YEAR 2010

 

Walking in to your friend's coffee shop, the strong smell of coffee coats the air along side with the smell of buttery pastry. Being in here just lifts your mood up, no wonder why you're a regular here. It might the smell of coffee or how good the pastry taste. Or in fact it's the staff working here, making he environment so welcoming and friendly. Taking your usual spot, you look at all the hybrids working here. You're glad that hybrid finally has gain rights to have a job over the past 10 years, but they still must have an owner to guarantee them. And you could be more proud of your friend, Woozi, for opening this café and only having hybrid staffs. Because he wanted them to have a safe environment to work in and live in. He lets his hybrids live here. The second floor of the café is actually turn in to a small apartment for them. Because he practically save those hybrids from the streets some he adopted from the shelter. He give them a job and a home so they could have as much freedom that they could. 

 

Woozi: Hey! How's my favorite customer doing?

Y/N: Couldn't be better. Since I'm here.

Woozi: Want your usual?

Y/N: You know I couldn't say no to that.

Woozi: Chan, the usual for Y/N.

Chan: Coming right up!

 

You smile at the Hybrid enthusiasm. As you proceed with have small talks with your friends, at the corner of your eyes, you notice a familiar hybrid hiding behind the counter. Long white rabbit ears twitching. Quietly observing the surrounding. He's the newest hybrid your friend has safe, only been here for 4 months. Every time you came, he would hid himself away, giving you a small smile if his eyes meet you before running to the back room. You put it off as he's still shy and not opened up yet. But from your friend's point of view, it's different. Since Ren has been here, his whole café has practically been lighted up by a sunshine and a very loud one as well. Practically a ball of energy, quoting from your best friend. Which makes you wonder why was he always so quite when you're here.

 

Y/N: Hi Ren.

 

And as usual, his ears shot up looking at you. Giving you a small smile before disappearing in to the back room. Making your hear sink a little. 

 

Woozi: He still not used to you. Don't be upset.

Y/N: I just don't get why he acts so different around me. Does he hate me?

Woozi: I doubt that. He's a sweetheart. He can't hate anyone. Don't worry too much.

 

-

 

*2 weeks later*

 

Y/N: Hey, What's up. Why are you calling me?

Woozi: I need you help.

Y/N: What's wrong??

Woozi: It's just that the hybrid's house is leaking.

Y/N: What how?

Woozi: We are not sure yet. The ceiling has been leaking and I need to get someone here to check it out for me. Could you maybe take in Ren. My house is fully occupied now. 

Y/N: Wait.. Ren? Are you sure? Is he okay with it? I've a spare room here I don't mind. 

Woozi: He's fine with it don't worry. I asked him. 

Y/N: Since he is okay with it. I'm okay with it. When is he coming?

Woozi: I'll drive him to yours later when his shift ends. It's that alright?

Y/n: Sure! I'll see you later!

 

With that, you when in to your spare room to clean up. Changing the bed sheets, wiping down the tables and lamp. And before you know it your door bell rang. Putting on the final touch of your spare room, you when to the door to greet your guest. 

 

Woozi: Hey! Thank so much for your help though. Apparently the place is a wreck, none of them tell me anything because it was fine by them. It's just so saddening. I'm going to renovate the whole pace so the hybrids would have a better place to live in. But it's likely going take at least a month. They had to redo all the pipes and celling. 

Y/N: Don't worry about it. I have a spare room. I could take in more if you want? I have plenty of space here.

Woozi: Nah, we're good. Choi took in Mingyu and Jonghan. Jun took in Hoshi, while Vernon took Won Woo for me. They others are with me. It's practically packed. So I ask if you could take in one for me. Ren actually volunteered.

Y/N: Really? Hi Ren

Ren: ..Hi.... 

Woozi: Okay. I'll be going then. If you need me call me alright. Bye Ren. Bye Y/N.

Y/N: Bye

 

With that you are left with a hybrid infront of you. Telling him you would show him his room. Looking at him hoping he would not be disappointed with it. You leave it to him to get comfortable and put all this stuff in his room. Saying that you would prepare dinner for both of you. As the dinner was set on the table, and both of you sitting cross each other. You try to strike a conversation with him. He was fairly quiet, only humming and nodding to your questions.  

Hence, both of you now is walking around the shopping mall getting essentials that he might need. Sending him to go grab what he ned while you brows through. Looking around you saw a small night light, remembering your best friend say that Ren was actually afraid of the dark. Hence, without thinking you grab it and put in into your cart. Finally finding the hybrid, his hands was filled by tooth brush, towel, hybrid friendly shampoo. While he was staring at a soft toy cart. Practically a big carrot plushie. Approaching him, you could tell he was unware of your presence just then. Asking him if he was done. He nod his head, putting whatever was on his hands. Walking away from the cart to the cashier. Following behind him to the cashier, plushie your cart already, unware by him. Finally reaching home, you pass him this stuff including the night light and plushie you bought.

 

Ren: You... Didn't have to...

Y/N: Hey.. It's okay. I want to. I just want you to be as comfortable as you are back at your home. 

Ren: Thank You...

Y/N: You're welcome. Now let's go to bed. It's late now. Even though you don't have a shift tomorrow.

 

-

 

Your interaction with Ren is still limited. He is practically still very shy with you and you still have no idea why. But he is never rude. Always polite, thanking you for things. It's not like both of you had a lot of time together. He a full timer at your friend's café. While you're still study colleague. Thus, the only time you would see each other is during the night. Plus it's exam period, you didn't really have a chance to visit the café at all. the only time would be you, finally coming back home from camping in the campus library. And when his shifts end. It had become a habit of eating dinner together while watching Netflix. It all happen one day where you're off from class. You decided to just study at home instead of going to a nearby library. And when the night falls, you decided it was time to stop, since your brain was dead from all the studying anyway. So ordering take out, grabbing your blanket and pillows. Putting it on your couch, you make yourself a makeshift bed, while your Netflix was on. Half way through your dinner, he came back from his shift. You offer him food as he gladly accepted it. Kind of surprising though, you thought he would decline and go in to his room. Turns out both of you camp on your make shift bed until falling asleep till the next morning. Walking up, your blanket was draped over you, while there was breakfast on the table, his form of gratitude to the dinner last night. Eating breakfast made by him everyday before school became your routine unknowingly as well.

 

-

 

It's been roughly 2 month since Ren has moved in. You swear he has been a little more touchy. Nuzzling your cheeks, circling around you at home, asking if you're alright. Seemingly so much more hyper than what both of you started off with. Now you understand what Woozi meant that he is literally a ball of energy. Putting it off that he so much more comfortable being around you now. And you couldn't be more glad. 

Exam period is finally over. You finally have time to visit the café. As you stepped in, what had taken you by surprise was Ren running up to you. Pulling you in to a hug as he nuzzle his nose on your cheeks. Not only that he was running around in circles around you. Stopping only to wait for a reaction. You didn't actually know what did he want, so you just smile at him as you always do. You swear Ren kind of frown a little.

 

Ren: You want your usual?

Y/N: Ya.. That will be nice

Ren: Okay!! I'll serve it to you. Go take a seat!!

 

Sitting down, You notice all the hybrid working there was looking at you smiling sheepishly. Laughing and snickering among themselves. You couldn't pinpoint anything for them to smile at you like that. Putting the though away you smile at your friend, That has just came out of the back room to greet you. 

 

Woozi: You're finally back

Y/N: Yup! Back from the dead!

Woozi: So dramatic as usual.

Y/N: How's everything now?

Woozi: The renovation is taking longer than plan. Sorry for the trouble thought.

Y/N: Not at all. Ren is a good company.

Woozi: Speaking about Ren, so has he open up to you yet?

Y/N: Yup, we make it a routine to have dinner together. He cooks breakfast for me every morning. 

Woozi: Wait. What? Cooks Breakfast? Who? Are we even talking about the same Ren?

Y/N:Ya. What's wrong?

Woozi: What's wrong? He doesn't even goes near the kitchen here. Saying that cooking takes too much time. What has gotten in to him?

Y/N: Speaking about that. Doesn't Ren like Run around you often?

Woozi: What?

Y/N: He keeps running around me in circle. And whenever he stops, it's like he was expecting me to respond to him. I don't really understand that much about hybrids. Plus, he kind of develop a habit of nuzzling his ones on my cheeks. Not that I'm complaining. I'm really glad he is comfortable with me now. But I confuse me sometimes. 

Woozi: Oh lord....

Y/N: What? IS it bad? What is going on...

Woozi: Y/N... bunnies kiss each other by their nose....

Y/N: OKay….. What does it have to do wi…. oh...

Woozi: Yes. It's exactly what you're thinking.

Y/N: But.. Why..

Woozi: Bunnies run around their mate in circles to court them. 

Y/N: Wait.. wait..

Woozi: Ren likes you. You're his mate. He's trying to court you.

Y/N: That's.... a lot to take in.... 

Woozi: Maybe that's why he acts so differently around you last time. Because he doesn't know how to approach you and tell you, you're his mate.

Y/N: I don't know what to say...

Woozi: Just take a few days to think about it. 

 

- 

 

These few days has been kinda of weird. Coming to terms with Ren’s feelings for you. Figuring out where you stand and how you feel about it. Thinking back. Yes, there are times where your heart would flutter when he tries to nuzzle you. There are times where both of you are too comfortable with each other. You don’t even know what to feel about it, if the cafe’s apartment is done. But you didn’t have time to think about it. Because just 3 days later since your last visit to the cafe. Your best friend has call you up during your break. Saying that the renovation is finally done. And Ren could finally move back. Dragging yourself back to your house. As both of you sat down to have dinner infornt of the tv. You finally brought up the topic of him finally able to move back to his place. And his only respond to you was ‘Sure’. Nothing more. 

And by the next day of you coming back from school. All his things was gone. As if he was never there to began with. You try not to think of why he didn’t even tell you that he would move back so quickly. Or why he didn’t even at least bid you, instead of just leaving without a word. And as the days past by, you’re slowly going back to your old routine. Sure, you notice that your apartment has become more quite and more empty. More like a place for you to sleep instead of a home. You hope that at least he was happy living back at his place. 

But it was not until one day you got a call at school. Just a week after Ren moved out. From none other than your best friend. Something about Ren not feeling well. You didn’t even hesitate to march down the lecture hall. Giving a lame excuse of having a family crisis and running out of the lecture hall. Not even caring you have disrupt the whole class. Running towards the direction of where the cafe was. Met with your panicked best friend as you enter the cafe, he lead you upstairs to Ren’s room. Saying that, he wouldn’t open the door up. And he has been like this since he came back from yours. Asking if both of you have any arguments, but you couldn’t think of anything in particular that would make him upset.  

 

Coming face to face with his room door, your best friend spoke up. Loud enough for the hybrid inside the room to hear.

 

Woozi: Ren. I’m sorry but I have to do this. You wouldn’t answer to anyone of us and you wouldn’t open up. 

 

Taking the keys out of this pocket. He opened up the locked door. Tell you that you’re the only one that can get him back together. Whatever was going on with him. Pushing you in, he closed the door behind you. Leaving you alone to walk up to the bundle under his blanket. Walking up to him, you pulled his blanket down. Getting a good look of him, it strikes you. He was burning up, and by burning up, you meant it literally. He body was practically so hot that you couldn’t touch him for Long. Panicking, you run back down to the cafe. Finding anyone to help you. Meeting face to face with none other than the german shepherd hybrid name Won woo. 

 

Y/N: Ren is burning up!! Like literally burning. Is he having a fever?? Wait what am I saying. He is definitely having a fever. What am I suppose to do?!!

 

Dragging the hybrid up to Ren’s room. But with one whiff he look bothered. 

 

Y/N: Is it that bad?! What’s going on??

Won woo: He’s not having a fever. Hybrids can’t get sick. It’s part of our traits why human created us. 

Y/N: Than what’s going on with him?! 

Won woo: This room reeks of sadness and heartbreak. The only reason why his is burning  up, is because his body is act up because it know that his mate has rejected him. 

Y/N: Wait... Mate??

Won woo: Ya.. you rejected him didn’t you? 

Y/N: I didn’t even say anything to him about it. 

Won woo: You didn’t have to.

Y/N: What....

Won woo: He heard your conversation that day. At the cafe with Woozi. Your reaction that day, he took it as you couldn’t reciprocate his feelings. He told when that day when he moved back. That he didn’t know what to do. He’s hurt, heart broken. And his body knows it. 

Y/N: I...

Won woo: I know it’s hard to believe it . But yes, his your mate. And it might be a lot to take it. And you’re not wrong for feeling the way that you do. It’s not like you choose that you’ll be his mate, neither did he. But I turns out like this. But all I have to say that. He might get better, I hope. It’s okay. You don’t have to force yourself to have any feelings for him. Just because you found out you’re his mate. 

 

Taking in what the hybrid has said to you. You finally decide to make a decision that scares you. Not because of the pressure, that fact that you know you’re his mate. But you genuinely want to. And what scares you was that, once you make this decision. It’s a decision that you have to bare for the rest of your life. You’re not stupid, you know hybrid only has one mate. Practically their soulmate, that they will love each other till the end of time. What scares you most was what is going to happen if it didn’t work out.

But you don’t want to worry about that now. Especially your mate is sick now, because of you. 

 

Y/N: How can I make him better?

Won woo: You don-

Y/N: I want too

Won woo: Are you sure?

Y/N: Yes. It scares me what is going to happen in the future if we don’t work out. But al I care now is the present. Why worry about things that didn’t even happen yet. Or things that might not even happen. 

Won woo: Just stay by his side. That’s all. When he wake up with you there. It’ll make him feel much better. 

Y/N: Thank you Won woo

 

Giving the dog hybrid ruffle behind his ear. He burst out in to a smile. Tugging you to him, as his head move close to where your hand is scratching behind his ear.

 

Won woo: You give good pets.. Ren is lucky! 

Y/N: You know I’ll give you pets if you want to. You’re my favourite barista after all. Don't tell Dino that. 

Won woo: Really?! Okay!! It’s secret!! I’ll leave you to him now!! Take care of him!! 

Y/N: I will! Thank you!! 

 

And with that you’re left with the unmoved bundle of hybrid on the bed. Shrugging, you guess you could take a nap. Crawling to where the hybrid has not taken up the space yet. You got yourself comfortable.

The next thing Ren knew as he finally woke up groggy, was that, there was another scent in his room. A particular scent he had missed so much. Wow, his headache must be so messed up. Not was he smelling the scent of you but he is hallucinating. That can’t be you beside him. This heat is from his body is killing him. Groaning from the sudden burst of headache again. Walking you up from it. As you saw what was going on, you cup his cheeks up to you. 

 

Y/N: Ren you okay??

Ren: Wow. This is actually worst than I thought. I’m messed up...

Y/N: Hey.. it’s there anything I can make you better?

Ren: Well, for the start I just wished you could stop appearing. I know you’re just an illusion. This is so much worst than I though...

Y/N: Stop being ungrateful. I came running here in the middle of my lecture, after receiving a call from woozi saying you lock yourself out. And you want to leave?! 

Ren: Wait.. what?! You’re actually here. Like you actually came and you’re here? 

Y/N: Yes. I’m here gracing my presence to you. 

Ren: But.. W.. why?!!

Y/N: My mate is sick. What do you mean why?

Ren: Mate..?? What does that.. 

Y/N: Yes.. so ask your body to stop heating up. 

Ren: Wait.. you’re serious?! You know what this means right?! 

Y/N: Yes. I’m fully aware of what I’m getting myself in to. 

Ren: And you’re okay with it? You’re not scared or anything?! 

Y/N: I’m actually scared. Scared of what will happen in the future. What if it didn’t work out between me and you? But than I realised, there must be a reason why we’re mates right. I don’t want to think about the future anymore. I just want to live in the present. I don’t want to worry about things that might not even happen. 

Ren: So... you know why I’m sick...? 

Y/N: Won woo told me. Since that day, I had a lot to think about. I didn’t even reject you, you just came up with the conclusion yourself. 

Ren: I... So.. you accept me as your mate..?

Y/N: Yes. So ask your body to stop being sick. 

 

With that, he bust out in to a smile. Tackling you, as he buries his nose to your checks. Frowning instead. 

 

Ren: You smell like dog.

 

Huffing, he buries his nose even deeper rubbing his nose all over you. Making you laugh. 

 

Y/N: Stop!! It tickles!

Ren: All better! 

 

Smiling to himself, being so proud of what he had done, he place an actual kiss on your cheeks 

 

Ren: Mine!

 

Smiling at his silly behaviour. You nuzzle his cheeks with your nose. Sending his cheeks red. 

 

Y/N: Yours.. 

 

Looking at him all flustered. All your worries about what will happen in the future has been gone. Because you know it’s going to be alright. It’s all going to work out. Especially when he is here with you. 

Staring at each other, you didn’t know who moved first. But when your lips met. You’re sure that it’s all going to be alright.