An abnormality—that’s what he was. A blip on the record of history; an accidental creation of a long-dead species. Something that wasn’t supposed to be here.

Jongup spent the majority of his years hating himself—hating his existence. No one else looked like him, but, then again, no one else was created in a lab by a mad scientist. He had heard the lore of his ancestors and how they were wiped out hundreds of years ago. But how could he care about something so ancient? If he thought about it, as he did most nights, he didn’t care that he didn’t have others like himself around. No, that wasn’t why he hated every breath he took on this dark world.

He hated his secluded life because he realized early on that no one would love him. A beast, a monster, a man who sent scores of people running at just one look at his face. Who could love him when no one stuck around long enough?

That is, until one particular night. On his usual walk through the shadows and alleys of the city, he came upon a woman being robbed by a hooded figure. He didn’t hesitate at all to bound across the street and swing the guy around. The man shrieked and let go of the woman’s purse.

At least Jongup’s abnormality had one decent function.

The woman turned to him as the other man fled, screaming of monsters. Jongup had already begun to retreat back to the shadows when he felt the soft pressure of her hand over his arm.

“Wait,” she said. “Let me at least buy you a