synthetic | woochan

one

Woojin yawns for the 32nd time this morning. They have been touring different units of the hospital for their orientation and he's exhausted.  His best friend Seungmin who is a child academic prodigy is also nodding off while standing up. Today has already been a long day and it's only slightly past noon.

Their professor leading their tour starts unlocking secured doors and now Woojin is getting intrigued. He nudges Seungmin to get his attention and Seungmin looks at him confused. "Where are we going?" Woojin whispers.

"I have no idea, I don't think I woke up today." Seungmin replies which causes Woojin to chuckle.

"Mood." He whispers back.

Their instructor clears his throat to get their attention. "Everyone I'm going to need you to change into these clothes and walk through these chambers when you are finished. The unit we are going onto next is very secure and high risk, so I need you all disinfected before entering."

Woojin feels a little nervous hearing this and looks at Seungmin who seems equally confused.

"Why do we have to do this?" A student asks.

Their instructor responds. "I will explain when we get on the unit but no one is allowed past this door until all the protective equipment is put on and you are sanitized."

Everyone does as they are told and puts on the equipment and walk through the sanitation chambers. When they get inside they are met with a boy who looks like he's in an exhibit at the zoo. Everyone surrounding them is also in protective equipment of clean scrubs, masks, and disposable shoe covers like they are going in an operating room.

Everyone starts whispering to each other and the instructor clears his throat to get people's attention. He turns to everyone and starts reading off his sheet. "Welcome to what we call the bubble room. This is Christopher Bang also known as Bang Chan. He is a 22 year old male diagnosed at birth with a rare condition that caused all his antibodies to slowly die leaving him in danger to catch all diseases. His parents left him at a hospital in Australia when they heard this news and signed him over to the hospital for research. They have never returned and when he was 17 they transferred him here after an incident that lead to his near death. This patient does not know any other world outside his bubble and thinks everyone lives the same way. He cannot see outside that room it is one way glass. That is why we can all stand here and talk about him because he cannot hear or see us. He thinks the people who come in are visiting from other rooms like his, so you all will get the chance to watch an interaction today."

"Isn't it ethically wrong to keep him locked in a 'bubble' until the day he dies? Doesn't he have the right to know what's going on? He is of legal age to make decisions for himself." A student interjects.

"His parents signed him over to be studied for his entire life. It is ethical as far as we are concerned because this is a great moment for scientific research. If he knew of the outside world it would do him more harm than good. It's best this is all he thinks the world is." The instructor replies brushing off the student's comment.

Woojin feels his heart sink as he looks at the boy in the bubble. He is wearing blue scrubs and has curly dark hair and kind eyes. He's sitting on his bed working on a workbook of some kind and is smiling to himself. "Does he get to have an education?" Woojin asks.

"Yes he wanted to continue his education past a high school level. He has a professor that comes in and gives him lessons every day."

"What does he even learn?" A student asked.

"How the world 'used' to be. It is what interested him the most." The instructor replies.

"So he is learning how the world is right now?" Another student questions.

"Precisely, but we make it past tense." The instructor replies.

Woojin can't stop staring at Chan. He looks so happy and content in there because he is oblivious to the fact his reality is not true. Woojin can't imagine thinking that what is inside his bubble is all there is.

"Has he ever asked to leave his bubble?" He hears Seungmin ask.

The instructor shakes his head. "No. We told him that it's too dangerous to switch between bubbles because the earth's air is toxic now, which is why people come in looking like that." Their instructor points to a person dressed in what looks like a space suit.

Woojin feels himself wanting to cry because that's the only way he sees people. Has he never seen another human face? He looks at the singular bed and the mass amount of books that are on the shelf. He sees a guitar and a key board and wonders if the boy has access to music.

"He knows what music is right?" Woojin inquires.

"Yes, he does we gave him an ipod he can download the songs he wants. He does not have internet though. We only speak English to him because he doesn't realize he left Australia during the incident."

"What was the incident?" A student asks.

The instructor sighs and shakes his head. "That is something I am not allowed to disclose." 

"This is all so confusing." Woojin whispers to Seungmin.

Seungmin looks at Woojin with sad eyes. "I don't like any of this." He whispers.

Woojin just nods in reply. He can't help but feel bad for Chan as he watches him smiling and greeting the person who just walked in. They have a food tray and they place it in front of Chan.

"Thank you for this!" The boy says in English with an accent that makes Woojin's heart melt. Woojin has learned some English in his life so he can understand him. "It amazes me that you do this every day. You are basically risking your life to bring me food." The boy says sadly.

"We are happy to provide for you Chris." The person in the suit replies and walks out.

Woojin can't help but feel sad because if that's all the human interaction he gets how can he even live a fulfilling and happy life?

Everyone just stands there in silence for a bit watching the boy and Woojin can't take it anymore he needs to get out of here this isn't right. Woojin starts to turn around to walk out when he hears their instructor clear his throat again.

"We are moving on now say thank you to the staff for letting you observe." Their instructor says and they all thank the staff and bow to them.

Later that day when Woojin returns to his shared house with his friends he just sits down and starts to cry. Everyone comes running to him and just holds him. He can see Seungmin holding back tears too because nothing about the situation sat well with them.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Hyunjin asks quietly and Woojin shakes his head because he really doesn't and he can't.

Everyone stays quiet and just sits in the comfort of each other for awhile before they say goodnight and go their separate ways.

Chan's whole life is a lie on display that everyone gets to watch. He's all alone in the world with no one to love him, but has no idea that's even the case. He just thinks this is the way people live.

Woojin decides to send a message to his instructor at that moment.

I want to work with Bang Chan for the semester

His instructor replies a minute later.

                I knew you would be up for the   
               challenge Kim. Talk to you tomorrow.

Woojin puts his phone on the table and his head in his hands he hasn't had the energy to study because he's been so worked up about this whole thing. Now he'll get to work with Bang Chan though and maybe that will help settle some of his concern.

He hopes.

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This is just an idea I have that I don't know if people will be interested in. If I write this they'll probably be shorter chapters.

Let me know what you all think!

Thanks!
~N