Hyuk couldn't believe his ears after hearing the words tumbling out of the younger's mouth. His hand stopped abruptly as he tried to digest the new information.

 

"You saw Hongbin? As in the Hongbin I know?"

 

Youngjae nodded frantically. "Hyung, he works as a hairdresser, just nearby."

 

Hyuk smiles sadly as he tells Youngjae. "He told me once, that the job he would never take ever was being a  hairdresser. Funny."

 

Youngjae frowns, his ears twitching. Hyuk couldn't look him straight in the face, just looking down at the floor and hands in fists by his side. 

 

Hyuk sighs before turning away from Youngjae, focusing his attention on cleaning the already clean tabletop.

 

"Yah, hyung! Aren't you going to find him?" Youngjae suggested, his face lit up in expectation. "You aren't just going to let him go, right-?"

 

To his surprise, Hyuk simply shrugs, his back still facing Youngjae. "It simply was an old love. Me seeing him now won't change anything. He probably doesn't even like, love or even-" Hyuk hesitates. "Remember me." 

 

Youngjae looks on sadly from behind, not missing the small yet gleaming tear drop that has just landed on the shiny countertop.

 

~

 

Jaebum scratches Youngjae's head as he hears Youngjae ranting on about Hyuk.

 

"I just don't understand why he doesn't want to see Hongbin again- I mean, he really does love him still, even some dense person can figure it out." Youngjae grumbles.

 

Jaebum laughs. "Even a dense person like you can figure it out."

 

Youngjae scrunches his eyebrows, to which Jaebum coos. Swatting Jaebum on his arm, Youngjae continues," I'm not dense, you-"

 

Jaebum snorts as Youngjae tries to think of something insulting, but in vain. 

 

"Yeah, you're not dense. You're just cute."

 

Youngjae's mouth slightly twitch upwards at what Jaebum says, but he immediately makes his face straight again.

 

"So, back to the topic, I was thinking of helping Hyuk and Hongbin reconcile." Youngjae grins, giving Jaebum a thumbs up.

 

Jaebum shrugs, his eyes turning into little crescents as he resumes scratching Youngjae's head. 

 

"Sounds like a good plan to me."

 

~

 

Hongbin is flabbergasted when the cute customer returns to his shop with Jaebum. 

 

Hongbin flashes a smile at them. "What can I do for you two today?"

 

Youngjae returns a smile, as Jaebum replies. "We're here today, to help you."

 

Hongbin tilts his head as he lifts an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

 

Youngjae clasps his hand together as he pulls away from Jaebum. "We're gonna bring you to someone special, Hongbin-ssi." He announces happily before slinking his hand through Hongbin's, much to Jaebum's jealousy.

 

Jaebum makes a weak smile as he looks at Hongbin's confused face. "You'd thank us for this, I'm sure."

 

After persuading Hongbin for the nth time, he finally gave in.

 

"Alright," Hongbin gives in reluctantly. "I'll follow you guys cause I trust Jaebum, but any funny tricks and I'll make a run for the hills."

 

Youngjae grins widely, his tail wagging excitedly. "I promise you won't regret it."

 

The duo dragged Hongbin back to N's shop just as the clock struck twelve. Lunch break, Youngjae mused to himself. We're just in time!

 

Hongbin frowned as he surveyed the place. "What's so special about this place?" 

 

Jaebum sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Wait and see."

 

Just as Jaebum led Hongbin to a booth, Youngjae scampered over to the familiar counter top, where he espied Hyuk quietly placing the cups back on the shelf.

 

"Hyung! I've got a surprise for you!" Youngjae squealed as he ran foward, tugging on Hyuk's hand animatedly, accidentally scaring him in the process.

 

Suspicious, Hyuk raised an eyebrow at the latter. "Surprise?"

 

Youngjae nodded his head vigorously.

 

Hyuk smiled as his suspicions faded away. "Well, how can anyone say no to that face?"

 

Youngjae punched the air in triumph as he grabbed Hyuk's hand. "Let's go!" Youngjae laughs as he tugs on Hyuk's hand. "Your surprise is just outside."

 

Hyuk lets himself be tugged by Youngjae, almost tripping on his own two feet trying to avoid customers and waiters.

 

"I'm sorry!"

 

"You'll thank me for this hyung." Youngjae smiles as he abruptly stops a few metres away from an isolated booth at the other end of the cafe.

 

Hyuk's eyes widen in surprise as he catches a glimpse of a brown head perfectly styled, his back facing the duo.

 

Still not understanding the whole situation, he turns to the younger, who just smiles back at him.

 

"You put me on a blind date?"

 

Youngjae swats Hyuk's speculations away as he clasps Hyuk's hand together. "Hyung, trust me. I didn't. Jaebum hyung and I wanted the best for you."

 

Hyuk is lost as Youngjae pushes him forward. "Good luck!" 

 

Hyuk stumbles as he gets forward by Youngjae, and yelps in surprise. His arms naturally reach out to stop himself from falling when a hand suddenly grabs his arm tightly. 

 

"Are you alright?"

 

Hyuk's eyes widened as his ears perk up at the voice.

 

It couldn't be.

 

Slowly, Hyuk lifted his head up, and looked the other in the eye.

 

"Hyuk?" Hongbin couldn't believe his eyes. And neither could Hongbin. 

 

"You?"

 

They stared in shock at each other for seconds, before Hyuk pulled his arm back, clearing his throat.

 

"Why are you here?"

 

Hongbin hesitates, taking a second to look down at the table before levelling his eyes back to Hyuk's. "Jaebum brought me here."

 

"Ahh, so it was Jaebum hyung and Youngjae, who- who set this up." Hyuk stammers, before shutting his mouth shut again.

 

The tension between them grew heavy again, as both tried to think of something to say but failed.

 

Youngjae groaned from a nearby booth. "Are you serious, hyung! Go get him back! What are you waiting fooooooooor?" Youngjae dragged his words, stamping his feet in frustration.

 

Cutely too, Jaebum might add. 

 

"Yah, shush."

 

Youngjae snorted as he folded his arms.

 

"Whatever mom."

 

Hyuk suddenly clasped his hands together, surprising Hongbin. 

 

"Well, since we already know who set this up, everything's cleared up now. I should go back to my duties. But since you're here as a customer, what can I get for you?" Hyuk smiles a little too forcefully, whipping out a notepad from the apron pocket.

 

Hongbin's eyes appear dull for a split second before the dull look disappears. "Why are you doing this, Hyuk?"

 

Hyuk's smile falters.

 

"What am I doing wrong? I'm just doing my job." He defends himself, furrowing his eyebrows.

 

Hongbin sighs and frowns. "Look, Hyuk,-"

 

Before he can finish, Hyuk cuts him off, a forced smile gracing his lips again. "If there is nothing you would wish to order, please excuse me. I need to get back to work, sir."

 

Hyuk bows politely before jamming the notepad back into pocket.

 

Hyuk only manages to walk five steps away from the counter when Hongbin abruptly stands to face Hyuk's back.

 

Hyuk keeps walking. He doesn't want to know what Hongbin has to say.

 

"Hyuk, I- Why are you pretending not to know me when," Hongbin gulps before blurting the rest of his sentence out. "When I know you still love me deep inside."

 

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud. Hyuk's eyes widen in disbelief as he hears his heartbeat get faster.

 

Hyuk freezes as his legs screech to a halt, refusing to move.

 

"What? No- I never did, don't put words in my mouth!" 

 

Hyuk's hisses as he looks back at Hongbin, his vision starting to get blurry.

 

Hongbin looks at Hyuk sadly before continuing. 

 

"I know. I know you liked me ever since I took you in."

 

Hyuk's eyes go wide as saucers as he struggles to convince himself otherwise. "What? That's not possible, I didn't- "

 

Hongbin manages a weak smile as he gazes as Hyuk. "I always knew, because I felt the same way to you too."

 

"You liar! You wouldn't-" Hyuk's hands start trembling at his sides as he slowly turns back to face Hongbin. "Like- like me?" 

 

The reality of the confession makes Hyuk speechless as he stays silent staring holes into Hongbin.

 

By now, their huge argument had attracted the other customers' attention. All heads were swivelling to see for themselves what exactly was going on. 

 

Youngjae bit his lips anxiously as he gripped Jaebum's hand tightly. "I've never seen hyung like this before."

 

"I'm telling you the truth. "

 

Hyuk looks around everywhere but Hongbin, wringing his hands inn exasperation. "Why are telling me this then? To make fun of me for liking you? To tell me how stupid that is? When the person you like or love has no interest in you at all, huh, Hongbin?" His words echo through the shop, as he yells angrily at Hongbin, who seems slightly flinches at Hyuk's outburst, guilty.

 

Hongbin purses his lips. 

 

"I'm telling you this. Cause I feel the same for you too."

 

Hyuk stares at Hongbin in disbelief. 

 

Hongbin steps out from the booth, walking to where Hyuk was standing, distraught. 

 

Seeing how Hyuk was totally speechless, Hongbin bit his lips and continued.

 

"Let me explain. I never liked Ken, that guy who you thought I was dating. We were simply trying to see if you liked me. Back then, I had already fell in love with you. Sure enough, my suspicions were confirmed when you always got moody and suspicious around me and Ken. I was elated. I wanted to confess to you that night. I knew people would definitely not approve of our relationship. After all, a hybrid and a human? Many people would have thought distastefully of it, but I didn't. I just wanted to be with you."

 

Hongbin takes a another breath and his breath hitches in his throat. "And then, you left. I didn't know where you went. I searched everywhere for you with Ken, but to no avail. "

 

"I eventually gave up, because I knew that if we were meant to be, fate would definitely bring us together. And now, I see that fate has again done its work. "

 

Hongbin steps another step closer to Hyuk, whose eyes are swimming with unshed tears. 

 

"I won't let you go again."

 

The onlookers erupt in celebration and joy as Hyuk bursts out crying and jumps onto Hongbin, hugging him tightly.

 

Hongbin smiles as he hugs Hyuk back, kissing his cheek. "I love you, Hyuk. I'm sorry that I caused you a lot of misery. I'll make it up to you for the years we lost."

 

Hyuk only nods as he bawls his eyes out, his hybrid ears making an appearance as they appear to burst out of his nest of hair. No more hiding that he was a hybrid. All he cared for now was Hongbin.

 

~

 

Youngjae picks another chip as he stuffs it unglamorously into his mouth. 

 

In the other hand, he scrolls through instagram as he reclines on the sofa.

 

Youngjae sighs. 

 

"I should start being healthy." Youngjae mumbles as he pushes the chips aside.

 

Yeah, he should really start jogging. To lose weight, he tells his unhappy self as he thinks of Hongbin and Hyuk.

 

The couple had recently got back together, forgetting whatever happened before.

 

And they always go for morning jogs. Youngjae frowns. And then I have to bear all the burden of making coffee by myself for the first two hours, Youngjae adds.

 

Shrugging, Youngjae gets up from the warm sofa and stretches his hands above his head.

 

Yea, he really should start exercising more often.

 

Happily, Youngjae scampers up to the shared room he and Jaebum sleep in to pick out clothes.

 

He gets the shock of his life when he switches the light on and sees Jaebum sleeping with his mouth open and drooling.

 

Laughing, Youngjae skips over to the sleeping Jaebum and snaps a picture. 

 

"For future blackmail." Youngjae giggles as he pockets his phone.

 

~

 

Youngjae sighs for the umpteenth time that hour as he slows to a stop under a shady tree.

 

"I don't think exercising goes well with me." Youngjae grumbles as he supports his weight, leaning his hand on the tree.

 

He falls silent as he takes deep breaths, listening to the sounds around him.

 

The wind whistling around him, the sound of birds chirping here and there, and the sound of leaves being crunched on as people walked on them, and-

 

Youngjae froze. 

 

Frantically, he looked around, but there was no one there.

 

Why would there be leaves be crunched on then?

 

Youngjae shakes his head. 

 

Don't be so paranoid. He tells himself as he wipes his brow.

 

It's just your imagination, this must be all from the horror movies you've been watching. Youngjae's inner voice reprimanded him as he scanned his surroundings.

 

Youngjae sighed. Maybe it was.

 

"Anyways, I'd better be going home now! Jaebum hyung will be arriving home anytime soon." Youngjae smiled as he turned towards the direction home.

 

Youngjae's eyes widened as his jaw dropped and his pupils visibly dilated with fear. 

 

There was three other men dressed in black loitering nearby. And one of them had a gun in his hand.

 

Where did they come from? I never saw or heard anything... Youngjae frowned as he walked nervously past them.

 

Shaking his head, Youngjae reassured himself that they were possibly just normal people on a walk. Yeah, normal people usually walk in parks with a gun, right?

 

His breath quickened as he heard movement behind him.

 

Youngjae sneaked a glance back.

 

The three men were following him.

 

"." Youngjae cursed under his breath as he quickened his steps.

 

He didn't understand. He was just a hybrid. What did they want with him?

 

His tail waved around animatedly as he  started running.

 

Youngjae was utterly afraid now. Not only were they running after him as well, but also one more of them had magically appeared out of nowhere.

 

Youngjae's ears twitched in fear as he pumped his legs harder, in a futile attempt to run faster.

 

He was almost reaching the crowded street now.

 

The only thing separating him and the crowded street was a narrow alleyway.

 

Youngjae crossed his fingers as he darted into the alley, safety just within his fingertips.

 

As long as there's other people watching, they can't do anything to me. Youngjae told himself as he leaped over stray boxes littered all over the alleyway.

 

The men were closing even faster on Youngjae now.

 

Youngjae gasped for breath as he stumbled over his two feet, but managed to continue running.

 

This is bad. Really bad.

 

The sudden stop had made the gap between the four men and the latter even closer than before.

 

Youngjae  shook with adrenaline as he tried to get away from the men.

 

He was only 15 metres away from the busy street.

 

Unfortunately, Youngjae let his guard down at seeing the exit of the alleyway approaching, and slowed down.

 

Youngjae felt himself being tackled as a shadow fell over him.

 

A/N:

IM FINALLY BACK GUYS IM REAL SORRY TO KEEP U GUYS WAITING :-(