SooHyuk was glaring at JiHoon as they stood outside the shelter. JiHoon was on the edge of trembling, having seen the results of the hybrid's temper on numerous occasions. His parents had been close to Chanyeol's father.

"Tell me, JiHoon. What were you supposed to do? why were you the one chosen for... watching over my son?" The hybrid's icy stare never wavered as he spoke, causing JiHoon to shiver slightly.

"I-- I was to keep an eye on him... make sure he grew into a good person, that... that his temper didn't.." JiHoon trailed off.

"Didn't what?" The hybrid asked.

"I-it didn't...." he took a deep breath. "So it didn't turn out like yours... when y-you were younger....and that he didn't get used for fighting..."

"And? why else?" SooHyuk's voice remained even to this point.

"I..." JiHoon searched the man's face. "I don't know..."

"I agreed to let you be responsible for my son because I was assured by your mother that you would make sure he was happy." JiHoon opened his mouth, most likely to protest, and Soohyuk quickly cut him off with a question.  "Does he look like he's happy, right now JiHoon?"

"Yes... he does." JiHoon clenched his jaw and looked at the ground.

"Then why are you trying to take that from him? Ask yourself that, and get back to me when you have an answer." Soohyuk turned around to walk off, taking no more than three steps before JiHoon already had his answer.

"Because I don't want him to be happy if I can't be as well."

SooHyuk raised his eyebrows at that, and JiHoon braced himself for what was coming next.

"You're the only one keeping yourself from being happy, you spoiled child. I always told your mother you'd turn out to be a brat. My advice to you, is to leave Chanyeol alone."

JiHoon looked up at Soohyuk with confusion all over his face as the large hybrid smiled at him and walked away. 

He wasn't acting like a spoiled brat, he was just...Acting exactly like he did the day Chanyeol got a new toy and he didn't... Oh.. 

JiHoon frowned and moved to head back inside when something caught his wrist. That something happened to be Taeil's hand. He looked at the cat hybrid's face only to see him worrying his bottom lip between his teeth.

"JiHoon... I.. I want to tell you something before you go in... that way if you still want to go through with this... I can stay here."

Jihoon's lips parted but no sound would come out. What could he really say at the moment?

Taeil took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"If you're going to ruin Chanyeol's life... I won't be a part of yours... SooHyuk was right, you're the only one keeping yourself from being happy... I was hoping that we.... That I..." He looked up at JiHoon, he was shaking.

"I was hoping I could make you happy, that maybe you and I..." he blushed and averted his gaze.

"Taeil, what are you saying..." JiHoon was frowning at this point, but trying not to let it show as he contemplated the hybrid's words. "Oh...Oh, do you... Like me that way?"

The cat hybrid seemed to shrink back slightly. "Never mind, I'm sorry...I knew... I know you like girls this was stupid... just forget it. I'll see you around, Ji..." he his heel and rushed into the shelter before JiHoon could stop him, leaving the man to his thoughts.

Did Taeil really like him that way? he thought about the way they usually slept, about how touchy Taeil had always been with him.

JiHoon's feet carried him back into the shelter as he became lost in his thoughts. He looked around, completely ignoring Chanyeol for the moment to avoid that burst of bitter jealousy that seemed to form every time he saw the hybrid when his eyes fell on a few of the younger hybrids, one carrying a jam jar was wobbling towards him and wanted to be picked up. He hesitated for a moment, but the boy's eyes looked so sad that he lifted had him in his arms a second later.

And as he watched the little kitten start playing with the jar and babbling about things that JiHoon couldn't even catch, it hit him. 

Hybrids weren't animals.

Yet he'd always treated Chanyeol like a pet. He'd always treated Taeil like one as well, not even thinking when he cuddled up to the cat hybrid because it meant nothing to him. He'd seen him as a cat and not just a human with different ears and a tail, while Taeil, despite all of JiHoon's flaws had been more and had wanted to be more than just a housecat to him. 

JiHoon felt ashamed of himself.

It had taken a tiny kitten with a Jam jar to drive home the fact that JiHoon was an idiot, and quite possibly the biggest alive.

He needed to fix his messes and he wasn't quite sure where to start.
--

SooHyuk had approached his son immediately after his talk with JiHoon. Now he was just waiting for the other large hybrid to notice his presence, it had been awhile since he'd seen Chanyeol, but he was speaking with another large hybrid and SooHyuk would have hated to interrupt.

Chanyeol wasn't the first person to notice him, and neither was the larger hybrid, much to SooHyuk's amusement.

"Hello, excuse me? I'd appreciate you peeling your eyes off of my Chanyeol. Over here tall guy." SooHyuk looked to the couch at his side to find a  man with the angriest face he'd ever seen glaring back at him. Soohyuk couldn't hold back the snort of laughter that suddenly bubbled up. This guy looked like a pissed off bird. 

His laughter stopped, fading off to a smile that could be taken for pleasant when he realized the man had called Chanyeol his.

"Your Chanyeol? and here I thought he was mine." He chuckled again and Chanyeol finally noticed him, rushing over to crush the man in a hug.

"Dad!" the younger's eyes were tearing up slightly as he squished his father. 

"I'll just be over here, hanging out with my embarrassment if you need me.." Kyungsoo mumbled as he felt his cheeks go red.

He wanted to smack himself in the face. He'd just given Chanyeol's dad a death glare for looking at him.

Great first impression Kyungsoo.

It would be great if the couch could just swallow him and spit him out back at his workplace.

Wait.

Work... Damn it,he was going to be late getting back!

 

I'm a little blah about this chapter, it gave me hell and I feel like I had to end it in a weird spot, but I hope you guys enjoyed it! 

Also, I sort of had an accident and couldn't type / see well / get online for a week and my life was a bit off. So I'm sorry if this seems short!

Things will pick up in this story again soon, I swear. THANK YOU GUYS FOR READING, COMMENTING, UPVOTING, IT MAKES ME FEEL GREAT, KNOWING THAT PEOPLE LIKE THIS STORY!

(Also, be prepared, I'm unleashing a crackfic soon, it's BangDae, and has lots of pickle relish. no lie, it's going to be weird, and I'm not posting it in the collection.It's a special fic.)

-Miki