Thank U | ATEEZ FF

Ch-2: Reunion

You resumed your day like any other regular day. Classes, lunch, assignments, essays, teaching, gaming and then time for bed. You made sure you did the biometric attendance for the apartment then proceeded to check the tub. The toy did grow a little bigger. Seeing the development you went to sleep.

You heard slight banging noises mid-sleep. You checked the time on your phone. It was 02:10 which was pretty late considering you slept half past midnight (which you didn't today because you were awfully tired because the canteen ran out of coffee) so you got up to see what was causing the banging noises.

To your surprise, there was a child that looked no older than 4 in the bathtub. You quickly brought a towel to cover the child.

"Papa" the child said.

"P-papa?" you asked after being called that for the first time.

"Papa!" the child cheered lifting his arms as you got it out of the tub. It immediately embraced in a soft hug and looked up to your chin.

Not having another choice, you bent down to hug the child back and made sure the towel was tight.

"Kid, who are you?"

At this question the child furrowed her eyebrows and walked out of the bathroom.

"Hey-"

The child picked the box up and started turning it around. After a thorough search it picked something and ate a pill.

"Girl, you can't just eat something off the box." you said. Then you noticed that there was a caption saying 'Give Once Awake' which you totally missed while unpacking.

"Good girl" you told it. Not knowing what to do next you put it to sleep and then slept yourself. You'd think what to do with it later.

It was 7 am and Wooyoung knocked at your door.

"What do you want bro?"

"Today's a non-instructional day, let's get your Seonghwa for a check up!"

"Which doctor checks someone who just grew in the span of a few days?"

"Trust me, I came across people like that for San."

"Do you have any clothes that would fit her?"

"Her? That's a dude Hongjoong-"

"But she doesn't have-"

"He'll do the explaining when we get there." Wooyoung said as he pulled a jacket from your chair and dressed up Seonghwa.

You were on your way to meet not just Seonghwa's doctor but also your first crush.

Song Mingi, 28, the man who owns an ice-cream parlour has a few secrets. He isn't your ordinary dude. He knows about the existence of these human toys. Most importantly, he was your first crush.

"After the war, they were manufactured in high quantities to compensate the man power lost. Sure they must've thought of a way because what about the new mouths to feed? These human toys don't require much food, in fact their meal plans could compete with those of a toddler's. Post-war they were designed in the language of manufacture but not even a decade later they had to stop because the UN said it was human trafficking. People outside of Asia never had access to these anyways." he explained.

He further added, "The models that come these days aren't meant for those purposes. Actually they aren't legally manufactured at all. It's only the older pieces being sold at a cheaper price so that the government doesn't come to know. Plus, once they're alive you can't physically differentiate them, unless they're naked that is."

You raised your eyebrow questioning what you were doing when these came out. You remember reading headlines. Was it when you were a year old? You didn't get to see much about it except some anniversary stuff. Most importantly you forgot Seonghwa's box in your room.

"When did they start manufacturing?" San asked, curious about his origins.

"Hmm, maybe 36 years ago? I guess it was 2907 that the first models came into the markets. The first female model came like in 2908 I think. Well it doesn't really matter since the male models used the female body only I think? It's been years since someone has come to me for this." he said studying San.

"So why are you here? There's usually a 2 year growth time. Are any of you one of-" he said raising an eyebrow.

"So like I got San for me 2 years ago and I bought one for Hongjoong last week and he seemed pretty startled to know the fact that it was real that you can grow a person. So I went to see Jongho who works part time at the store. He said now you get these only in black markets and suggested you for helping us." Wooyoung explained to the taller male.

"Well that's one good thing he said." he whispered but you were standing so close to him that you could hear those words.

"One thing?" you asked him.

"Ah nothing. Just that I haven't had someone to talk to me like this years so ya." he said half coughing through his words.

"Jongho helped me a lot with growing San but I'm afraid I got Seonghwa from a different area so he suggested you since you are more of an expert than he is, at least according to him." said Wooyoung.

You knew Song Mingi. Sure he was 7 years older than you but you had gone to the same school. He was in the 9th grade when you first saw him. He radiated cool energy. It was just admiration when you were in grade 2. He dropped out a year later but you could never ask him why. When you asked the 10th graders they would reply family problems but you never came to know how far that was true. When you were in 5th grade he was back in 11th grade. That's when you got a good look at him. That admiration turned into a teeny tiny little crush. You never told Wooyoung about it. You knew then he would tease you endless and make you into a clown. That was the last thing you needed.

Yeosang on the other hand was a sweetheart. He wouldn't make it obvious but when he got the chance he would sneak in a schedule of Mingi's to your ear and you'd think whether it was worth your time. You always saw him from afar but never got to meet him. Little did you know that you would get to meet him..... but not like this?!

"I hope I've been of help. Now I'll need to go back to my legal business. Thank you for dropping." he said opening a shutter on the other side.

"Why did you drop out of school?" you asked. 

"Hmm?" asked a confused Wooyoung.

"Family issues." he bluntly replied.

Mingi then put on his nice uncle façade as he gave the children the ice-creams. He saw you leave with your friends. 

"Another target successfully found." he smirked.