The Forest.

Jaebum ran through the woods as frantically as possible. He didn't think this through. Would it be better to sprint or pace himself? Sprinting would get as fast as he can would get as far from the beast as possible. Branches scraped his bare body, but he pushed on. He needed to get away. To find help.

He stumbled over a thick root and stopped for a second, catching his breath. Civilization couldn't be far. At least, he hoped it wasn't.

He scrambled to his feet, still gasping for oxygen, and took off again. He had no sense of direction or where he was on a map or anything. He was just hoping, desperately hoping, he could find someone who would protect him from the horrible creature.

    His heart was pounding, and so were his ears, but he pressed on.

When he was younger and they first captured Jinyoung, he didn’t know what to think. It was the first feral neko he ever met. He remembered gazing at a boy--no, a beast--practically his age, shivering in cage. He was trembling, whip marking on his sun-tanned skin, little kitten ears flattened against his head. His cheeks were tear-stained, and snot dripping into his mouth. Young Jaebum stood behind his father, gripping his sweater as he stared at the monster.

    “He’s so young,” was what Jaebum first said.

    “Age means nothing. There’s a monster inside of him.” His father turned and patted the young boy’s head. “And it is making him a monster. You will see. One day. Just be patient.”

    It didn’t make sense then. But as he started to get older, Jaebum saw it. The crazy feral cat inside of the neko was taking control of him. He would hiss and swat at Jaebum, even if Jaebum didn’t do anything but bring him food. One day he got Jaebum across the cheek. He cried so hard. It stung so much.

    His father came down. And settled the score.

    If ten lashings was a score.

    His father was right: there was no innocent boy in that body. That scared little baby he saw when he was captured was a lie and a trick. There was nothing innocent about a neko. Those little black eyes hardened over the years as his teeth and nails grew and sharpened. As did his hatred.

    Jaebum was running out of energy. Slowly, but surely. He slowed to a stop, leaning on a tree with his whole body. His chest was heaving, and he needed to stop. He slid down, groaning. His legs throbbed, and his mind swarmed with thoughts. Was the feral boy chasing him? How far did he get? He rested his head against the tree, allowing himself only a short break, then he would have to create more distance between them.

    His breathing finally slowed when he heard footsteps.

    No.

    No. . .

    He tried to grab traction with his feet and turned to run, but fell face-first into the ground.

    “Hey!”

    His pounding heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest. What to do? What to do?

    “Are you okay?”

    And that’s when he realized, it wasn’t the neko. Slowly, he turned around, finding two boys standing behind him. They were carrying a couple of rabbits, staring at the boy in front of them. The one was taller than the other, and the shorter one had puffier cheeks and mushroom hair. The taller boy had floppy hair and a wide grin, despite the situation,

    “I-I’m. . .” Jaebum swallowed. “I’m being hunted. . .” Apparently brutal honesty was his decision. He could trust these guys. They were human. They were hunters. Maybe they could protect him.

    “By what?” The taller one asked.

    “A feral neko.”

    “Oh my God-” The shorter one gasped.

    “Why are you. . .” He elevatored Jaebum. Jaebum blushed slightly.

    “Long story. I just. . .need to get out of here. Please.”

    He didn’t like how desperate he sounded, but his life was on stake. And it was the truth. He needed to get out of the forest and far away.

    “You can come back with us,” the taller one suggested. “I’m Yugyeom.”

    “I’m Youngjae,” the other threw in.

    “J-Jaebum.”

    Yugyeom helped Jaebum to his feet.

    The village wasn’t as far as Jaebum thought.

    He was washing himself off with a sponge, trying to brush over each cut and scratch as gently as he could. Jaebum accepted how vulnerable he was at this stage, so he didn’t mind that Yugyeom and Youngjae were still in the room. At least he was away from the neko.

    “Well, you’re safe now, okay?” Yugyeom reassured him.

They were already updated on his story.

Youngjae was chewing his lip. “I’m gonna go check on the rabbit.” And he got up and went back towards the fire to the cooking meal.

“I’ll get you some clothes,” Yugyeom stated. “You look like you could fit into me.”

Jaebum just nodded. When Yugyeom returned, Jaebum was on the floor, crying quietly. Yugyeom placed the clothes down and set a firm hand on Jaebum’s back.

“You’re safe,” he repeated.

“It’s not that. My parents, my life, it’s gone. . .” Jaebum sniffled and buried his face in Yugyeom’s chest. Yugyeom didn’t hesitate to wrap his arms around Jaebum and held him close, rocking slightly.

“But you’re safe. We’ll get you a new life, okay? It will be okay?”

Jaebum just continued to cry.

Jaebum was at least finally dressed. It was a small cot, and it was in Youngjae’s room. Youngjae walked in after doing the dishes and smiled at Jaebum. Jaebum forced one.

“Hey.”

“Hey. . .”

“You feeling okay?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. Just. . .trying to get used to things.” He looked down and fiddled with his shirt quietly.

“Well, if you, uh, if you need anything, I’m here for you, okay?”

“Okay,” Jaebum looked back up, and smiled at him. Youngjae smiled back again.

Youngjae blew the candle out.

Jaebum couldn’t sleep. He drifted off once and was haunted by a nightmare of flashing fangs. He woke up, panting heavily, and then just continued to lay there, staring at the ceiling. Tears trickled down his cheeks. What if the neko found him again? He was free, that’s what he wanted, right? He wouldn’t go chasing after Jaebum, or would he?

“Are you okay?”

It was Youngjae. Jaebum swore he was asleep. But Jaebum didn’t say that. He didn’t say anything. He continued to cry, fear wracking at his mind.

Youngjae said nothing and crawled next to Jaebum, and wrapped his arms around Jaebum. They were silent. And didn’t move. They both just were laying there with two pounding hearts and quick breathing.

In the morning, Jaebum woke up despite never knowing he fell asleep, and Youngjae was gone.