Seongwoo was glad he came here. Work was stressful, seriously. There was literally not a day that went by when it wasn't, which was one of the many reasons why he hated his job and consequently often hated his life. Why had he ever studied accounting and ended up in some stuffy firm where he had to wear uncomfortable, hot suits even in the middle of summer and never got to see the light of day, sometimes up to six days a week? He must have lost his mind when he actually stuck to the random major his finger chose when he closed his eyes.

Besides the fact that he was smart, the boring, busy, and tedious 9-7 desk job didn't suit him. Feeling like he would rip out his dark, well groomed locks and scream ' you all, I quit, good riddance!' if he saw another note full of work duties he needed to accomplish before he was allowed to go home, he had slipped out for a lunch break. Instead of going to one of the fancy restaurants around the downtown streets by his firm, he picked up a hot dog from a stand and went to Central Park. It was large with a lake in the middle, decorated with willows, cherry trees, rhododendrons and rose bushes, along with a bunch of other flowers he didn't recognize.

He munched on the hot dog while strolling along the lake side. He felt better just enjoying the simple things in life, taking things at a snail's pace for once.

"Ah, it's really hot though.." he complained.

He took out a handkerchief from his suit's pocket and wiped his brow, then pocketed his tie and ed his dress shirt. That was better.

 He finished his hot dog and wandered around, looking for a trash can since he hated littering. The Earth was beautiful and people should make an effort not to destroy it out of their selfish lazy habits. He checked his watch. He should be getting back to work. He sighed deeply, his usual heavy, melancholy feeling sinking over his chest and shoulders, making it difficult to walk. All the spring went out of his step and he turned sluggish as he thought about returning to that dark room with all the tiny cubicles, files, phones, computers, and hundreds of sticky notes. It didn't look like a prison, but the office certainly felt like one to him. He looked out at the lake and spotted some benches in the shade of some large elm trees. They looked incredibly tempting, as cozy and inviting as a king sized bed with royal furnishing.

"Screw it. I will just get my chewed out later."

If people even noticed he was gone longer than usual, that is. Despite having always stood out for exceptional looks, he felt invisible in his company. People were too busy to notice that sort of 'impractical' thing. They were all about their tasks, files, computers, numbers, and money. Sure, money made the world go round. But was there really much point of making all this money if you hated what you were doing every single moment of every single day, plus you had hardly any time or energy to properly use that money you were slaving for?

"I bet they'd turn heads if I showed up one day ."

His mood improved immensely as he amused himself with that comical image. If only they knew how great my body was, really. They're missing out. He stretched his arms out, humming with pleasure on the bench, looking over the starkly blue lake that was shining with a golden glow from the blaring sun. Today was a beautiful day, not a cloud in sight and a slight breeze. It was the sort of day he loved the most. He had especially enjoyed this sort of day with lovers, but he couldn't remember how long it had been since he'd had one of those. He barely had enough time to sleep, eat, and exercise, let alone keep a boyfriend entertained and satisfied.

"Who wants to be cooped up in the middle of this season?"

Forget about air-conditioning. He didn't mind the heat. He just loved seeing the sun and clear, blue skies for once. He was startled out of his alone time as he heard an excited bark. He looked around but didn't spot any dog. Then he saw a huge bundle of white fluff moving from inside a bush.

"Hello? Please don't eat me if you understand what I'm saying, monster..."

The strange, cotton-looking blob moved again, shaking it's body a bit this time. Seongwoo gulped and shook, feeling terrified. If that was really a dog, it was massive. He only hoped it wasn't a polar bear escaped from the zoo. He held his breath and tensed, ready to run if deemed necessary for survival. He wasn't usually scared of animals, but he couldn't say he was fond of them. That was merely a result of growing up in the city and having parents that were clean obsessed as well as allergic to pet hair and dust.

A head with a black nose on it's triangular snout and large white paws poked out. It really was a dog, a big, fluffy, friendly, curious looking one. He sighed in relief. No monsters out to get him today at least.

"Hello there. It's hot, right? I bet that fur is even more torture than my suit," he said sympathetically and waved to the animal.

He barked as if in greeting. Seongwoo smiled and looked at him. He had large black eyes that appeared kind and sparkled with mischief, white fluffy upright ears, a sparkling thick coat slightly dirty with leaves and dirt. He appeared to be smiling as he panted from the insufferable heat, his pink tongue showing. He looked really sweet, not feral or viscious at all. Seongwoo was struck by this odd urge to pet him, though he usually stayed clear of animals, enjoying their cuteness from a comfortable distance.

"Come here~" Seongwoo clicked his tongue, calling sweetly and patting his thigh.

The large white dog closed his mouth and cocked his head, his fluffy, pointy ears going forward. It was a look of curiosity and concentration. He was trying to guess what Seongwoo wanted from him. Seongwoo just wanted to pet him to see if he was as soft as he looked. He was like a giant cotton ball or a baby dandilion, as fuzzy as could be.

Seongwoo beckoned and called again for him to come over, sounding sweeter. He wasn't sure if the way he would talk to his nieces would work the same for animals. Luckily, it did. The dog climbed out of the bush with an excited bark and trotted over to him, wagging his tail.

"Wow, you're huge! I bet you weigh more than I do!" Seongwoo gasped and stood up, worried the dog would tackle him.

 Was he actually a wolf? What kind of dog was this humongous? The dog was tall and bulky, seeming twice as large with his several inches thick layer of poofy, snow white fur. His back came up nearly to Seongwoo's waistline. He was so broad in the chest it looked like it would be impossible to fully hug him.

The dog smiled up at him and barked again, wagging its long, fluffy, curled tail that could knock down a small tree. 'Pet me! You called me over, I came. That means I deserve a payment. Pay me in pets please' he seemed to be saying.

Seongwoo gulped and reached a shaking hand out to the area between his velvety, twitching ears. The dog stamped his paw and barked, sounding impatient and frustrated. He wanted to be pet right then, no more funny business.

"Okay, okay. I'll pet you. Don't move. Please don't bite me. Your size is quite intimidating," Seongwoo squeaked, trying to sound calm.

 He looked around to make sure no one was seeing him being a baby about petting a friendly animal just because it was a big one. Then, he lightly put his hand on top of the dog's head and froze. The dog didn't move, as if he understood that this human was the skiddish type. 'See? I'm not going to bite. I'm friendly and listen well. You should stop over-reacting,' He seemed to say, his dark eyes sparkling with smugness.

"Indeed you do. You're really soft...Wait, why am I talking to you as if I understand what you're thinking? I think the heat is getting at me."

Seongwoo flushed with embarrassment as he the dog's head with the tips of his fingertips. It was velvety, silky soft like flower petals or just dried sheets. The dog pressed up against his hand, asking for more, his tongue lapping and tail wagging happily. Seongwoo pat him all over, ruffled his tuffs of fur around his neck and scratched behind his ears. He felt brave now and happy himself. He had heard that animals were therapeutic. Now he believed it. The dog sat down and his foot thumped several times, his head going to the side. His eyes were closed and he looked like he was in heaven. Seongwoo thought he was incredibly adorable.

"You like that, huh? You must have a huge itch here," Seongwoo chuckled.

As he pet the dog who was enjoying the attention and itch-relief, he found himself enjoying it too. He didn't mind so much about the long white strands falling and clinging to his expensive suit. Though he usually would freak over that because the cost of dry-cleaning was outrageous. He could understand why people would want to have a dog at their home. This one was quite cool, sweet, cute and cheerful. He was quite human like and so well-behaved. He could see himself being friends with this animal, and imagined that the dog would brighten his gloomy, dark life by greeting him when he came home.

"Oh, you're not a stray huh, handsome?" He noticed a collar around the dog's neck. Seongwoo lifted the mess of fur to see. "So, this handsome, overgrown fellow has an owner. Nice to meet you...Daniel. Oh, quite a fancy name."

Daniel barked several times, a thick, loud, deep sound that resonated, making him jump and his ears sting.

 "Woah, volume down handsome. You’re going to scare all the birds and fish to North Korea at this rate."

 Woof, woof! Daniel responded happily, dark, round eyes squinting up until they almost closed. The dog was handsome but incredibly cute when it was smiling happily, Seongwoo noted. He had a killer, heart-stopping eye-smile. He smiled wide, gazing at the dog with rapidly growing affection.

"Seems like you like that nickname."

He tested it out, saying only the word 'handsome'. The dog woofed and suddenly knocked him down, climbing on his chest with his dirt-covered paws and his face. Seongwoo expected himself to get angry, yell and snap like he did with his nieces but he couldn't. He felt no negative emotion around this dog, no matter what he did, it seemed. It was as if he wiped every dark part of his soul away and bathed him in light and positive emotions. 

"Aw, how can I go to work now, Daniel? They will think I've been in a brawl," Seongwoo laughed, feeling more surprised than angry.

Daniel gave him puppy eyes as if pleading, 'stay with me~' Yeah, he would like that. Playing with a friendly, mischievous mutt sounded better than recording numbers and calculating any day. It sounded a million times better.

"Hey that tickles, stop!" he laughed like he hadn't since he was a child.

Daniel was sniffing and bumping him with his cold, wet nose. He thought of the germs the dog was probably covered with, a habit instilled by the words of his parents. Who knew how long the dog had been out here.

He had noticed a number on the collar tag and decided he had better call it. 

An hour later of playing with the dog who had way too much energy, speed, and power for his age and size, the owner came. He was a tall, skinny, handsome guy with a model-like, super tiny face. He bowed and shook Seongwoo's hand, introducing himself as Jinyoung. Seongwoo felt a bit intimidated next to him. It had been awhile since he'd run into a guy he might consider more attractive than himself.

His tone was immensely grateful. "Thanks for finding him."

 He squatted down and grabbed Daniel by the ears. It didn't seem to hurt but Daniel whimpered and lowered his head, prepared for a scolding. Seongwoo felt an urge to protect him and stepped forward. However, Jinyoung sighed and ruffled his fur, pressing his head against him.

"Bad dog. Daniel, you had us worried. I'm glad nothing happened to you. We will do it your way, hmm? If that's what you want, me and Daehwi will concede. You live as you want. Just don't take off like that again. We were honestly really worried you got taken to the pound or hit by a car."

Seongwoo frowned as he overheard. This was a dog, right? Why had he made it seem like he had his own mind and thoughts and acted independently? Since when did animals choose how they lived with humans or ask permission for anything?

Seongwoo turned to the dog and stared hard at him, scratching his temple. The dog seemed to be saying 'I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking. I just needed to get out on my own to clear my head.' Why would a dog understand, apologize, and need to clear their head as if they were full of worries? Regulary dogs only worried about what to chase next, when food was being served, and where they should lift their leg next to mark.

"Wait a second..." He gasped and pointed his finger, it dawning on him with what had been over the news the last few months.

So, it wasn't really a rumor anymore? He was seeing them right before his eyes. That's why this dog was really big and acted like he could communicate.

 "You're shifters! That's why he understood me! That's why I thought I understood him!"

 Jinyoung smiled calmly and stood up, scratching the dog behind his ears still. He was watching Seongwoo with concern in his eyes. 'Don't freak out and hate me. I want to continue being friends. I like you...' he seemed to say, clear as day.

Seongwoo felt calmed and took a deep breath. "It's true, right?"

Jinyoung nodded, looking between the two of them with curiosity. Daniel barked, 'I think he's my mate...'

Jinyoung knew Daniel well. His friend had immediately liked and grown attached to this human. Well, it was rare but it wasn't unheard of. He was just a bit more surprised since Daniel had a thing about humans.

"Yes, you are right. I'm a racoon shifter. This is my close friend, Daniel. He's a dog shifter. But he's special. Daniel here doesn't like his human form. He's embarrassed about it. A long time ago, some people called him ugly and he took it to heart. We had an argument about it as I think he needs to get a real job now, in human form. My mate, Daehwi, is also concerned. That's why he ran away from our home. We’re roommates, by the way, well actually a bunch of us shifters live together in a big house just two blocks from Starbucks."

"Oh, I know the place I think. The green one?" Seongwoo asked.

Jinyoung nodded, sharing a look with Daniel who was clearly reprimanding him for sharing all this personal stuff with little throaty growls.

"Well, if he's going to be your mate, you should be open with him about everything good and bad about you. From the beginning."

"He likes me? Wants to mate?" Seongwoo chocked out, coughing.

‘How could you say that?’ Daniel groaned in frustration, laid his head on the ground and covered it with his paws as if in utter humiliation. Seongwoo guessed if he had a human form he would be blushing. Seongwoo grinned, finding the dog incredibly cute. Although it was a bit weird how his thoughts were communicated so easily to his own mind.

"I cannot be fully sure since it's difficult for me to communicate after I lost my powers several years ago. But I know his expressions well at least. And that reaction is as good as a big fat yes."

Seongwoo chuckled and blushed as he squatted down. Daniel peeked one eye and then quickly covered it with his paw when he realized Seongwoo was close and staring at him. He whined as if to say 'don’t look at me, so embarrassing, I can't believe my friend ratted me out like that.'

Seongwoo pet his head, feeling flattered. He knew that shifters were really special. More often than not they were revealed to be celebrities with impressive looks, heights, intelligence, and talents. He was curious what this shifter that was attracted to him looked like all of a sudden. He doubted that he was actually ugly and he wanted to help rid him of his insecurities so he could secure a better life.

"Thank you for liking me, Daniel. It's an honor. I like you too so far. You seem like a nice, energetic guy. I'm flattered. There's nothing to be embarrassed about," he said gently as he rubbed the dog's ears.

 Daniel's ears perked and his head lifted, happiness and hope evident in his eyes. He Seongwoo's wrist. Jinyoung chuckled.

"I have never seen him like this. Usually he is scared of humans. He's seen some...not so nice things and had some unpleasant experiences. So, he usually avoids humans or downright dislikes them. I'm surprised he lets you touch him and hasn't growled at you once. He is really smitten, aren't you, hyung?" He teased.

Daniel looked up at Seongwoo with adoration as he scratched his ears, eyes squinting in delight and pink tongue slightly sticking out close to his large circular black nose.

"Hyung? Is he older than you?" Seongwoo asked curiously, unable to take his eyes off the dog shifter he was growing oddly fond of in this short amount of time.

"By quite a bit. In human years, he is twenty-five."

"Ah, really? I'm a year older. That makes me hyung then. Not sure if you will stop liking me because I'm older. I know I fool people because I have a bit of a baby face. What do you say, handsome? Older guys okay?" Seongwoo asked with a nervous, shy grin.

Why was he feeling like this was a confession and getting all shy? He was an adult and this was a supernatural human in the form of a dog. Yet somehow he didn't like the idea of being rejected as a potential mate just because of his age. Woof woof!

"Yes, I don't mind older guys. You're hot! I like your freckles," Jinyoung translated as Daniel brushed his nose against Seongwoo's left cheek where his triangular beauty marks were.

Seongwoo flushed and grinned shyly, covering his mouth in an embarrassed habit. Why did he like that so much? The direct and odd compliment as well as what could be considered a kiss. He hoped that Jinyoung wasn't playing a trick on him. He wished that was what the shifter really said.

"Would you mind helping us, Seongwoo hyung? I think that if you complimented him it would be wonders. Let's go to a cafe near here after I get him changed into clothes. Of course you should be honest. I personally like his human form and so do all our friends but no matter how much we compliment him, he doesn't believe us. He thinks that we are being nice and can't be objective since we know each other. Honestly, he's such a stubborn, overgrown child."

Daniel growled and pushed against his leg so the skinny guy almost fell over. 'You sound like you want to fight. You should be talking me up in front of my potential mate, not insulting me!'

Seongwoo was just a bit freaked out. "Why can I understand what he's saying so clearly? I can almost picture the way his voice sounds even. Thick, deep, sort of with some kind of strange accent..."

Jinyoung paused i