Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The regular workout must have boost up her metabolism and sleep pattern. She find it easy to sleep these day, and she wakes up even later than NuHwa, her younger twin brother. When she is rushing to bathroom, and realise it has been occupied., She knock lightly on the door.

"Morning, sis", yelled from Haski, inside the bathroom. "I just started shower, want to join me?". The door open, and Mise sneak in quickly without letting any heat to escape.

It is Haski alone in slight hot shower. "Where is NuHwa? I thought I heard his voice somewhere" Ask Mise.

"Oh, he is back to day-dreaming", Answered Haski.

Nowadays, the twin brothers and sister seldom shower together unlike in the old day. Back then, they used to take a long time to gloom and massage each other. Mise is the first girl in the family, when she was 5 years old and studying University, her parents decided to have children again as Mise could take care of herself soon. A year later, Haski and NuHwa came to this work. Mise remembers so triumph to welcome them back into the house. She really enjoy helping mom and dad to nurse them. Now, as each has different study and work schedule, they even seldom meet each other. They do talk a lot, via messaging. Haski offered to massage for his sister's shoulder.

"Everything alright? You seem tense up ?", Asked Haski.

“ Ya, a bit. Today is my new job. Boss is a woman and I called her sir when I met her yesterday. I hope I get along with her today." Mise still nervous of first day at job.

" You should be fine, if you can handle us, you should be doing fine in the outside world !". Haski joked lightheartedly. Haski easy going altitude blend nicely with his slow body movement. People sometimes kind of forgive him for being slow. Unlike NuHwa, he works in double speed, but tend to make more mistakes on the go.

" Well, thanks for the massage, time up and I have to get ready for work." Mise gives Haski a warm hug and kiss on the cheek. "How the trouser? Does it work on you?". Mise asks after feel guilty of being harsh on him yesterday.

"Oh, it is nice fitting, will clean it up and return to you." Although Haski seldom workout, but he still have a bulging physique, Mise hopes her pant won't torn under his thigh. Putting a robe around, she quickly dash back to her room. While deciding which outfit to wear, she realise she might want to cancel her swimming session in the evening. First day at job might require her to do overtime. And it is not right to leave office before her boss. Swiftly sending a request from her phone, and a soft voice spoken from mirror, " Mise, your suit is ready." Looks formal, but with lighter colour than yesterday. She tucks in the clothes, and let it to tighten around her hip. She got her bags and headed for breakfast.

Mom and dad are early today and busy engaging in a very technical discussion, something about neural network in plant. Dad works in aviation and mom work in botanic. Mise wanders how do they have in common topic of discussion.  She has a quick breakfast while order some essentials health care plants from her phone. She kisses both parents on cheek as farewell before heading to bus stop.

The bus stop seems unusually crowded. She hears someone mentioned something about breakdown. "Oh great, I am going to be late for my first day!". She groaned to herself. However few minutes later, she notices few smaller coaches approaching with the usual bus route number on them. It seems the bus company has managed to remedy the breakdown by sending replacement coaches to fetch passengers. They are old bus and require a physical driver, and she is slow in checking ticket. Mise manages to cram herself into the tiny bus after awaiting long in the queue. However, she couldn't find Johnson." He must have been picked by another coach." Frustrated by the unexpected bus breakdown, she hopes she won't be late for work. However, Mise is surprised she arrives at her new office 2 mins early than normal schedule. She shows her identification and the tower's security system patches her detail into her phone and vise versa.

"Good morning, Ms Karoyo, welcome to Lowe Genetics, Mr Lowe will be with you shortly." Greeted by HAVRYIL when Mise uses her new id to step into new office. Although it has a warm voice, yet still give a shock to her.

"Hi, I didn't realise you are early, how’s your breakfast.."  Oh dear another stupid question from Mise. Android don't consume food as humans do, nor do they need rest. However HAVRYIL just stood there smile and nod back, as if he is used to this type of reaction. He even offer a drink for Mise.

" Wow, he is an Android and he makes damn good coffee !" Mise sipping the freshly brewed coffee offered from HAVRYIL. He seems like the new model but his behavior detects him like a old Butler, the make him an interesting behaviour pattern. Mise also curious why he keeps on referring Ms Lowe as him.

She waited about 30 mins at the reception desk, wandering when is she to be shown of her new office cubicle. Then a soldier like man marches in. He seems to be in his mid 40, casual wear, but body language shows that he well trained in sports and martial arts. "Good morning, you must be Ms Mise, I am Johansfre. Could you please follow me to your new laboratory? Ms Lowe is occupied in board meeting. She would join you shortly." Swiftly, Mise takes up her bags and follow Johansfre. They walk into a cargo lift, and Johansfre whisper "lab 3". The lift does not move for a full 10 second, then it dives down quietly to incredible speed. During the silent, Johansfre speaks softly, "Since the security system knows you. You could just proceed to this cargo bay tomorrow and mention lab three. She would take you to your allocated workstation. Unless you are required by other facility, you would be asked to be taken there. However you could defer that order. Is it clear?" Mise is sort of listening relaxing the whole sentence until the last part. It punctuated with formal affirmation. That bring down the chill down the spine.

Once they arrive at underground laboratory, it looks more like big warehouse and partitioned with many transparent and opaque glass walls. Staff in lab coat, suit and casual wear walking in and out many glass rooms. The whole setup looks like a labyrinth to Mise, until she notice the signage and coloured pathway. Laboratory is marked with it yellow colour, test room are marked with red colour, so as other rooms with different functions. Once she located the yellow pathway, she just need to locate the lab number, which arranged in sequence. Lab 42 being the closer to the cargo life, and lab three , presumably far away from it. Along the walking, she see the familiar food plants such as bread, milk powder, the salmon fruit, and some other plant she is not familiar with. Some swivel, some float in mid air, some are fireproof and etc. But towards near lab three, other labs appeared to be empty or opaque, screened  from outside viewing. Finally, when she arrived at lab three, which is opaque, but with few clear screen at eye level. She is about to touch the security panel to open the double sealed glass door. It swing open real hard and fast ! Almost cut Mise finger in half!

An Asian looking , red hair young man stepping outside the door, looking surprising happy to see the door swung open and murmur, " she really still can do miracle !" He didn't realise Mise is there and almost got injured. She looks at him stunned, not sure to shout at him or congratulate him.

" Hi, I am Mise, good to see it works and congratulations for almost killing me!". Mise said in a rather loud, sacratism.

The young man turn around, is shocked to see her, and apologize furiously. But he also excitedly pull her inside and introduced to others. " Hey guys, our second female designer is finally here!".

“So, I am the third woman staff in this lab”, Mise thought, “perhaps the first female designer must have been squished to death by you guys.“

She casually glance around. Only three boys in labs. First, sitting by the Bunsen burner, think glass, short hair, but with short skirt to show off his tattoo on his thigh till ankle. Second one is holding some sort of green gel pack, thick frame glass too, but with all long dress, look like just  back from winter. And the last young boy, almost crushed her, dancing like a monkey, with a ever changing colour shirt and pants.

"Hi there !" Mise thought, what is done have been done. Might as be a ice breaker. " I am Mise, I am here to work in Lab Three."

The boy seems excited but seems blur too. They must have been fresh out of university. Graduates are green in work field, but extremely talent in fresh and wild ideas. It is an awkward 20 seconds silence. Then Mise speaks again, " where do I work?".

Finally the boys show some response, they all pointed to the desk nearby the slamming door, and by a weird looking plant that looks like white spiraling column. It is simple wooden desk with metallic trim, a few nice pine wood drawers and a big brown letter envelope. Once settle her bag and tablet on her office desk. She promptly open the brown envelope by tapping her finger on the black label. Silently the brown envelope open like a flower, and present a letter, and key ring. It is a usual letter of employment, scope of work, then follow by confidential of password access to her desktop and paper, some emergency protocol, rules and regulations, and facilities for staff. She has a quick look of scope of work.

“ Hm… designing brochures, web site and app identity layout, and other 2d concept design concern printed and online media.”  Well, she thought, this is what I have been trained for. The last line of scope of work however confused her, it said behaviour control for plant habit. “Hmmmm.. this is interesting “ she thought, this last line of work definitely is not what she been trained for. She definitely would ask the manager when she gets to see him, or her. Then she has a quick look at staff facilities, and almost cry out happily. The list of staff facilities not only include in-house cafeteria and library, but also include a few commercial cafeteria, and a few rare books library. There is a 24/7 gym, fitness class, sauna and spa, a few massage therapist and powered swimming pools. Well, either  this is a very kind corporation, or this would indicate unforeseen long work time as a compensation?

Just about she finish login to the desktop, she receives internal memo about designing few letterhead templates, logo, news media layout, a web layout. That would keep her busy for a while. That seems to be a certain filling protocol she has to follow. Since she used to work in different Corporation before, it just take a little adjustment to the protocol. Luckily the time frame given was adequate to do twice the works. However she can't complete job off office hour. Everything has to be done in office and lock in office. When she just about done reading the rules and regulations, " lunch time !" Yelled out the boys.

"Sorry about that. " Mike apologize.

" Sorry for what? " Ask Mise.

"About the door slamming accident this morning." Mike replies.

“Oh ya, about that”, she totally forgot about it as she is so immerse into her new tasks. " It is ok, accidents do happen, be careful next time. Where is the rest of your college?". She asks.

"Peter and Nuru? They went ahead first, they like to secure the best seat in the cafe. " Cafe is just upstair, can be reached by a ramp or staircase. Upon arriving the cafeteria, Mise realise it is quite a view of the cafeteria. The layout is simple, like a big C surrounding a really luxurious garden, which encircled a series of frameless full height aquarium. The sensation is like you are underwater if you sit at one side, or enjoy a tropical sunshine garden if you sit at another side. " I wander where is the Chinese garden or Japanese garden? "She joke heartily.

" Oh, it is upstair at the mezzanine floor, and it changes scenery every three days." Mike explains

“Serious? “ Mise has never seen a big scale of shape shifting garden fit underground. She and Johnson used to have fun with the shape-shifting garden up near the old port of Wellington. The garden would respond to different seasonal changes, temperature and humidity variation, and some exhibit early earthquake and tsunami warning. There are few plants would change to different colour and textures when Mise touches them, slam them or stroke them gently, from different directions.

Being the only, or may be third woman in the laboratory. She does turn a few heads. But all back to feed their hungry stomach. The cafeteria stretches on one side, while table is rectanglur shapr that can seats 8 people. There are around 40 tables but only half are full. She notices certain table tends to seated by group of similar fashion, such as long hair sitting together, short hairs sitting together in another group. And a few men wear full body silk dress, but revealing their well tone curvy body shape. Mise thought if one put in much effort in gym training, one deserve to show it off.

Lunch was great, Mise and new found college get to enjoy a delicious fruit and salad lunch. She even get to take away her favourite jasmine orange drink to her desk. A few minutes after small talk, they all back to work immensely, with occasionally things blow up from the boys' lab, or leaves fly over her workstation. Noise tends to be lessen around 5pm, it looks like people are ready to pack up and go home. She yawns, quite a tire day, but fruitful though. She got few technical glitches iron out, and plenty of time to complete her given tasks. " Hey, Mise, do you want to join us for swim, or sauna?". Ask Mike and friends.

She could use a good sauna though, but then Johnson might wait for her at other swimming pool. " It is ok, you boys go ahead. I got to meet up an old friend". Mise replies.

" Alright, next time then ! Chao ". Mise can't stop looking at Nuru leg. He got really nice ballet leg like a woman, but with all the weird tattoo like binary barcode or mathematics equation. Must be really nerdy, Mise thought. Once inside the lift, Mise whispers to the life, "take me home. " And the life arrive at lobby. She follow the crowd out of the building and goes to Sparkling public swimming pool, a few block away from the gym she visited yesterday.

The public swimming pool seems crowded in the evening and the air feel damp. Mise prefer damp air to swim into as she hates dry skin. After secure her stuff in locker, she collects a short towel and jump into the pool. Most crowd seems to be concentrate on other pool instead of the one she is swimming. After a few laps and didn't knock into anyone, she rest on the pool sides and look around for Johnson. She can't find any sign of Johnson except the crowd at the other pool, which wear swimming trunks. Mise though trunk is not required in the pool. (In some pool, bathing suit is forbidden as it might pollute the clean swimming pool water). A staff member walks by and sees her expression, explained that the group is regular here, but their have injured open wounds, so their doctor advised swimming with protective trunks and isolated pool with medication. Well, pool management is kind enough to cater to unusual client demand. Before the staff left, she asks where about is Johnson. " I think I saw him with couple of girls by the poolside. He left just before you arrived." The staff replies.

"Ok, thanks, nice hair cut though, I kinda miss your long curly blonde hair." Mise comments.

The staff laughs, " Good to have some changes occasionally, it will grow long and see which other style I can try on." Mise could see the crowd at the medicated pool really hates swimming trunks. The moment they step on pool side, they just pull it away.

Mise swims a few more laps and pull out for a hot shower. The shower side of the bathroom recently installed full height glass panel so the swimmer could have a good view of the internal courtyard, decorated with fantastic tropical garden. Swimmer who takes a bath or shower could have a nice view inside too. Mise think this really help people to forget the chill of winter approaches. Luckily they still boxed up the water closet, or else it would be too much of a privacy breach. Although she heard other pool actually have full height glass panel throughout the swimming complex, even the toilet !

The watch tickling reminds her to head home for dinner. She packs up at the exact moment and catch the bus just in front of her when she step out of the pool complex. It is 15 mins ride home, and she better keep awake as not to over pass her house. She arrives home just in time when mom freshly baked her favourite pizza, shiitake salmon and pineapple pizza. Dad used to tell her his great ancestor tried on real fish salmon before. Although shiitake salmon can be engineered to have taste variation from batch to batch, she wander what is the real taste of salmon fish.

There is only three of them dining, " Where are the twins?" Mise asks

"Haski is out for movie, and NuHwa back from practise, looks pretty exhausting." After cleaning  up the dishes, she kisses parents good night and head to her room.

She is clearing up her schedule and follow up with some freelancing job, when she heard a light knock. "Sis, can you help me out? “ Whisper NuHwa by the door.

" Sure, come in." Reply Mise.

"Can you do the magic finger acupuncture thing? " NuHwa close the door behind him and let off his robe. Mise saw her brother full body and almost shout it out, when her brother put a hand on her mouth.

" Please don't tell mom and dad about this, I will treat you a nice dinner!", NuHwa whisper quietly again.

“Nice dinner?" Mise said it sarcastically, "you can't even pay for your lunch! Are you playing rugby without protection? Again?" What make Muse exclaim the first place is the numerous bruise on her brother well tanned body. Few on buttuck, few on inner thigh, one on rib cage , one on upper breast.

" The sun was good enough for a uniform tan, " NuHwa protests, " Even coach didn’t complaint about us."

"Ya, your coach didn’t complain because he was not there to see you boys playing, or else you will be grounded. Now bite this, the pain will follow."

NuHwa obeys without objection and turn around, lying face down and review his full back to Mise. Mise did some pressure point acupuncture and basic healing back in school. This skill finally comes in handy when the twins keep on getting into physical self torture. She put  on the cleaning water to clean up possible wounds, let it air dry, then apply a thin coat of ginger and chilli gel. Then she works her way from his neck to his back, buttock then his feet. Under normal circumstances, he suppose to feel very relax. However, with bruise all over, he can hardly hold the pain. Luckily he is biting a towel, or else whole house can hear him yelling. "Don't be a wimp, you should expected this when you play extreme sport in nude.". After the back, she apply soothing cream to ease the pain. She then let him rest for a while, then ask him to turn face up. The front body wound tends to be more sensitive, so she work in very light tough, but to NuHwa, it is like touch of torture. After the treatment, she let him have good rest on bed.

" A few more inches up and down, you won't be able to breastfeed your future kids and you won't able to pee. See me next few days and your wound should recover well enough." Before Mise finish her sentences, NuHwa is snoring like a baby. He always looks so naive when sleeping like he was young. Since Mise has a double bed. She might as well share the bed with her brother and hopefully her brother don't kicked her out in the middle of night. She kiss him warmly on forehead and tuck themselves warmly in the blanket.