"You know, I don't hate it." Chaeyoung turned her head to Mina's direction, confused. What didn't she hate?

"The scratches." Mina clarified.

Mina’s eyes were still focusing on the TV screen, but her ears had turned to Chaeyoung’s direction. She held her breath, bracing herself for the rejection to come. She didn’t need Chaeyoung to do that, but the girl did attempt, and even talked to her friend about it. Mina herself did think about it, before she came back to the living room, and since she sat down on the couch. She surprisingly didn’t feel repulsed at the thought but rather curious of how it might feel. She wasn’t saying she fully trusted Chaeyoung, but if she had to pick a human, it would be the other person sitting on the couch.

Meanwhile, Chaeyoung had to resist the urge to squeal from how cute Mina was right now. Did she really suggested that Chaeyoung could scratch her ears? Should she reach out and scratch? Or should she ask Mina again?

“Are you sure?” She went with the second option. “Can I?”

Mina shrugged in return. It wasn’t like she wanted to be scratched that badly. It’s just she was curious, and she knew she would think about it all the time if she didn’t get it.

“If you want to.”

“Okay then.”

She stayed seated in her place, not daring to turn her head and look at the girl. But she could feel Chaeyoung shifted closer until she was only half an arm’s length away. She felt her body tensed, waiting for the hand that she knew was reaching out. She tried, but failed at not flinching when the hand made contact with the fur on her nape. But she didn’t recoil from the touch, she knew it was coming. And when Chaeyoung’s hand moved, with much caution, to scratch lightly, Mina finally let out a breath she was holding. It was nice, much nicer than expected. She sighed, relaxing to the touch.

It was awkward, Chaeyoung thought when she was lifting her hand up. But when her hand made contact with Mina’s fur, it moved on its own accord. The fur was extra soft, even softer than the last time she made contact with it when she was patching Mina up, considering how much time the hybrid spent in bath. She didn’t want to admit it, but she had wanted to touch the soft fur again after that time. Her hand even moved up to scratch behind Mina’s ears, and thankfully, the girl didn’t protest. She wanted to look away, to not be seen as a creep, but she couldn’t tear her gaze away from the girl.

Mina was beautiful, Chaeyoung knew from the first time they met, even when the hybrid was covered by a layer of filth. Her assumption was proven right when she cleaned Mina up, but she was too focused on the task at hand to fully appreciate the girl’s beauty. Now, under the bright light of the living room, their proximity allowed Chaeyoung to take in the features of Mina’s face. The hybrid’s skin was much brighter and healthier than before, being provided with enough food and sleep. There was a mole on the bridge of her nose and one above her lips. Looking closely, there were several more adorning her face, like a constellation. She couldn’t understand how someone could mistreat and abandon her. Chaeyoung could never do that, and she wouldn’t allow anyone to do that with Mina again.

Meanwhile, Mina was relaxing into the touch, too relaxing. But the scratches were even better than she expected. It felt heavenly, not just the touch, but the feeling of being pampered. She hadn’t been properly taken care of ever since she was given to the first master. And it only got worse. Her eyes fluttered close, and there was something rumbling in her chest. She could fall asleep here…with Chaeyoung scratching her.

Wait! Mina jerked herself fully awake at the thought. No. She couldn’t fall asleep here, in the living room, with another human. Who knew what would happen? She jumpe