Chapter Text
Vernon was at war with himself.
A few days ago, his hyung got a job as a security guard in the Rescue they’ve been staying at for close to a month now. The Husky hybrid adjusted rather well to this change in his routine; the fact that he didn’t have to leave the building to get to his job probably helped with that. Vernon and their other two brothers were really supportive of him - it meant that they wouldn’t have to go back to the streets, which all of them were incredibly relieved to hear.
But Vernon, though happy for his Alpha, found himself growing restless in turn. He wanted to help, too. Caring for Wonwoo and Mingyu while they recovered was important, he knew that , but he wanted to do more. He always felt like a burden, being the youngest and all that, even when his brothers reminded him many times that he most certainly was not . They wouldn’t understand, though; he was their maknae , of course they wanted to protect and care for him. It was one of the reasons why he loved them so much. But it didn’t change the fact that he wanted to prove himself, that they could rely on him, too . Only being seen as the baby of the pack wouldn’t help him with that.
And so, an idea formed in his mind. It was stupid, possibly reckless, but he didn’t have any other option. She was the only one who could help him with this, even if he still didn’t quite trust her. He hoped that the twins weren’t wrong about her…
That’s how he found himself standing in front of Dr. Yoon’s office, his hand raised hesitantly above the dark wood as he contemplated if it was a good idea in the first place. He was certain that she was inside, the vanilla mixed with the sea breeze more prominent than if the room was empty. The fact somehow grounded him despite the nerves scratching uncomfortably under his skin; his nose never lied, he could always depend on it. It was comforting, in a sense.
Taking a deep breath, he pointedly ignored the barely noticeable hint of cherry blossoms settling on his tongue as he finally knocked, deciding that if he didn’t do it now, he probably never would. His ears that stood on attention (despite the way they naturally flopped down by the sides of his face) picked up the silent “come in” coming from the other side. He took another breath before grasping the doorknob, opening it and stepping inside before he could further second-guess himself.
.
.
.
To say that Jaehwa was surprised would be the understatement of the year .
She had a fuzzy idea as to who exactly decided to pay her a visit, his animal features being a dead giveaway, but what she couldn't figure out for the life of her was why . The Beagle hybrid has been quite adamant at avoiding any and all contact with humans, staying in his dog form much too often for Jaehwa's comfort. It wasn't healthy for a hybrid to stay in their animal bodies for extended periods of time, which usually led to some psychological and sometimes even physical damage. It was like sitting in the same spot without any movement for a human; the muscles grew sore and lost their strength if they were not stretched or underwent exercises. It worked both ways for hybrids - they had to shift every now and then to keep both of their bodies strong and healthy.
So while Yoon was relieved that he finally decided to meet her in his human form, she still couldn’t understand his reasons.
“... Vernon-ssi?”
The boy tried not to flinch, incredibly uncomfortable now that there was nothing protecting him from direct confrontation. He gulped, opening his mouth to respond while trying to gather enough courage to do so, but he found himself suddenly tongue-tied. He tried again, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion when the same thing happened. Suddenly, he felt the pin-prick of fear settling under his skin like an unwanted guest, the feeling all-too familiar to him. Jaehwa thankfully seemed to notice his inner turmoil, carefully standing up from her sit behind her desk in order to not scare him further.
“It’s alright.” She said, her voice gentler than he ever heard it. “Take all the time you need.”
The doctor walked over to the coffee table standing in the middle of the room. There she took a cup that was carefully placed on a small tray, filling it with water from the pitcher next to it. She set it down at the edge of the table, right in front of the couch, motioning for Vernon to take a seat while she herself settled in an armchair opposite to it. The Beagle contemplated her offer for a moment, finally deciding to take her up on it and sitting down on the edge of the couch, his shoulders automatically hunching in on themselves and making him seem smaller. Jaehwa observed him silently as he took a sip from the cup, holding it in both hands and trying to calm down his nerves. The cool water definitely helped, partially waking him up from his daze as it slid down his throat in a comforting manner. He sniffed, trying to take a whiff of her scent to decipher her emotions, but the steady smell of vanilla only told him calm-safe , making him all the more relaxed.
They spent a few minutes in comfortable silence, with Vernon trying to gather his thoughts while Yoon busied herself with playing with one of her bracelets, not wanting to make him more uneasy with her stare. Then, he finally spoke up.
“I…” The brunette’s attention immediately snapped to him, but her movements remained slow and open; calming . He appreciated the effort. “... I would like you to… To adopt me. Please.”
If Jaehwa was surprised before, now she was positively flabbergasted .
“... What? ”
He flinched involuntarily, his grip on his cup tightening as he bit his lip nervously. Maybe it was a bad idea after all?
The hybrid took a deep breath to calm down from his growing panic, gulping down another sip of water before repeating.
“Adopt me. Please.”
“I understood you the first time, just… You’re gonna have to explain it to me, bud. As happy as I am to finally meet you in person, I need some context here– Why do you want me to adopt you?” She tilted her head to the side, observing him carefully as he slightly fidgeted in his seat. She knew that it probably took a lot of courage for him to even come here in the first place, but that was a decision she didn’t want to take lightly. Especially when she had an inkling suspicion that his Alpha didn’t have the slightest idea about any of this.
Vernon turned the cup in his hands, focusing on the cooling sensation settling in his palms rather than the scratchy feeling of fear under his skin.
“... Hyung told us about your deal. How you’ll help us find a place to live, and how you offered him a job. It was nicer than anyone has ever treated us, so I thought… Maybe I could help, too.” He explained, feeling slightly lighter now that he took it off his chest, though the tension remained. He glanced up at her from behind his fringe that obstructed his vision a bit whenever he looked down, anxiously awaiting her reaction.
Jaehwa mulled over his words in silence, her finger tapping a steady rhythm on her knee as she got lost in thought. She could guess where he was going with this; despite not knowing him all that well (it was the first time they talked, after all), he was expressive enough for her to pick up some of his ticks that gave his emotions away. Like right now, his ears turning slightly towards the back of his head, listening intently for her response, and his tail twitching every now and then where it was laying next to his thigh on the couch.
A small part of her wanted to agree. Wanted to say yes, adopt him and keep him safe. She got good at pushing these thoughts down over the years, knowing that she probably would have adopted every hybrid she ever helped if she got the chance. Seungcheol was the first exception to the rule she set for herself, but even that was dictated more by the circumstances rather than her own desire to help; Seungkwan of course didn’t count, because he was family. Signing the papers was simply a formality in his case. Now Vernon, though…
The brunette pulled out her phone from the pocket of her pants, sending a quick text to Yunho who was currently on shift in the Emergency Room, where all of their patients were first admitted to be examined. It was also the very place that needed the tightest security in the entire building, because distressed hybrids and sometimes even less-than-pleasant owners made a rather chaotic combination. She was intimately familiar with that environment, but the staff there were good - trained. They knew how to handle those situations.
That was also the main reason why she chose the ER as the place for the Husky hybrid to start with when he first became a part of their security team.
Vernon’s ears twitched in her direction, his sensitive hearing picking up the small “ping” that indicated she got a text back, but the woman ignored it. Instead she slipped the device back in her pocket, looking up at him with a reassuring smile.
“I was just texting a friend of mine. You’ve met Yunho, right? You’re practically the same age, I think.” Said Jaehwa, picking up another empty glass from the table and filling it with water. To the boy’s confusion she didn’t drink it, simply setting it aside on the edge of the table that was closest to the door. Strange… “Anyways, I asked him to get Seungcheol, since he refused my offer of buying him his own phone. He should be here in a few.”
Oh , Vernon thought, hunching in on himself even further. So that’s who the glass was for…
He set his own cup back on the table, afraid that he’ll accidentally spill its contents on the nice carpet below from his nerves. Normally, he would’ve been happy at the prospect of his Alpha coming, but right now all he felt was dread. The elder would be mad at him, no doubt. Vernon knew how much he hated humans, even with Jaehwa’s efforts to change that mindset, so him finding out that his maknae asked to be adopted would definitely make him angry. Why did he think that coming to her was a good idea? She could’ve just said no, there’s no need to humiliate him in front of his hyung, too… God, he felt horrible.
“... non? Vernon- ssi? ” Snapping of fingers brought him back to reality, ears twitching back at the sound from where they were previously pressed to his head in distress. He blinked, looking at the concerned woman on the armchair in front of him. When did he start dissociating? “Oh, good, you’re back. I’m sorry, I didn’t want to freak you out like this.”
He mentally scoffed. Yeah, good job with that one.
“I asked Seungcheol to come here because I want to discuss this with him present. Please don’t misunderstand, I wholeheartedly support your idea and I am willing to consider adopting you, but I think it’s best that we talk this through with him, too.” She paused, her expression turning softer from the almost business-like focus she had a second ago, tone also kinder to his ears. ”Am I correct in assuming that you didn’t tell him about this?”
Vernon hung his head in shame, chin almost touching his chest as he looked at his fists clenched in his lap. He hated that she was right. He knew that his hyung would find out where he was disappearing to sooner rather than later, and he would definitely not be pleased. That’s why he wanted to present him with a fact rather than asking for his permission - this way he had better chances of him agreeing to this… if any at all.
It wasn't long before he heard familiar footsteps approaching in the hallway, the slight thump Seungcheol’s feet made with every step he took a dead giveaway to his presence. Soon enough, the door opened, not even a knock from the older man to ask for permission to enter - Vernon guessed that it was more out of spite than general forgetfulness. Judging by Jaehwa's small smile, it wasn't the first time he did this, either.
“What did you want–” the Husky hybrid abruptly cut off mid sentence, his eyes zeroing in on the other person waiting in the room, clearly not expecting anyone else to be present. His eyebrows shot up in surprise, but quickly furrowed low on his forehead when he recognized the boy. “What are you doing here?”
Seungcheol's gaze darted to the woman sitting comfortably on the armchair, angry flames flickering in his dark eyes. He rephrased his question, this time directing it at her. “What is he doing here?”
Jaehwa raised her hands placatingly, no doubt expecting this fiery reaction. “Please take a seat before you start throwing accusations. I called you here to have a civilized conversation, not for you to try and bite my head off before I even get a word in.”
The wolf scoffed, rolling his eyes.
“Don't patronize me, woman .” Despite his angry tone he didn't say anything else, listening to her with only a bit of reluctance. Vernon’s eyebrows disappeared behind his fringe in silent shock - since when was his Alpha so compliant?
Seungcheol sat on the other end of the couch, crossing his arms over his chest as he subconsciously spread his legs, taking more space than he required as an act to assert dominance. Neither of the other two commented on it, letting him get comfortable before he started his questioning again.
“Well? What did you ask me here for?” He not so subtly eyed the Beagle sitting a few feet away from him on the couch, clearly expecting an explanation as to why he was even here; in human form, no less. That was shocking enough for the wolf hybrid, though he had yet to comment on it.
Vernon hunched in on himself again, feeling the weight of his hyung ’s scrutiny on him. Thankfully, the doctor seemed to realize his growing discomfort and decided to break the tense silence.
“Vernon -ssi here came to me with a request, but I thought it was best that we discussed it with you present.” That certainly picked his interest, some of his anger dissipating as curiosity appeared in his gaze while his ears stood up at attention. Jaehwa sent him a small smile, grateful for his compliance, before turning to the other boy on the couch. “Would you like to tell him yourself, or would you prefer me do it?”
Suddenly feeling put on the spot, Vernon tensed as he felt both of their eyes on him. He gulped, feeling the familiar cotton filling his mouth as he averted his gaze from them, looking at his clenched fists on his lap. He willed his body to not tremble when he gave her a single nod, unable to utter a word with his tongue tied against his will again.
Yoon nodded despite him not being able to see it, noticing the way the Husky's eyes filled with concern as he looked at his younger brother, his hand twitching with need to comfort him where it lay on the couch.
Deciding to put both of them out of their misery, she took a deep breath before beginning to speak once more.
“Before your arrival, Vernon- ssi and I were discussing the possibility of him applying for a job at the Rescue; Therefore he also asked me to adopt him–”
“He what?!” Seungcheol abruptly stood up from the couch, his earlier fury returning tenfold as his voice boomed around the room. Vernon tried not to flinch when he swirled on his heel, his heated glare turning to his cowering frame. The younger boy desperately avoided his gaze, not wanting to see the anger directed at him, no doubt.
“Seungcheol- ssi .” Came Jaehwa's stern voice, her earlier calm tone completely forgotten as the situation slowly escalated. The wolf’s chest heaved with deep breaths, clearly doing a poor job at getting him to calm down.
“What were you even thinking? Do you have any idea how dangerous that is?!” He growled, hackles raised in warning as his tail swished anxiously behind him, his body fully turned towards his brother now and completely ignoring the woman observing it all unfold. “How many times did I tell you that it's something you should avoid at all costs? You know damn well there's no way out if you get adopted– hell, I won't be able to do anything if you do! How could you be so reckless–”
“ Seungcheol .” The brunette’s voice cut through his angry rambling, making him halt in his place. He turned to look at her, seeing that she also stood from her armchair, her posture rigid. It wasn’t often that she didn’t use honorifics, so the way she said his name involuntarily sent a chill down his spine - it was easy to forget with that friendly personality of hers that she was not to be messed with, either.
Jaehwa took a deep breath, taking a moment to calm her nerves before speaking up again, her tone still firm but a bit gentler.
“Sit down.”
The wolf’s ears swirled to the back of his head, shoulders tense as he turned to look at her fully, his anger directed towards her now.
“ You ,” He started, slowly raising his finger accusingly at her as he bared his teeth. “It was your idea, wasn’t it? I wasn’t enough, so you decided to take one of my brothers, too? How could you–”
“ Choi Seungcheol.”
He blinked. He blinked again. His ears twitched unconsciously and his blood ran cold.
No one ever referred to him by this name. Not anymore, that is.
His fury disappeared in the blink of an eye, instead replaced by a freezing feeling of dread settling deep inside his bones.
The woman seemed to realize her mistake when she saw his eyes widen, both of them coming to the same conclusion.
“ How… How do you know that name? ” His voice sounded weak even to his own ears, making him wince as Vernon lifted his head to observe his hyung ; he’s never heard him sound so defeated before. It was terrifying .
Yoon sighed deeply, wiping a hand down her face as she mentally beat herself up for slipping in the heat of the moment. She didn’t want to resort to using this against him, but now it was too late to take it back. She sighed again, her shoulders heavy with invisible weight as she finally looked at him, all of the earlier fight completely gone from her eyes.
“That… Is a conversation for another day. Please, just… Take a seat.”
Still in shock, Seungcheol slowly lowered himself onto the couch, keeping his gaze focused solely on her as she also sat down in her armchair. He twitched uncomfortably in his seat, glancing to the side at his younger brother who was observing both of them with newfound curiosity. Shit , he really didn’t want to see him like this…
Jaehwa cleared her throat, both to calm her nerves and catch their attention once again.
“Back to the topic.” She started, turning to look at the Beagle; this time, he didn’t cower beneath her stare, suddenly feeling much more at ease. It was strange, how quickly the roles could change. “I support the idea of Vernon- ssi applying for a job under similar circumstances as you, Seungcheol- ssi. The adoption would stay as a formality and a form of protection: nothing more, nothing less.” She turned towards the Husky, who was suddenly much quieter than before. “Do you have any objections?”
The older hybrid observed her, taking in her expression and body language - analyzing it. He was still slightly shaken from her earlier slip up, but focusing on one thing at a time made it a little easier to deal with.
He recognized her tone: it was the no-nonsense one she used whenever she was in work-mode. It always covered facts, and facts only, so she wasn’t lying. Even though she made a mistake of using his birth name and set their entire progress of trusting each other several steps back, he had enough faith in her commitment to her job. She told him they were in need of staff: she didn’t have any reason to lie about that.
The only thing he was still reluctant about was Vernon getting adopted. None of his brothers would ever get adopted again if it was up to him - but it wasn’t. Not really. He couldn’t stop him if his brother already set his mind to this, even if it made him uncomfortable in turn. At least Seungcheol had some reassurance in knowing that he could keep an eye on him and protect him if he also got adopted by Jaehwa; Which clearly seemed to be the case here.
The Husky took a deep breath, running over the entire thing in his mind once again. After some consideration, he gave a sharp nod, clasping his hands on his lap as he looked up at the woman.
“... Alright. I still don’t approve, but if the conditions are the same, I will allow it. Just don’t make me regret it.”
Dr. Yoon smiled, nodding. “Of course. I still stand by what I said when we discussed your terms of employment a week ago.”
“Good.” Seungcheol turned to his brother, the atmosphere slightly tense but no longer burning. The Beagle perked up in his seat when he noticed his eyes on him. “I… I’m sorry. About how I reacted, I mean. I know you just want to help, but… Be careful, alright? I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Vernon’s eyes softened at his words. He shifted closer to him so now their thighs were almost touching where they were sitting on the couch, and gently bumped his forehead against the elder’s shoulder. His smile widened slightly when he felt the Husky nuzzling against the top of his head, his ears twitching at the contact.
“I know, hyung .” He mumbled against his arm, still keeping his head touching him as Seungcheol brought his arm around him to hold him closer. “Sorry for not telling you…”
“‘S okay, Vern. I don’t care about you not telling me things as long as you’re safe.” The older hybrid took a moment to scent him, his own smell of protect-calm wrapping around his maknae like a warm blanket. He took a deep breath, smiling slightly; he’s always loved his hyung ’s scent, a combination of savory sweet blackberries and strong, pine woods.
Finally, they let go of each other, looking towards Jaehwa who politely averted her eyes to give them this small moment of privacy. When she noticed them looking at her, she simply smiled.
“Do you want me to start on the paperwork now, or would you like some more time?”
This time, Vernon was the one who spoke up, his voice no longer quiet and meek like when he first came into her office to talk to her. She guessed it was the confidence boost he got from the support of his older brother.
“Now is okay, if you don’t mind. I would like to start as soon as possible.”
She nodded, standing up from her armchair and swiping some invisible dust off of her pants. “Sure thing. I’ll get to it then, and you think about what kind of job you are most interested in.”
With that, the brunette busied herself behind her desk with preparing all of the necessary documents - both for the adoption and his employment - while the two boys discussed quietly amongst themselves, letting her work. Seungcheol, having the most experience between them (a few days, but experience no less) described the available job positions he remembered from the file Jaehwa showed him while he was deciding on what he wanted to do. Vernon was leaning more towards a position on the Intervention Squad because of his incredible nose that would greatly benefit them during searching or tracking the hybrids, but the Husky gave a strong “no” to the proposition. He refused to let his younger brother engage in the often-dangerous missions the Squad embarked on, thank you very much.
It wasn’t long before Yoon was finished with the paperwork, placing the neatly organized documents on the coffee table in front of the two hybrids for Vernon to sign; The adoption form she acquired at the shelter when rescuing Seungcheol didn’t have this procedure, because they mainly didn’t care for the hybrid’s opinion, therefore making the adoption not completely legal. Jaehwa had it fixed and made a new official document that the Husky signed when he agreed to work at the Rescue.
Soon enough, the Beagle was legally under her care and made a brand new security guard at the Rescue (he chose it to be closer to his brother - his presence gave him more confidence than if he were to work somewhere else on his own.) After a quick chat and a confirmation that he would be starting tomorrow morning, the two stood up to leave Jaehwa to her work, but her voice made them pause in the doorway.
“Seungcheol- ssi .”
Vernon looked to his Alpha, raising an eyebrow in question. The elder just gave him a nod and shooed him away with a wave of his hand, turning to the woman only when he saw his younger brother disappear around the corner - Beagles had good hearing, after all.
“Yes?” He turned to the doctor, crossing his arms over his chest as a subconscious attempt at protecting himself. He had a suspicion what she wanted to say and he would have gladly gotten the hell out of here, but he knew the sooner they addressed it, the better.
Yoon tried not to grimace, clearly as uncomfortable about the topic as him.
“About… Before–”
“Is it urgent?”
She blinked, not expecting him to cut her off abruptly. His ears were tightly pinned to his head, a clear sign of his uneasiness.
“... What do you mean?”
“Is it urgent? As in, will we be put in danger if we just ignore it for now?”
That didn’t do much to alleviate her confusion.
“Well, no, but–”
“Then there’s nothing to talk about.” He sent her a warning glare, as if daring her to dig deeper. She furrowed her eyebrows, beginning to grow annoyed with his avoidance.
“Seungcheol- ssi , we’ll need to have this conversation at some point.”
“ No , we don’t. It’s in the past now, so unless you want me to not speak to you again, I suggest you drop this topic. Now .” There was an edge to his almost-growl when he said that, growing more defensive with each word. Wisely, Jaehwa chose to shut up after that, only letting out a small sigh of frustration before nodding - a silent agreement to his demand.
Satisfied, the wolf turned on his heel, grabbing the doorknob with all the intent to slam the door shut behind him as he left, but he stopped. Grip tight on the handle, he stood with his back to her so she wouldn’t see how his fury shifted into something akin to shame as he bit his lip, contemplating whether to say his next words.
Screw it.
“I… am not that person anymore. I changed. Right now, I’m… Choi Seungcheol is just a ghost of the past.”
He was met with silence. It took him a long minute to gather the courage to look over his shoulder at where the woman was standing. Her face was covered with an unreadable expression, but her eyes held many emotions in them: contemplation, sadness, a bit of pity, but ultimately understanding won over them all. The corners of her lips lifted slightly in a barely-there smile, the entire thing a bit too tense to be as comforting as she no doubt intended it to be.
“... Ghosts like to haunt us at the most unexpected moments, Seungcheol. Be careful with the burdens you carry - memories are often the heaviest of them all.”
He stared at her for another moment, face carefully guarded, before jerking his head once in what Jaehwa could only assume was a nod. Then, he stepped out of her office, closing the door behind him and leaving silence in his wake.
~ * ~
The sun was only beginning to rise when Hyurin woke up. The dawn was appearing earlier with each day, a clear sign of the quickly approaching Spring. April has just started around a week ago, and although normally she would have appreciated the additional light when getting ready for work, right now it prevented her from going back to sleep. It was her day off today, the only one during the week, so she hoped for at least some more shuteye before having to leave the comfortable confines of her bed. Nevertheless, she woke up and stretched like a cat, huffing in amusement as she recalled Minseo doing this every time she awakened from her nap. The panther was really rubbing off on her, it seems, with the many years the two girls have shared their apartment now.
Hyurin grabbed her phone to check for any messages as she stood up, walking over to her closet and checking the weather for the day simultaneously. It was slightly chilly, remnants of the rain that had fallen yesterday night, but other than that it wouldn’t require for her to bring a coat, which was good news. Even though it gave her a wonderful excuse to wear the abundance of warm sweaters she has collected over the years, she never particularly liked the cold; It just wasn’t her cup of tea.
Speaking of tea, she made herself a whole thermos when she ventured into the kitchen to begin preparing breakfast. Earl gray with a teaspoon of honey and a bit of lemon - her favorite. Minseo often joked that it was inspired by Jiyoon and Jisoo, because their natural scents consisted of citrus undertones. Hyurin never knew what she was talking about, since her sense of smell wasn’t as well developed as a hybrid’s, but she took her word on this. If anything, the twins’ reactions were rather funny to watch whenever she mentioned it.
The physiotherapist was on shift today, similarly to most of their pack; only the lioness was free today aside from her. Her brother offered to cover for her during patrol, but since no pressing cases were assigned to them for the day, it was as good a time as any to take a break. Josh would have also taken the day off if it weren’t for the paperwork he had left from their last intervention - something that he’s been putting off until ultimately, it bit him in the ass. Jiyoon spent the entire afternoon teasing him about it yesterday, enjoying his misery only how a sibling could. Although Seungkwan might have had some fun, too, if she remembers correctly…
After she ate her breakfast (consisting of some toast with jam, peanut butter and an additional apple “for the road”) Hyurin gathered her belongings and left their shared home, walking to the garage connected to the apartment complex underground. Normally she would have lounged on the couch with a book or a TV show to occupy her until her friend returned from work, but today she had other plans. The house she and Jaehwa had been eyeing for some time now had been officially theirs for around a week, and today she was meeting with an interior designer to discuss some plans regarding the furnishing and overall organizing of the big space the building provided. It was far too much work just for her and her friends to take care of, especially with their hectic schedules, so it was for the best that they decided to hire extra help for the making of their dream home.
The drive to the office took only around fifteen minutes, the minimalistic building easily recognizable among the usual gray streets with other people rushing to and fro like spooked birds. It was slightly amusing, if not pitiful, how frazzled everyone looked in their tightly fitting suits and cups of instant coffee sitting in their hands. Each time she saw how stressed office workers could become, Hyurin thanked every star above that she had a job she genuinely liked.
She walked into the elegant building casually, bag slung over her shoulder as she looked around. Aside from the three paintings that were all a part of the same piece from the looks of the swishing lines ending at the edge and reappearing on the other one, the entire entrance was in various shades of white, black and gray. Her purple sweater was the only color in the monochromatic reception area, which made her stand out even more. Thankfully she didn’t get to fidget uncomfortably when the woman sitting behind the desk in front of the wall with the colorful pictures looked up at her, smiling politely.
“Hello, how may I help you?” She asked, glancing down at her computer before looking back up at Hyurin, her expression unchanging. Cho let out a small breath of relief as she approached the receptionist, her own smile making an appearance on her face.
“Good morning. I believe I have an appointment with Mr. Xu?”
“Ah, yes; He mentioned it when he came in some time ago. His office is down the hall, fourth door on the right.” Answered the woman easily, leaning slightly in her seat to point towards the direction where, supposedly, the designer’s office was. She then turned back to the brunette, one elegant eyebrow rising in question as she smiled up at her. “Would you like me to show you the way?”
“No need, I think I will manage. Thank you very much, Ma’am.” Hyurin bowed her head gratefully, turning on her heel and walking down the corridor where she assumed the office was. Thankfully, it wasn’t that hard to find, the minimalist aesthetic of the entire building making it easier to follow the pattern the doors were arranged in.
Soon enough, she found herself standing in front of a door with “Xu Minghao” written neatly on a plaque right in the middle of the dark wood. She raised her hand, knuckles rapping gently against the firm surface before she received a quiet “come in” from the other side. She turned the door handle, slowly entering the room as she took in the new surroundings.
The room wasn’t big by any means, a simple 9 by 12 feet area that was mostly filled by furniture: a big desk standing in the top left corner from the entrance, surrounded by various shelves and cabinets full of art supplies and notebooks. The walls were covered in framed pictures and paintings, making the room practically glow with color - Hyurin decided that she liked it much more than the reception. There were also other cupboards by the opposite wall, most likely filled with more supplies and projects, and in the middle of it all stood a slightly elevated coffee table with four armchairs on both of its sides. Right above it hang a stylish ceiling lamp that looked like multiple circles interlocked together in an intricate halo. It was turned off due to the window being located on the East wall of the building, letting in the late morning light.
That’s where her gaze paused. By the window stood possibly one of the most ethereal human beings she has ever seen. He wore fitting black trouser pants that nicely accentuated his long legs along with a silky smooth dress shirt with an exotic pattern that hung on his lithe form in graceful waves. He had his sleeves rolled up to the middle of his forearms, exposing his wrists and nimble fingers that had at least five rings decorating them. The first two buttons of his shirt were left undone, showing the small silver chain resting snugly against his collarbones. She assumed that he had earrings to match, but his ears were covered by his mid-length black hair that neatly shaped his round face. A pair of delicate glasses was perched up on his smooth nose, his big, dark eyes hidden behind the lenses. They were focused on her, similarly taking her in as she did him.
God , she hoped she wasn’t staring for too long.
“Hello. Mr. Xu, correct?” She asked, closing the door behind her and fully entering the room. The man flashed her a brilliant smile, causing her traitorous heart to skip a beat. He looked even more beautiful when he smiled– Christ, get a grip, Hyurin!
“Please, Minghao is fine. Ms. Cho, yes?” He parroted her question, motioning with his hand for her to take a seat in one of the armchairs, his legs already taking him to the one on the opposite side of the coffee table.
“Yes, though Hyurin is alright. I insist.” She reciprocated his friendly grin, following in his footsteps until both of them were sat in front of each other. She leaned over the table to extend a hand for him to shake in greeting. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Minghao- ssi. ”
“The pleasure’s all mine, Hyurin- ssi .” His long fingers easily encircled her smaller ones, his bigger hand practically dwarfing hers. She contained a shiver at the cold feeling of his rings brushing against her palm, though the feeling was gone as soon as it appeared. The man leaned back in his seat, posture ramrod straight yet somehow relaxed as he crossed one leg over the other, hands now clasped together on his knee. “Would you like something to drink? Water, coffee, maybe?”
“No, it’s alright, thank you. I have a thermos of tea with me.” Answered Hyurin with a small smile, patting her bag that she set on the armchair next to her. His eyes followed her movement in curiosity, understanding flashing in his gaze.
“Oh, I see. Then would you like to begin discussing what we spoke about through emails?”
The brunette nodded, opening her bag and taking out a black folder with a paw sticker on the front. She set it down on the table, opening it and neatly organizing its contents on the flat surface. Minghao watched her with rapt attention, his expression turning calculating as he stored the presented information in his mind.
“I brought the blueprint of the house along with the map of all of the installed facilities and other related things. We can schedule a trip to the place if you would like to take your own measurements and see it for yourself.” She explained, keeping the now-empty folder on her lap as she looked at him.
The interior designer picked up the main map of the ground floor, observing it closely. One of his hands came up to adjust the glasses that slid down the slope of his nose, before he switched the papers in his grasp so he could look at the first floor now.
“It’s a beautiful house. And big - How many people did you say are going to live there?” He asked, his gaze still glued to the blueprint. The corners of Hyurin’s lips lifted up in a small smile; He looked rather endearing when he concentrated like this.
Not the time, woman!
“Seven, though that might change in the future.”
That caught his attention, his eyes lifting up from the papers in his hands to look at her, eyebrows raised in surprise.
“Change? Is someone considering moving out?”
“Quite the opposite, actually.” She chuckled, her eyes crinkling in the corners with amusement. “You see, me and my friends work at a Hybrid Rescue Center. There is a big possibility that our pack will gain more members - we have a tendency of getting attached quite easily, I’m afraid.”
Minghao shifted slightly in his seat, his eyes darting to the side with nervousness for a small second before returning to her face. Ever the perceptive one, Hyurin noticed, tilting her head to the side in confusion.
“... Pack? You have a pack?” Came his question all of a sudden, his tone a bit quieter and less confident than it was just a moment ago. The psychologist in her told her that something was wrong if a single mention of hybrids managed to get such a reaction out of him. Was he one of those people?
She really hoped not. He seemed far too good to be capable of such cruel things.
“Yes…” She answered carefully, gaze becoming guarded as she observed him fidget in his armchair. “Would that be a problem?”
“What? No! No, of course not!” He backtracked immediately, waving his hands in the air after he quickly dropped the papers back onto the table, his expression panicked. “I was just surprised, is all. I don’t have anything against hybrids, I promise.”
Hyurin let out a small sigh of relief at his words, already beginning to relax. Oh thank God.
“That’s good. I was worried for a second that we’d have to look for a new interior designer.” She joked, hoping to lift the atmosphere with her words. It seemed to work since she saw him crack a small smile, though he still looked a bit sheepish, his hand scratching at the nape of his neck.
“I apologize for my reaction. It’s just that… It’s not common to see humans being a part of a hybrid pack, is all.” He tried to explain, his voice gaining its usual confidence back. “Can I ask how many hybrids you have in your pack? It might help with designing the interior for your home; they have more sensitive senses, after all.”
The brunette nodded, smiling in understanding as she started counting on her fingers as she began speaking. “Aside from me, there’s only one human - my best friend Jaehwa - so that leaves five hybrids. All of them are felines: two lions, a panther, a Siamese and a Ragdoll.”
“Quite an array of species. Was it accidental or intentional? With all of them being a cat type, I mean.” Minghao’s smile slowly returned to his face, his voice full of curiosity and genuine interest rather than judgment. Thankfully, the woman took it all in good stride, getting more comfortable the longer they talked; he seemed to have that calming effect on people.
“Purely accidental. It is honestly funny how we seem to be some sort of a cat magnet.” She chuckled, his own breathy laughter joining her not too long after.
“Seems like it. Am I correct to assume that you would like more places with access to the sun around the house?” He was already reaching for the blueprints again, eager to resume working now that he found new motivation. Hyurin grinned at him, impressed by his perceptiveness.
“That would be most appreciated. Minseo and Seungkwan especially like taking their afternoon naps in the sun.”
“Noted. The living room seems to be located on the west side, so it’ll be a good place to make a small sleeping nook.” He paused, considering something for a moment before looking up at her in question. “Would they prefer having more than one nook to lounge around, or is napping together something they like to partake in?”
“It mostly depends on their mood, but they don’t usually stray from cuddles... Though it might be wise to make another one, just in case our pack expands.” She chuckled sheepishly, her fingers absentmindedly fidgeting with a loose thread she found on her pants.
Minghao nodded in acknowledgement, his gaze darting down to the papers before returning to her face with a slight smile.
“That can be arranged. The mansion is big enough to make some more sleeping spaces for them. Is there anything else I should take into account before I begin working on the design?”
“Yes, actually.” Hyurin released the thread she was playing with, remembering something Jiyoon complained to her some time ago. “Lions have very sensitive eyes, so some blinds would be a nice addition. We were already thinking about installing blinds all over the house both for protection and for the hot summer days, but I think adjusting it more to their needs in their personal rooms would be a good idea.”
Minghao wrote her suggestion down on her tablet with a nod, adding to his growing notes. “It is. Have you already chosen which rooms you would like to use as your personal bedrooms, or are you still deciding?”
“We're… working on it. There's many factors that need to be taken into account, and not everyone from our pack has come to check out the house because of our busy work life, so it's all very vague right now.”
“That's okay. We can schedule a meeting at the grounds of the house and this way both me and your pack mates could see it for themselves. It'll be like killing two birds with one stone.”
“That's not a bad idea. I'll let them know and then we'll get back to you?”
“Sure thing. I can make copies of the blueprints for myself right now and I'll start working on the initial design. Would that be alright with you?” He asked, taking the papers from the table but not yet standing up, looking up at her and waiting for her permission.
“Yes, that's great. Thank you so much, Mr. Xu– Minghao-ssi .” She corrected herself, offering him a bright smile which he easily reciprocated. She extended her hand over the coffee table for him to take, similarly to how she did earlier in greeting. Totally not because she wanted to feel his slim fingers against her palm again… “I look forward to working with you.”
He eagerly clasped her hand in a firm handshake, his dark eyes practically sparkling.
“Likewise, Cho Hyurin-ssi.”
~ * ~
They managed to make plans to meet at the new house pretty quickly, which was surprising in and of itself. Considering how chaotic they could get - both in their work and personal lives - it was a great achievement for them to come to an agreement this quickly. Nevertheless, Hyurin emailed Minghao as promised, and only a week after their appointment they all gathered at the grounds of the mansion for an “inspection” (as dubbed by Minseo).
The building was big - as in big big. It had two floors along with a spacious attic that in all honesty could serve as another floor. There were over ten bedrooms, four bathrooms and a giant open area that took almost a half of the entire ground floor, which consisted of what would soon be kitchen and living room. The basement was also quite the sight; Josh already proclaimed that one of the rooms there would be turned into a gym.
The backyard was pretty impressive, too. The pool Jaehwa and Hyurin spoke about was already in the works and would be ready mid-summer. The area was fenced with big bushes and trees for privacy, though the neighborhood was as peaceful as it was big, so they probably wouldn’t have to worry about nosy people. The only real problem would be wild animals from the adjacent forest, but Jiyoon already offered a solution in the form of a fence and other security measures, so they weren't too worried about that, either.
The two humans of their pack and Jisoo were with the interior designer in the soon-to-be kitchen, going over the blueprints and discussing ideas about organizing the big space. The others took the chance to explore a bit, even going as far as to shift into their animal forms for “the full experience”, as claimed by Jiyoon. Minghao seemed a bit surprised at first at how at ease they felt to change forms so casually, but didn't question it aside from a few glances at the hybrids every now and then when they reappeared from their exploring.
After some time Jihoon got tired running around on his small paws, deciding to shift back into a human and avoid dirtying his long fur. Seungkwan, being the little shit that he is, found immense entertainment in getting under his legs as the Ragdoll hybrid tried to walk, wanting to see how long it'll take for him to either trip or get annoyed with him. During the month since Jihoon appeared in their lives, he and the Siamese cat warmed up to each other pretty quickly. On multiple occasions did Seungkwan insist on the elder man coming home with him and Jaehwa instead of living at the Rescue, but Jihoon adamantly refused. He didn't offer a solid reason as to why, but the maknae of the pack had a suspicion that it was because he didn't want to get attached to a place they would be moving from soon anyway. That didn't stop Seungkwan from dragging him for some sleepovers, though.
When the younger cat got bored of trying to get on his nerves and wandered off to bother one of the twins, Jihoon slipped out of the house to the backyard. It was rather warm for mid-April, and his naturally higher body heat and the experience he got from living on the streets allowed him to be comfortable in just a thin hoodie he threw over his t-shirt earlier.
He took a deep inhale of the spring air, his nose twitching when he opened his eyes. There were clouds gathering in the sky - no doubt meaning it was going to rain soon - but he wasn't too worried about it. From the looks of it, it would pass beside them. Despite his less than pleasant memories connected to the rain, he's always liked the scent of before and after it poured. Petrichor , he remembered it was called. He liked that word, too; it had a nice ring to it.
He was about to find a good spot on the terrace for an afternoon nap before he stopped in his tracks, his senses on high alert. He smelled the air again, this time picking up a distinct scent of the plants, dirt and iron…
His eyes widened.
Iron.
Blood .
His feet moved before he even registered he was running, making a beeline for the trees at the other end of the backyard. He ran into the woods, following his nose as he ventured deeper, looking for the source of the blood. Thankfully it didn’t take him long to find it, his sense of smell having long grown used to recognising the scent. He pushed a bunch of bushes to the side where the smell was the strongest, and stopped at the sight in shock.
There on the ground lay a boy - maybe a man, though it was hard to tell with his unnaturally thin frame - covered in various gashes and wounds from head to toe. They were even more visible because of the lack of a shirt on his body, dark bruises already forming all over his chest and abdomen. The skin around his neck, wrists and ankles was raw, torn open by what looked like chains or some other form of restraints. But that wasn’t what caught Jihoon’s attention the most.
In the tangled mop of the man’s brown hair was a pair of striped, round ears, and an equally striped tail peeked out from behind his back.
He was a hybrid .
As if sensing another presence standing over him, the wounded man - hybrid - lifted up his head with great difficulty, blinking blearily up at the Ragdoll, his eyes unfocused. Jihoon hoped to God it was from tiredness and not blood loss.
“ Wh… ” He mumbled unintelligibly, clearly using all of his strength to try and focus. His muscles tensed up when he registered another person next to him, but ultimately relaxed when he recognized the smell of another cat through the fog in his brain. He slumped down on the ground, chest stuttering with every breath he took, small wheezy sounds escaping his chapped lips.
The tiger looked up at the unfamiliar hybrid through hooded eyes, eyelids drooping in exhaustion and the dark color of his irises dull. He inhaled deeply, wincing a bit from one of the injuries causing him pain at the motion, his eyes filling with tears as he tried to speak up again; this time being a bit more successful, his voice rough and barely louder than a breath.
“ Pl’se… Help…”
His words snapped Jihoon out of his shocked daze, his muscles working once again. He quickly shrugged off his hoodie, draping it over the hybrid’s bare torso as carefully as he could, not wanting to cause him any more pain. His hands were shaking.
“It’s okay, it’s gonna be okay.” He assured the wounded stranger, trying to catch his unfocused gaze to offer him some comfort, however small. “Stay here, okay? I’ll be right back. I just need to get someone. I’ll be back as soon as I can, alright?”
Not waiting for a response (knowing he probably wouldn’t get any, anyway), Jihoon took off once more, this time in the direction of the house. He ignored the way his legs were burning with exertion, his instincts and experience from his time on the streets kicking in. He couldn’t stop now, not when there was someone counting on him. He couldn’t fail.
When he was about halfway through the backyard, he didn’t stop running as he took a deep breath and screamed .
“NOONA!”