Chapter Two: Little Accommodations

Goryeo has a rich culture steeped in traditional ways dating back thousands of years that embraces the modernity of our technological age. There are three fundamental pillars to Goryeoan culture: Respect, Piety, and Kibun.

Adam adjusted the wireless headphone in his ear with one hand as he held onto a handrail for stability while watching the train burst from the airport and make all haste towards the center of the capital city. The audio file had been a free download from the kiosk outside of the bullet train, and he thought it best to hear from their perspective about themselves, rather than what the internet had summarized.

Pillar One: Respect. Hierarchy has played a vital role in Goryeoan society since its inception, but one’s status is not strictly measured by a single marker. Status denotations may be one’s age, physical stature classification, experience, position within one’s family, or expertise. Goryeoans use these measures of hierarchy to establish honorifics, the depth of their bow, and the correct pronouns and verb conjugations.

He nodded along as he watched the landscape zip by, the towering structures of the incredible city of Hanseong growing larger by the minute. His eyes flashed to his left as he saw a Tweener who looked like she could be Goryeoan gesture to the seat in front of him and tap a button on her own seat. Blinking, he leaned closer to the button, and, likely, a proximity sensor went off, lighting up the screen that said ‘Big Configuration’. Curious, he tapped the button, and it changed to ‘Mid Configuration’, and the seat adjusted itself. He tapped the button again, the screen changing to ‘Little Configuration’, and the seat made a final change. There were still two arrows to make further customizations, but his eyes grew wide at the chair — yes, just a normal chair — that had been adjusted to his size. He dipped his head in gratitude to the woman, who smiled and nodded in return, and he sat down in the comfortable seat, leaning to his right to look out the window.

Pillar Two: Piety. While the word translation into English is technically correct, many scholars would prefer to use the word ‘Obedience’. Goryeoan society boasts some of the lowest crime rates in the world, has some of the cleanest cities, and the highest happiness ratings. This stems from a deep cultural understanding that those of higher status must be obeyed. Laws are not to be broken, and rules exist for the happiness and safety of all.

Adam gasped slightly as his eyes landed on Daemoon Stadium, a large entertainment center capable of transforming into three separate configurations depending on the event. The smooth silver panels shimmered as they turned into a massive screen to televise the sports game within.

Pillar Three: Kibun. This is the native word in Goryeoan, as there is no proper English equivalent, though the closest word we may use to ‘Collectivism’. The needs of the group are prioritized over the needs of the individual, and Goryeoans take great pride in the care of their community. It is a great honor to take in the sick and the needy. If you find yourself lost, hurt, sick, or otherwise in need of help, do not hesitate to ask the nearest Goryeoan — it will be their honor to help you.

He flashed a grin at the ‘sick and the needy’ comment. While maturosis was an invention of the West, Goryeo’s tense relations with Yamatoa had caused them to ally with Western countries and adopt some of their practices. The protection of foreign Littles, for example, was seen as a direct response to the Yamatoan Emperor’s strictness on diapering any Littles, for any reason, within his borders. The adoption of maturosis was hailed as a ‘beacon of progress in the east’ and applauded by allied countries, while Adam’s research had revealed a more complex layer beneath.

Goryeo protected foreign Littles as a matter of diplomacy, but their implementation of maturosis as a diagnosable condition was all for show. The strict regulations applied to foreign Littles only; natives were still free game. The Western diagnosis rendered any Little ‘sick’ and ‘needy’, and thus the Amazon who took them in was practicing their kibun duty, which also elevated their status in society.

He paused the file and scrolled through the topics; none looked enlightening or interesting at the moment, so he pulled up his audiobook Goryeoan for Western Beginners.

He mouthed a few words he had already memorized, such as hello, goodbye, please, and help, but otherwise the book playing was rendered white noise; his brain was in awe as the bullet train slowed as it entered the city limits, and he was able to make out details of the cityscape. Miles of short structures were well organized, well lit, and even color-coded by their roofs. Advertisements were evenly spread out, rather than bunched together in clusters, and all signs were electronic to shift between a variety of ads. His smile faltered when his eyes landed on a diaper advertisement; a large Goryeoan woman was cradling two diapered figures, one was a real baby, and the other was a Little, and both were wearing the advertised brand. He couldn’t read the words, but he could guess them from context. He instinctively ran his tongue over his Anti-Gag Tooth and spun the ring on his index finger.

He pulled his attention into the train and glanced up at the ceiling of the car. Instead of the usual plastered advertisements he’d see on a normal train, a sleek digital display showed a live map: every requested stop, the number of passengers getting off at each one, and a countdown to arrival. Adam shook his head, a tired grin tugging at his lips. He’d been in Goryeo for barely an hour and was already this impressed; the country really was light-years ahead.

As the train hit his stop, he noted only two other passengers were getting off here, and he knew he was the only one in this section, because all eyes turned to him. It was ‘Little Town’, a section of Hanseong that catered to Littles and was the place recommended by professional and personal reviews alike. Smiling at those he accidentally made eye contact with, they all waved or nodded affectionately to him as he departed.

He looked both ways on the departure platform and saw the other two: a pair of women, who looked like friends, pointing and speaking animatedly in a language he didn’t recognize. He shrugged it off; it would have been nice to make friends early on, but he wasn’t worried about it. A few steps away from the train, and one of the glowing boards near him dinged; his eyes were caught by the ‘Hello, Mr. Sharpe!’.

“Whoa, what?” he gaped at the sign as he approached, looking for a camera, scanner, or nearby operator.

“Hello, Mr. Sharpe,” the board greeted him upon his approach in a familiar, feminine voice. “Are you in need of assistance?”

“Hey, you’re from customs!” he gushed, gesturing to the glowing board despite there being no humanoid form like before.

“Yes, Mr. Sharpe, I am your guide and assistant for the duration of your stay,” she explained monotonously. “Are you in need of a ride to your hotel?”

“Yeah, that’d be great,” Adam beamed.

“Confirmed,” the voice replied, and a slight ding accompanied a shift in the projection. A picture of a black vehicle and its license plate number appeared. “You will find this vehicle here.”

The screen projected out a map of his current location, and a thick red line showing where to walk; it projected that it would take him two minutes.

“Please place your bags in the trunk, and enter the vehicle in any seat to your liking. It will drive you automatically to your destination.”

Once again, the map shifted to show where the vehicle would drive to and a picture of his destination. He whistled as he shook his head, adjusting his luggage for the short walk.

“Damn, this place is amazing,” he commented to himself as he bowed to the screen and made his way to the car. The vehicle was precisely where the picture had shown it. Its trunk was unlocked, and it began the drive to the hotel as soon as he was buckled and ready. He ran his hands over the seats, which were perfect for his size — everything was! The knobs, the belts, even the cup holders were sized for a normal-sized cup. As the car backed out of the parking lot, he noted it was heading for the road to join the traffic with the Amazon-sized cars. Curious, he thought to ask out loud (and really, if it didn’t answer, no one was around for him to feel stupid), “Uh, car … are there separate roads for Little vehicles?”

Like the outdoor screen before it, the car chimed a familiar tune and the same female voice replied, “No, Mr. Sharpe, every Little vehicle is fitted with a projection technology to present as a normal-sized vehicle. This prevents accidents due to blind spot issues and keeps all vehicles appropriately distanced.”

“Wow,” he gasped as the emitters on the hood sputtered to life and the projection shot out around him. “Is it transparent for the other drivers?”

“No, Mr. Sharpe,” the voice replied. “It is transparent for you so that you may see your surroundings.”

Adam ran his hands through his shaggy blonde hair, feeling the stupid grin on his face was starting to make his face hurt, but he couldn’t help it. This journey had already been a dream come true: technology galore, advancement for the betterment and comfort of society, and didn’t sacrifice the comfort of any one group — Amazons, Tweeners, Littles … there was an option for everyone!

“Hey car — or — shoot, what should I call you?” he asked out loud, glancing about the car for something to look at.

“You may call me Gill, or Gilly as many other tourists have suggested,” the feminine voice replied.

“Gill?” he wondered curiously. “Does that stand for something?”

“Yes, Mr. Sharpe. It is an acronym that roughly translates in English to ‘Guide on the Open Path,’” she explained robotically.

“Great! So Gilly, how would I go about finding a specific person?” he queried while attempting (and failing) to suppress a yawn; the comfort of the car was letting his excitement adrenaline drop, and the weight of such a long journey was starting to kick in.

“Individuals must be contacted through official channels of their choosing, or have provided a means to contact them before your arrival, Mr. Sharpe.”

“Mm, okay,” he frowned with a nod and yawned again.

The hotel check-in had been as frictionless as everything else here, completed by a mix of Gilly and a smiling, petite Goryeoan Little attendant who spoke decent English. Adam was ushered into a room that was exactly as advertised: everything from the light switches to the bathroom fixtures was sized perfectly for him, and best of all, the bed was huge. But not Amazon huge; it was decided Little sized, but massive. He crawled into the bed after stripping down to nothing and wrapped himself in the blankets, falling asleep before he could even process his next steps.

As communicated the night before, the room’s wake-up system kicked in at 7 am sharp with a very subtle musical tone. The lights all turned a deep, dark orange and began to lighten as the music grew louder over the course of ten minutes, ending with the drapes automatically opening to let in the sun. By the third minute of this complex alarm system, he was awake but decided to remain in bed to experience the full process. When the music swelled and then faded away, he burst from the bed, eager to get his day started.

Three sets of suggested itineraries were detailed out on the mirror as he showered and groomed in preparation for the day, each with a suggested focus of either Goryeoan history, modern culture, or experiential (aka fun). Adam gawked at each, highly tempted by each one, and sent them to his phone, but ultimately planned to wing it. Once on the ground floor, he was directed by the staff towards the breakfast room for the day’s complimentary savory breakfast, which was a presentation of local food with some foreign-friendly options.

“Hey, do you mind if I ask you a few questions?” Adam asked the attendant as he handed over his tray.

“Yes, sir,” Ji-won replied with an accent, his name presented on a silver name tag on his left side. He bowed his head in appreciation as he took the tray and began unloading the dishes.

“I’m looking to sort of mingle while I’m here,” he began as he pulled out his phone, pulling up the itineraries. “I love the museums and all, but I’d like to get to know the people.”

“Ah, yes, yes,” Ji-won nodded a few times in understanding and leaned over to look at the phone. Adam was amused at the confusion over how to navigate his phone, which led to Ji-won pulling out his own far more advanced device. He tapped his thumb on the bottom edge and spoke a command in Goryeoan, which then projected a 3D map of Little Town. He spoke a second command, and several locations were highlighted while the rest dimmed. “These are good places to meet people. I can send to phone.”

“I would appreciate that, thank you,” Adam smiled as he stared at the map, wondering if he could purchase this model and if he could make it work with his carrier.

It was only the second day of his visa, though he did lament wasting his first day on travel and falling asleep early. That meant that rather than using his first day as a typical tourist, he would have to truncate his must-dos to the second day and begin his hunt for Joomi Ma later in the same day. He knocked the Daemoon Stadium off his list since he saw it on the train ride in, and although he did appreciate historical sites, he struck them off the list to keep his focus on the high-tech marvels he could only find in Hanseong.

The public transit was much the same as the train from the airport, but he hadn’t been prepared for that customization to extend elsewhere. Everywhere he went, whether it was a cafe, restaurant, or even a bench, there was a configuration option to match the size of the sitter, and all dishware was set to his size. Vending machines had touch screens that spanned its full height, automatically presenting the menu at Adam’s height. The sidewalks had built-in lights that flashed as figures neared each other to prevent collisions. On and on it went.

It was so close to paradise … but for the Adopted Littles everywhere. Because the city catered to folks of all sizes, there was no need to take a more obscure path or avoid an Amazon-trafficked area like Adam was used to. This meant at home, he could navigate the area while avoiding meeting adults in diapers, but that wasn’t the case here. Everyone was intermingled so that as he walked down the street, he spent nearly 20 steps side by side with a Goryeoan Little, slightly shorter than him, who crinkled at every step while holding his mommy’s hand. Swallowing, he stepped to the side of traffic and bent down to pretend he needed to tie his shoe.

By dinner time, he was grateful to have a different goal in mind. The shine of integration had worn off, replaced by the discomfort of his proximity to the infantilized. Choosing a restaurant and bar that Ji-won had suggested, called the Blue Dragon (in the translation), Adam opted to dine in the bar area in hopes of mingling.

This proved a little more difficult than he anticipated. Most locals were in groups or couples, on dates or outings with friends, and he didn’t think it would be appropriate or well-received to inject himself. The waitress was kind but didn’t know enough English to carry on a conversation, and using the app on her phone to translate felt like an imposition (though it did drive him to want to purchase a phone here even more). After dinner, he moved to the bar where he tried to strike up three conversations to no avail, before finally meeting a man named Seojun.

“Please, let me,” Adam offered to pay for their second round, and Seojun grinned, nodding his head in appreciation.

“How long are you here?” Seojun asked as he lifted the new beer to his lips.

“8 more days,” he replied as he did the same, both tapping their cans in a cheer before taking a sip. “I’m hoping to find someone to help me make contact with an idol of mine.”

“Ohh?” the native intoned curiously, raising his eyebrows to silently ask the follow-up question.

“Ma Joomi,” Adam answered, his smile faltering when Seojun looked shocked. The native leaned forward as he muttered in Goryeoan and dropped his voice to a whisper.

“Inventor?” he inquired, verifying he had the correct person, to which Adam nodded. Again, Seojun muttered something that sounded like a curse word in Goryeoan and shook his head, leaning back. “I would not.”

“Why not?” Adam blurted out, shocked. “She’s, like, the best inventor in your country.”

“Yes,” the native conceded, nodding with a bit of exaggeration as he lifted a hand to stroke his stubbled chin. “But she is Chang-gui.”

“What’s that?” he asked warily.

“Servant of demon,” Seojun explained in a serious tone, his eyes widening a bit as he took a large swig of beer before continuing. “To be free, she must find new servant.”

Having never heard of this, Adam resorted to using his phone to look up what Seojun was talking about, who eagerly assisted him in finding the correct explanation. The blonde grimaced as he read about a demon that took the shape of a tiger that enslaved humans to do its bidding, integrating into society but under its command. He was surprised to find a superstitious Goryeoan, given the modernity of the city and country, but in the spirit of respect, he thought it best to pretend to heed Seojun’s warning. They spent another hour chatting about Adam’s homeland, his plans for the next day, and lightly touched on recent political tensions between Goryeo and Yamatoa.

By the time his new friend needed to bid him a farewell, the tourist was in no shape to try and make another friend. Eight days left, and the one person he managed to communicate with thought Joomi belonged to a tiger demon. He chuckled to himself the entire taxi ride back to his hotel.