"Youngjae? I need you to close your eyes for a moment. Just a touch of foundation, blush, and eyeliner should do the trick for you." A woman  suddenly materialized from behind him and grabbed some foundation from the tabletop in front of him. Closing his eyes, he felt the woman brush lightly over his cheeks and face, causing him to giggle. It was ticklish. "Shush, dear. Or else the make up might get in your mouth." The woman laughed. Biting his lips, he sat still patiently and waited. Youngjae heard a chair being moved next to him. That man had probably sat down. "Remember what I taught you." He warned Youngjae sternly. "I'm sure you wouldn't want to be sold to the brothel."

 

"No, sir ." Youngjae gulped, trying his best to reply with his mouth closed. "Hey, you can open your eyes now." The woman lightly patted his head and he purred contentedly at the skinship. She wasn't that bad as him. Youngjae bent forward and inspected himself in the mirror. Needless to say, he was impressed. Youngjae had to touch the mirror to make sure that was him, his tail waving behind him animatedly. "Now," the man swiveled Youngjae's chair around to face him. "As a last minute recap, tell me what I taught you." He finished, blankly looking at Youngjae. "Ummm... Always call them sir or mam, always listen to them without questions or objections..." Youngjae, unable to meet his gaze, gazed down and twiddled his thumbs instead. 

 

~

"Alright. Hybrids! Come on! Hurry up! According to your line numbers. The auction is starting in 3!" The supposed MC for the night hurriedly lined them up behind the stage, waving his hands about frantically. Following the line of hybrids, he was utterly scared, his hands still bound with rope in the man's hand. What was it like out there? Who would be the one who bought him? Would he even be bought? Youngjae shook his head. He shouldn't be thinking about this now. "NUMBER55, YOUNGJAE CALLING TWICE." The MC was shouting now. Youngjae felt himself being pulled to the front. "Why aren't you listening??" Youngjae heard the man hiss at him while yanking him towards the MC, who directed him to his position in the line. Youngjae winced in pain as the man pushed him against the wall so as to line him up with the other contestants. 

 

"Don't be scared. I'm here." Youngjae felt warm fingers lace with his, only to glance at the person in front of him. Markipoo. "Markipoo! " Youngjae almost screamed in delight, only to be silenced by Mark's fingers on his lips. "Jae-yah! " Mark frowned. Youngjae pouted. Ever since yesterday, they became extremely close, as if they knew each other long before meeting at the auction house. Youngjae nuzzled up to Mark, as they waited for the others to be lined up. 

 

~

 

"Hey wait- why are you doing this - I-" Youngjae backed up defensively, hissing at the man. "It's tradition. Every hybrid needs to wear this before going on stage. Even your best friend Mark." The man pursed his lips. Youngjae glanced to his right to see Mark already in his collar, awaiting orders from the mc. "So stop trying to fight it." The man glowered. Sighing in defeat, Youngjae flattened his ears as the man slipped the collar on him, leash attached to it. Youngjae didn't like it, not one bit. It was so tight, as if someone was choking him. It was scratchy as well. Youngjae frowned, scratching at the collar. "Oh, and do note that when you are up on stage, answer all the mc's questions without any objections. Get it? I'm sure you don't want to get beaten in front of such an audience." The man narrowed his eyes at Youngjae, threateningly. Youngjae nodded meekly and played with the collar's chain instead. It was better than meeting the man in the eye. 

 

~

 

"Everyone. Welcome to the auction house. It is our pleasure indeed, to have you all here tonight, to walk away with a companion of your choice and fancy. Bidding will occur for every hybrid displayed, if anyone wants to bid , do raise your hand and shout out your price. The younger the hybrid, the higher the starting bid will be. Let's begin."

 

~

 

Youngjae looked on nervously from behind Mark as the queue moved slowly but surely. He heard the names of all the different hybrids before him, getting sold off or sent back to the headquarters of the auction house, where they would be sold off to the brothel. Some left in tears,bawling their eyes out, some left happily knowing that at least they were leaving the auction house. Youngjae gripped Mark's hand tightly. "Mark-hyung... " Youngjae stammered and his lip twitched in fear. Number 53 had been sold. Number 54 was to be on stage now. And Youngjae was number 55. Which meant Mark-hyung... Youngjae felt Mark's slender fingers slipping from his, and all Youngjae could do was watch as one other staff brought Mark up the stage. "Number 54, Mark Tuan. Mix of leopard and black cat, aged 25. Mark, are you a ?" Youngjae gasped, covering a hand to his mouth. Were they allowed to ask such questions? What type of question was that? Youngjae grimaced, how was Mark gonna answer such a straightforward question? "No." Mark said firmly, eye contact with the audience as his tail waved limply behind him. Youngjae was taken aback. Mark was not a ? Youngjae's cheeks heated up as he processed the new information. 

 

Mark was placed at a starting bid of a $500,000,000, as quoted by the MC. Hands shot up in the air, and yells of men and women both rang loudly in the audience. "$590,000,000!" "$630,000,000!" "$684,000,000!" "$750,000,000!" ... "$750,000,000, once! Twice! Sold to the man in blue! "Youngjae bit his lip anxiously. Mark was definitely not going to the brothel now. But was he himself going too?

 

~

 

Youngjae made eye contact with Mark as he was led down the stage to do arrangements with his buyer. Giving Youngjae a weary smile, Mark hoped for the best for Youngjae. 

 

~ 

Youngjae could feel his heart pumping hard against his ribcage. The man had led him up the stage, and as Youngjae stood next to the MC, he scanned the audience, and bit his lip anxiously when he saw all their faces. "Number 55, Choi Youngjae. Black cat hybrid. Aged only 18, young blood, so we will have a much higher starting price. Youngjae-ah, we would be interested to know if you are still a or not." The MC looked expectantly at him, flashing a smile towards the audience as he did. Youngjae gulped. Was he really supposed to answer this? His face felt hot as he thought about it, ears turning red. "Hurry up and answer! The audience are all waiting!" The man hissed behind Youngjae as a whole 10 seconds passed. Youngjae fidgeted nervously. He didn't want to. The MC raised an eyebrow. "Youngjae?" The said hybrid was about to reply when he felt something hit him strongly against the back.

 

The impact was much harder than any other whippings he had gotten before, knocking him onto the floor. He was pulled brutally back up by the collar around his neck, hissing and wincing as it happened. Tears already forming at the sides of his eyes, Youngjae shakily steadied himself and nodded his head. Instantly, hands shot up from every corner of the crowd. His back was numb now. Gnawing on the inside of his cheek, Youngjae did not dare to look at the audience again. If he had closely observed the audience, Youngjae might have seen a certain Im Jaebum.

 

"Starting bid will be $750,000,000." The MC announced to the crowd, pulling Youngjae a step forward by the leash so everyone in the audience could see him. Still, Youngjae did not dare to look up. Hands shot up immediately, from all four corners of the audience. The bid went higher and higher as time went on.

 

"$1,000,000,000!" Youngjae finally looked up, eyes widening. Was someone actually willing to bid him for such a hefty price? "Going once, going twice, sold to the man in grey! $1,000,000,000 , a new record!" The MC exclaimed as the man ushered Youngjae down the stage. Youngjae couldn't believe his ears. He was now officially sold.