Something Unexpected

“So, how’s your new position, Mr. Reckless?” joked Annisa when Fuyuki picked up her call. Her 3D holographic figure seemed so real as if she was standing right before his desk in his office.

“It’s fine,” he replied modestly.

“FINE???,” she asked shocked. “You got a promotion anyone would die for. And you say it’s only fine?”

“There’s a lot of pressure,” Fuyuki said vaguely without going into details. “But that’s to be expected.”

“Oh, so that’s why you look so pale,” leaned over Annisa just like she would do so if she was really standing before him. And she probably did just that because one’s hologram image always showed what the other person was doing in real-time.

“Am I?” he asked embarrassed. “Well, I do want to make a good impression so I have to put in extra effort to do my best.”

“That’s understandable. But don’t be too hard on yourself! Find a way to rest as well.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said and forced himself to smile. “I gotta go. Otherwise, I won’t finish what I’m supposed to do and I’ll never be able to have that rest.”

“Got it. Won’t bother you anymore. We’ll talk soon,” she said friendly and hung up.

Fuyuki tapped on the mirror function of the interface on his desktop and found that his face indeed looked paler than usual. And the overall fatigue in his expression made it seem like he didn’t have proper sleep for weeks. That wasn’t true of course but he was well aware that the pressure to prove himself in his new position, stress, and working even at home to develop a strategy to execute his plan with Liwei combined with his recurring sickness ever since that day obviously left a mark on his appearance as well.

It got to a point when Feng Liwei could no longer see him suffer and insisted on having a check-up because his mental and physical health was at stake. Fuyuki didn’t protest and just wanted to get that over with so that he could return to his old, seemingly carefree self. That was why, after ending the call with Annisa, he stood up to meet with him as if to have a regular meeting with his superior to go with him to see a doctor.

Fuyuki was still new to Hualong, especially as a resident, so Feng Liwei suggested him a doctor, who was one of the best among the best. Fuyuki had no doubts that if Liwei was saying that the doctor was the best then there really is no one, who is better. But as they parked near the building where this doctor’s clinic was supposed to be, and he looked up at the clinic’s name, he couldn’t help but be shocked at their destination.

“Are you sure it’s the right place? I’m neither a guinea pig nor an embryo,” Fuyuki said as he realized they were about to enter the same facility where Liwei showed him those horrible photos.

“We’re not going to that research wing this time,” Feng Liwei said in a mild tone as if to calm him. “The doctor we’re looking for is in Building F, where all pre-natal check-ups, gene therapy, and genetic engineering takes place. Of course, you don’t need any of those,” he said while walking beside him toward the building in question. “but the doctor working there has the best knowledge and equipment we can make use of. You also went through pre-natal genetic modification just like everyone else in the world, so your suffering from an inherited disease or illness is basically zero. But I think it’s best if you have a full body check-up just in case.”

Fuyuki looked at Feng Liwei’s profile and seeing him worried for him somehow made a sudden warmth spread through making him want to kiss him right then and there. Unfortunately, he can’t do that out in the open; not until their relationship is made public. So, he sighed internally and stepped into the elevator after him.

Just as they reached the designated floor, Feng Liwei got a message telling him that once they arrived, they could go right in. Fuyuki wasn’t surprised that he didn’t leave anything to chance and contacted the doctor in advance to make an appointment. It was just so much like him to always be prepared in advance for whatever may happen.

As they reached the door, Feng Liwei scanned his wristband and the door immediately opened with a click. A middle-aged woman was sitting at her desk inside wearing a white lab coat typical for a doctor. She smiled but she couldn’t hide her curiosity as they approached her.

“Good to see you again, Dr. Rostensky,” Liwei greeted her casually but with a reserved formality.

“It has been a while,” she replied and looked at the Major with a knowing look Fuyuki didn’t understand.

“It certainly has. This time, I’ve brought someone with me. I want you to do a full bodily check-up on him,” he said and nodded toward Fuyuki, who was standing to the side. “His name is Saito Fuyuki.”

Dr. Rostensky’s hands were already above the interface to look up his files before his birth and turn on the relevant machines to do a body scan but her hands stopped moving when she heard his name. She looked up at Feng Liwei with the eyes of a strict professor and didn’t move.

“He is on the verge of over-exerting himself,” Feng Liwei said after a few seconds of uncomfortable silence. “Perhaps, he was made to become a workaholic back then but I want you to show him how dangerous that is and to see if there is anything else behind his poor health condition lately.”

“Please, stand there,” she looked at Fuyuki and pointed at a circle drawn on the floor about a meter to the right behind him.

He did as he was told and stood there patiently, waiting for the machines to turn on, scan his whole body from every side, and wrap him in light blue lights that seemed to glow up with every breath he took.

It only took a short while to get the results but they turned out to be not something either of them anticipated. At least that’s what Fuyuki thought after seeing both of them leaning over and looking at the projected data in disbelief.

“What’s the matter?” he asked fearing the worst.

“Could you leave us alone for a few minutes?” Liwei asked turning to the doctor.

Dr. Rostensky stood up and looked at the Major then at Fuyuki with a serious expression.

“I’ll be waiting outside,” she said and left the room.

Fuyuki waited patiently for Feng Liwei to tell him what was going on and was about to say something after having enough of the silence when Feng Liwei looked at him.

“I think you were genetically modified.”

“Yeah, most parents ask for that. That’s the general procedure,” Fuyuki replied confused.

“I’m not talking about the one parents generally pay for,” he said slowly. “There are signs of... No, it is certain that someone else made additional modifications to your DNA.”

“How do you know she doesn’t know about it?” Fuyuki asked nodding towards the door while stepping out of the circle bewildered.

“Dr. Rostensky was just as shocked as I was when I looked at the results of your check-up.”

“Why, what did she see?” Fuyuki asked raising his voice impatiently.

“After your parents paid for their chosen modifications they wanted to be done on you, someone got access to your file and recorded further modifications to be done on you. As a result, when the time came, all of those criteria were applied to you, and your genes were modified according to those criteria.”

“Did none of the doctors realize that something is off? Are they idiots?” Fuyuki asked angrily, almost shouting.

“They either made a mistake by overlooking it or someone bribed them to overlook it,” Liwei told him matter-of-factly.

Hearing this Fuyuki massaged his nosebridge with his hand several times, hoping that it would calm him down and make this nightmare disappear.

“What are those additional modifications?” he asked finally fearing the worst.

“Some...” Feng Liwei said but stopped abruptly as if dreading the reaction his words might evoke. “Some of your internal organs are different than they are supposed to be.”

“Different how?”

“Different than that of a man’s,” Liwei replied, and when he saw that Fuyuki still didn’t understand a word of what he said he continued. “Right now your organs are no different from a woman’s. So even conceiving a child wouldn’t be that impossible.”

“So, what you’re saying is that I have to beware of getting closer to other men?” Fuyuki asked half-jokingly still in shock at what he just heard.

“Not just other men. Even me. Especially me,” Liwei said without looking at him and Fuyuki noticed that his voice became lower and huskier as he said the last two words.

Seeing Feng Liwei’s pained expression Fuyuki couldn’t help wanting to console him even though he was the one who needed consolation. But seeing Liwei sitting down and supporting his head in his hand, his heart softened at the sight. He walked up to him and while leaning over, he put his hands on each of his shoulders making his Major look up from his hand and make eye contact with him.

“We’ll get through this as well,” Fuyuki told him encouragingly.

Feng Liwei just stared at him, a smile slowly spreading on his face, and reached up with his other hand to slowly stroke the side of Fuyuki’s face.

A few minutes passed thus silently as they both tried to console the other and gain strength from the other’s attempt at consolation. They didn’t know how many minutes had passed but just as they were getting immersed in each other’s eyes, an alarm sounded and from the corner of their eyes they both saw a warning red light flashing on the interface.

Fuyuki turned back and he felt Liwei’s hand letting go of his face as Fuyuki now wasn’t blocking the warning message on the interface which left both of them shocked and speechless.

PATIENT SAITO FUYUKI HAS A 99,999899% PROBABILITY OF BEING PREGNANT.