The Size
"Phew, the skull incision is complete."
"So what now?"
"First, we'll stimulate the brain to confirm there are no abnormalities in the subject's body, then proceed with the implantation."
The voice of an old man came through the earphone tucked into one ear. It was the director of the research institute, watching the surgery live through the camera to monitor the progress. Though he claimed it was just to check on the procedure, in reality he was keeping an eye on me to make sure I didn't pull any stunts.
After what happened with Subject 3, when I got too worked up and yelled at the director, this was only natural. The official punishment for insubordination and verbal abuse toward a superior was a three-month suspension, but that was just for show. The real punishment was having to give live reports on every single experiment I conducted. Remotely, of course. Anywhere, anytime.
I was grateful he'd prepared everything so the surgery could proceed smoothly despite the unexpected variable that was Min-jeong, but it still stung. Not because he didn't trust me—I didn't trust them either. They were just another group of foolish humans trying to use this wondrous power of life for their own selfish desires.
Look at them. No matter what I do, they refuse to let me go. That was what disappointed me a little. They only needed me when it suited them. Such a petty habit.
"Director, you're not still sulking, are you? At your age, that's pretty childish."
"Just shut up and proceed."
"...You are sulking."
Well, it didn't matter. Once this succeeded, everything would change anyway.
At the director's urging voice, I decided to check on Min-jeong's condition first. I turned my head toward the monitor displaying her vitals.
"...All readings are normal."
"Visually?"
"Visually? Let's see... Min-jeong?"
"Ah... ugh... s-save... me..."
I stepped down from the large chair that reached my waist and examined her. Her eyes were hidden behind the massive machine, so only her lower face was visible, but it was drenched in sweat, tears, and drool. The anesthesia must have been insufficient. Her lips trembled from the overwhelming pain as she begged for her life one last time.
I reported to the director.
"Yes, she looks fine. Proceeding."
"Good. So what do I do now?"
"First, we need to remove a portion of the brain to make room for the miniature computer. With Subject 3, we forced the computer in without removing any tissue, which not only erased her personality but caused massive memory loss and even broke the computer itself, rendering it useless."
"...So that's why you released her on campus?"
"It ended without any casualties, so let's move on, shall we?"
He was definitely sulking, the old man. The type to hold a grudge deep inside.
While I cleared my throat, the director asked another question.
"So what happens? Removing that organ won't cause any abnormalities in the subject?"
I pointed at Min-jeong's brain with a metal rod and explained as if giving a lecture to the director watching through the camera.
"The area we need to remove is here, on this side. It's the amygdala, located deep inside the head. Its role is to make a person feel 'emotions.' As you worry, it won't cause any major issues, so you don't need to be concerned."
"And after that?"
"...Can't you just read the report? My throat's getting sore."
"..."
"I guess not. Right, you can't. We insert the computer into the remaining space and simply place the petal on top of the brain. Then the parasite, instinctively trying to absorb the brain, will liquefy itself and swallow the host's brain. Once the parasite has absorbed a certain amount, we activate the computer. The special waves emitted will cause the parasite to lose all functions while still alive—like a human in a vegetative state. With the host's personality gone and the parasite stripped of control, we can then manage everything through the computer. Okay?"
"...Excellent, excellent... Finally..."
The director's voice was calm, but his excitement was obvious.
"How do you control it?"
"Ah, I'll explain that later. If we keep the skull open too long, it could become dangerous."
I ignored the chatty director, sat back down in the chair, picked up the surgical tools, took a deep breath to steady my trembling hands, and began to literally rummage through her brain with the cold metal.
———————————————
"Oppa, did you hear?"
"You have to tell me what it is first."
"Su-ho. Hong Su-ho oppa. He dropped out."
It was lunchtime with Chae-yun, a routine that had become familiar—partly because she was the only one I ate with these days. But wait a second.
"Huh? Why? Don't tell me because of what happened yesterday?"
"Probably. I heard from some friends that he came in looking all gloomy, submitted his withdrawal to the professor, and left without even saying goodbye to his classmates."
Last night. I had no idea what thoughts had crossed his mind or what resolve he'd made after we left. And I had no desire to waste time trying to understand his feelings. I hadn't wanted to run into him even by chance, so this was probably for the best.
"...By the way, you had friends? I know it's rich coming from me, but your reputation isn't exactly great either."
I'd never had friends to begin with, and after the rumor about me sleeping with a girl who already had a boyfriend, people stopped approaching me. But Chae-yun?
"I fixed their heads."
"Ah, that."
I understood immediately. "Fixed their heads" wasn't just a figure of speech with her.
"Why? Want me to take care of your classmates too?"
"No, it's fine. I prefer it this way."
I waved my hand dismissively at Chae-yun, who had put down her spoon and playfully stuck out a tentacle instead of her tongue. How should I put it? It wasn't that she couldn't get along with people, but being alone was more comfortable. It had always been that way, but recently it felt even more so. Having too many people around made my head feel cluttered and dizzy.
"...How antisocial."
"Shut up."
Feeling oddly guilty at her words, I lowered my head and was eating when I suddenly yelled at her.
"You too—don't touch our classmates. It makes me self-conscious even in class."
"But you're supposed to pay attention in class anyway. You can't just half-listen to lectures."
"...You're more human than I am."
I could never win against her with words. Awkwardly, I buried my face in my tray again. Then, feeling someone's gaze on my back, I turned around.
"..."
Was it just my imagination? Well, after the rumors started, people staring had become common. Probably my senses, sharpened by the blue fruit's power, playing tricks on me.
"Ah, I just remembered I have an appointment. I'll head out first. You don't mind eating alone, right? ♡"
"Huh? You don't have any appointments. You said we should go shopping for clothes together after this. Hey, where are you going?"
What was with that unnatural exit? I watched Chae-yun wave and disappear with her tray, and she gestured with her waving hand for me to look behind me.
"...Behind?"
Following her fingertip, I turned and found someone's shadow standing right behind me.
"...Seo-rin?"
"..."
I looked up at her, standing there out of nowhere. Her face was flushed bright red as she clutched her tray, her body twisting awkwardly. It felt like I hadn't seen her in ages.
"...What's wrong?"
Since I hadn't dropped the formal speech with her yet when she was in her right mind—and there were plenty of eyes around—I used polite language. I asked the question to Seo-rin, who stood unnaturally behind me for some reason.
"...I-I don't even know why I'm here... When I see you, my body just gets so hot... ♡"
I immediately whipped my head toward where Chae-yun had been, but she was already gone. She must have done something again. My neck was starting to hurt from constantly looking back, so I adjusted my posture.
"Well... 'command,' shall we go somewhere quiet first?"
"Eek...?! Y-Yes...!"
When I said the keyword Chae-yun had implanted in her, Seo-rin instantly went blank-faced and followed my words with stiff movements. It seemed a little different from before. I picked up my half-eaten tray, dumped the leftovers, and left campus with Seo-rin.
"Then, shall we take your clothes off first?"
"...Yes."
The moment we entered a motel a short distance from campus, I gave the order. The brainwashed Seo-rin began to obey it literally.
"..."
I sat on the bed and leisurely admired her gradually exposed breasts, cherry-red nipples, and sweat-slicked pale skin. She'd definitely said her body was hot earlier. Since Chae-yun had probably done something, I'd just have to take care of it.
"Come to think of it, that expansion training I ordered you to do. Have you been keeping it up?"
After first using her as a sexual outlet, in my lust-crazed state I'd trained her anus on a whim. With everything that had been going on lately and my visits to the gym, I'd forgotten about it and was curious about the progress, so I asked Seo-rin as she undressed.
"...Yes, I've been continuing."
"Then let's take a look. Turn around and spread your ass."
When I gave the order to Seo-rin, now completely naked, she silently turned around, bent at the waist, and spread her buttocks with both hands. The vulgar sight excited me.
"...Wait, this isn't the one I gave her..."
A plug was lodged in her ass. It was a different shape than the one I'd provided, so I curiously pulled it out.
"Uwah?!"
"Unghooooh?! ♡♡"
A plug of completely different shape and size from the one I'd given her slid out of her anus with a wet sound. Had all of that been inside? It was much larger and thicker than the size I'd provided, studded with bumpy protrusions. Don't tell me Chae-yun also...
"Ohok... ♡ Eeh...? ♡"
At the small moan from the floor, I turned to look at Seo-rin, whom I'd momentarily forgotten while marveling at the plug's size. Her lower body was trembling violently as she lay collapsed on the floor, squirting. She wasn't going to die from this, was she...? Even as I worried, my eyes were drawn to her ass.
The anus that had just expelled the massive plug had already closed up as if nothing had happened, but its shape was clearly different from a normal person's. The muscles, loosened from excessive training and expansion, and the sticky fluid—not excrement—coating and stretching around it seemed to declare that this hole was no longer an organ for excretion.
"..."
I swallowed hard at the obscene sight. Without realizing it, I unbuckled my pants and took them off. I couldn't hold back anymore...
"...Stand up now."
"...♡...!! Ugh...!!"
As I approached her with my erection standing tall, our eyes met as she shakily rose to her feet. Huh? Something felt off. Ignoring the fact that she wasn't responding to the command, the look in her eyes as she slowly stood up was different.
"Wh-Where is this? I was definitely running an errand for the professor..."
Seo-rin looked around, saying something completely out of place for the situation, then checked her own appearance and turned pale, about to scream.
"...Hi...!! Kyaa— Mmph!?"
"No, no. Be quiet."
I barely managed to lunge forward and cover her mouth before the scream could escape, but she realized I was there and began to struggle. I took a few hits while trying to restrain her. It wasn't difficult to overpower her physically, but I was so flustered by the situation that I hadn't anticipated that I ended up getting hit several times.
Think. How had this happened?
...Lee Chae-yun, that bitch. No matter how I thought about it, she was the only answer.
Seo-rin, her hands held by me and her mouth covered with one hand, kept struggling. No matter how I looked at it, she seemed to have regained her senses. Not the Seo-rin Chae-yun had modified, but the Seo-rin from before we ever met.
"...!!"
"...Well, since it's come to this."
Yeah, since it had come to this. If she was going to scream, I might as well make her scream something else. I removed my hand from her mouth.
"Puhah!! S-Someone save...! Ungoh?! ♡♡"
The moment my hand left her mouth, I shoved three fingers into her anus.
"What the hell, this is amazing..."
The hot, wet, and softly undulating interior I felt on my fingers. I was surprised by how easily her anus accepted three fingers. I could have sworn it was a vagina. Startled by the softness, I unconsciously moved my fingers, stirring her insides.
"..."
"What?"
While I was savoring the sensation, something strange happened to her. Seo-rin's moans, which had been spilling out at even the slightest movement, suddenly stopped. Confused, I turned to look at her face, only to find Seo-rin staring blankly into the air with the same emotionless eyes she'd had before, unable to feel pleasure.
"...Don't tell me..."
On a hunch, I pulled my fingers out of her anus. Then—
"Eek?! Wh-What was I just...?! Unghaaah?! ♡ Aah!! ♡ Wh-What... ♡ This...!! ♡"
Seo-rin's eyes regained their light. I shoved my fingers back into her anus.
"Hik?! ♡ Ah...."
Her expression instantly turned doll-like again.
"...Hahaha."
Sorry for cursing you in my head, Chae-yun. You really are the best.