It starts two days after he came home with his hybrid. They're in the front garden on a peaceful afternoon. Him, tending to his plants, pulling out weeds that grew over his time spent on vacation. His hybrid, who just finished his afternoon tea, is currently lazing around the grass, hugging his tail.

From studying hybrid body language, it says his Kyungsoo is satisfied. For a hybrid who grew up indoors, Kyungsoo loves the outside where there's a lot that catches his curiosity. He turns to check from time to time, the hybrid falling asleep.

In the middle of replacing his old pots, he hears Kyungsoo hum in question followed by shuffling noises. Once again, he looks back to see the hybrid now stiff in all fours, tail curved and and ears perked up. He follows the gaze to see his neighbor's son, walking past them.

A frown is now on his face, not liking the idea that his hybrid may take a lot of interest on the boy. He doesn't dislike the kid. He just doesn't like what he does, going around hurting people mentally and emotionally.

Kyungsoo would be too naive to be interested in him.

"Friend," the hybrid calls.

The college kid, Jongin, stops on his tracks and immediately spots Kyungsoo on the ground. "Oh. Hi." He walks closer to the hybrid, Jongin sparing him a look. "Ah, hyung. You got one?"

He shrugs. "Apparently, I did. This is Kyungsoo," he introduces.

With hands dirty with soil, he merely tilts his head towards his hybrid. "You're one of the first people he meets here, aside from the supermarket. Be nice."

"I am nice," the college kid answers. "Nice to meet you, Kyungsoo." Jongin is indeed nice. He's a people person.

Sometimes the kid's too nice, he can fool people effortlessly and he's taking a lot of advantage off it. "I'm Jongin."

The hybrid glances at him, quietly asking for permission to socialize. It's not like he prohibits it but Kyungsoo doesn't have much experience when it comes to the outside world. He's very wary around strangers. Except, he called Jongin "friend" the moment he sees him.

He nods, Kyungsoo immediately getting onto his feet and shakes Jongin's hand. "Jonginnie look very nice," the hybrid says.

"You're cute, Kyungsoo."

That simple exchange of compliments is the start of the drastic attraction the hybrid is showing his neighbor's son. Sometimes he'd catch Kyungsoo stealing a cookie to give to Jongin. Sometimes the hybrid stays by the window, watching the kid just walk past their house. Sometimes Jongin comes over to hangout in his garden and pet Kyungsoo.

It looks like a friendly gesture, merely a human and hybrid bonding outside like he does to Kyungsoo. Only that it bothers him how the hybrid got too comfortable with the kid over a short period when he even had to make a lot of effort just to gain Kyungsoo's trust before he gets to adopt him.

 

 

He makes a call to a close friend who also have a cat hybrid. "Chanyeol."

"Dude. What's up?"

"You know I adopted a hybrid. I just have a few questions."

"Uhm, it's the 21st century. We have this thing we call the internet."

He groans at the response. Everyone knows he's not a tech guru. He just watch TV, listen to the radio, use his phone for calling and texting. "Funny."

"Okay, okay. What is it?"

"It's his behavior. I'm not sure if it's just too early to tell since it's been just two months since I have him."

"What is he doing?"

"Well, there's a kid next door he's showing so much interest since the first day they met."

"Does he talk about him all the time?"

"Not really but he gets excited when he sees him. He even tried to catch the goldfish in my aquarium to give it to him." He's cringing at the incident when he recalls how the hybrid almost got electrocuted.

"Maybe he's imprinting on the kid."

Imprinting on Jongin? On a human?

Moreover, a heartbreaker?

"But isn't that impossible?" He asks, confused.

"Hybrids don't necessarily imprint on their own species. Baekhyun," Chanyeol pauses for a moment, "he imprinted on me."

"They can imprint on their owners?"

"No, no. Well, not in my case. Imprinting is involuntary. They have no control over that. They can't choose who to imprint with."

"But you adopted Baekhyun and he imprinted on you?"

"Baekhyun imprinted on me so I adopted him," his friend corrects. "He was a stray one. He just started following me around one day and even made it to my house on foot."

He can only sigh. "But you know, they may just be good friends."

That could be true. After all, Jongin is the first person aside from him that Kyungsoo talks to. He could be assuming things but he certainly hope it isn't imprinting at all.

But that hope disappears a few nights later, finding the hybrid by the usual spot next to the window.

"Jonginnie," Kyungsoo calls, softly to no one. It's as if the hybrid's wishing for the other to appear in front of him. There's no one next door. The house is dark.

"Why are you calling for him? You know he's out of town with his parents."

"I want Jonginnie." The hybrid scratches on the glass with his finger. "Mate."

If he was a hybrid, his hybrid ears would have stood up at the word.

This seems bad now.

 

 

The next few days he distracts Kyungsoo with the busy city. He takes him out to a spa, to which the hybrid hisses at the staffs for touching him but eventually calms down when he assures they're nice people. He takes him to a hybrid cafe where Kyungsoo had little fun, overwhelmed by the number of hybrids in one room. He takes him to the arcade where it gets even worse, losing his hybrid in the crowd to find him sulking at a corner.

Kyungsoo only seems to like the supermarket. Though there's a lot of people, he seems to enjoy pushing the cart and putting everything he finds nice.

Junmyeon, as the owner, lets the hybrid do it and secretly puts them back when Kyungsoo's not looking. But the place where he though is the least problematic, it's where Kyungsoo gets his first heartbreak.

They spot Jongin with someone else, having fun and is obviously on a date. Of course, innocent Kyungsoo isn't aware of that. He hasn't seen the boy in days so his first instinct is to run up to Jongin. He, on the other hand, calls out to his hybrid but fails to stop him.

He runs up to them, leaving the cart. Jongin seems troubled to see Kyungsoo approaching.

Jongin's date is confused, even more when the hybrid pulls the kid away, hissing at him. "Okay?"

"What are you doing? This is crazy!" Jongin panics but tries to laugh it out, subtly pulling his arm away from Kyungsoo. The hybrid on the other hand is on stance, ready to jump on the unnamed kid. "Hyung!" Jongin's eyes are pleading for help. He seriously didn't know it will come to this and he feels bad for all of them involved.

"Kyungsoo," he softly calls, hand on his hybrid's head, soothingly rubbing behind the cat's ear. "Let go of Jongin."

"No. I miss Jonginnie," the hybrid rejects.

"This is so weird," the date says before fleeing the scene, Jongin unable to hide his annoyance now.

"Kyungsoo, what the hell?" The college student forcefully pulls his arm away, catching the hybrid off-guard, causing Kyungsoo to lose his balance and fall on the floor. "Thanks for ruining my date," he mutters and leaves.

A few people witnesses the scene, hushed voices talking about them.

He pulls the hybrid up and they went home empty-handed. Kyungsoo asks him what he did wrong on the way and he had to explain that Jongin isn't a type of person who will settle for one. "We are not alike, Kyungsoo. We don't imprint. We can change mates if we want to but not everyone is like that. There's just some who can't be with the same person for a long time."

Kyungsoo understands.

It hurts him too that hybrids will only imprint once, lucky for them if they have their affections returned by the person they imprinted on. Like Baekhyun.

Of all people, why Jongin?

This hybrid deserves a lot better than someone like his neighbor's son. Life is not fair but more cruel to hybrids who imprint on humans. His precious little Kyungsoo is quiet and doesn't leave the house since that incident. Not even out the door. Not even when Jongin knocks on it, calling for him. Poor Kyungsoo is back on his shell, back in his own lonely world.

 

 

Junmyeon one day asks for his friend to come over with his hybrid, in hopes that Baekhyun may talk him out to the world once again. It would be better if he can talk to another cat hybrid. As the owner, he can no longer bear the sight of his hybrid's ears and tail down all the time. Not even his favorite food can cheer him up. He gets the chance to discuss with Chanyeol while the hybrids do their own business in Kyungsoo's room.

"Not all imprinting is for mating but mostly in their age, it's like that," his friend informs. "Others imprint for a parent figure but that happens when they're a lot younger."

There's someone knocking on the door for the third time this week.

He sighs, knowing who it is and still won't be invited over but still, he gets up and opens the door. "Jongin, I told you. He doesn't want to talk to you."

"Just once. I want to apologize. Please."

Chanyeol suggests to let the boy in but for them to talk to. His friend judges the boy from head to toe. "Now I don't question why you were hesitating to let Kyungsoo hangout with him. I'm Chanyeol, by the way."

Jongin merely nods, assuming there's no need to introduce himself.

"So, breaking a hybrid's heart for a lifetime," his friend continues, "not cool."

"What?" The clueless boy takes a seat and he follows. "A lifetime?"

"Hybrids don't have nine lives. Don't worry, Kyungsoo will not suffer that long."

"Chanyeol!" He glares at the man, not pleased by the joke. "Don't say that."

Apparently, the boy has less knowledge about hybrids than he does. As Chanyeol explains to him why Kyungsoo had been acting that way at him, Jongin suddenly turns sullen. "I didn't know," the kid admits. "I thought it was just normal. Pets tend to be close to people they know."

"They aren't just pets, Jongin. They're hybrids. They're part humans too," he says. "But they don't get another chance to imprint and they don't have a choice."

"Then is there any other way I can make it up to him?"

"You're not exactly one to stay in a relationship with one person, Jongin. Besides, if you only see him as a pet then there's nothing you can do. I can, though." He doesn't really have a plan but he has thought of a way that will make it better for Kyungsoo.

"What?"

"We'll move out, away from here. I can't let him see you everyday knowing he can't be with the person he imprinted with."

"Is there any other way?"

Chanyeol snaps his fingers. "If you move away, then there's no need for them to move. Anyway, you're in college. What are you doing in your parents' place?"

Jongin ignores the question. "You said your hybrid imprinted on you?"

"Yes."

"Isn't that weird you live with him?"

"No, but I get why you think it's weird but when you think of it, it's happening everywhere. Eventually hybrids will find their person and it's up to us if we want to be with them. Know what made me adopt mine?"

He's curious and the boy is as well.

"His heat."

"What?" They ask in unison.

"When hybrids find their human and spend enough time close to them, it will trigger their heat."

He somehow gets it but he doesn't assume. "What is that?" He asks.

"Heat. It comes around once a month or sometimes once in two months. It depends on the hybrid. It means, they need to be mated with. If you think is good with humans, hybrids will blow your mind."

"Oh, wowㅡ."

He interrupts Jongin who suddenly turns too interested. "Okay, wait. No, not my Kyungsoo."

"But we have toㅡ."

He interrupts once again. "No, Jongin. You better keep that tushy to yourself. Just because Chanyeol's selling a hybrid and you're suddenly interested doesn't mean you can have Kyungsoo!"

"Not when you broke his fragile hybrid heart," his friend adds. "It doesn't work that way. Not when he doesn't want to talk to you."

"You wouldn't be asking for him if you didn't know," he says.

Footsteps are heard coming down the stairs, all three of them looking up to see Baekhyun alone. The said hybrid shakes his head. "He still doesn't want to go out but he said he's hungry."

"I'll get him food," he says, standing up from his seat to the kitchen, opening a can of tuna and reheating a left-over pizza.

"Can I give it to him?" Jongin offers.

"No," he straightforward rejects. "Don't push it." He brings the food upstairs to the hybrid's room, finding Kyungsoo snuggled on the chair in the corner. "Isn't Baekhyun nice?"

The hybrid nods. "Very nice."

"Jongin's downstairs."

"I can smell him," Kyungsoo frowns.

 

 

 

 

Kyungsoo doesn't want to leave the house and his owner doesn't have a choice but leave him alone for a few hours.

"Are you sure you'll be fine?" Junmyeon asks him one last time by the front door.

He nods, sitting at the bottom of he stairs, hugging his tail.

"Don't open the door to anyone, okay? I've got my keys so there's no need to wait for me."

He nods again. He doesn't want his owner to leave but their pantry is running low on stocks because the last time, they didn't bring home anything. It's Jongin's fault.

He heads back to his room to sleep once the older drove away. It may haven't been long before he wakes up to a strong scent. It's nearby and he finds himself walking down to the living room, searching for the source. Sniffing around, the strongest point is coming through the front door.

There's someone outside. He can tell by the shadows through the gap under the door.

Cautiously, he sneaks to the window to check who it is, falling back in surprise when Jongin pops into his view, scaring him. He whines at the pain on his bottom, securing his tail onto his hands.

Jongin is still looking through the window, knocking on the glass. "Let me in?"

It takes him a moment to get onto his feet, slowly approaching the window. It's the other that smells so good, it's almost comforting the longer he inhaling it.

"Are you alone? Do you want company?"

He doesn't answer and instead, he draws the curtain close before returning to his room. Junmyeon said not to open the door to anyone and that includes Jongin. But he finds himself in his owner's room where it feels safer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He comes home to a dark house, assuming his hybrid is asleep. What he didn't expect is to find him cuddled wrapped in his comforter on the floor, at the foot of his bed. Slowly approaching the hybrid, he see the ear move, picking up the creak on his step.

Kyungsoo wakes up to his touch, purring.

"Why are you in my room? Is it scary to be alone?"

The hybrid shakes his head. "Jongin knocked on the door."

"Did you let him in?"

"No."

"Okay." He let Kyungsoo sleep some more while he prepares their dinner.

He knows the boy next door is friendly but constantly wanting to see Kyungsoo sounds fishy now. This could only mean the boy must be interested not on the hybrid but on what he will get from his Kyungsoo. Also, he could be assuming again. Jongin isn't at all that bad. Besides, it's not his decision to stop Kyungsoo.

 

 

The following days, Jongin never fails to knock at least once everyday. Whenever the hybrid runs away back to his room, it only means he senses the boy's presence coming closer. Every time, the college boy goes home not able to talk to Kyungsoo. It happens so often he decides to send the hybrid to Chanyeol's for a while.

Once again, there's a knock on the door. "He's not here," he says as soon as he opens the door.

"Where is he then?"

"At Chanyeol's. Stop bothering him, Jongin. I don't know why you keep coming."

"I want to apologize."

"I already told him that and still doesn't want to talk to you. Leave him alone. Go out there, have a date as much as you want. Kyungsoo won't bother you."

The boy is scratching on his forehead. "Look, Hyung. I have put a lot of thought about what you said. To be honest, I haven't been seeing anyone since then."

"I think you just feel bad for him. Don't do that. He doesn't need your pity on him."

"No, it's not like that. Maybe I have dated a lot of people and no one really stayed. Kyungsoo, he's the most comfortable to be with. I may have not realized then because I didn't try to see him beyond as you know, a pet."

He's not convinced. "So, what are you saying?"

"Just one more chance. I'll let you kill me and feed my body to the wild animals if ever I up."

It could be Jongin's charisma but he says he's okay with that.

"But it's not on me, Jongin. Kyungsoo has the final say."

As a hybrid owner, the fact that Kyungsoo has found his human is great news. Every owner would love to see their hybrids imprint on others. Only that, his is a little unfortunate to have a human like Jongin.

 

 

Baekhyun's really nice. Having the other hybrid around is enough for him to feel safe.

They're currently inside a fort that Chanyeol helped them set in the middle of the living room. It's so fun even when they're still indoors. They also watch a movie on the laptop.

"Is Jongin still bothering you?" The older hybrid asks, handing him a small pillow.

He nods. "He smells so good."

"Really? Do you smell him even if he's still far?"

He nods again.

"I'll be right back." Baekhyun leaves him and comes back shortly with two mugs of hot chocolate. "Do you want to talk about him?"

He quietly takes a sip on his drink, shrugging in response to the question.

"Do you still like him?"

He nods. He doesn't have a choice anyway. No matter what happens, he'll forever crave for Jongin.

"I think he's a nice guy. If he asks for another chance, would you let him?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because he will still find someone else."

The older pats his head, leaning his head on his shoulder. "I wish he's like Chanyeol."

"How is it like?"

"With Chanyeol? It wasn't easy. He didn't want me at first too but I think I wore him down. I slept outside his house for days until he finally let me in. But my heat came and I just jumped on him."

He knows what the heat is all about. Some say it's bad, some say it's great. Maybe it's only great when your mate wants you too.

"What you smell on him, it's because your heat's coming. Your senses get stronger."

"I don't like it." He doesn't like the idea that he'll go through it alone.

Not alone at all. There's Baekhyun and suppressants.

"It will be fine. We're here to help you out."

 

 

"Jongin, someone's looking for you."

It's ten in the evening and he has a paper to finish tonight. Whoever is looking for him surely doesn't consider his school life. "Coming, mom!" He answers back, leaving his desk. "Who is it?" He asks as he nears the front door.

"Close the door when you leave," his mother answers instead, confusing him more. The real answer comes when he meets Baekhyun. "Kyungsoo is in heat. The suppressants aren't working." The hybrid says and leaves, not even waiting for his response.

He doesn't need to ask more.

Making sure to close the door, he catches up with the hybrid to the house next door. It's been two days since he last took a step on it.

The door opens instantly, Junmyeon waiting by the door, all dressed up. "Do something stupid once, just once, I swear you'd be dog food." The hybrid owner warns him. "Don't leave him. I don't care if you have homework. This is your chance. Don't it up." Junmyeon-hyung barely swears and when he does, he's very serious about it.

"I promise."

Just like that, he's left alone, with Kyungsoo probably somewhere upstairs, waiting for him.

It's quiet but as soon as he takes the first three steps on the stairs, he's met by the hybrid literally jumping on him. He catches him fast but still ends up falling down on his back. Kyungsoo is sniffing on him like he's some addictive drug.

 

 

He wakes up lightheaded. It's dark and it's raining hard outside. He barely remembers anything since his heat started. Baekhyun gave him pills but it only made him feel worse.

And the last time he remembers was he was at Chanyeol's house but now he's back in his room.

He gets up, noticing someone sleeping next to him, . Like he is at the moment.

It smells like Jongin.

The realization hits him, causing him to run off the bed with the blanket, to his cozy corner. The sudden move stirs the other awake, asking him what happened.

"Why are you here? How did you get in?" He throws the question, accusingly. "What did you do to me?"

"Huh?" Jongin sits up, brushing the sleep off him. "Ah, Baekhyun knocked and asked me to come over. Hyung said I shouldn't leave you too."

"Lies."

"I'm not lying. Can we get back to sleep now?"

"Get out of my room!"

"Fine." Jongin doesn't hesitate to pick up his clothes, wearing them in the dark before heading to the door.

Bright light flashes, startling him, followed by a loud series of thunder, scaring him up to his feet and running onto Jongin. He bumps onto the taller, onto the wall, recovering quickly to block the door, sitting on the floor and leaning against it. "He said no leaving me," he takes back what he said. It's scary outside, he can't be alone. He hears Jongin chuckle at that, something the taller used to do a lot when they hangout.

"Okay." Jongin slides down and sits next to him quietly. They stay like that for a while until the rain lightens. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

He only nods, not even sure if Jongin sees that on the dark.

"If you let me, I would like to take you out on a date."

Date?  He heard Baekhyun say that. "What's that?"

"It's going out like eating outside, watching movies at the cinemas, stuff you want to do with your mate."

The last word piques his ears. "Mate? You have many many mates. I don't."

"I am your mate."

"You are," he admits. "But you will want more."

"I won't." He doubts that but that's not the problem right now. Another wave of his heat is coming. He leans closer to the taller, nosing the neck for comfort. It makes him feel lightheaded again.

"Do I smell good?"

"Yes."

 

 

Junmyeon doesn't know what to expect when he comes home. His hybrid could be a crying mess by now.

But he opens the door to Kyungsoo sitting at the bottom of the stairs, wearing what he remembers to be Jongin's shirt from last night.

The hybrid smiles at his arrival.

The student must have gone home now. That kid has classes. "I assume everything went well last night?" He asks, joining his hybrid on the stairs. Kyungsoo snuggles onto his touch, enjoying the rub on his feline ear. "Was he nice?"

"Very nice."

He can hear the smile in that.

"Jonginnie said we will go on a date later."

Jonginnie. This is no doubt a good sign. "That would be fun," he encourages. "If he does something you don't like, remember where I taught you to punch."

"His tushy?"

"Yes, his tushy. Then tell him he'll be dog meat."