if a flower grew every time you’d cross my mind, i’d have a field of flowers.

her little jasmine

 

Having grown up in the soft, breezy arms of a rural province, Miyeon came to love everything about the countryside.

 

She loves waking up to the sounds of birds chirping as the morning sunlight streams through her windowpane, a golden glow casting over the gentle roses that she’s painted on the creamy surface of her bedroom walls.

 

She loves stepping out onto her colorful patio decorated with flowerpots and succulent plants blooming every which way as she takes in the scent of fresh morning dew that mixes beautifully with the tang of sunrise.

 

She loves tending to the lush greenery of her garden, be it t the bushes, pulling out the weeds, raking up the fallen leaves during autumn, or cutting the grass in the shirt-sticking heat of summer afternoons.

 

She loves the huge span of outdoor space surrounding her somewhat lone property. Like the fish pond where a mother duck and her ducklings can be found swimming across its clear, serene waters, as well as the sugar maple and magnolia trees that dot the vast landscape with their vibrant colors.

 

No matter the time of day, rain or shine, Miyeon would often recline on her front porch. Engulfed in a comfy sweater that smelled of sweet vanilla as she curled up on one of the patio chairs while sketching, reading, or just getting lost in her thoughts as she gazed off into the open field. Accompanied by a steaming cup of peppermint tea that swirled with herbal leaves and sat on a cracked quartz coaster between all her other items on the side table.

 

Her tranquil home is a modest farmhouse cottage near the fringes of her small town, which she had acquired thanks to the family inheritance of her great-uncle (and also by charming the landlord into a reduced rent price). It’s perfect for someone with a petal-soft core like Miyeon, who absolutely adores the way that plants and flowers thrive in this area. The delicate twists of honeysuckle vines and evergreen ivy curling around her windowsills were more than enough for Miyeon to purchase the property after the first viewing. A choice that, until now, she has no regrets making on a whim.

 

Miyeon had thrown herself into decorating the place right away. She bought soft rugs that tickled her feet and throw pillows that felt really nice to hug. She hung up tapestries made by the skilled weavers of their local market and watercolor paintings that Miyeon had done herself. And lastly, she filled up every corner with the delicate houseplants she’s nurtured like children.

 

What money she saved was spent on pretty acrylic paints, and now every shiplap wall is either a sky-blue or an alabaster white with simple but beautiful murals of animals and landscapes adorning its surface. Handmade windchimes hung from her porch as it sang in the cool gust, greeting visitors all year round with light tinkles that can be comparable to a fairy’s laughter.

 

Inside, Miyeon has all of the space she needs. The open kitchen extends into a cozy lounge that she had created herself, complete with a breakfast nook by the bay window and an emerald green couch with mismatched pillows of varying sizes. There’s a bamboo-beaded curtain that serves as her bedroom door, and just past it is the bathroom with patterned tiles, a showerhead, and a faucet that squeaks whenever Miyeon runs hot water in the wooden bathtub.

 

It’s color, comfort, and warmth all shaped together in the form of home. And when the windows were pushed open to welcome the spring breeze inside, there was simply no other place to be.

 

Miyeon didn’t quite live alone, though. At least, not anymore.

 

The black-haired girl works at a family-owned book cafe near the town’s square with her step-sister, Soyeon. Their parents used to manage the humble business even long before when the two were still kids. But ever since Soyeon graduated college and moved back from fast-paced Seoul, the sisters have taken up the mantle for their parents to unwind and travel around the country as they please.

 

Every morning, Miyeon would ride to town on her vintage bicycle as green as the rich meadow pastures and all but jammed a breakfast sandwich down Soyeon’s throat before clocking in. Work isn’t always busy or demanding for them, but there’s some good traction of patrons coming in on most days with the intent of finding a new read and relaxing in the quiet, homely atmosphere of the rustic cafe.

 

Occasionally, the job can get rather hectic from the influx of people crowding the place during certain peak hours of the day. Even more so for Soyeon, who gets all flustered at the sight of Seo Soojin—the pretty florist who works at the quaint flower boutique next door—coming in for her daily cup of caramel latte and apple pie.

 

One evening after closing up shop, Miyeon was cycling home when she came across a hunched ball at the side of the road. A Siberian Husky pup that’s curled in on itself for warmth as it shivered from the cold wind. Had it not been for its white undercoat, Miyeon would’ve totally missed the tiny creature because of its dark guard hairs blending seamlessly with the night.

 

Now, Miyeon has a reputation for being slow. But never had she hit the brakes so fast that she almost launched from her bike. The kickstand was hastily thrown down, and Miyeon had knelt before the scared animal with care. One pleading look from the puppy’s arctic eyes was enough of a sign for Miyeon to act. After wrapping the poor thing in her cotton sweater, she nestled it safely inside her wicker basket and pedaled off towards the nearest vet clinic right before they closed.

 

Christopher Bang, or better known as Chan, was handed the small bundle as soon as Miyeon came in and left her sitting inside the waiting room in nail-biting suspense. Worried out of her mind, she tries to occupy herself by planning her next move: making posters about a lost pet for the owner to claim, buying essentials for the puppy just in case, and wondering if Chan would come back with bad news about the husky’s state. Or worse, empty-handed.

 

Tapping her foot impatiently, Miyeon fidgets on her seat with spiking nerves until less than thirty minutes later when Chan returns. Holding the little pup that’s still wrapped up in his arms as its head shifts in Miyeon’s direction, fuzzy ears perked up with interest as it utters a cute yap at the familiar face.

 

“I’ve run all the exams that I could, noona. She’s fine, for the most part, besides a minor shock and being slightly underweight. But she’ll recover quickly with a proper nutritional diet and a good environment.” Chan explains in a soft voice. “I’ll give you a carrier box and some food before you take her home, just keep an eye on her and make sure she gets plenty of rest. She’ll be strong and healthy in no time.”

 

Relieved, Miyeon smiles gratefully. “Thanks, Chan. I owe you one.”

 

Chan just waves it off with a genial laugh. “Oh, that won’t be necessary. I’m just glad we were able to help this little furball over here.”

 

He then looks down at the bundled husky, who tentatively sniffs Miyeon’s fingers as the girl moves to pet her head gently.

 

A female nurse emerges from Chan’s office with a cardboard carrier box and a few pouches of puppy food. The puppy remains still and docile as the vet lowers her into the blanket-lined box before handing it to Miyeon. He and the nurse share a look with Chan’s expression turning solemn while his assistant gives a slight bow of her head and slips back into his office.

 

“Not sure if you’ve heard about this already, noona. But recently, the authorities busted a hybrid trafficking ring in a warehouse farm not too far from here. There’s been a huge deal of shifters escaping into the wild before any rescue teams could arrive, and we’ve had sightings of stray animals roaming the outskirts frequently. Some people are even bringing in cats and birds they’ve found on the road, rabbits too.”

 

Chan pauses to glance at the carrier box Miyeon is holding before he continues. “I can’t tell if the pupper’s a hybrid since she isn’t tagged by a collar or anything. But just be wary, you might have a shifter in your hands.”

 

Miyeon wasn’t sure how to react, besides nodding cluelessly and heading back home with the pet carrier strapped securely on her bike’s pannier rack. Swerving past the potholes and ditches along the road as she kept her speed down while avoiding any sharp turns.

 

Inside her abode, Miyeon sets the box down by the radiator so that the husky stays warm and snug as she goes about her normal routine. After changing into some loose-fitting house clothes and indoor slippers, Miyeon washes her face quickly before treading into the kitchen to prepare dinner. As she’s busy chopping up fresh vegetables for her stir fry, a faint shuffling noise can be heard. She peers over her shoulder to see a pair of triangular ears sticking out from the opened box. Followed by a white muzzle and a twitching black nose so tiny, she just wants to boop it.

 

Chucking softly under her breath, Miyeon turns back to cutting up the spring onions with a smile on her lips.

 

Half an hour later, Miyeon plops down on the floor of her living room and settles by the coffee table. She places a bowl of Korean beef stir fry over steamed rice on it, along with chopsticks and a paper napkin. The delicious smell has the puppy poking her head out of the box as she sniffs the air before tentatively padding over to where Miyeon is sitting. Tail held low and hanging tucked between her legs.

 

Seeing the pup approach her in short, timid steps, Miyeon can’t help but smile as she carefully taps the husky’s snoot and giggles at the little huff that warms her fingertip. The creature still seems uncertain around Miyeon, but she sits on her haunches anyway and stares expectantly at the girl. Miyeon figures that the pup is hungry and doesn’t hesitate to transfer a generous portion of marinated beef onto the napkin, using it as a makeshift plate for the animal to easily dig into once she lowers the food by her feet.

 

“Eat up, you must be hungry.” She coos at the adorable pup—who seems stunned for a moment—and rubs her head for good measure, earning a small wag of the tail in thanks as chewing sounds follow. And just like that, the two eat peacefully in each other’s presence as the radiator hums in the background.

 

After she’s finished eating, Miyeon decides to speak up. “Hi, puppy. My name is Miyeon.” She says with a luminous smile.

 

The husky then lifts her head as if surprised, ears standing tall and erect while she at her greasy chompers. Miyeon isn’t sure how to describe the look in those cool, blue eyes that are unusually human-like, but she taps into her keen sight for detail as she studies her furry companion up close.

 

There are noticeable black rings around the puppy’s almond-shaped eyes that accentuate the blueness of her irises, which gives them a striking appearance against the backdrop of her bicolored coat. The fur itself is a sharp contrast between jet-black and the pure white that makes up the whole undercoat down to her tail tip and the entirety of her paws. Even her facial markings have two distinct streaks on them with a dark one running down to her nose, then a white one extending up between her eyes and across her forehead from where it overlaps in the middle.

 

She isn’t one of the smallest puppies Miyeon has ever seen, but it certainly looks like she’s no bigger than her arm—sans the tail, of course.

 

“The vet earlier, he… um,” Miyeon hesitates on her wording, then pushes on anyway. “He mentioned that there’s a chance of you being a hybrid, but I just want you to know that you’re safe here with me. My home is your home, so you’re welcome to stay for as long as you like and make yourself comfortable.”

 

Blinking once, the pup simply her lips again and wolfs down the rest of her pleasant meal with gusto.

 

Miyeon laughs, wondering what Soyeon and her friends might think if they heard her talking to an animal. Chan only expressed the possibility of the baby dog shifting into something (or rather, someone) else. But for all that Miyeon knew, she could also be just talking to a normal puppy.

 

“Maybe I should think of a pretty name for you, puppy.” Miyeon suggests while caressing the little one’s head and brushing the fur between her ears. “Just in case this becomes a long-term arrangement, at least we’ll have something to call you by.”

 

While the husky gazes at her new environment, the raven cleans up after their dinner and puts away everything she had used on the drying rack. By the time Miyeon peeps behind her, the fluffy creature has her nose pressed against the patterned carpet and starts sniffing at it. She digs into the material once, twice, then inches forward to smell a new patch before repeating the action as she scratches away.

 

As far as Miyeon knew about basic dog behavior, all breeds have the instinct to dig or scratch at places for various reasons. Be it marking their territory, or a way for them to stay occupied and release any pent-up stress.

 

(Miyeon should probably keep that from developing into a habit, though. For as cute as her new buddy was, she wouldn’t want her floors to be too damaged by claw marks.)

 

When Miyeon returns to the living room, she’s brought along her art supplies and a bottle vase of white jasmine flowers for her watercolor studies. The pup halts in her digging quest and watches with piqued interest as Miyeon sits back down on the floor to begin sketching. Eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration as her circular glasses hung low on the sharp bridge of her nose.

 

Although the moon is set in the star-spotted sky, the overhead pendant lamps have a muted glow that provides enough lighting for Miyeon to draw and paint clearly. It’s a nice, calming activity to engage in while the puppy familiarizes herself with the surroundings, instead of watching television or playing the sweet tunes of a 90s pop song. But every so often, Miyeon would glance at the wandering pup before turning back to her work.

 

The pup goes about probing her button nose in every crook and cranny she’ll come across while also digging into the hardwood floors or carpeting like her very nature depends on it.

 

As Miyeon grabs a fine-tip pen brush from her creative pile, the husky stands on her hind legs and props her paws against the wooden table edge to get a better look at what’s on it. Miyeon takes notice of this and follows the puppy’s line of sight until she lands on the small bouquet of white jasmines, which her nose seems to be sniffing at. She smiles once more.

 

“Do you like them, puppy?” Miyeon giggles before pulling out a long, green stem of star-shaped jasmines from the vase. She brings it to the puppy, who gives the flowers a curious sniff and yips in excitement as her bushy tail wiggles in anticipation.

 

Amused, Miyeon places the flower stem on the floor as the pup pushes herself back down on all fours to smell those fragrant white petals again. She seems to really like the scent judging by her curved tail that’s swaying up in the air, and the way that her snout is practically shoved between the pretty blossoms that fill her olfactory senses with their sweetness. The action, however, causes yellow flecks of pollen to scatter on both her fur and nose. Which makes the pup sneeze adorably as they shake from her muzzle.

 

Miyeon fails to hold back her snort of laughter at this and covers a second too late.

 

“Guess we have something in common now,” Miyeon says as her smile broadens into a grin, dimples popping in her cheeks as she the remaining pollen off the poor puppy's fur with a finger. “Our mutual love for jasmines, that is.”

 

The husky’s blue eyes stare at her keenly (at least, that’s what Miyeon assumed), and she gives her finger a small . Miyeon beamed.

 

“Is that what we should call you then? Jasmine?”

 

She wasn’t expecting an answer, honestly, but the eager wag of the puppy’s tail was a good enough “yes” for her.

 

And from that point on, little Jasmine became Miyeon’s most beloved companion.

 

 

Jasmine is rather well-behaved for a young pup. Energetic, playful, and a tinge stubborn, but gentle and good-natured, nonetheless.

 

Miyeon was worried about leaving her alone whenever she had to go to work and ultimately decided on taking the husky with her. Jasmine—who always seems bright-eyed and bushy-tailed after a good rest and a nice meal—enjoys feeling the wind against her fur as she takes in the view of passing fields and grazing cattle from the comfort of Miyeon’s bike basket.

 

She’d mostly sit with her paws on the edge and her tongue lolling out in a doggy smile. But on a lazy morning or a windy night, she’d just hunker down into the fleece blanket that Miyeon has laid out for a comfy ride ahead.

 

Soyeon, at first, was a bit wary of having an animal scurrying around in the back office while the sisters manned the tills, particularly because she’s allergic to dogs. The two of them used to own a family Jindo back in their childhood until Soyeon developed a mild fur allergy. It was tolerable, for the most part, but they were very sad upon finding out that their father had ultimately given him away to their relatives in Daegu.

 

Maybe that’s why Soyeon acquiesced to it so quickly after a few encouraging nudges from Miyeon, and now she’s even started playing with Jasmine during her downtime away from restocking bookshelves or fulfilling orders for the cafe patrons. And while it came at the expense of having to wear a face mask all day just to keep her sneezing under control, for a cute pup like Jasmine—whom she’s easily grown attached to—it was definitely worth the slight inconvenience.

 

There were many instances wherein Miyeon almost had a heart attack from seeing how close the husky would linger by Soyeon’s feet and panicked at the thought that her sister might accidentally trip over Jasmine or step on her teeny white paws. But the younger Cho was able to come up with a solution by creating an improvised playpen made entirely out of boxes and old, defective books from their storage rack. It even has a cushion inside, along with the rubber ball Miyeon had bought from the toy store right across the street to keep Jasmine entertained.

 

At around one o’ clock, the entrance bell rings to signal a newcomer. More specifically, a certain brunette vixen whom Soyeon immediately ushers over to meet and fuss over Jasmine before moving to the cafe side so she can fix Soojin’s usual.

 

Miyeon takes the opportunity of a slow-moving day to place her furry companion on her lap, feeding her apple slices and other small treats while cooing over Jasmine’s adorable eating habits. She kisses her head a dozen or so times out of pure adoration before placing Jasmine back down and returning to the stacks of books that need to be catalogued before shelving.

 

Thanks to the resources in their office, Miyeon was able to print out ‘Found Pet!’ posters and stick them all around town with Soyeon’s help. Unfortunately, nothing ever came out of it.

 

While Jasmine has shown herself to be lively and animated towards the sisters after adjusting to their presence, she’s still quite antsy and cautious around strangers like Soojin. It somehow gives the impression that maybe she’s never had an owner before, and this thought has Miyeon feeling sad as her heart aches for Jasmine. The poor puppy who had looked so scared and lost on that night she found her curled up by the road.

 

The posters stayed up for a week before she and Soyeon agreed to take them all down and let Miyeon keep Jasmine for herself. It seemed like the best course of action, and the older girl couldn’t be any happier with having a scruffy little friend to accompany her every day.

 

Miyeon didn’t feel lonely very often, but having some company felt really nice too.

 

She’s always loved animals, treasured the various woodland creatures like the squirrels and fawns that hung out at the forest edge and the tiny hummingbirds that would splash around in her flowing bird bath on a hot day. She enjoyed saying hello and petting the neighborhood dogs that would jump behind their gates to greet her, and she had once ridden a horse down the dirt track of her friend’s ranch for fun. So, the thought of owning a pet herself made Miyeon ecstatic.

 

It wasn’t long until they fell into a routine in the weeks that followed.

 

The pair would ride to and from work on her meadow-green bicycle, which she had upgraded to accommodate her new friend. With a bit of tweaking, Miyeon attached a custom rear basket fashioned out of a wooden crate. One that’s big and spacious enough for Jasmine to curl up in without her falling off the ride. And with a few tubes of colorful acrylic, Miyeon added the final touch-ups by hand painting a bunch of white jasmines on it.

 

Oftentimes, the puppy would spend her day eating homemade food that’s been catered to her diet (courtesy of Chan and his detailed list of recommendations), playing with the toys Miyeon provided for her, or running around in the places she’s permitted to. But she did have her dog days of not really doing anything, besides sleeping around or laying her head on Miyeon’s lap while the girl her fur and ears.

 

During one fine morning with the sun peeking out behind cumulus clouds, Miyeon had walked around her garden making sure that her fence was strong and properly closed off before taking Jasmine outside for some fresh air.

 

The pup was confused and alert at first. But once she had free rein of the trimmed grass beneath her paws and the fragrant array of petals to sniff, she whisked around freely and even rolled her compact body across the lawn. Miyeon stood by vigilantly on the back porch and kept watch in mirthful satisfaction as her lips quirked indulgently.

 

Although Jasmine doesn’t wander off elsewhere without any supervision, Miyeon still bought her a dog collar on the basis of ownership and taking the husky out on daily walks with a leash. Jasmine, however, seemed to have her reservations about wearing it and backed away when Miyeon first tried to put it on her. But once she discovered that the collar didn’t have those scary black boxes with those painful little spikes that would burn into her skin, she willingly had it worn around her neck after some gentle coaxing from Miyeon.

 

The nylon band is a teal-blue color with a sturdy buckle and a silver name tag styled as a bone, which has Jasmine’s name engraved on it along with Miyeon’s contact number and work address. It even has a tiny bell attached for Miyeon to easily pinpoint where Jasmine is, and she loves hearing those tingly chimes rushing towards her whenever she calls the pup for dinner or when it’s time to go to bed.

 

In addition to the changes in her day-to-day routine, Miyeon has started eating at the coffee table on the floor of her living room more often. And Jasmine would naturally stay by her side as she’s fed little morsels of her own dinner. The pup is rarely ever picky when it comes to food and eats anything from meat to veggies, to fish, and even most fruits. (Jasmine seems to dislike strawberries, though, so Miyeon doesn’t buy any unless she’s craving them herself.)

 

Moments like this have become a sort of nightly ritual for them, which Miyeon has grown to love as a welcome change in her evermore peaceful life.

 

Despite Jasmine’s obvious lack of human speech, Miyeon tends to talk to the puppy a lot. Probably more than what can be considered “normal” for the average pet owner. But there’s something in the way that Jasmine regards her like she’s attentively listening that has Miyeon pouring out her whole life story to her four-legged companion. She told Jasmine about all of her friends, her family, her passions and interests, the things she loves and the stuff she hates, and basically everything else under the sun.

 

Jasmine is a great listener, and Miyeon adores how she would tilt her head whenever the girl is speaking to her. Or when the pup seemingly tries to respond by making weird, guttural sounds that cross between a howl and a whine. Huskies are known to be one of the most vocal dog breeds, according to the internet, so Miyeon isn’t all that surprised by how “talkative” hers is.

 

In the short time she’s come to know her canine buddy, the raven realizes a couple of things:

  1. Jasmine absolutely hates baths and would either hide around the house or start crying when Miyeon attempts to retrieve her (she’s resorted to cleaning the puppy with a wet washcloth and using an aromatherapy spray to mask the distinct smell of earth and musk from her outdoor activities), and
  2. Jasmine is quite silly and eccentric in her own right.

 

She sprawls across the floor while eating sometimes, she takes naps in the most bizarre positions with her tongue sticking out, she chases after the butterflies that flutter in the garden and trips while doing so, and once, Miyeon had even caught her snoozing inside the fridge when she left it open to clean out the contents.

 

On top of all that, Jasmine is also very capable of expressing herself whenever she wants to. In a good mood, she yips while prancing around on her tappy paws that click against the hardwood floor in excitement. But when she’s bored, impatient, or simply dissatisfied when Miyeon doesn’t give her enough attention, Jasmine throws a tantrum in the form of horrifically fragmented wails that sound like a dying animal as she stomps her paws with an aggravated huff.

 

For a cuddly, yet funny animal, the husky can be quite the drama queen if her needs aren’t met. But no matter how bratty Jasmine may get at times, Miyeon would still give her the world if it means making her happy. And with that, she wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

 

It’s been a really delightful fortnight ever since Jasmine was adopted into her life, and all of Chan’s initial concerns about a hybrid possibility were long since forgotten to Miyeon until one Saturday afternoon.

 

Miyeon is reclining in the hammock chair of her outdoor reading nook, a homemade glass of blueberry iced tea—garnished with mint leaves and lemon slices—in one hand, and a contemporary YA novel in the other. Her eyeglasses have slipped down the slope of her nose again, but Miyeon can’t be bothered to push them up when she’s heavily invested in the story. Aled’s identity as the anonymous creator of a fairly-known YouTube podcast gets revealed by obsessive fans due to Frances’ mistakes, and their friendship begins to fall apart as a result.

 

She’s so engrossed in the conflict by this point, she hasn’t checked Jasmine's whereabouts until there was a timid tug on the sleeve of her linen shirt.

 

Normally, upon seeing a random stranger standing beside you on your back porch, you’re likely to react by screaming at the top of your lungs and hurling yourself off the chair. Which is exactly what Miyeon did.

 

“Oh my God!”

 

Her book flies one way while her drink goes the other. Blueberry tea splashes all over her clothes as a shorter, teenage-looking girl flings backward with a whimper and throws her hands up to immediately cover her face. In doing so, the intruder drops to the floor along with something else and kicks her feet until she’s shoved against the railing. Keeping as much distance between them as possible before she folds up like a provoked hedgehog.

 

Without any weapon in her reach, Miyeon tries to look as fierce as she could by raising her fists in front of her. Even though she’s well aware that her body won’t last in a physical fight.

 

But then Miyeon notices the way this girl is acting, startled, submissive, and fearful, as her shiny blue eyes peek behind trembling fingers caked with dirt. Her pitch-black hair is long and scraggly as it hangs down to her waist in matted waves, and her figure is hunched over into such a tight ball that Miyeon can barely make out what she’s wearing. But it looks very shabby and unwashed.

 

When she realizes that the girl isn’t posing a threat, her heart slows down ever so slightly from its rapid beating. She finally registers the two pointed dog ears pinned back against the mass of tangled hair, as well as the white-tipped tail that’s tucked between her legs in an effort to look even smaller.

 

Miyeon’s arms drop in surprise when the pieces finally click into place, especially when her eyes drop to the teal-blue collar that’s clasped around the girl’s dainty neck. Pet tag and everything.

 

“You… Are you…” She tries to speak but feels completely tongue-tied.

 

Hesitantly, the fraught girl lowers her hands to reveal her meek-looking face. Her hair is still half-covering her features, but Miyeon can discern the pink lips, her squishy nose, and a prominent cheekbone over the layer of pudge. She appears frightened still, but her tentative hands reach forward to the wilted jasmine stalk that’s been dropped and accidentally stomped on during the scramble.

 

Even though it’s not in the best shape anymore, her fingers tightly clasp around the bruised stem like the flowers meant something important to her. To them, rather.

 

“… Jasmine?”

 

A brisk nod was the girl’s answer, but she stayed glued to the floor in a fetal sitting position with her ears still folded back on her head. Mouth tightly closed and her gaze averted to the jasmine plant as she her lips nervously. Miyeon can’t help but frown in concern at the dirt marks trailing her jade-white skin, along with the clumps of nature that are stuck in her hair.

 

With Chan’s loose suggestions echoing in her mind, could Miyeon’s little pup actually be an escaped hybrid all along?

 

“You’re a hybrid.” Miyeon states the obvious as another nod follows, and she takes a moment to process all this.

 

She wants to say something more—maybe ask what happened to Jasmine or how the girl has ended up in such a ragged state—until the buzzing of an eager bee forces her attention back to the spilled mess and the sticky juice that’s beginning to dry on her.

 

“Um, just give me a moment to clean up, alright? I won’t take long.”

 

Miyeon hastily scoops up the fallen glass and her soaked book, which unfortunately suffered the most with its red-stained pages dripping from the liquid. Guess I’ll have to find a new copy then. She thinks off-handedly before hurrying back inside her house. The fate of Frances and Aled’s broken friendship will have to remain a mystery for now.

 

For the next few minutes, Jasmine waits exactly on the same spot and has looped her arms around her legs. Hugging them up to her chest as she anxiously stares at the screen door where Miyeon has disappeared behind after mopping up the spill. When Miyeon does return in a fresh cardigan shirt and a new pair of lounge shorts, she’s surprised to find that Jasmine hasn’t moved from her uncomfortable position on the floor. But it’s evident from the alarm set deep within those glistening blue eyes that the poor hybrid is still very much shaken from their earlier panic.

 

With her heart sorrowing at the sight, Miyeon pours out some iced tea into the two glasses she’s brought. One for each of them as she carefully sits down by the porch steps a good several feet away from the wary girl.

 

Placing the drinks between them, she offers up a compassionate smile.

 

“I’m sorry for freaking out so badly,” Miyeon does a sheepish laugh while scratching her nape, hoping it would lighten the tone. “You just startled me back there.”

 

The hybrid doesn’t respond, only studies her in silence with those piercing eyes the color of winter ice. If it had taken Jasmine more than two whole weeks to switch forms in front of Miyeon, God knows how long it would take before she’s willing to speak freely with her.

 

Miyeon knows that she has to be patient around this strange girl. Even if it means having to play the waiting game (which, by the way, Miyeon is not very good at) like she had done when Jasmine was just a scared baby husky.

 

She gently nudges the other glass towards her, feeling as if every movement is being scrutinized by her companion, and smiles softly.

 

“Here, you must be thirsty.”

 

As an invitation of sorts, Miyeon takes a long, refreshing sip of her cold drink and utters a delighted sigh afterward. She sees Jasmine glancing at the offered cup before looking back at Miyeon, still rather skeptical. Miyeon opts to shift her gaze towards the garden instead, posing nonchalance as a big, yellow swallowtail hovers by a purple lilac shrub, and observes the puppy girl from the corner of her eye.

 

Jasmine, feeling that she’s not the one being watched anymore, reaches for the other cup and grasps it between her small hands. They’re still shaking a bit, but she brings the glass up to her lips and slurps rather loudly before sighing the way Miyeon has done.

 

If she strains her eyes enough, Miyeon would notice how Jasmine’s ears flicker atop her head as her tail thumps lightly against the floorboards. She seems a little more at ease too.

 

“How old are you? I’m twenty-four.” Miyeon asked after taking another sip of her iced tea.

 

Every time she drank from her glass, Jasmine would follow suit by copying her actions with a lack of confidence. And when Miyeon turns to her while her lips, Jasmine’s little tongue peeks out and drags along her own too. She tries to contain the amused giggle bubbling in , worried that it might offend or discourage the quiet hybrid, and simply glances at her feet instead. When Miyeon looks away again, the other girl loosens up and sits more naturally with her legs outstretched.

 

“I take it, you’re younger than me, yes?” Miyeon pauses when Jasmine nods. “Younger than twenty?” A swift shake of the head.

 

Past the dark mane of Jasmine’s unruly hair, Miyeon supposes that her youthful face would provide a good estimate of her age. She definitely seems determined not to speak at all, and Miyeon can’t help wondering if the pup had spent her whole life on a hybrid farm or was taken there against her will. Never knowing nor exploring what lies out there in the world until she had finally gotten free.

 

Had she escaped, or was she recovered and then subsequently abandoned?

 

These questions start to whisk around the raven’s mind like a stack of papers next to an electric fan, but Miyeon reckons that it wouldn’t be right to start questioning her. The young girl appears too shy to even maintain proper eye contact for more than just a minuscule breath, so the chances of Jasmine explaining her entire life story is very much like getting Soyeon to eat vegetables—it’s not happening anytime soon.

 

One thing is certain, though, and that’s a bath for the puppy.

 

“Would you like me to draw you a bath and get you a new change of clothes? I can find some fresh towels you could use.”

 

Miyeon regrets her words the second Jasmine’s face blanches as she shakes her head fiercely. With another whimper, the poor girl begins to shuffle backward until her body is pressed up against the wall paneling and shrinks to the floor as her fur bristles in fear. Her legs are drawn so close to her chest, all Miyeon could see were her frost-blue eyes until her hair drooped over them when she tucks her face away from sight. Miyeon had to stop herself from reaching out to Jasmine, worried that it might prompt the hybrid to withdraw even further into her shell.

 

If any of her other friends were upset, she wouldn’t think twice about leaning over to hug them and their hair or squeezing their arm reassuringly. But Miyeon feels that if she does the same to Jasmine, the cowering pup would bolt for the nearest exit.

 

And then, what would happen?

 

“It’s okay, it’s okay! Don’t worry,” Miyeon waves her hands in front of her, keeping her voice as gentle and soothing as she could to pacify the teary-eyed girl. “You don’t have to if you really don’t want to. It’s fine.”

 

Jasmine’s flattened ears peek from her hair, followed by a glimmering eye that watches Miyeon like a hawk as her dirt-crusted fingers curl into the worn fabric at her knees. But Miyeon retains that sweet smile on her face, one that her companion is more than acquainted with after weeks of being on its receiving end.

 

“Are you afraid of water, Jasmine?”

 

The puppy nods vehemently as her fuzzy ears wilt downward in sadness.

 

“Well, that’s alright. Water can seem very scary sometimes, especially if it’s cold and dark.” The older girl assures softly, feeling empathetic. Having a phobia can be rather debilitating, after all.

 

When Jasmine gives another pantomime of a nod, Miyeon needs to pause so she wouldn’t laugh at how adorable the hybrid is. Even though it comes from a sincerely affectionate place, she’s aware that it might not sound very polite to Jasmine. But still, this little husky needs a bath one way or another.

 

A lightbulb goes off in her head.

 

“Wait here, I think I’ve got something we can try.”

 

With a bit of push and shove inside her cramped gardening shed, Miyeon managed to drag out a few items after barely dodging the metal bucket that would’ve made her see stars. Jasmine hasn’t moved an inch besides craning her neck to follow Miyeon’s figure as she trudges across the garden with purpose.

 

Despite the clock heading towards four in the afternoon, the summer sun and heat of the day aren’t leaving anytime soon as Miyeon blows up a multicolored beach ball with an air pump she’d use for her bicycle tires. Once the ball takes shape, she rolls it gently across the grass towards Jasmine’s direction until it stops at the bottom of the porch stairs.

 

The whites of Jasmine’s eyes are noticeable as they widen comically at the beach ball sitting on the ground, its glossy surface shining with all the colors from the sunlight reflecting against it. Meanwhile, Miyeon sets up the paddling pool she had found upon moving into the property and couldn’t be bothered to throw away before filling it up with water from the garden hose.

 

Up till now, it’s been monkey see, monkey do. If Jasmine sees how Miyeon is enjoying and having fun in the fairly shallow but warm pool, perhaps she’ll follow suit. At least, that’s what Miyeon hopes for.

 

From afar, Jasmine tilts her head and observes curiously as Miyeon pours in some scented bubble bath product to produce foam. Then, out of nowhere, she strips down to her undergarments and kicks off her slippers before stepping into the bubble-laden pool. Glasses gone and resting atop her neatly folded clothes on the grass.

 

“Oh, wow. This feels amazing!”

 

She makes sure to really exaggerate how nice the silky bathwater is by splashing around and laughing merrily, seeing how the girl is damn near twisting her own tail and biting it in fear of Miyeon getting hurt by the frothy bubbles.

 

Miyeon comes to realize then that if she starts overthinking why Jasmine is so scared, she’ll definitely not like the sad possibilities her mind would suggest.

 

“Hey, Jasmine! Roll the ball to me, just like I did!” Miyeon grinned, trying to hype her friend up by clapping her hands with a lot more energy than intended. Anything to get her out of the box that she’s crawled into.

 

Jasmine’s ears prick up inquisitively as she flits her eyes from Miyeon, to the ball, to the pool, and then back to Miyeon again. Repeating this pattern until she appears dazed and disoriented.

 

Just when Miyeon starts to believe that all of this may have been a losing effort and she would have to deal with a stinky hybrid in her home all night, Jasmine begins to inch her way down the porch steps. Crouched on all fours as she propels herself by the balls of her feet, tail standing curved over her back like a sickle as her fingertips touch the floor. After giving the beach ball a cursory sniff and a light tap, she gingerly grabs it before standing up and holding the object up to her chest.

 

Miyeon claps her hands once more while trying to ignore the various rips and holes in the young girl’s tattered clothes, yet her heart still sags at their pitiful state.

 

“Do you like the colors, Jasmine?” Miyeon says instead to distract herself.

 

The pup stares at the vivid selection of colors with such childlike fascination as she spins the object carefully in her hands, deliberating for a while before turning back to Miyeon and nodding. She rolls the colorful ball over to the raven, who scoots over to the edge of the pool so she can roll it back again.

 

“That’s it, you’re doing great!” Miyeon commends proudly, causing Jasmine to blush and duck her head as her tail wags shyly from the praise. “Such a good puppy!”

 

They keep a consistent pattern this way, a gentle exchange of the ball as it rolls back and forth between them with the hybrid advancing a step each time. Until finally, Jasmine is clutching the ball just a meter away from the paddling pool.

 

So far, they’ve been taking baby steps into coaxing Jasmine out of her comfort zone. But now that Jasmine has come down from the porch at last, Miyeon feels very accomplished to have made some progress.

 

“Do you like the bubbles too?” Miyeon asked when her companion gazed at the thick foam enveloping her within a sea of white. She dunks into it and scoops up a handful for Jasmine, who cautiously sniffs at the lump of soap bubbles that smell an awful lot like lavender before pulling back to look at Miyeon again. Her big eyes sparkle in awe as if the older girl was some sort of magician doing the impossible, like Jasmine has never seen anything like this before and is experiencing it for the very first time.

 

Miyeon finds her positively endearing.

 

This time, Jasmine shrugs in response to her recent question—likely undecided on how she feels about the bubble situation—so Miyeon smiles and gestures for the pup to watch her. She turns to the side and, with puffed cheeks, blows at the foam in her hands so that it launches up into the air away from them.

 

Jasmine flinched and recoiled at first. But once she saw the clear bubbles floating upwards to the summer sky, her jaw dropped along with the beach ball falling out of her hands. Seconds later, she immediately copied Miyeon’s clapping and made the single most cutest squeal to have ever graced her ears.

 

Oh my God, she’s like an innocent baby. Miyeon could almost cry.

 

“Go on, Jasmine! You try!” Miyeon encouraged as she motioned at the bubbles in the pool. “Trust me, they’re perfectly safe. Just don’t try eating any of them, though, they’re not edible.” She added jokingly.

 

There was a long pause of contemplation, which included a lot of sniffing, scrutinizing, and tail swishing, before Jasmine slowly lowered herself until she’s crouching in front of the paddling pool. Miyeon stays very still as the hybrid eases one hand over, sweeping the bubbles that were like liquid clouds under her fingertips and making them pop simultaneously. Her wide eyes twinkle in wonderment as she tries to figure out what kind of magic this is while Miyeon fondly regards her incredulous expression fit for a harmless puppy.

 

Up close, her crystal-blue irises shimmer like gemstones and sea ripples under the sunlight. Like glass windows that reflect the beholder’s soul, which is pure and honest.

 

Feeling brave, Jasmine delicately cups the tiniest handful of white foam and reciprocates Miyeon’s previous actions. Her face instantly breaks into a huge smile as she watches the small bubbles drifting aimlessly into the air until they’re unnoticeable from a distance.

 

For the rest of their afternoon, they did just that. The beach ball was long forgotten as they took turns blowing bubbles and popping as many as they could until the sun began to set on the horizon.

 

At some point, Jasmine had mustered enough confidence to shed the ruined clothes off her body (much to Miyeon’s complete shock and panic as she veered her eyes away with pink cheeks) and join the raven in the lavender-scented bath. She makes another noncommittal noise in the back of when her skin comes into contact with the warm water that went just above her ankle, but then relaxes as soon as Miyeon reaches forward to grasp her wrist gently and guide the semi-anxious girl into the pool until they’re sitting right across each other.

 

“Is it okay if we remove this?” Miyeon gestures at the dog collar around Jasmine's neck, holding the silver tag between her fingers as she unconsciously runs her thumb along the name that’s carved into it. The pup nods willingly, and she unfastens the buckle on her nape before placing the collar aside with her own things.

 

Miyeon isn’t sure how she feels about a human-looking Jasmine wearing what’s otherwise a pet collar, but maybe she’ll consider putting it back on later if the girl still wants it.

 

It took a little more time and effort than Miyeon had expected to properly bathe her pup (as properly as you can inside an inflatable pool, that is). Not only because of the amount of filth and grime she had to rigorously scrub through after getting Jasmine’s permission to touch her in, err, certain areas… but also because her animal appendages were quite the chore to clean. Apart from the thick layers of fur covering her stubborn tail, her dog ears were also fairly sensitive to the touch that it was almost a challenge to wash and rinse all the suds off without hurting Jasmine by accident.

 

But somehow, she still made it work even with Jasmine’s uncontrollable squirming from how ticklish Miyeon’s touches were—which may have been done on purpose in order to make Jasmine relax better—and now her puppy is practically glowing like a blue ribbon candidate for a bench show.

 

Later on, when she’s helping Jasmine dry off her hair while being extra mindful of her twitchy ears, a realization suddenly dawns on Miyeon.

 

In a similar way that she had broken down the walls and built a small connection of trust between her and Jasmine the husky pup. Miyeon felt as if she had just fortified a new bridge that day, one that brought upon a sense of closeness between her and Jasmine the hybrid girl.

 

 

Today, Miyeon is rearranging some of the new books on display and doing inventory checks while Soyeon manages the cafe side of their business.

 

It wasn’t exactly a slow day at work. But seeing as Jasmine is more than accustomed to her surroundings by now, she seems happy and content in her personal spot near the counter. A small, round table that’s out of the way, but still in the Cho sisters’ sight.

 

Soyeon took the hybrid news pretty well. Although, granted, she was a bit unsure of Jasmine the girl as she was with Jasmine the husky. But she still came around just like the first time after caving in to those big, ol’ puppy eyes that never failed to weaken her resolve and affectionately ruffled Jasmine’s hair as if nothing changed at all. At the end of the day, Soyeon didn’t care too much about it. She’d even have Jasmine help around by unhauling any book deliveries that arrived and sticking price tags on the back of copies for Miyeon to stock on the shelves later.

 

“Try this, Jasmine. It’s really yummy.” Miyeon said as she unwrapped a twinkie bar and passed it to her companion, who looked intrigued by the golden color of the tubular sponge cake.

 

When it came to the tray of snacks that were on sale to the patrons, however, Soyeon had scoffed in mild disapproval.

 

“That’s coming out of your pay, unnie. Just so you know.” She spoke over her shoulder while cleaning up the workstation. Unlike before, Soyeon isn’t wearing a face mask today on the assumption that her allergies won’t act up so long as Jasmine doesn’t revert back to her puppy form. (So far, she’s only sneezed once and didn’t have to plug up her nose with tissues again.)

 

Blue eyes lower to the table as Jasmine’s furry ears droop in shame, but Miyeon only places the twinkie beside her clasped hands with a soft smile. She sweetly told the girl to just ignore her grumpy younger sister and hovered by to see what new drawings Jasmine had been creating.

 

Papers are strewn across the table’s surface that you can barely see the wood anymore—some with scribbles, some not—along with an assortment of various coloring materials ranging from pencils to markers, to even simple crayons that tend to snap quite easily. But they gave Jasmine the creative freedom to use them in whatever way she wished and experiment with different mediums. As it turns out, the hybrid has taken to drawing like a duck to water because of Miyeon’s artistic hobbies at home.

 

Even though the lines are crooked and the coloring is all over the place, they still look very cute. Like something a child would draw. Miyeon always cherished every piece of art Jasmine would make by pinning them on the refrigerator door like a proud parent, and she’s even dedicated a section of her bedroom wall to Jasmine by turning it into a mini art gallery for all her drawings to be put on display.

 

Now, every morning, Miyeon feels a sense of warmth and pride in her chest whenever she wakes up to Jasmine’s colorful doodles on her wall.

 

“I really like your drawings, Jaz. What’s this one?” She pointed at the paper that Jasmine had been scribbling on with colored markers, regardless of the fact that she won’t get a verbal answer from her.

 

Jasmine peers up at Miyeon and blinks once in attention, as if she’s trying to send a telepathic message to the older girl. There’s a loose strand of hair dangling in front of her face, which Miyeon reflexively tucks aside with gentle fingers.

 

The first time they drew together, Jasmine got annoyed with the way her hair kept falling onto her paper whenever she looked down for too long and even growled in frustration. Miyeon resolved this by graciously tying her long mane back into a neat ponytail so she wouldn’t be distracted and made sure it wasn’t too tight around the dog ears. Ever since then, Jasmine insisted that Miyeon should tie her hair whenever she wanted to draw. Which is pretty much every day.

 

Rustling some of the papers, Jasmine points to another drawing for Miyeon to tilt her head at when she looks over it.

 

From what she can decipher, the very short stick person with squiggly silver hair and a frowny face is Soyeon (accurately so) while the one standing next to them is Jasmine. A slightly taller figure with thin, black triangles on their head, a barbed tail, and a smiley face. How adorable.

 

“Aww, you drew yourself with your Soyeon-unnie. That’s so cute.” Miyeon cooed, complimenting the artwork easily as her pup showed another piece of paper depicting a ramen bowl and a swirly sun next to some clouds—one of Jasmine’s favorite foods and weather.

 

The husky then uncaps a black felt-tip and slides back whatever she’s been working on towards herself. She hesitates for a bit, marker poised above paper, before glancing nervously at Miyeon.

 

The final drawing is a third stick figure with short hair, holding what appears to be a puppy in their arms. Miyeon smiled a little and was about to ask Jasmine if it was her being held, when the pup added stripes over the orange cat appendages and on the sides of their face with a pleased grin. The raven was glad that she hadn’t asked the question yet, because now she’s just a wee bit puzzled.

 

“Is that you?” An enthusiastic nod. “With… a tiger hybrid?”

 

Pausing, Jasmine stares up at Miyeon again with those dazzling blue eyes that sparkle like topaz gems under the light. She can’t quite read the pup’s expression that well, and neither does Soyeon when she makes her way over from the other side to pore over the drawings. Jasmine points her finger at the ‘cat’ once more while looking at the Cho sisters almost pleadingly.

 

“Tiger?” Soyeon queried all the same, drying her hands on the coffee-stained apron around her waist, only to have Jasmine shake her head. Apparently more desperate now. “Okay, uh, maybe a cat then…? A kitten, perhaps?”

 

The young girl brightens immediately. She sits up in excitement while her collar bell jingles along with the action, but then sighs quietly afterward as she deflates along with her ears. Miyeon shares a glance with Soyeon and contemplates until a thought strikes her at last.

 

“Oh, I think I get it now!” She exclaimed with a snap of her fingers. “It’s a kitty, isn’t it?”

 

Jasmine yips in happiness when Miyeon finally gets it right and bobs her head vigorously. She reaches for another marker and pushes it into the elder’s hand, tapping on the drawing with her index as she tugs urgently on the sleeve of Miyeon’s blouse. Soyeon observes them interact with curious fascination while Miyeon tries to interpret what Jasmine wants.

 

“You want me to draw a kitty?” Another shake of the pup’s head. “You… want me to write the word ‘kitty’?”

 

The toothy grin Jasmine gives to her is so wide, Miyeon thinks that her sweet, little face might tear in half when she sees those sharp canines poking out to her bottom lip. Her eyes twinkle like they’re full of stars, her cheeks are bunched up so adorably that Miyeon just wants to pinch them, and her tail is wagging a mile a minute with how fast it’s moving.

 

She’s not sure how on Earth a tiger hybrid equates to a kitty, but whatever makes her beloved companion happy.

 

Such a cutie.

 

Miyeon breaks into a wholesome laugh and nods before leaning down to write “Kitty” in her neatest handwriting. The sight of Jasmine’s beaming expression at the finished product has Miyeon feeling all soft inside, she can’t help but rub her puppy’s head and coo at the way Jasmine would nudge into her palm for more petting. It always makes her feel like a good girl.

 

The sound of a bell ringing can be heard across the shop as an elderly man steps inside. Soyeon recognizes him as another one of their regulars and turns to head back, but not before jerking her thumb at where their office is.

 

“Stick Jasmine’s work on the bulletin board when she’s done, unnie. It’ll look nice up there.” Soyeon proposed as she twisted on her heel to greet the gentleman at the cafe counter. “Hello, Mr. Jung! Have you worn your hearing aid today, sir?”

 

There’s a short period of silence as Miyeon picks up the drawing of Soyeon and Jasmine together.

 

“I SAID, HAVE YOU WORN YOUR HEARING AID TODAY, MR. JUNG?”

 

Miyeon had to slap a hand over so she wouldn’t burst out laughing, though a few wheezing noises managed to escape from her lips as she threw her head back in mirth. Jasmine notices this and promptly repeats the action with her shoulders bouncing as the collar bell clinks against her name tag.

 

The pair of them stay like that for a while, wheezing together like two happy weirdos until Miyeon calms down and decides to go back to work before Soyeon nags her for procrastinating on the job.

 

“Miyeon-unnie.” Soyeon sent a glare towards her half-sister later on in the day after handing out an americano to the last customer in line.

 

It’s well past noon now, and the earlier flood of patrons rushing in for lunch has soon diminished to just a handful of them sitting around with cups, books, and laptops crammed on their tables.

 

Since Jasmine isn’t in her puppy form, she seems to enjoy the autonomy of being able to reach certain places in her human state. Granted, she’s a little too big to be sitting on the extended counter. But Miyeon doesn’t mind at all, in fact, she’s glad to have the hybrid around for company as Jasmine sits criss-cross applesauce next to the computer while watching her type away with intrigued eyes.

 

Even for something as mundane as desk work—whether it was ordering items online or checking the quantity of stocks they have left in their library catalogue—Jasmine’s childlike sense of wonder still found it interesting somehow. Rarely is there ever a dull moment in the young husky’s life as she learns new things about the town, the people, and herself almost every day.

 

“What? Jaz seems to like sitting on the counter.” Miyeon puts on an innocent smile that doesn’t fool Soyeon for a second and unwraps another twinkie bar for Jasmine. “She’s not as short as you, obviously, but she’s small enough. Plus, Jasmine really likes twinkies.”

 

Soyeon has to remind herself that Miyeon is the older sibling and she’s therefore obligated to respect her, even though she really wants to throw a dishrag at her cheeky face.

 

“That’s all well and good, unnie, but I don’t like this unpaid twinkie tab you’re racking up on her behalf.” Soyeon rolls her eyes instead as the entrance bell rings in the background.

 

Jasmine’s cheeks are stuffed with cream-filled sponge cake when she swivels her head towards the sound, ears perking up in recognition when she spots the fox-eyed florist entering the book cafe. Like clockwork, Soyeon dashes back to her counter as if she’s running on auto-pilot. But not before combing a hand through her ashen hair and fixing the collar of her button-up in hopes that she looks presentable, just as the source of all her affections makes her way over with a gracious smile on her sweet, cherubic face.

 

“Well, this is new.” Soojin comments in that soothing-edged voice of hers as she glances at Jasmine from the side. “Normally, Miyeon-unnie has all of her art stuff scattered on her desk.”

 

“Yeah? Tell me about it.” Soyeon jokes while going to prepare Soojin’s usual order with its extra shot of espresso.

 

Soojin turns away from Jasmine and Miyeon as she withdraws her wallet, only to pause midway as her eyes go wide. She looks back at the husky, who her head curiously at the florist’s dumbstruck expression, and points at the pair of furry dog ears flicking on top of her head. In a state of confusion, Jasmine throws a glance at Miyeon and mirrors the way she chuckled behind her hand.

 

“Is… Is she…?” Soojin began as she eyed the brush tail that greeted her with a relaxed sway.

 

“Oh, I forgot! Soojin, this is Jasmine. You remember her as my Siberian puppy, right? She’s also a hybrid!” Miyeon cheerfully informs her as she gives Jasmine’s knee an affectionate pat, all sunshine and rainbows. “Isn’t she just the cutest?”

 

Said girl offers a polite wave, tail sweeping lazily across the counter as a dog-like grin settles on her lips. Soojin blinks momentarily before reciprocating it with a small but friendly smile of her own.

 

“She sure is, unnie.” The vixen warmly agrees, and poor Jasmine can barely contain the blush that rages on her cheeks in a flush of pink.

 

“Jasmine is our special flower in the family now,” Soyeon casually states while pouring caramel syrup into a serving cup as the milk is being frothed. Both Miyeon and Jasmine smile happily from her words. “But she’s gonna cost me a fortune in all of the twinkies Miyeon-unnie keeps feeding her.”

 

Miyeon only shrugs, seemingly distracted by Jasmine’s puffy cheeks as she reaches up to squish them between her hands and simpers at the cute whine she gets from her pouty pup. Unbeknownst to her, an increasingly dismayed Soyeon can already imagine the money sprouting wings and flying out her wallet at the sight of plastic wrappers piled up on Miyeon’s desk.

 

Soojin giggles softly. “Well, if ever she needs a loan to cover for them, she’s welcome to drop by the bank and get in touch with my brother there.”

 

Leaning over the shared counter space, her expression turns solemn as her voice takes a more serious tone. “Changbin and his manager have been planning to set up accounts for any hybrids who are passing through. It’s a great way of providing them with new identification and funds if they need a fresh start.”

 

Soyeon, for the life of her, can’t seem to listen when she’s very focused on how stupidly beautiful Soojin looks in her white milkmaid dress and imagining her fox-eyed maiden frolicking through a flowerfield as hearts begin to shoot from her eyes. Miyeon, on the other hand, is listening intently and nodding along. The raven notes that it might be important for Jasmine to have some documents prepared if she doesn’t have one already, especially if the girl is a runaway.

 

When Miyeon glances at the pup in question, there’s a strange look shadowing her face and a noticeable wobble of her bottom lip like she’s trying to articulate words. Does Jasmine want to tell Soojin about something?

 

“Down at the police station, Ryujin told me that their dispatcher keeps getting calls about strays breaking into properties to steal clothes off laundry lines or food from pantries. It’s heartbreaking to hear how desperate these hybrids have gotten just to get by.” Soojin finished, only to pause once more when she remembers that Jasmine can still very much hear them.

 

Right on cue, Jasmine’s eyes glass over as she meeks out a tiny whine that has Miyeon’s heart twisting at how sad she’s sounded. As the three older girls face her with such worried expressions, the puppy slinks off the counter and retreats into the back office with her tail hanging low. Miyeon almost goes after her, but then reasons that maybe Jasmine needs a moment by herself and decides to stay put. Frowning down at the hands on her lap as she wonders, What happened to Jasmine before I found her?

 

“Ah, I’m sorry for my big mouth. I should’ve been more sensitive to how she’d feel about all this.” Soojin sighed, looking rather guilty. “But Jasmine has a friend in me, my brother, and the bank. Even Ryujin at the station. Please let her know that.”

 

Miyeon feels grateful. “Of course. Thank you, Soojin. I’m sure Jasmine would appreciate that a lot.”

 

Nodding once, the florist turns back to the nerve-wrecked Soyeon as she bashfully passes her a few notes in exchange for the takeout cup and a paper bag. The silver-haired barista takes it with blushing cheeks and a fumbling hand, which doesn’t go unnoticed by Miyeon who restrains herself from snorting at these oblivious fools.

 

At the same time, the awkwardness of it all just makes her want to groan out loud.

 

Goodness, they’re even denser than the forest! She complains inwardly.

 

With her chocolate-brown eyes lingering on Soyeon, Soojin smiles at them both before exiting the cafe with her drink and pie in hand. The bell on the door rings in her wake, and Soyeon expels a wistful sigh. Smitten as a kitten.

 

“I can’t imagine how hard it must be for these poor hybrids,” Miyeon shakes her head as she looks towards her younger sister, who still has that lovestruck gaze in her cat eyes. “Who knows what they have to go through every day?”

 

The response she gets is an absentminded hum. “Mhm, yeah… Do you think Soojin is close to this Ryujin from the station?” Soyeon asked suspiciously.

 

Miyeon resists the urge to slap her own forehead.

 

“Is that seriously all you took from the conversation, Soyeon?” She chastised with a click of her tongue, moving to dispose of the twinkie wrappers into the trash bin under her desk. “We have bigger things to concentrate on right now! The sooner you confess your feelings to that gorgeous flower maiden of yours, the better! So, make up your mind.”

 

Soyeon goes off into her typical long-winded rants about how she’s not a lovesick puppy as Miyeon poses her to be (a complete and utter lie, by the way), while Jasmine edges her way back from the office without either of them noticing. Her eyes scan along the counter for any sign of the brown-haired vixen and deflates slightly when she discovers that Soojin isn’t there anymore.

 

With a soft whimper and lowered ears, the pup quietly trudges back into the office while clutching two papers in her hands. One with the kitty doodle, and the other with a drawing of another hybrid in a long fringe and two round mouse ears sitting atop the head of red hair.

 

 

Miyeon’s days ultimately flew by quicker than before now that she has someone around as constant company.

 

Jasmine enjoys being in her human form more when they’re at home. Unless Miyeon tries to run her a bath, then she’ll automatically shift back into her puppy form and hide under whatever furniture she can access like Miyeon’s bed. Staying put until the older girl gives up and resorts to the same old washcloth method from before. The pup would allow Miyeon to wash her hair over the bathtub, at least, so it’s a fair enough trade for now.

 

When they travelled on Miyeon’s bicycle, the two of them found it easier to have Jasmine sit in the crate basket as a puppy since the bike didn’t have any room for another passenger. However, this didn’t stop Miyeon from teaching Jasmine how to ride it after countless attempts that had the bike tipping over and leaving the poor hybrid tangled in the long grass. At the same time, Miyeon would try to (unsuccessfully) stifle her laughter as she rushed forward to help the pouting Jasmine back up on her feet.

 

But the husky was a natural at learning new things. And it wasn’t long until she was able to pedal off by herself and, quite literally, leave a bewildered Miyeon in the dust before the raven gave chase in a series of loud protests while flailing her arms like a bird trying to fly.

 

“H-Hey, wait! Jasmine, get your tail back over here!” Miyeon shouted as her pup cycled away and cackled like a madwoman on a mission. “Jasmine!”

 

The puppy girl loves being at the book cafe as the Cho sisters’ little assistant and helping out with simple tasks around the shop. But when she’s not, Jasmine is often seen at her usual corner drawing away to her heart’s content or sitting on the counter by Miyeon’s desk as she watches the transactions with her fascinated eyes.

 

She loves the twinkie bars Miyeon would slide to her in spite of Soyeon’s glaring, the head rubs and chin scratches Soojin would give her whenever she visits, and even Soyeon would pass her a milkshake along with a couple of pastries as an extra treat. To say that Jasmine is spoiled by her unnies would be an understatement, rather, she was pampered like a baby. Their maknae, if you will.

 

Jasmine also loves the kind, chatty ahjummas that would come into the shop and say hello by pinching her cheeks, which have gotten rounder and healthier with all of the food she’s devoured thanks to Miyeon and Soyeon. The pup has developed quite the voracious appetite that is both impressive and shocking, depending on how you look at it, so the siblings always made sure to feed her the bigger proportions and give her snacks whenever she’s hungry.

 

Sometimes, the three of them would drop by the night market on their way home from work since Jasmine really enjoys the dakkochi and gimbap being sold there. The sisters have gotten her to try their bubble tea mochis too, and the girl looked as if she had just uncovered one of the world’s hidden treasures from just a single bite. Since then, they never leave the market without stopping by one of the mochi stalls for Jasmine.

 

Miyeon’s love for oversized clothes didn’t quite have the same effect on her puppy, though. Jasmine was fine with them and even has a favorite green shirt that she wears as pajamas on most nights, but the wide leg-shorts were too loose around her hips and the baggy tops would hang from her like a bedsheet on a broomstick. Luckily, Soyeon has a pile of clothes she doesn’t really wear anymore that fit Jasmine’s body like a glove. Especially after Miyeon had cut holes into some of them for her tail to move about freely. And with a section of the raven’s wardrobe all to herself, the pup’s smile glowed.

 

Jasmine’s current favorite outfit is a striped knit sweater with a scooped neckline, a knee-length skirt that flowed with the wind, and a somewhat scuffed pair of old Birks. Miyeon rather enjoys calling her into the dining area for breakfast only to see the girl prancing over to the table in her modest but fashionable ensembles.

 

The pup still very much enjoys drawing with Miyeon as a fun, little pastime together and has produced a lot of brightly-colored artworks that have grown out of her mini gallery to hang around the house and even the cafe as decor.

 

While Miyeon hadn’t outright asked about it, she’d come to know that Jasmine barely knew how to read or write after seeing her struggle to understand different texts from the books they have in the shop. This, and the fact that she would always request either Miyeon or Soyeon to label her drawings just like that time with the “kitty”. So, the older girl has taken to teaching Jasmine on top of reading children’s books to her before bed.

 

But out of all the stories she’s read to her so far, Jasmine’s favorite one is still The Little Prince. And so, tonight, Miyeon is once again sitting against the headboard of their bed with a pillow cushioning her back. Holding a dog-eared copy in her hand, bookmarked and annotated within an inch of its life, and combing her fingers through Jasmine’s cotton-soft hair while the girl lays her head on Miyeon’s lap. Eyes closed as she keenly listened to the tale.

 

“To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes.” Miyeon recites the passage while diligently scratching the base of a furry ear, smiling at the pleased hum she gets as Jasmine snuggles into her touch. “But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world.”

 

Jasmine still tends to fall asleep in her puppy form, even more so during cold weathers since her thick fur provided an extra vestige of warmth against the chilly temperature. She’s usually tucked up in Miyeon’s blankets and pillows beside her on the bed. But one morning, Miyeon awoke to a smaller body pressed into her side with both an arm and a leg thrown over her as Jasmine cuddled the elder in her sleep.

 

She didn't feel the need to comment on this nor did she have to, as Miyeon was more content that her puppy is just comfortable lying beside her in either form.

 

During one rainy night when the clouds have darkened and loomed closer to the fields, the two find themselves stuck at home in the downpour of rain that showered above. It’s just drizzling, along with that grey, cloudy feeling that makes Miyeon want to curl up on the couch and read a book all evening while Jasmine is glued to the television screen. She knows it won’t last long, though, as the news informs them that the weather will take a turn for the worse later on. They warn of blackouts, heavy rainstorm, thunder and lightning, the worst.

 

Miyeon doesn’t mind the rain all that much. In fact, she kind of likes this sort of dreary but cool weather. So long as she isn’t standing outside in it, of course.

 

The older girl can’t say the same for Jasmine, however, especially when she’s awakened at the ungodly hour of 2AM with Jasmine trembling under the blankets and whimpering as she urgently tugs on Miyeon’s arm to get her attention. It’s dark, and the ceiling fan isn’t on. So, Miyeon figures that the power most likely went out from the storm. She rubs her eyes tiredly and rolls over to face Jasmine’s teary expression.

 

“Jaz…? Jaz, what’s wrong?” Miyeon mumbles in a voice rough with sleep. Her eyelids are heavy and she desperately wants to fall back asleep, but not when her mind is in a state of unrest at the distressed, pleading look on her puppy’s little face. Something is clearly off, and Miyeon has to get to the bottom of it.

 

“Are you… scared of the thunder?” Jasmine, this poor baby, nods her head and grips the pillow in her arms, crushing it to her chest like a safety net of sorts. “Are you scared of the lightning too? And the loud sounds?” She briskly nods again.

 

Drowsily, Miyeon looks toward her misted window just to see the pitter-patter of rain against the glass panes before a blinding flash illuminates the room. Followed by a rolling boom that shakes the walls with its powerful echo as Jasmine ducks her face into her pillow with a suppressed whine that gets muffled against it. For someone who’s slept through multiple alarms in a row, Miyeon isn’t too surprised that the storm hadn’t woken her up.

 

She wordlessly gets up to yank the curtains over the window, hoping to block out the lightning, then climbs back in so she can shimmy to Jasmine’s side of the bed and flip the duvet open as an invitation.

 

“Come here, puppy. I’ll cuddle you to sleep.”

 

Jasmine doesn’t waste a single second and burrows underneath the covers with Miyeon, who immediately engulfs her in a back hug once their bodies are pressed up together. The drawn curtain works, for the most part, the only problem now being the thunder that makes itself known every few minutes. It causes Jasmine to jump and whimper almost inaudibly, clinging to her pillow while burying her face in it. She screws her eyes shut while her tail flattens against her bottom, pointed ears laying flat amongst the locks of midnight-black in an effort to suppress the booming noises outside.

 

Every frightened sound and feeble cry she makes is absolutely heart-rending. Miyeon can’t just go to sleep with Jasmine like this, so she hums softly and lays a gentle hand on the crown of her pup’s head. Caressing her hair in what she hopes is a soothing motion.

 

A tiny whine escapes the hybrid when she abandons her pillow in favor of twisting her body around to face Miyeon completely, their eyes meeting in the darkness of the shadowed bedroom as winter-blue sought autumn-brown.

 

The thunder makes itself known once more. And suddenly, Jasmine is bracing herself onto the raven. Arms wrapping around her torso as she buries her face in Miyeon’s chest to inhale her calming scent. Miyeon is stunned for a moment, unsure of how to react when her heart races beneath her ribcage. She feels Jasmine’s shaky sigh of relief against her camisole and then a nose nudging at her clavicle. Miyeon takes it as a desperate signal to be comforted, and she resumes petting the back of Jasmine’s head, smoothing out the tangles there as she does so.

 

Jasmine quivers a bit longer in her embrace before Miyeon feels her slowly drifting off to sleep, and only then does she crane her neck down to nuzzle a soft kiss on the top of Jasmine’s head. Wondering how nice it would be to fall asleep like this every night as she settles back with a lingering smile on her resting face.

 

From there on out, most of their nights are spent like this: slumbering in each other’s arms or with Miyeon spooning Jasmine from behind as the hybrid curls her tail around Miyeon’s waist.

 

On a particularly hot Sunday afternoon in the oppressive heat of the sweltering sun, Miyeon invited her sister, Soojin, and even both Ryujin and Chan over to her house for a BBQ party. Changbin was invited too, but the banker had to oversee an emergency case in regards to work. He told Miyeon to stop by the bank sometime that week, though, so they could get started on Jasmine’s documents.

 

Having known and met Chan before, the pup was fairly relaxed and jovial around the benign vet. Conversely, however, she was fidgety around the intimidating newcomer who came as Soojin’s plus one—something Soyeon wasn’t too thrilled about—but came to discover that Ryujin is actually very likable and easy to talk to once you get past her apathetic front.

 

Soon enough, they all ganged up on a napping Soojin who’d been sunbathing in the backyard and sprayed her with water guns before running for their lives. A soaked and furious vixen hot on their heels while brandishing a pair of tongs she had swiped off the grill like a murder weapon.

 

“I swear to God, once I get my hands on the whole lot of you, it’s your asses on that grill!” Soojin swore as she sprinted after them, absolutely livid as the group continued to laugh ahead of her in unholy glee. Bonding together through their mutual love for mischief and innocuous pranks.

 

As dusk began to roll in, everyone gathered to sit at Miyeon’s porch to eat sticky pork ribs with glazed corn on the cob and potato salad. They also grilled steaks using the recipe that Soojin had provided and kept Jasmine’s a little more raw in the center, which she thoroughly enjoyed along with the cabbage and mayo coleslaw that Soyeon was more than happy to get rid off.

 

Jasmine had watched Miyeon as always, monkey see, monkey do. She’d hum in content whenever Miyeon did, covered while imitating the way Miyeon giggled, or wiped on a napkin in the same manner.

 

Whereas others would’ve had difficulty with Jasmine’s lack of speech, Miyeon finds it natural communicating with her puppy. She’s become a master at deciphering the expressions on Jasmine’s face and reading her eyes in order to fathom what they mean. But there’s always that one look she can’t quite seem to understand until now, something Miyeon fears no one would.

 

It came up again during one quiet afternoon when Soojin dropped them off at the bank to visit her brother so they could set Jasmine up with a bank account and a new identification. Unfortunately, it didn’t go so well. Jasmine stumbled at the first hurdle of making a name for the account, and Miyeon could sense her discomfort when the hybrid kept shifting in her seat.

 

“If you had a name before, there’s a chance that people would still be able to find you if you use it.” Seo Changbin starts patiently while pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “If you don’t want to be found, it might be better for you to have another name instead.”

 

There’s a period of silence before Jasmine turns to look at Miyeon with those sad blue eyes and that dejected expression on her face, which hits Miyeon square in the chest like a punch to the gut.

 

Sighing worriedly, Miyeon hugs her close with the arm draped around Jasmine’s shoulders and puts on what she hopes is a convincing smile.

 

“Do you want a new name, Jaz?”

 

The young girl nodded vaguely.

 

“Well, you can be a Cho like me and Soyeon. It’s not going to raise any suspicion, now would it?” Miyeon’s typical optimism is on full-blast as her smile broadens. “You’re a Cho too, after all!”

 

Changbin chuckles and types it onto his computer before glancing back at Jasmine.

 

“I think Jasmine is a fine name for an adult bank account, noona, but it’s hardly ever used around here.” He says softly. “It might draw attention to Jasmine if there’s someone trying to find her.”

 

Jasmine looks up at Miyeon again. But this time, there’s an inkling of protest in her eyes. The raven just squeezes her arm and rubs it reassuringly.

 

“I know how much you love your name, puppy. But maybe we should try something else, just to be safe.” Miyeon sweetly kisses the side of Jasmine’s head and turns back to Changbin. “We can go with a Korean name for her. Eunjoo is pretty popular, or perhaps Youngmi?”

 

The hybrid sits between the two while listening to their conversation, ears following the sound of their voices as her eyes flicker between Miyeon’s moving lips and the thoughtful expression on Changbin’s face. She bravely detaches from Miyeon’s side and gestures at the keyboard, to which the pair falls silent as the banker gently pushes it towards her.

 

With a tentative finger, poised and ready, Jasmine scans over each key until she finds the one she’s searching for. It’s one of the few letters she can recognize, so she presses it with less conviction than Changbin would and leans back into her chair as she stares up unsurely at Miyeon.

 

The two humans gaze at the screen, look at each other, and then face the pup simultaneously.

 

“Does your name begin with an S?” Miyeon hears herself ask.

 

Jasmine’s features soften as she nods to confirm it.

 

“Alright, so… Cho Sunyoung, it is then?” The bespectacled man suggests with a scratch behind his ear.

 

It’s the only thing they can decide on, to be honest. Neither could quite determine Jasmine’s age, her date of birth, or where she was even born. Seoul was easy enough for a hometown placement, but any other details pushed the already stressed-out Jasmine further into herself until she clammed up.

 

In fact, when Changbin asked her about any possible family members, the poor girl instantly switched into her puppy state and hid underneath Miyeon’s chair. Ears low, and her clothes piled on the floor with her dog collar resting among them. That’s when Miyeon knew enough was enough and gathered the sniveling pup into her arms. She thanked Changbin for his help while the banker apologized profusely for prodding too much into Jasmine’s background, then left as quickly as she could.

 

Miyeon hadn’t bothered going back to work for the rest of the day and just pedaled home slowly with Jasmine curled up in her crate basket. Silent and unmoving beneath the blanket cave she’s shoved her head into.

 

“I’m really sorry if we pressured you back there, Jaz… We should’ve stopped the moment you started getting uncomfortable.” Miyeon whispered when they laid in bed together that evening, guilt coating her words as she gingerly the pup’s muzzle with her index finger. “But when you’re ready to open up, I’ll be right here for you. Okay, puppy?”

 

Her companion only peeked at her through partially closed eyes, but the small she gave to her finger was enough to say that the raven had been forgiven.

 

Miyeon didn’t read her a story that night. Instead, they’d fallen asleep shortly after with Miyeon cuddling the husky close to her chest as Jasmine snuggled up to her warm body.

 

Jasmine remained in her furry form until the next morning, and their usual routine went back to normal.

 

Soyeon and Miyeon would take turns off work teaching the hybrid how to write, how to hold a pen, and even how to type a few basic sentences on the desk computer. At home, Jasmine would help prepare meals in the kitchen by washing and peeling vegetables or cutting up the meat. With chores, she would sweep the porches with a broom, water all the plants, and enjoyed bringing in clean laundry from the line. Mostly because she liked the fresh smell of summer that settled into the fabric and sheets whenever she shook them.

 

Then one day—after a quick trip to the local arts and crafts store—Miyeon had started teaching Jasmine how to use watercolor paint, and the girl instantly took to it like a duck to water.

 

In the evening, they regularly went for long walks in the grassy fields and country paths surrounding them. Jasmine would excitedly point towards the mountains reigning in the horizon and teeter at the edge of large fish ponds that teemed with aquatic life.

 

While Miyeon went to pick a couple of big, red apples from an overarching bough, she glanced back to find that Jasmine had climbed up a nearby tree and was casually sitting on a thick branch with a triumphant smirk. Miyeon shook her head with a light chuckle before scaling up alongside of her, and the two sat together in the narra tree while crunching on apples until the sun sunk behind the mountains and the pink skies turned an inky blue. The cicadas came out to play their songs within the blades of grass, and the moon dripped like liquid silver on the blanket of stars as the pond glimmered like a trove of jewels in its lunar glow.

 

When Miyeon brought her honey-brown eyes to meet the brilliant ice-blue of Jasmine’s, she began to wonder how she’d ever lived a life before her precious, little puppy had come along. And how she could ever live the rest of it without her.

 

 

The next time Miyeon suggested having Jasmine bathed again, all she got were betrayed eyes and huge temper tantrums in that typical husky behavior. The older girl couldn’t blame her pup for reacting that way, honestly. Jasmine was still scared, terrified even, to get anywhere near the bathtub for reasons Miyeon didn’t have an answer to.

 

Currently, Jasmine is wailing brokenly as she hides inside Miyeon’s closet in her human form. It’s been around a month since they’ve started living together, and Jasmine mostly ever shifts back into a puppy for convenience’s sake these days. Jasmine doesn’t exactly recall how she’s ended up in here, but the hybrid just knows that she’s not coming out at all. No matter how much ice cream Miyeon offers to her as compensation.

 

“Jasmine, sweetie, it’s okay. I’m not going to hurt you.” Miyeon’s crystalline voice can be heard from the other side of the shutters as she knocks on them lightly. “Please come out, I don’t like hearing you cry by yourself.”

 

The pup responds with a pathetic whine as she draws her legs even closer to her chest, tail laying flat on the floor as her ears pressed back against her skull.

 

“Please, Jaz? Do it for me, at least. You still have some dirt in your hair from playing out in the garden earlier.” Miyeon continues to plead while kneeling in front of her closet for the past five minutes now. “It’s just going to be like that time with the pool, remember? Only smaller and like… indoors.”

 

Jasmine only wails again, and Miyeon feels incredibly thankful that her neighbors are a few lots apart because good Lord, her companion sounds like a terribly injured animal on the brink of labor. And God forbid she has the police called up on her for all the wrong reasons.

 

“Okay, okay, um… How about I join you then? So, you don’t feel as scared going into it alone?” The raven compromised with flushed cheeks. “I-I need a bath myself, anyway.”

 

Surprisingly, that was enough for Jasmine to crack the shutter doors open by a sliver as a blue eye timidly peered through the narrow opening. Miyeon breaks into a dimpled grin, relieved to see that she’s finally getting through to her.

 

“That’s it, puppy. Come here.” She softly encouraged in that sweet, familiar tone that always succeeded in calming Jasmine down, so the girl steadily creeped out of her hiding place and into the safety of Miyeon’s outstretched arms that embraced her immediately. “Let me clean you up, alright? I promise it’ll be fast, and you’ll feel a whole lot better afterward.”

 

Jasmine whimpers, but nods regardless as she allows Miyeon to guide her into the bathroom with its shiny tiles reflecting the dust-speckled sunlight streaming through the tiny window. Her bottom lip trembles upon seeing the wooden tub that looks more reminiscent of a giant bucket, and her instincts flare up as she clutches onto Miyeon’s sleeve for comfort. The latter just pats her hand consolingly before motioning at Jasmine to sit on the toilet first while she gets the bath ready for them.

 

The puppy complies, albeit reluctantly, and watches Miyeon reach over the tub to turn a handle below the showerhead. Water comes rushing out the tap in a strong gush that has Jasmine cowering at the sound. She keens again, thankfully not as loud this time, and Miyeon quickly plugs the drain so that the water can start filling up.

 

“Jasmine, sweetheart,” The elder takes her hand and caresses her knuckles to soothe the anxious hybrid. “It’s fine, it’s just normal hot water. It won’t hurt you, trust me.”

 

Of course, Jasmine trusts Miyeon with her life and every fiber of her being. But that doesn’t mean she’s not afraid, still. Not when her fear is just lingering underneath the surface.

 

When Jasmine shakes her head adamantly, Miyeon sighs in fond exasperation before kissing the top of her head. Fluffy ears brush against her cheeks when she retracts with a soft smile and looks straight into that beautiful set of arctic blues staring back at her.

 

“It’ll be over in a few minutes, okay? We’re just going to get you nice and clean again.” She gives her nose a playful boop, loving the way it scrunches up adorably as Jasmine puts on a glare from the action and huffs. But the faint smile on her lips betrays her act. “I’ll take extra good care of you, I promise.”

 

Everything went fine after that. Well, until Jasmine had to actually get into the tub.

 

Miyeon shuts the water off once it’s at an acceptable level and turns back to Jasmine while holding two round items in her hands. “Choose one.” She tells her.

 

The pup studies the strange objects, which almost resemble giant lollipops with their colorful swirls clashing together, and sniffs them warily before shying away.

 

“It’ll make the bath nicer, I swear.” Miyeon tries again, holding them up a little bit higher in front of her. Jasmine eventually picks the one on the left—a blue ball with magenta and yellow streaks infused in it—and the black-haired girl smiles. “Oh, this one’s my favorite! Do you want to see what will happen?”

 

Jasmine gives a short bob of her head and joins Miyeon at the edge of the tub with bristling nerves. Having placed the other ball back on the shelf, Miyeon grasps the blue sphere in her hand as she hooks her arm around Jasmine.

 

“Watch this.” She beamed, bending down slightly and bringing Jasmine with her.

 

The pup flinches when Miyeon drops the weird-looking ball into the water, but her ears point up at the tell-tale sound of hissing. Jasmine’s eyes go round as she observes the ball fizzing up in the warm water, streaking it with pretty colors into what looks like a mini galaxy encased in liquid silk. Swirls of deep magenta and bright yellow merging with the pastel blue, like pools of wet paint spreading on a canvas. A tiny gasp escapes her as she relaxes in Miyeon’s hold and inches closer to the tub.

 

Miyeon smiled. “Isn’t it pretty, Jaz?” She asked while glancing at her companion, who slowly dipped her hand in closer to the water before playfully, yet carefully, swatting at the fizz ball floating in the bath. The puppy draws back reflexively when the ball moves, then leans forward again. Intrigued, Jasmine hits it once more and yips excitedly when it rolls inside the tub.

 

Miyeon lets out a silvery laugh of amusement. “That’s what you call a ‘bath bomb’. They fizzle up in the water so that it looks pretty and makes your skin soft.” She explained, catching the slow but anticipating sway of Jasmine’s brush tail in the corner of her sight. “They make baths much more enjoyable too.”

 

Jasmine uses her left hand to bounce the melting bomb towards her right hand and alternates between them. She repeats this pattern a number of times while giggling, but then frowns when she notices that it’s shrinking even faster. A confused and disappointed grunt leaves .

 

“That’s okay, sweetheart, it’s supposed to happen.” Miyeon gazes at the multicolored water before grinning. “Since it’s done fizzling, do you want to hop in now?”

 

Drawing her hands away from the silky bathwater, Jasmine stares up with her big, puppy-dog eyes and whines.

 

“Aw, puppy… I know you’re still scared, but we really have to wash your hair. Besides, having a bath will be good for you.” Miyeon squished Jasmine’s face between her hands and pressed a doting kiss on her forehead. “I said I’ll be joining you, didn’t I? You’ll be fine.”

 

With a bit of reluctance, Jasmine concedes at last and proceeds to undress herself while Miyeon turns away out of respect.

 

She’s seen the young girl in the past, sure, but it only feels appropriate not to look until Jasmine has tapped on her shoulder as a sign to turn around. Miyeon does so and forces her eyes not to venture down from the collar she’s unbuckling off Jasmine’s neck, cheeks a shade rosier to reflect how flustered she is, before placing it aside on the towel rack.

 

“You ready?” Her voice is a pitch higher than normal, but Jasmine doesn’t seem to notice as she gnaws on her lower lip while nodding again. “Alright, let’s get you settled in first, hm?”

 

As soon as her foot hits the water, a panicked noise surfaces from Jasmine’s throat while Miyeon keeps a firm grip around her as she helps the hybrid into the wooden tub. She murmurs soft words of encouragement until Jasmine is standing in the dyed bath before slowly easing her down to sit—just enough to submerge her above the chest—then strips off her own clothes so she can climb in after her pup. Another whine shortly follows when the raven’s entrance causes ripples to appear in the tinted water.

 

“You’re okay, Jaz, you’re okay. Relax.” Miyeon Jasmine’s ears affectionately once she’s settled right behind her, back facing the tub, and straddles the husky between her legs.

 

There’s not much room, honestly, but they can sort of move around and adjust themselves. But not beyond just being kind of pressed up against each other as their skin brushed from the slightest movements, although neither of them pays it much mind. As a matter of fact, they actually like this cramped position they’ve gotten themselves into.

 

Jasmine is still whimpering in unease, so Miyeon plants another kiss on her nape without thinking as her hands begin to rub soothing circles along the plane of Jasmine’s shoulders. It didn’t take long for Jasmine to turn boneless from the thumbs kneading into her skin, a soft but satisfied groan slipping through clenched teeth as they meticulously worked away the kinks and knots in her stiff muscles.

 

Miyeon can feel most of the tension leaving the younger’s body when Jasmine leans into her touch to deepen the massage. Sighing all the while as she finally starts to relax under the raven’s magic fingers, which encourages Miyeon to continue until Jasmine is practically resting against her front. Eyes closed and her lips formed into a small but content smile.

 

This goes on for about another minute in companionable silence, accompanied only by the gentle sloshing of water and their hushed breaths echoing through the stillness of the bathroom.

 

“Jasmine, sweetie, I have to start washing you now. Is that okay?” Miyeon takes the opportunity to say once she’s certain that Jasmine has fully adjusted in the warm bath. The puppy, however, gulps quietly and lets out a shuddering breath that doesn’t go unheard by Miyeon, but she musters her resolve before giving a meek nod.

 

“I’ll try my best not to get any soap or water in your eyes, but you have to keep still and lean your head back when I ask you to, alright?”

 

Jasmine nods again, and Miyeon cups a handful of bath water to wet Jasmine’s hair as she slowly pours it all over her head. The feeling of water running down between her ears causes Jasmine to whine once more, so Miyeon whispers a few words of reassurance before squeezing a dollop of shampoo from the bottle on her bathroom shelf.

 

When she tells Jasmine to tip her head back a little, the pup obediently complies and she begins to wash her hair by scrubbing it gently. Mindful of the girl’s dog ears as they flick on her head while she runs her hands through the dirty sable locks, cleaning out the grit and undoing some of the tangles that her fingers caught into with care. Jasmine’s hypersensitive nose wrinkles from the citrus-like scent that tickles her sinuses into an irritating itch. And before she knew it, her face had contorted as a loud sneeze tore through the air and scared the living daylights out of poor Miyeon.

 

However, it wasn’t long until the older girl burst into a fit of bubbling laughter that she couldn’t keep at bay anymore. Something Jasmine wasn’t very amused about when she swats her wet tail against Miyeon’s chest with a petulant grunt, her lips contorted into a sulking pout that refused to drop even after Miyeon had apologized in-between her bouts of chuckles.

 

Once Miyeon is done scrubbing every inch of Jasmine’s long mane, she goes to wash her own hair while the hybrid is preoccupied with admiring the painted water as she plays with it. Either by trying (and failing) to grasp the pretty colors in handfuls only to watch them slip between her fingers like silk, or by trying to squirt it out from her hands with some success.

 

“I’m going to rinse your hair now, Jaz. Close your eyes for me.” Miyeon speaks up again in a low, calming voice. “The water might be a bit cold, so don’t get scared, okay? I promise it won’t hurt you.”

 

She brings the handheld showerhead down to properly rinse out the shampoo from their heads, tittering to herself when Jasmine shivers from the cool water and the cute noise she makes from the back of , then repeats the process with the conditioner now that Jasmine doesn’t seem as scared as before. That’s a good sign to keep going.

 

After she washed their hair thoroughly and rinsed off all the suds without problem, Miyeon tips Jasmine’s head back to normal and pets it proudly.

 

“There you go, puppy. That wasn’t so bad, was it?” She smiled, reaching aside to grab a scrubbie and a bottle of body wash from the shelf. “Now all we have to do is clean the rest of your body, then you’ll be good to go.”

 

Jasmine opens her eyes and blinks momentarily as they adjust to the light again, while Miyeon pours a gracious amount of body wash onto the scrubbie and sets the bottle back down.

 

Even though she doesn’t have any qualms about washing Jasmine like this, she’ll have to teach the husky how to do this on her own next time. But that can wait. Right now, her puppy’s relaxation (and cleanliness) is her top priority.

 

Rubbing the soap in, Miyeon starts running the scrubbie over Jasmine’s shoulders and the length of her arms, the slope of her nape and the curve of her neck, the expanse of her back—as far as she can reach—and even along the thick bristles of fur on her tail. Jasmine kept shivering the whole time as her damp ears flattened against her drenched hair, canines nipping her bottom lip nervously until Miyeon finished and asked the pup if she could turn around.

 

“I need to get your legs and the rest of your body, okay? Just tell me if I do anything that feels too weird.”

 

Jasmine hums in understanding, and Miyeon braces her nerves for the next part.

 

Back when she was still a young kid, the raven had to take care of little Soyeon sometimes whenever their parents weren’t home. So, bathing a child was nothing. But Jasmine isn’t a child, she’s a grown woman. Miyeon doesn’t want to hurt her, for one, and she doesn’t want to make Jasmine uncomfortable in any way either. Which is why she needs to be extra careful when washing the hybrid’s lower half.

 

Heaving a deep sigh, Miyeon steels her composure as she leans in to slide the scrubbie across Jasmine’s chest before trailing it down her torso and caressing the skin on her way. Cheeks warming into another round of blushing as she tries to shake her mind off the gutter.

 

Thank goodness Jasmine is too focused on the pretty water as she splashes it gently, so the pup doesn’t notice Miyeon’s face steadily getting more red when she goes to wash up her legs. At least as much as she can appropriately reach without her frantic conscience screaming in her head. She clears awkwardly and focuses on bathing Jasmine as fast as possible.

 

“Bend your legs for me, Jaz.” The pup obliges, and Miyeon does quick work of scrubbing at them with the suds dripping along her milky skin. Then she washes herself down once all is done and clean.

 

After draining out the bath and rinsing themselves off with the shower head, Miyeon steps out of the tub before helping Jasmine stand up so she can bundle her shivering form in a warm, fluffy towel and pat her down.

 

“You can dry off your tail and ears, puppy. I don’t want to hurt them by accident.” Miyeon explained while handing the towel to the younger girl, only to retract with a yelp when Jasmine suddenly shakes her head like a wet dog shaking its fur dry. Soaking her in the process. “Yah! Jasmine!”

 

Her half-hearted glare is met with laughing eyes and a silly, lopsided grin as the husky snickers like the rascal she is, and Miyeon loves her.

 

“This little brat,” She muttered, although a smile creeped onto her lips. “You’re lucky you’re way too cute to get mad at.”

 

Once she has draped the towel around herself and helped Jasmine into her own, Miyeon takes the puppy girl back to their bedroom so she can grab themselves a new set of clothes. Jasmine sits on the end of the bed like she’s told while Miyeon rummages around their shared closet and giggles when the older girl panics about finding clean underwear as she huddles into her towel more.

 

Miyeon is very, very nice and considerate to Jasmine. She always puts her feelings first and didn’t force the hybrid to do anything she wouldn’t like, nor did she hurt or punish her if Jasmine didn’t obey. Even when the pup is being loud or stubborn and leaving a mess around the house, Miyeon didn’t yell at Jasmine at all. She spoke only soft words, gentle reassurances, and sweet praises with that ever-loving smile adorned on her angelic face.

 

When Jasmine refused to leave the closet, at first, Miyeon didn’t scowl and threaten to discipline her if she didn’t comply. Instead, she waited outside and did what she could to comfort the puppy into leaving her hiding spot and into the safety of Miyeon’s hands that would constantly treat her with impeccable care. Something she had never once experienced with the humans back at the hybrid farm. The keepers there were always so rough and harsh towards them, Jasmine would nearly cry. But crying meant the risk of another punishment, and she didn’t want that. She never wants to go through that again, though it seems like she won’t have to anymore.

 

Maybe next time, Miyeon could get her a bath toy to play with in the pretty water—like the one Squidward had in that one episode of the cartoon she really enjoys. A cute and yellow ducky.

 

“Did you have fun in the bath, Jaz?” Miyeon tousled her puppy’s hair when she came over, all dressed up in her comfy home clothes as usual, before handing Jasmine her favorite green shirt and a pair of loose pajama pants with stripes on them.

 

Jasmine nods happily while leaning into Miyeon’s touch as fingers scratch along the shell of her ear. She stands back up to drop the towel down to her feet, and Miyeon swiftly turns away again with a squeak.

 

“A little warning next time, please?” She managed to say without stuttering this time, and Jasmine just simpered at how shy she is. “Come outside when you’re done. I’ll take you to town for some ice cream as a reward.”

 

As Miyeon walks to the curtained doorway, she can hear Jasmine cheer behind her and smiles fondly to herself. Dimples out and all.

 

The next time Jasmine had her bath, she still hid and cried while Miyeon tried to coax her out with the promise of a treat. But it didn’t take long to get her into the tub like last time, and that was enough of an improvement to Miyeon. Even if it meant buying ice cream more often, Miyeon’s just glad that Jasmine is trusting her more as she watches the pup play with the new rubber ducky she’s gotten for her that week. (Jasmine may not be able to speak yet, but she sure knows how to get her words across with just a few simple drawings and telling looks.)

 

 

More than two months have passed, and life is all well and good for the two companions. That is, until one fateful Thursday.

 

“This whole town is going crazy, unnie!” Officer Shin Ryujin announced with a fed-up groan as she placed a couple of espresso cans on the counter in front of Soyeon. “The hybrid trafficking issue sent a bunch of people into panic. Now they think that every upturned trash bin is a feral hybrid and checking all the dumpsters for any strays in hiding. It’s like they’re not even considering what these poor things have been going through!”

 

Miyeon and Jasmine stood close by while listening intently to the ranting cop as Soyeon scanned the cans with a pensive expression. Jasmine’s body has slowly scooted over until she’s pushed into Miyeon’s side, and the older Cho sibling just throws a protective arm over her shoulders before kissing the side of Jasmine’s head.

 

“Sorry, Jasmine. I’m not angry at you, of course. I’m angry on the behalf of you and every other hybrid who’s been senselessly judged and abused.” Ryujin sighed as she raked a hand through her two-toned hair, messing it up further in the process. “Chan-oppa discussed wanting to set up a shelter for these hybrids to stay and get all the provisions they need, so Yuna and I are gonna meet with him later to start planning it.”

 

Ryujin paused then, darting her eyes from Jasmine to Miyeon. “Just be careful for a few days, alright, unnie? Until this all blows over, lay low at home and keep yourselves safe.”

 

Miyeon looks grim as she hugs Jasmine closer to her. “Sure, Ryu. We’ll be careful. But if you need any help, Soyeon and I are willing to volunteer with the shelter.”

 

“That’s right,” Soyeon adds with her usual flair of confidence. “And I’m sure Soojin would want to get on board with us too. I can talk to her about it later.”

 

Ryujin and Miyeon exchanged glances, the both of them coming to a mutual understanding as the officer smirked and acted like she didn't know any better. With a polite nod towards the trio, Ryujin places the patrol cap back over her head as she goes to take her leave. Espresso cans in hand. Jasmine waves goodbye—her hand poking out in the long-sleeve tee she’s wearing—with her body still tucked under Miyeon’s arm. Ryujin returns it while grinning wickedly at Soyeon before she exits out of the cafe to resume her duties.

 

“You’re such a dope, Soyeon. It’s so stupidly obvious that Ryujin doesn’t have a thing for Soojin.” Miyeon scoffed, patting Jasmine on the cheek once so that the pup would giggle sweetly.

 

“Did you not see the way she just smirked like that, unnie? It’s like Ryu knows something I don’t, and I find that very sus!” Soyeon grumbled as she went to rearrange the pastries in their display case with a vengeance.

 

“She was smirking like that because you’re the last person in town to know that she and Yuna are dating now!” Miyeon points out with an incredulous laugh. “Seriously, how did you not realize that?”

 

The second those words left , Soyeon pauses what she’s doing and gapes at Miyeon. Completely owl-eyed before a look of sweet catharsis crosses her face upon registering what the older girl just said. Jasmine stifles another giggle at their sisterly interaction and Soyeon’s dopey look as her tail sways in amusement. Her unnies are so funny when they’re squabbling with each other.

 

“Yes, you heard that right. Ryujin is dating Yuna, so you have no reason not to ask Soojin out on a date this time.”

 

Dumbly, Soyeon opens and closes like a fish out of water. Which causes the puppy to snicker behind her hand as her eyes turn into those slits that often show up whenever she breaks into her precious doggy smiles.

 

The younger sibling then grabs one of the remaining slices of apple pie from their display case, shoves it into a takeout box without even closing it properly, and all but sprints for the flower boutique after tossing off her work apron like the rent is due tomorrow. Miyeon shakes her head when Soyeon almost breaks the door off its hinges from how fast she just whips it open before ruffling up Jasmine’s hair.

 

“Can you throw the trash for me, sweetheart? I’ll just clean up a bit here so we can close up shop early.” Miyeon asked with a smile.

 

The hybrid nods adorably as she takes the small trash bag Miyeon hands to her and whisks into the back office with a spring in her gait. Miyeon watches her go with a loving gaze as she goes to tidy up the workstation that Soyeon had pretty much abandoned in a heartbeat.

 

There’s a couple of huge dumpsters outside in the alleyway behind their book cafe, which can be accessed through a door at the end of their office. Jasmine actually enjoys throwing out the trash because of all the graffiti art that can be seen on the brick wall, most of which have been weathered overtime with its chipped paint and fading colors. But, depending on how you look at it, the erosion only added to its grungy charms.

 

Humming a random tune to herself, Jasmine chucks the lumpy bag into the open dumpster and is about to re-enter the shop. Except a strange but awfully distinct scent halts the girl in her tracks before she starts sniffing the stale air around her, ears standing upright and her tail wagging ever so slightly when the scent only grows stronger and stronger.

 

She recognizes it, the smell that brought upon a sense of warmth and security in a place that was always so cold and ruthless to her. The one she would actively seek for in times of fear and weakness as it engulfed her like a safety blanket on the nights she couldn’t sleep. Plagued by the nightmares that lurked in the dark corners with their beady eyes and calloused hands that promised pain and punishment to those who disobeyed them.

 

To Jasmine, the scent reinforces her perception of love, protection, and family.

 

With desperation written across her face, Jasmine scans her surroundings to detect the source as her bottom lip trembles. A longing whine hangs on the edge of her tongue until finally, a figure emerges from the shadowed area between the book cafe and the bakery next door. Tears immediately flood her eyes.

 

“Kitty!”

 

“Shuhua!”

 

In a flash, the puppy threw herself at the taller girl and buried her face in the crook of her neck. Hands gripping tightly onto the bomber jacket she’s wearing as her legs locked around the girl’s waist. Like Jasmine was afraid of losing her out of the blue.

 

The stranger instantly embraces her back with gusto, mumbling the name “Shuhua” over and over again with her face tucked into Jasmine’s shoulder. They stay in this position for a moment, clinging to each other for dear life until the other girl reluctantly peels away and sets Jasmine back down on her feet with care. Oh, how she missed her dear Shuhua very much.

 

“Let me see your face, pup… It’s been so long since I’ve last seen you.”

 

Supple fingers grasp at Jasmine’s cheeks, squishing them gingerly as they turn her face this way and that. The girl checks for scars, bruises, any type of injury, or signs of distress. She’d readily maul anyone who dares try to hurt her little puppy again, human or otherwise.

 

Jasmine, on the other hand, just wants to melt into her touch and stay there forever.

 

“Shu missed Kitty…” She begins to sob quietly as her eyes spill over in a gush of tears.

 

“Kitty missed you too, Shu. So damn much.” The other girl whispers, her face in such a way that spurs Jasmine to cry even harder.

 

Ever since they were all just a litter of runts, the pup has always called her Kitty. Her delicate throat still struggles to articulate words and sentences, but she knows that Kitty has a name—Yuqi.

 

Yuqi is donning a black cap to hide her rusty-orange tiger ears from the privy eyes of humans, in addition to grey jeans with rips along them (whether it was a design choice or not, Jasmine couldn’t tell) and matching canvas sneakers that look worn around the edges from overuse. There are dark circles under her amber-colored eyes that remind Jasmine of the yellow sunflower beds in the town’s park, and her cheekbones are as gaunt as the puppy’s had been when she first came across this sleepy town.

 

A sudden pang of sorrow hits Jasmine in the chest as she whimpers sadly at Yuqi’s state. Has her Kitty eaten anything lately?

 

“Where have you been all this time? Minnie and I were worried sick about you.” Yuqi continues to speak while keeping ahold of Jasmine’s face. “We kept searching for months, but we were so scared that we’d never find you again.”

 

The mere mention of the mouse hybrid has Jasmine whimpering like a stricken animal. She missed her Nini just as much.

 

“Come on, pup. Let’s get out of here. Min’s waiting for us by the forest.” Yuqi’s hands suddenly drop from her face to clasp around Jasmine’s wrist and tug her along. But Jasmine can’t quite seem to move her feet, be it a mix of her being perplexed, stunned, and overwhelmed all at once.

 

Most of all, though, it’s the niggling thought that she can’t just leave Miyeon behind. Nor could she simply abandon her new home, her friends, and the life she’s found for herself here.

 

Sensing Jasmine’s hesitation, Yuqi looks at her urgently and tugs on her arm again. Insistent this time. She frowns in confusion when Jasmine shakes her head and remains rooted on the spot.

 

“Shu, we aren’t safe out here. The townspeople are gonna come after us, and I promised you and Minnie that I’d protect our family. We have to go now.” Yuqi implores again until her gaze drops to the teal dog collar around Jasmine’s slender neck, and she narrows in on the silver name tag dangling harmlessly by the ring. Her pupils contract so much that they’re barely noticeable in the poor lighting, as if the mere sight of it repulsed her to the core.

 

Shuhua isn’t a ing pet nor property. She doesn’t belong to anyone, so no one should have the right to claim her as such.

 

Before Yuqi’s mouth could even open to demand who put that collar on her, the sound of footsteps can be heard rushing towards them.

 

“Hey, you! What the Hell do you think you’re doing?!” Miyeon’s furious voice yells out into the atmosphere. “Get your hands off my girlfriend!”

 

The raven-haired girl slots her body right between them, her back against Jasmine’s chest as she attempts to push Yuqi away from her puppy.

 

Since Jasmine hadn’t come back in the time it usually takes for her to just throw the trash, Miyeon grew concerned and went out back to check on her companion. In Miyeon’s eyes, it looked as if the supposed kidnapper was trying to drag Jasmine away into some shady alley for God knows what reason. All she knew then was feeling the anger and fright that someone would harm her pup, and so she just jumped in without a second thought.

 

No one is taking Jasmine away from Miyeon, over her dead body.

 

The puppy girl releases a string of protesting noises and whines at the conflict happening before her, especially when Yuqi steps forward purposefully to grab the front of Miyeon’s shirt as her golden eyes glint with the ferocity of a hunter. Miyeon lets out a startled yelp as she’s shoved against the graffitied wall behind the cafe by a girl who is barely an inch taller than her height.

 

“Kitty, no!” Jasmine shouts with hot tears running down her cheeks.

 

She can’t stand by and just watch this happen. She loves her Kitty, but she loves her Miyeonnie with all her heart too. She doesn’t want to see them hurting each other. Not like this.

 

To the complete surprise of the older girls, Jasmine wriggles herself flush between them so she can wrap her left arm around Miyeon and her right around Yuqi. Her dog ears droop with sadness, even though she’s never breathed in something so perfect as their two scents mingling together.

 

“L-Love both,” Jasmine stuttered, causing Miyeon’s eyes to go wide at the sound of her scratchy but oh, so sweet and fragile voice. “Love both…”

 

The three of them stilled at that. And for the first time, Miyeon is properly able to peek over Jasmine’s head and get a better look at the doll-faced menace that was about to beat her up. The girl’s cap has fallen off from their scuffle, and a pair of scruffy, white-spotted ears poked out from a head of short hair as dark as the stripe marks that run along the sides of her face down to the base of her neck. Her lithe tail curls at the black-tip by her ankles as its coarse fur bristles in aggression.

 

Miyeon brings her gaze back up to clash with the tiger hybrid’s fierce glare when she snarls, revealing a set of sharpened fangs to intimidate her as Miyeon's brain racks up the memory of that kitty drawing Jasmine had been so proud of.

 

She wonders briefly if Jasmine even realizes that said “kitty” is an apex predator who will gladly rip apart without blinking.

 

But then Miyeon suddenly grasps the fact that Jasmine can actually speak and feels like she’s about to double over in shock. Yuqi’s fist gradually loosens from her shirt, and she begrudgingly steps back as her hand moves to take a gentle yet secured hold of Jasmine’s shoulder. Miyeon lets out a shaky sigh of relief while the pup warily glances between them, tail swishing anxiously as she ducks her head.

 

“Who is this, Shu?” Yuqi asked while staring deep into Miyeon’s soul. Her hardened eyes did not waver in the slightest, and Miyeon’s instincts are pretty much screaming at her to run. But not without Jasmine.

 

“This Miyeon, from book shop. Very nice and warm. Loves Shu, Shu loves her.” Jasmine’s voice is weak with vulnerability as it cracks through each word.

 

“Jaz, you… you can talk all this time?” Miyeon couldn’t help but blurt out.

 

Jasmine responds with a sheepish nod and downcast eyes that glass over to reflect her guilt for hiding it so long. Her harrowing, shamefaced look of a kicked animal has Miyeon itching to hold Jasmine in her arms and say that everything is okay. Miyeon could never be mad at her.

 

“I’m not upset at you, puppy. Please don’t cry. It’s okay.” She pauses to look cautiously towards the tiger who’s eyeing her with a territorial growl. “Is this Kitty? The one you drew and asked me to label for you?”

 

The husky’s cute face lights up ever so, appreciating how Miyeon still remembers her drawing from weeks ago. Miyeon always has this sense of understanding her that reminds Jasmine so much of Yuqi and even Minnie, which is why she loves them so much, so unconditionally. And she wishes they could all get along one day because that would make her really, really happy.

 

A smile etches into the corners of her lips as she giggles before pointing to the tiger ears on Yuqi’s head.

 

“Yes! Big Kitty! Shu loves too!”

 

Based on the tiger’s earlier question and how Jasmine keeps referring to herself as “Shu”, Miyeon can deduce that it must be the young girl’s real name. Or nickname, rather.

 

“Well, it’s great to finally meet you, Kitty. I’m Miyeon.” She puts on a strained and awkward smile out of courtesy, but it’s clear that the feline hybrid isn’t impressed at all. “I, err, I don’t know what you think of humans, but I promise I won’t hurt you. You’re safe here, with Jasmine! I-I mean, Shu—!”

 

Miyeon catches herself too late while she tries to sound as confident as possible with that fact. Yet, once again, the tiger looks totally unconvinced from the dead-eye glare she’s slanting to her.

 

“She’s called me Kitty ever since we got dumped into that Hellhole of a farm. I’m Yuqi, by the way.” The taller hybrid states as a matter-of-factly, only to stiffen along with her ears at the fourth voice calling out from the side. This one is much gentler and lilting, a contrast to Yuqi’s rougher, throatier voice.

 

“Woogie? Is that you?… and Shuhua?”

 

Another girl comes into view from the shaded alleyway—perhaps taller than all three of them—with the dirty cuffs of her tattered overalls rolled above the ankles of her sandal-clad feet, and her peach-colored tee is slightly untucked with its baggy sleeves reaching down to her elbows. Miyeon can honestly imagine her tilling the crop fields during dry weathers or hauling sacks of grain across a barn to feed the various livestock.

 

Her crimson hair stands out like a sore thumb against the bland, derelict wall of the adjacent building as two floppy mouse ears twitch on top of her head. And in a blink of the eye, Yuqi’s entire expression softens along with her posture.

 

“Nini!”

 

Jasmine nearly tackles the poor mouse to the ground, but the redhead’s fast reflexes saves them from toppling over as she balances their weight with a breathless “oof”. Her arms instinctively wind around Jasmine’s waist as the pup braces onto her like a monkey to a branch.

 

“Shu-Shu!” A megawatt grin splits across the mouse’s chic features as she hugs Jasmine back just as fiercely while their frivolous laughter brings life and vibrancy inside the old, dingy alleyway. “Oh my God, it really is you! I missed you so much, puppy! Yuqi and I were looking all over for you!”

 

A spike of jealousy brews inside of Miyeon when she sees how close Jasmine is with this new girl, but then she spares a look past her shoulder and notices the expression on Yuqi’s face as she regards the two. It was the kind of look she’d seen parents give to their families that spoke volumes of their love and commitment towards them, of how fulfilled they felt with what they have before them and would do anything to preserve it. To cherish every little moment with the ones they loved the most.

 

Her parents would look at Miyeon and Soyeon the same way too. Still do even now that the step-sisters are all grown up and working already.

 

When the redhead peeks up to meet Yuqi’s tender eyes, Miyeon can tell what their relationship is by just a single glance alone. She can only wonder how deep their devotion goes for one another. Something she could never fully comprehend nor describe well enough through words as a mere observer. But if there’s one thing Miyeon is certain about, it’s that whatever bond they have is surely one that would last a lifetime.

 

“Minnie, what are you doing here? I thought you were still in the cabin?”

 

Yuqi’s tone is a lot lighter this time, smoother too, as Minnie releases Jasmine so she can affectionately scratch the pup’s chin. This pleases Jasmine immensely when she yaps in delight, and her fluffy tail is wagging so fast that it almost seems to vibrate.

 

“You were gone for a while and I got really worried, so I went out to find you.” Minnie shrugged, flashing her partner a serene smile that does little to hide her relief and the insurmountable joy she’s felt upon seeing Yuqi and Shuhua reunited together. Safe and sound. “Good thing your scent isn’t very hard to track down. Shuhua’s is a bit different now, but I’d still recognize it anywhere. I just couldn’t believe it, at first… until I got near.”

 

Miyeon can feel the hybrid’s gaze falling on her as she awkwardly stands off to the side. While Minnie doesn’t seem as hostile as Yuqi was when she finally acknowledges her, it’s evidently clear that the mouse is guarded and distrustful towards Miyeon’s presence.

 

“Who’s she?” Her dulcet voice has a prickly edge to it as Minnie takes a protective hold of Jasmine’s arm, but the girl herself doesn’t seem to realize nor care about her friends’ reservations when she slips away and bounds over to Miyeon with an all-too-happy smile on her pretty pink lips.

 

“Nini, this Miyeon. Sweet like you, and just as warm!” Jasmine cheerfully introduced while gesturing at the raven with jazz hands. Sunshine and rainbows all throughout. “Miyeonnie cares for Shu really well too! Shu loves very much!”

 

Without warning, her arms belt around Miyeon’s waist as the puppy nuzzles her neck like it’s the most natural thing to do. And really, it is. But not to the pair of hybrids who are currently shooting death stares at the flustered human. The tension between the three of them is so palpable, you could almost cut it with a knife.

 

Except Miyeon doesn’t care about that. Not when Jasmine is out here announcing to the entire world that she loves Miyeon with unfaltering pride, and wait a minute—

 

Did she just call me “Miyeonnie”?

 

Warmth flooded her cheeks at the unexpected nickname as the clueless Jasmine squished her whole face against Miyeon’s throat with a giddy laugh that can be felt on skin, and Miyeon couldn’t be anymore thankful for the crappy light of the alleyway shrouding the blush on her face. Because she highly doubts that trying to explain it would put her in the other two’s good graces. More so, Yuqi, who appears to be seconds away from pouncing on Miyeon and putting her dagger-like fangs into good use.

 

Since the book cafe is now closed to the public, Miyeon was able to coax Yuqi and Minnie into coming inside and having a seat in one of the booths near the corner. Though, not without the help of Jasmine’s disarming puppy-dog eyes on top of a small food bribe to better seal the deal.

 

Miyeon has stored away most of the baked goods into containers to be refrigerated for tomorrow and placed all the cakes in covered stands along with wrapping the pies tightly in plastic wrap. But she takes a couple of the cinnamon buns that were yet to be packed away and serves them to the new hybrids on a small plate with a fork each. Soyeon isn’t around to nag her about it, anyway. For all Miyeon knows, the barista is most likely wooing the heck out of Soojin with her favorite apple pie and maybe even quotes from Shakespeare. Her younger sister has always been the poet between them, after all.

 

Whereas Miyeon is about to offer the cat-and-mouse duo a glass of water, Jasmine already places some in front of them before the words could leave and sits across the two hybrids who are practically devouring their food in record speed. So much so that it doesn’t even seem like they’re chewing anymore.

 

She does end up asking them if they want tea, however, and only Minnie accepts it with a half nod while Yuqi just schools her expression into a permanent scowl as her facial stripes seem to almost snarl back at her. If Miyeon wasn’t neck-deep in hot water with the murderous feline right now, she would’ve found her likeness to a grumpy kitten rather funny.

 

When Jasmine slides into the empty spot beside Miyeon, she unwraps a twinkie bar like the many times that the raven has done for her and offers it to her friends with a luminous smile.

 

“Shu’s favorite is Twinkie. Tastes really good and is super yummy. Shu loves a lot and wants Kitty and Nini to try too!”

 

Her baby voice sounds so hoarse and brittle, but it has everyone at the table melting inside as they regard their precious puppy with soft eyes that are b with endless affection. Even Miyeon has to withhold herself from outright snatching Jasmine in her arms and just running away with her forever.

 

There’s a brief period of silence before Yuqi lowers her fork to gently take the offered sponge cake. She examines it curiously, then breaks the snack bar in half before passing the other piece back to Jasmine and splitting the one in her hands so she can share the treat with Minnie. Her mood instantly shifts into a complete 180 when the redhead thanks her with a sugar-sweet smile and a kiss on the cheek, which left Yuqi blushing around her twinkie. Completely whipped.

 

Despite their ravenous hunger, she and Minnie still left out a portion of their cinnamon buns for Jasmine to eat after exchanging a message through their eyes. The pup looks surprised and points questioningly at herself, to which the older hybrids respond by nodding together as they push their plates towards Jasmine without delay.

 

“We feel full just seeing you eat, puppy. It’s fine.” Minnie kindly assures when Jasmine appears reluctant at first and tries to offer them more twinkies out of guilty concern. They’ve always taken care of her since their days in that horrible farm, so now Jasmine wants to return the favor as much as she can.

 

However, even Yuqi seems to agree with Minnie on this. “Yeah, you don’t have to worry about us, Shu. We’re okay so long as you are too.”

 

They watch her eat like mothers would to their babies, but the way Yuqi and Minnie look at Jasmine has Miyeon realizing that their bond runs so much deeper beneath the surface. So strong, and genuine, and unbreakable, it physically moves her.

 

Miyeon then clears in an awkward manner, and all three of the hybrids turn to face her expectantly.

 

“I just want to say that Jasmine… She, um, she means the world to me, and I love her. A lot.” Miyeon stammered as pink dusted the apples of her cheeks.

 

“Who’s Jasmine?” Minnie suddenly demands in a blunt tone.

 

A tiny giggle slips out from the husky, and her tail flicks up happily as an answer. She points at her dog tag with a proud smile, and Miyeon feels like melding into the couch when Minnie lours at the collar as Yuqi burns holes into her skull with those flashing amber eyes.

 

“And why do you call her Jasmine?” The privy mouse continues to put her on the spot like a cop to a suspect inside of an interrogation room.

 

“When I first found her, I thought she was just a lost puppy who maybe didn’t have an owner.” Miyeon starts nervously. “I took her home and found out that she loves the smell of jasmine flowers, so I called her Jasmine and the name stuck.”

 

“Her name is Shuhua.” Yuqi mumbles into her water glass, plain-spoken and direct. “But sometimes, we either call her Shu or Shu-Shu.”

 

Miyeon drifts her gaze to the puppy beside her, who beams her way and gives a comical nod of the head. The older girl couldn’t help but smile back, feeling a lot better now that she knows Jasmine’s real name. It’s honestly quite beautiful and, really, this is more for the pup’s sake more than her own.

 

Minnie and Yuqi study them before the mouse glances at Jasmine with a skeptical look on her face.

 

“Do you trust her, Shuhua?” Jasmine nods right away. “Are you sure?” Another nod. “Do you want us to tell her more about you?”

 

There’s another pause as a heavy silence follows. Jasmine’s ears wilt down again, and her overexcited tail stops swaying when it flops back down on the seat. The action alone saddens Miyeon’s heart, even more so when she takes in her miserable expression. She has been expecting a sad, maybe tragic life story about Jasmine’s past, but she doesn’t want to hear it if the puppy girl didn’t want her to.

 

“Sweetheart, you don’t have to tell me anything if it makes you uncomfortable, okay? Don’t feel pressured, it hurts seeing you so upset.” Miyeon spoke so softly, so sincerely, it gives Jasmine the confidence boost she needs to push through what’ll happen next.

 

Slowly, her hand sneaks across the couch to hold Miyeon’s. Fingers interweaved as she clasps them together in a firm grip. Minnie scrutinizes them while Yuqi still looks as if she’s judging every second of just Miyeon breathing until Jasmine turns to them with a definitive nod, urging them to continue.

 

“Miyeonnie nice. So Kitty and Nini be nice too.” Jasmine asserts, a frown directed towards the both of them. Mostly Yuqi.

 

“Yes, yes. We’ll be nice to her, pup.” The tiger waved her hand callously as she rolled her eyes.

 

Jasmine takes this as her cue to retreat into the back office, her collar bell jingling in her wake. She didn’t want to stick around and hear about all of the bad things that had happened to them on that farm, or else she'd start crying and shut herself away from everyone. Minnie gets this across to Miyeon, who wants nothing more than to run after Jasmine and stay by her side all night.

 

Yuqi leans over the table with her arms folded atop it. Cold, intimidating, yet somehow quite adorable due to her baby-doll features.

 

“I’ll cut the bull and get straight to the point.” The tiger says brusquely, her tone deep and serious. “Dog hybrids aren’t as popular as they were a few years ago. Sure, people loved them as gifts and even playmates for their kids. But once they turn into teenagers or adults with their own thoughts and feelings, people start dumping them on the streets or just outright abandoning them like they’re not worth keeping around anymore.”

 

“And Siberian Huskies like Shuhua, they’re more independent thinkers compared to other breeds.” Minnie interjects this time, setting down the cup of earl grey tea that she has been nursing for a while. “They have their own ideas on what to do and when. They’re not meant to be docile and following commands blindly like you’d expect from an ‘obedient’ dog. And yet, they’re often mistaken as stubborn or difficult when, in fact, they just have a mind of their own. People often work against a hybrid’s nature instead of going with it to accommodate their needs. But knowing how we’re being treated right now… it’s not very shocking.”

 

Her bitterness spoke volumes of the ire and resentment she’s been suppressing inside at the hands of such insensitive humans. Of how helpless she and the others must’ve felt under the control of those who had too much power over them. It left a sour taste in Miyeon’s mouth as dread seeped into her veins.

 

“Shu-Shu wasn’t abandoned or anything, but she was part of the demand boom for huskies since they were a popular dog breed for some time. So, they were speed-bred and imported overseas to keep up with that demand, which our keepers took advantage of. They wanted to make a good batch of dog hybrids in order to appeal to the market and sell more, so they tried to make these huskies submissive by ‘disciplining’ them into the ideal mold… Shuhua was literally just a kid when they put her through obedience training.”

 

Minnie’s voice turns quiet as she stares down at her tea with a heavy-hearted look.

 

“Huskies are well-behaved to begin with, but the keepers would slap a shock collar on them before they can even walk properly. And when they reach a certain age, their vocal cords are already traumatized. Some to the point of not even working anymore because of how damaged they are.”

 

Miyeon puts a hand over , absolutely horrified to the brink of speechlessness. No wonder the puppy didn’t want to wear her collar, at first, and why her friends had regarded it with so much disgust in their eyes. She was afraid that it would hurt her in the same way.

 

How could someone as innocent as Jasmine ever go through something so nefarious and immoral as that?

 

“Is that why she never spoke…?” Miyeon asked tentatively, afraid of the answer. Is that why she always sounds so strained and broken?

 

“On top of the manipulation, fear, and straight-up abuse she had to endure when the keepers punished her for being ‘too noisy’, her vocal cords are wrecked. Likely past the point of recovering. She can still talk, to some extent, just… not as well as she could have.” Yuqi sighed as she palmed at her face. “We went through so much Hell in that farm, Shu especially. Imagine the worst of the worse, and you’re pretty much halfway there. It’s a miracle that Shuhua is still the sweetest ball of sunshine around, even after everything…”

 

“She’s beyond safe with me. My friends and sister adore her so much, they’d do anything to protect her too. We all take good care of her, you can trust me on that.” Miyeon truly means it from the bottom of her heart, and she hopes that that would be enough to abate whatever cynicism they still have towards her.

 

“Shuhua isn’t free labor or some fun charity project for you to win brownie points. She’s just like any other human being with her own thoughts and emotions. You people seem to forget that.” Yuqi grits angrily, but is tempered by Minnie taking a hold of her hand and giving it a gentle squeeze to placate her. Soothing whatever rage she’s been bottling up with a pacifying smile that calms her immediately.

 

Miyeon had held back when the tiger hybrid snapped at her, because she could understand Yuqi’s justified anger and Minnie’s cautious apprehensions. The girl figures that she must be the first human to willingly sit in the firing line of these two, but what she doesn’t know is that both hybrids share the same notion.

 

They’ve seen a new kind of happiness in Shuhua that they had never seen before, and it made them beyond curious. But they aren’t going to let their puppy go just like that.

 

“We got separated when the farm was raided by the authorities. It was chaos, to put it simply, so Yuqi and I had been searching for Shuhua ever since.” Minnie continues on their behalf as she the back of Yuqi’s palm with her thumb. “She’s like a daughter and baby sister to us, so we’re very protective of her.”

 

“After all the crap she’d seen and dealt with, we’ll go through great lengths just to keep her safe now.” Yuqi says right after. “Hybrids don’t age along with our animal counterparts, but our mentality does. Except Shuhua never really had the chance to grow out of her puppy state, which is why she’s… well, like that. Shu is actually 21 in human years, but her mindset is so much younger than that. Like a child’s, basically.”

 

Closing her eyes, Yuqi brushed her other hand through her hair and sighed once more before opening them again.

 

“I don’t want us to be kept apart again. So long as there is a Shuhua, there will always be a Yuqi and Minnie with her.”

 

“Then you’re very welcome to stay here as Jas—err, Shuhua is. A couple of my friends want to set up a safe haven for any hybrids in danger and on the run. Maybe you can help, if you’re interested? My sister and I will be volunteering too, along with a few others.” Miyeon explains to them, fully passionate about the idea.

 

Yuqi studies her face with an unreadable expression, hums once, and then purposely shows off her sharpened fang to Miyeon as rumbles with a growl. The latter swallows nervously as she shrinks back under such an intense gaze. Like a bunny about to bounce away from danger.

 

“We’ll think about it.” The tiger huffed as Minnie nodded in agreement. “Now, explain to us what you just meant when you called Shuhua your girlfriend.”

 

The mouse hybrid almost spits out her tea as she stares between Yuqi and Miyeon with shell-shocked eyes and an incredulous look.

 

“I beg your pardon?” She asked, completely flabbergasted.

 

“Oh… Did I really say that?” Miyeon is damn certain that she resembles the color of those cherry tomatoes that grow on her front porch now. “I, uh, it was just a flippant remark, that’s all.” She stutters, blushing like crazy. “Because Shuhua is a girl and she’s also my friend, you know?”

 

Minnie just blinks owlishly while Yuqi leans back into the booth, arms crossed in front of her chest as if she were an aristocrat who owned the place.

 

“Just what I thought.”

 

 

Hybrid Haven was only a day away from the grand opening. It had taken a full team of dedicated volunteers to put the shelter together, so a lot of their own free time was spent painting the walls and cleaning up the clouded windows until they shined. And now, the hybrid center is practically perfect.

 

The shelter is large and elegant, but warm and welcoming all the same. The polished floor is a nice sage-green that feels incredibly earthy and calming, the rooms are big and fully air-conditioned with heaters installed in them, everything screams quality and state-of-the-art equipment, and the commodities are readily made available for the hybrids who are looking for a safe place to recuperate.

 

Miyeon and Soojin had put their artistic creativity and decorating expertise into good use by sprucing up the place into one that the hybrids can call home. Plants and flowers thrived every which way like a blooming garden has sprouted inside, accentuating the colorful designs and vibrant patterns that beautify the creamy-white and chalky-brown interiors. Walking in felt like an escapism from reality, where one can unshoulder their burdens and relax somewhere safe without needing to worry about their next meal, the clothes on their back, or keeping a dry roof over their heads for that inevitable rainy day.

 

Chan had told them of the rundown building behind his veterinary office and expressed how functional it would be for the shelter to be right next to the clinic, in case of emergencies. After they have sent the well-articulated Changbin and the sweet-talking Soojin to butter up the building manager, the siblings were able to confidently snatch the property up for a reduced rate.

 

They equally had big ideas that would benefit the hybrid shelter, so Changbin also convinced his banking manager to somewhat merge their business with the project. Proposing that their bank could set up accounts for hybrids on top of assisting them with any financial questions and issues. Ryujin and her partner Shin Yuna even managed to seal the deal with police protection for those inside and rallied up a team of helpers to remodel the building so they can get it done much quicker.

 

Soyeon and Changbin had this brilliant idea to involve a list of local businesses that could provide job opportunities with fair pay for the hybrids, and the silver-haired girl has even started hiring them to assist around the book cafe as a barista or a bookkeeper. With Changbin having an accounting degree and Soyeon with a literature one, they both planned on giving free lessons in basic maths and English to any hybrids who are interested.

 

While Chan was keen on teaching hybrids within his field of veterinary practice, both Miyeon and Soojin were eager to create an arts and crafts club as a fun recreational activity in the shelter. Even Ryujin is looking to recruit hybrids into the police force so that they can use their shifting abilities and animal quirks for the greater good.

 

Although Minnie has opened up and is now more lenient towards people who seem trustworthy enough, Yuqi still holds a grudging discontent for humans in general. Throughout the whole process, Miyeon wanted to include Yuqi and use the tiger’s knowledge of hybrid nature. Plus, she genuinely enjoys talking with her through the private lounge rooms away from the nosy visitors and vice versa. Yuqi, for as moody as she was (probably a cat thing), is very strong-minded and makes sure to give her best, most honest opinions to Miyeon, which the raven appreciates.

 

When the humans showed them all kindness and earnest respect, Minnie flourished like Shuhua had. Again, Yuqi is still dragging her feet along, but it was to everyone’s understanding. Shuhua convinced her ever so with that sweet doggy smile and an encouraging hand squeeze whenever she could, the puppy and Minnie being the only ones who can truly pacify Yuqi into tolerating these people’s presence.

 

“Alright, girls! Stop everything you’re doing and come get your cookies before I drop them all!” Soojin announced when she emerged into the main lounge carrying a tray of sugar cookies with cream frosting and sprinkles. Turns out, she’s actually a pretty good baker outside of her skills in floral design and landscaping.

 

The room they’re all settled in had taken the most work as it’s the biggest one, so every crook and corner was completely renovated and repainted. Including parts of the roof that needed to be waterproofed.

 

Minnie looks up from the pillows she’d been fluffing up on the sofa as her face shines happily. Not too far behind her, Soyeon steps down from the ladder after hanging up the last of the paper cranes on a thin thread (which Miyeon insisted would be a great addition to the cozy lounge) and crosses over to join the florist.

 

“I made them myself. Shuhua! Come get a cookie!” Soojin cooed as the puppy came running with her tail flagging behind her in excitement. “Take as many as you like. There’s still more coming later.”

 

The mouse hybrid takes one that has a lot of pink sprinkles and crunches into it with delight, the crumbs falling to the floor, while Shuhua pops up next to her and grabs four with a wolfish grin before skipping back to Miyeon so she can share the other two.

 

“Thanks, Soo-Soo. This cookie is amazing.” Minnie commends as she smiles around the treat.

 

“You’re welcome, Min. Glad you like it.” Soojin pats Minnie on the cheek, beaming.

 

Soyeon lets out a rather jealous huff while Yuqi grunts beside her, which catches the attention of their respective partners as they turn to face them. Amused, Soojin presses up to Soyeon and boops her nose affectionately before passing out more cookies with a coy smile.

 

“Don’t worry, Yuqi. I’m not going to steal your girlfriend or anything.” Soojin chuckles as she throws a glance in Soyeon’s direction. “I have my own fierce lion right here.”

 

With a sly wink, the vixen plants a loving kiss on Soyeon’s lips to emphasize her point as Minnie hovers by Yuqi’s side and nuzzles into her shoulder. Yuqi visibly softens as she takes a bite out of her own cookie before pushing the rest of it to Minnie, who accepts it gratefully. Soyeon, too, crunches loudly on one of Soojin’s cookies and grins at her girlfriend with heart-eyes. Cheeks glowing and all.

 

Across the lounge, Miyeon and Shuhua had been working hard on painting a pretty welcome banner for their front hall. The eldest figured that the first thing hybrids should see when they enter the shelter is something bright and vivid, as if greeting them like a hospitable host.

 

Whereas some might not know how to read like Shuhua, perhaps the nicely-painted hearts could give the same message.

 

Shuhua’s pink lips are now covered in a scattering of crumbs and a light dusting of sugar from the cookies, which she smoothly cleans off with a quick swipe of her tongue. But it’s the way that she brushes purple paint over her palm and fingers that really draws Miyeon’s attention. The raven watches curiously, her lips drawn into a dimpled smile, as the young girl pushes her hand onto the paper and then peels it back to reveal a colorful handprint in its wake.

 

“Oh, that looks so pretty, Shu-Shu!” Miyeon praised as Shuhua reached for her hand after grabbing a different tube from their creative pile.

 

The pup repeats the action by painting Miyeon’s palm in green before pushing it with care onto the sheet of paper. Parts of their hands touch, and Miyeon presses her palm down with gusto to ensure that the acrylic paint sticks onto the paper. Then she slowly removes it to uncover their handprints now merged together.

 

Their thumbs and fingers overlap, turning the strange mix of colors into a fascinating shade of blue that borders along a dark mud tint. Shuhua uses her clean hand to flip the paper upside down, and Miyeon feels like positively melting inside once she realizes that their handprints have formed a heart from this angle.

 

What am I going to do with you, puppy? Miyeon could just cry right then and there.

 

“Pretty…” Shuhua’s crackling voice is delicately sweet and quiet as she stares at their literal handiwork, her sugar-stained fingers playing idly with the tiny bell attached to her collar ring.

 

Despite Yuqi’s adamant objections, she still wears a dog collar around her neck by choice. But this time, it’s a canvas-based one that Miyeon had customized to have jasmine flowers printed on it. Along with a new name tag that is shaped like a gold heart and has Shuhua’s name engraved in curly font. The pup was so ecstatic upon receiving it as a surprise gift, she flaunted it around like a medal of sorts and wouldn’t take it off unless she had to.

 

With Shuhua still focused on their artwork, Miyeon takes this opportunity to admire the side profile of her cute face. Her black hair is styled back into her usual ponytail as it grazes along her dog ears, a sparkle so ever-present in her dazzling eyes that remind Miyeon of the clear blue sky on cloudless days.

 

Having Yuqi and Minnie around has pushed the husky into an elite state of sheer happiness and contentment that’s so incredibly infectious, it puts everyone around her in such a lighter mood.

 

Unable to control herself any longer, Miyeon leans in to kiss Shuhua’s cheek. Lingering there for a few more seconds until she can feel her heart about to leap out of when she tentatively retracts with a shy expression.

 

Shuhua blinks once as she gawks at Miyeon with hanging slightly agape and her ears standing stiff on her head. Confusion surfaces in her innocent eyes (along with something else Miyeon doesn’t quite dare to put a name on), before the loveliest shade of pink blossoms across her marshmallow cheeks as she giggles heavenly and smiles like the sun. Her tail is wagging so fast behind her, Miyeon is worried that the fluffy thing might fall off.

 

“Pretty Miyeonnie.” Shuhua says it in such an adorable way, Miyeon can’t help but giggle too as she feels all warm and fuzzy inside. Her laughter is cut short, however, when the puppy surges forward out of nowhere and pushes her ridiculously soft lips onto her own.

 

In an instant, Miyeon’s eyes flung wide as she tried to keep up with what’s happening and where the Hell did Shuhua even learn how to kiss?!

 

When the girl eases back after parting their lips, it becomes Miyeon’s turn to look all shell-shocked until she spots Soojin and Soyeon dramatically locking lips from the corner of her eye. And then, suddenly, Yuqi appears in front of her with a face like thunder as she snarls. Baring her fangs like a predator going in for the kill.

 

“I-I’m so sorry, ma’am.” Miyeon squeaked out of pure fright.

 

“Bad Kitty! Be nice!” Shuhua snapped, frowning as she pinched one of Yuqi’s scruffy ears and pulled on it. Causing the tiger to yelp.

 

“Oh, trust me, pup. This is me being nice.” Yuqi all but growled as she rubbed at her sore ear, until Minnie (bless her soul) hooks a finger through the belt loop of her jeans and tugs her away with a merry laugh.

 

“It’s the timeout corner for you, Woogie. Come on, I’ll cuddle you on the sofa.”

 

Yuqi’s many complaints go completely ignored as the cheeky mouse drags her off to the side. Mirth laces her twinkling eyes when her partner’s loud protests dissolve into whines, and Minnie wastes no time squishing Yuqi onto the sofa cushions so she can smother the sulky feline in hugs and kisses.

 

“Another, another!” Shuhua brightens again when she turns back to Miyeon, a happy smile glued to her face as she inches closer to the human with her tail swaying high in the air. “Shu loves and wants more!”

 

Oh my God, Miyeon is going to die from her cuteness.

 

“I think Yuqi will literally murder me if we kiss again…” Miyeon mumbles while darting her wary gaze across the room.

 

Yuqi is now pinned to the comfy lounge sofa by Minnie’s arms holding her in place, their tails entwined rather intimately as the mouse nudges her head against the underside of Yuqi’s jaw. The two hybrids are a very endearing and lovely couple, even if Yuqi is still shooting daggers in Miyeon’s direction as she reciprocates the gesture by rubbing her cheek against the top of Minnie’s head. A faint purr rumbling in when the latter nips her neck teasingly to calm her down a notch.

 

As much as Miyeon wanted to count on Soyeon to defend her from the tiger’s wrath, her traitorous sister had practically ditched her in favor of being all lovey-dovey with Soojin to a nauseatingly affectionate degree—feeding each other cookies while flirting through their expressions as they brushed hands and lips every other chance they’d get. So, yeah, Miyeon is pretty much on her own here.

 

The raven already imagined her fate the moment Yuqi screamed bloody murder through her vicious glare, but she knew it was far too late for any of that. She’s been so incredibly whipped for her beloved puppy since day one, and nothing is ever going to change in matters of the heart.

 

“Want more. Want Miyeonnie. Shu loves very much.” Shuhua boldly proclaims with her whole chest, so dedicated and sincere that Miyeon is damn certain she can hear the sound of a whip echoing loud and proud through her eardrums.

 

Because, by God, she is ready to commit to this for life.

 

“And I love you too, sweetheart. So very much.”

 

Shuhua’s eyes disappear into those little slits that Miyeon adores, an ultra-white grin splitting across her precious face as her pointed canines jut out to her lower lip. An arrow pierces right through Miyeon’s chest at the sight, one that’s way too cute for her to resist as she finally gives in. Kissing the pup as easily as that and feeling like she’s on top of the world when an outline of a smile traces her lips, right where Shuhua meets her as she drapes her arms around Miyeon’s neck to deepen it some more.

 

In response, Miyeon circles her own around Shuhua’s waist and takes her precious time memorizing the shape and feel of the hybrid’s lips as they move against hers. Not as confident, but still rather persistent in keeping up with the pace she’s set for them as Shuhua slowly kisses her back like the gentle, timid waves of the sea lapping shore. And Miyeon feels like she’s the goddamn luckiest girl in the entire universe.

 

With petal-soft lips so sweet and so perfect, as well as a giggle so lovable and angelic, Miyeon isn’t sure how much more her poor heart can take without feeling like it’s going to burst into fireworks and stardust any second. But she’ll figure it out, eventually. Baby steps at a time.

 

And, to think, all of this started with a husky puppy on the side of the road and a small vase of beautiful white jasmines.

 

 

 

 

 


Author's Note:  I originally planned on getting this done and posted last September, but it obviously didn’t happen so this fic got delayed. The important thing is, it’s finally up and I don’t have to open my drive for the next century :D

On a more different note, I have a new side job that’s a lot more stable and pays better. It’s quite time-consuming, though, so I honestly haven’t written anything else besides this one-shot. I’ve been requested to write two other fics as well, which I’m considering to work on when I get the chance/motivation to. But my interest in writing has dwindled a bit lately. Maybe it’s because of all the stuff that has happened this year, along with other factors like my own personal feelings about making fanfics in general.

I could elaborate more on this, but I also can’t be bothered to because I just wrote 26k words and now I’m just tired. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this. Take care, and I wish that your day goes well.


 

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ApathyandLycanthropy
Lmao, I forgot to edit in the tail. 🤡
Can I just retire from writing next year??

Comments

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lonelynovember
#1
Chapter 1: this was so lovely <3 thank you!
Mustafina
1124 streak #2
Chapter 1: This was an amazing read, truly one of the best stories I've read
Banananana1938271 #3
Chapter 1: this is so so soooooo CUTE
Ayaney
#4
Chapter 1: Omg!! So cute!! Seriously, this was so precious and sweet, thank you so much, author-nim!! :D