Jongin is missing.

Kyungsoo can’t spot that familiar mop of hair or brown fluffy ears anymore whenever he glances back. Either the bear hybrid has perfected his stalking without being caught ways, or simply put, Jongin was no longer following Kyungsoo around. It hurts the latter to think Jongin had given up on him.

So long he’d tried to tell Jongin to stay away, but now when he actually does do as he’s told, Kyungsoo regrets, deeply. He misses that adorable ball of fluff. Where are you, Jongin? Kyungsoo does another sweep of the area with his eyes, but to no avail.

“What’s with the sad face?” Sehun nudged his arm, startling him out of his thoughts. Baekhyun, who was walking to his right, eyed him worriedly after having heard Sehun speak. “You okay?” Baekhyun wrapped a comforting arm around Kyungsoo’s shoulder after the small man let out a sigh.

“Jongin’s missing…” Kyungsoo let his gaze linger on the ground; he knew Sehun and Baekhyun were exchanging glances above his head. The three boys were walking around the back end of the reserve after finishing their round of feeding for the non-hybrids; rarely do they have such free time on their hands, perfect for the three best friends to have a little heart to heart talk.

“What happened?” Baekhyun probed. Kyungsoo sighed and stopped walking so suddenly that Sehun almost trip and fall flat on his face while coming to a halt too. “Can I ask you guys something?” Kyungsoo whispered, eyes glancing around before refocusing their attention on Sehun and Baekhyun when he deemed they were alone. “Promise you won’t judge me for what I’m about to say?” He stared up with pleading eyes.

It was rare for Kyungsoo to speak about his problems or worries; he was a really reserved man. For him to sound and look like that; so anxious and desperate, Sehun and Baekhyun knew that it was about something serious. “Of course.” Sehun rubbed Kyungsoo’s back gently. “We’re best friends, you can tell us anything… We promise we’ll always be here for you.” Kyungsoo smiled gratefully before squeezing his eyes shut, hands balled into fists at his sides.

Sehun and Baekhyun waited patiently, but they were certainly not expecting the smaller to drop a bombshell.

“I think I’m in love with Jongin.” He blurted.

The second Kyungsoo said it, his hands flew up to cover his mouth, half in shock that he’d actually admitted it out loud. His wide eyes glanced back and forth between his two stoic-looking best friends, he was waiting for them to denounce their friendship or something like that; he didn’t know if they were part of those who frowned upon human-hybrid relationships.

“Love?” Sehun finally squeaked out. Kyungsoo nodded timidly before rambling on, “I think-no, I know that I love him. I don’t just like him… I’ve surpassed merely liking him. But what am I going to do? We can’t be together-”

It was the sudden peals of laughter from Sehun and Baekhyun that broke his ramble. The two were laughing so hard Sehun even had tears in his eyes whilst Baekhyun was bent over with his hands on his knees. What in the world is going on? Kyungsoo just stood there gaping, lost for words. “What’s wrong with you guys?” He whined.

“ing finally!” Baekhyun roared and slapped Kyungsoo’s back, forcing the smaller to stumble forward a couple of steps. “Why did you take so long to admit your feelings, Soo?” Sehun pouted and shove a small stack of notes into Baekhyun’s waiting palm. Kyungsoo’s jaw dropped. “You freaks made a bet on me?” His voice almost went hysterical. Baekhyun nodded and grabbed Kyungsoo’s hand, shaking it hard. “Thanks man.”

It took a while before Kyungsoo spoke again. “So you guys are okay with it?” He eyed Sehun and Baekhyun curiously. “Why won’t we be okay with it?” Baekhyun cocked an eyebrow. “B-But… I-I thought…” Kyungsoo couldn’t help stuttering, much to the amusement of his two friends. “We knew you like, or rather, love…” Baekhyun made a swooning gesture at that, “that cute baby bear since wayyy back.” Sehun nodded in agreement. “If you’re so dense and need me to spell it out for you, Jongin loves you too you know. A LOT.” He shuddered; the memory of the bear hybrid growling at him yesterday still haunted him.

Baekhyun saw the insecurity build in Kyungsoo and he was quick to hug the other. “What makes you think you two can’t be together?” He frowned. Kyungsoo shrugged. “You two are perfect together!” Sehun exclaimed. “Besides, who says humans and hybrids can’t be in a relationship? That’s archaic rubbish…”

“He’s one to know.” Baekhyun pointed to Sehun and snorted. “He’s got his Lulu after all.” Sehun’s face flushed red while Kyungsoo gawked. “You and Luhan are together?” He squeaked. Sehun chose to remain silent but his blush and Baekhyun’s nods were telling enough. How come I didn’t know? Kyungsoo frowned.

“Well, what about you and Chanyeol then huh?” Sehun shot back. It was Baekhyun who fell silent this time. “YOU AND DUMBYEOL?” Kyungsoo’s jaw could practically be buried in the ground, his wide eyes looked on the verge of popping out as well. Sehun chuckled, “Yeah… Why do you think that giraffe runs around all the time, and it’s always Baek chasing after him.” He winked at Baekhyun who started choking on air.

“YOU HAD WITH A GIRAFFE?!” Kyungsoo screeched. Sehun cackled while Baekhyun turned really red in the face. “Well don’t put it that way… It sounds gross and so wrong.” The latter whined, hiding his face behind his hands. “I can’t believe you two!” Kyungsoo threw his hands up exasperatedly. “How come no one tells me anything?” He huffed. “If I knew you guys were with Luhan and Chanyeol, then Jongin and...” Ah. Kyungsoo shut his mouth right then.

“Jongin and who?” Baekhyun and Sehun wriggled their eyebrows at him teasingly. “Nothing…” Kyungsoo ducked his head, but he couldn’t erase the furious blush he was sporting. If he knew his friends were with hybrids too, he wouldn’t have pushed Jongin away; there would have been nothing stopping him and the bear hybrid from getting together. Kyungsoo shouldn’t have let his insecurities and fear of being ostracized get in the way of him and Jongin.

Enough is enough. Jongin, sweet Jongin… Where is he? I need to find him so I can tell him I love him too. There was a bright smile creeping up on his face. “You shouldn’t care what others say, Soo.” Baekhyun clasped his hands in his and smiled encouragingly, “You two deserve every happiness together, no matter if you two were born different.”

Sehun nodded and ruffled Kyungsoo’s hair. “Go find your prince charming.” He stumbled forward when his best friends half-shoved him in front. Kyungsoo nodded determinedly before rubbing at the ache in his neck; the spot where the hybrid had bit on last night. “What’s that?” Baekhyun narrowed his eyes at the slightly red patch of skin, visible since Kyungsoo had tugged his collar down a little carelessly.

The latter froze immediately, hands attempting to cover it up. “N-Nothing…” He stuttered, though his shifty eyes were a telltale sign that it wasn’t nothing at all. So for the second time in two days, Sehun found himself undressing Kyungsoo, further living up to the molester nickname Jongin gave him.

“Hey!” Kyungsoo screamed and snatched at his shirt, but Baekhyun and Sehun had already seen it. “Oh my god, did Jongin mark you?” Sehun screeched the same time Baekhyun blurted out a “You mated with Jongin?” Kyungsoo flushed red. “Yes and no…” He groaned and pinched the tip of his nose; he didn’t know what to make of what happened last night. “I don’t know, okay!” Kyungsoo whined before running off in embarrassment.

“What do you mean by I don’t know?” Baekhyun screamed after his best friend’s retreating back. Kyungsoo didn’t even bother to turn around when flashing a middle finger back at them.

“SO DID YOU HAVE WITH MR. BEAR OR NOT?” Sehun hollered.  

“You can’t just freeze and blush furiously when Kyungsoo so much as looks at you.” Chanyeol tsked, flailing his arms wildly in frustration. “You can’t show him how shy and besotted you are!” Jongin blinked spastically at his fellow hybrid. His arms were held out before him, left han