
“O-Ok, Dr. Park.”
“I want you to go over Prototype Lux today. Do some tests on him and see what you think. I'm expecting improvement by the end of this year, Chanyeol. Oh, if you have questions you can always ask our Lay here, he's our most trusted medical assistant.” His father pointed to a boy in white who was delivering him some paperwork. “We’re talking about Prototype Lux, Lay. You must know him well since he spends half of his time on infirmary.”
The man smiled at them both, looking a little bit uncomfortable.
“Yeah, he is kind of clumsy? Please, Dr. Park, could you sign these for me? I have some test results from Prototype Geller and the statement annoucing the end of this probation.”
“Of course, of course. Let’s go to my office where I can actually have a look into these. This place is way too dark.” The doctor did a small reverence and his father looked back at Chanyeol. He leaned closer, talking in a low voice so only the boy could hear.
“I trust you, my son,” he smiled at him for the first time in a long time but Chanyeol was feelings less than happy. There was this weight on his shoulders and he felt a little nauseous. When his father was gone he looked back at the screen, Prototype Lux was laughing loudly, his eyes closed and his hands clapping in front of his face.
The bitter taste on his mouth got even worse.
5:45 AM brought low rumbling sounds of engines being turned on and feet shuffling unwillingly out of beds. This was Luhan's favorite part of always waking up a little earlier than the alarm clock. People's minds were still running on empty and thoughts were unable to form properly. It was the quietest time of the day and Luhan made sure to enjoy every second of it.
He was lying on his bed, listening to the silence as he waited for the alarm to sound, for the automated windows to open slowly letting in the daylight and causing his eyes ache from the sudden clarity. It was suppose to be sunny today, he remembered. Undoubtedly, it was going to be very warm and humid. Today’s physical training definitely wasn’t going to be a pleasant experience.
The alarm clock sounded. A soft agreeable melody, repeating itself until Luhan sat up on his bed and stretched his hands out to touch the screen on the wall. It scanned his prints with low beeping sounds; a green light flooded the screen, which proceeded to project images on the wall in front of him as the windows opened. Warm sunlight lifting away the silence and bring in the endless noise of 6:15 AM.
The images projected in front of him consisted of today’s schedule, weather, major announcements, and messages from the project leaders. Luhan dreaded the latter, and this morning his mailbox icon was flashing red. He swallowed hard before putting his index finger on top of it.
A tiny square with the picture of a familiar face popped out from it, gradually getting bigger to fit the screen. A video message, he thought, first time getting one of these.
“Good morning, Prototype Geller.” Wincing at the mention of his real title, he recognized the woman on the screen now. Her voice activated his memory and brought a name to the tip of his tongue. Dr. Seohyun, if he’s not mistaken. There was a sharp taste attached to her name.
“You are invited to join me for breakfast today. There are a couple of things we need to discuss before the start of your activities. The meeting is at room 443. 7 AM. Please, arrive promptly.” Her image retracted back into his mailbox icon, which now had turned back to its usual shade of white.
He scanned his home screen for any other relevant information. His schedule had been updated to include the breakfast with Dr. Seohyun. Although it was suppose to be very brief, it pushed his usual activities to other time-slots, leaving him with a mere fifteen-minute break at the end of the day before the 8 PM alarm sounded, indicating it was time for them to retire to their rooms. He sighed, not in distress but conformity.
He made a hasty movement with his hands to close out the projection. Still, his valid designation flashed on the white wall in dark bold letters.
P R O T O T Y P E G E L L E R
He had learned from Mrs. Victoria Song that his title came from an israeli man named Uri Geller, who lived in the Old World. A man, many believed, had the unique ability to bend materials made of metal. Mostly spoons, she said.
Luhan's skill was similar, but much more complex. His eyes trailed off to the corner of the room, finding a pile of recently washed clothing. A pair of black pants and a white shirt floated over the room and into his bed, falling still folded on his lap. Pleased with himself, he turned back to the screen on the side of his bed.
“There must be a way to change this,” he said to himself.
He fumbled with the device’s settings and options for a minute before finding what he was looking for. A cursor blinked behind the words Prototype Geller, he took pleasure in pressing the delete key. As each letter disappeared he felt more like himself. His insides filled with the excitement of his innocent rebellion. No one had access to his private computer. A privilege he had earned after many ups and downs.
His lips curved into a smile as he typed in his chosen identity in capital letters.
L U H A N
The update was immediate. The letters projected on the wall now seemed more truthful. While the others were cold and distant, these were sincere and familiar.
The clock under his name brought him back to reality. 6:45 AM, and the door of his room whooshed open by itself, as if it was telling him to leave immediately or he would be late. He dashed to the restroom, making himself presentable the way he was taught to since his earliest memories. Before he left the room, his eyes locked on his keycard on his desk. The clock read 6:50 am now, so he concentrated on the object and it flew towards his direction. He caught it mid air just before his door closed.
It started as soon as he stepped out on the hallway, the never-ending murmurs, faint whispers, and secrets one would never voice out loud. Luhan felt that his mind didn’t belong to him sometimes since he was always swimming in other people’s thoughts, and not really allowing space for his own. This wasn’t intentional in any way. As a matter of fact, he tried as hard as he could to block it out. He was told to not dwell in other people minds, unless he was instructed to so, and if they caught him disobeying the consequences would be severe. Luhan knew this wasn’t a bluff, having already suffered harsh punishments for a lot less.
“I’m telling you, it’s always the same. I’m in my room, sitting on the floor, and he’s there. Starring down at me with those eyes.”
“It’s just a dream, Kyungsoo.”
“It’s not! It’s real! I know what dreams are like and this is not it. It’s more like a memory.”
Luhan didn’t even notice the two boys in front of him. Sometimes he got so engrossed on other’s thoughts the world around him melted away, taking away minutes or even hours of his day.
“He’s real, Sehun,” Kyungsoo said, giving the taller boy beside him a discrediting look before crossing his arms and turning his attention to the floor.
“I’ll believe it when I see it. Plus, I thought Mrs. Song told you not to talk about this anymore.”
Kyungsoo noticed him first. The short boy smiled shyly in Luhan’s direction, giving him a wave with his hand. Sehun simply nodded.
“Good morning,” Sehun said. His voice sounded completely calm, but his mind was moving faster than the speed of sound. Thoughts coming in and out so fast he couldn’t even register them. Sehun's mind always fascinated Luhan. The way it worked was different from the others. It was colorful, more complex. His mind was so vivid that sometimes Luhan could actually see images in full detail.
The elevator doors opened and the three of them rushed inside, When Luhan pressed a different button, Sehun’s eyes stay fixed on him, his mind full of inquiries.
“Not joining us for breakfast today?” Kyungsoo asked.
“I have a meeting with Dr. Seohyun,” he answered, trying not to sound too worried, but he failed to mask the shaking in his voice.
“Oh,” Kyungsoo made a face. He was known for not being able to control his facial expressions and wide-eyed stare.
“It will be fine,” Sehun said.
Luhan’s eyes found his and suddenly there was an explosion in the other boy’s brain. Luhan had a hard time singling out individual thoughts. They all jumbled together and sounded like nonsense. He could hear a hazy “don’t look at me, don’t look me," mixed in the mess of incoherent thoughts.
The doors slid open and Sehun and Kyungsoo walked out. Sehun's eyes met Luhan's for a second time before the doors closed again. Luhan swore he heard a distant “good luck” in Sehun’s distinct tone of voice.
“We wanted to invite you here, Prototype Geller, to inform you that your probation period ends today.”
Luhan’s insides twisted and turned. He blinked in response, not exactly sure how to react. Luhan’s sole ability was supposed to be telekinesis. However, years after his awakening, his genes mutated again giving him a new power. The doctors and scientists were amazed when they discovered his new mind-reading skill, but the project leaders were far from pleased. Luhan was put in total isolation and for someone who was so used to living in the minds of others, being alone with his own thoughts was true torture. At first, Luhan did like the silence, but as time progressed he started to feel a ceaseless dread taking over his entire body. He didn’t know what loneliness was at that time. The whole concept was entirely foreign to him. But now he knew it well enough to never want to feel that way again. He fought against seclusion in a way he knew he could win. He obeyed whatever orders they gave him. He didn’t complaining about the pain when they experimented on his body. He kept his head down and agreed to whatever conclusions they came up with. Soon enough, they decided he wasn’t a treat to the operation and Luhan was allowed to go back to his regular activities. Still, he was put under a long trial period.
“You’ve proven your loyalty to us. We would like to reward you for that.”
An apathetic smile reached Dr. Seohyun’s lips. Her hand reached the inside of an envelope that had been lying on the table since he got there. She pulled out a black metal bracelet and extended it over to Luhan.
“This,” she said, sliding the bracelet gently over his hand and into his wrist. It automatically adjusted its size to fit Luhan perfectly. “Is your new key-card. It grants you access to any room in the building. No place is off-limits anymore. It’s the same ones that we use.”
She raised her hand to show him her bracelet. Luhan examined his reward. He’s still not exactly sure how to respond. This could be some sort of test.
“I’m-" He stopped when his eyes found the letters engraved on the metal of his bracelet. Prototype Geller. His lips pulled downwards into a frown. This one he couldn’t change. “I’m extremely grateful, Dr. Seohyun.”
“Don’t disappoint us, Prototype Geller.” She said, grinning widely before standing up from her chair and leading Luhan out of the meeting room. He had barely touched his food. This would probably come back to haunt him later.
Before he stepped out of the room he heard Dr. Seohyun’s voice inside his head.
“It's a shame. I do like Luhan better. It’s a pretty name.”
⇢ next: chapter one - part II