When Chaeyoung turned back from the door, Mina had already disappeared from the living room. She sighed and let herself fall on the couch, feeling all energy was squeezed out of her body. She hated talking to people. That's why she liked spending time with Mina. The hybrid didn't talk much, and Chaeyoung never felt the pressure of having to find a topic to talk about when she's with Mina.

But then, Dahyun's words struck her, and she felt blood boiling at the conversation. To think about it, she didn't know why she's so angry at the prospect of Dahyun taking Mina in. Dahyun had taken care of Sana very well, and she had the means to care for another hybrid, that Chaeyoung knew. Also, no abuse. Dahyun never laid a hand on Sana, not in a violent way, at least. Then why, why did it upset her that much? Would Dahyun scratch Mina's hair like she did? Of course, she's the one who advised Chaeyoung to do so. Even tummy scratch. No! That didn't seem right. Mina wouldn't let her do that. But then, if Dahyun was Mina's master, wasn't that just basic things? And then there were other things as...

She leaped to her feet, exhaustion suddenly replaced by restlessness. She couldn't stand the image of Dahyun being intimate with Mina like that. She wanted to throw up. She started pacing, back and forth, feet tapping impatiently on the floor. Mina wouldn't want that, right? Mina didn't want to have another master. She wanted to live freely, as free as she could in this society. That's why Chaeyoung was mad, because she knew Mina didn't like belonging to another human. She said it herself, right?

Or did she say she didn't want to belong to Chaeyoung?

Not being able to steer herself away from the impulsive thoughts, Chaeyoung headed to Mina's room, intending to hear clarification from the hybrid. Her steps faltered the nearer she came to that room. She reminded herself that she was the one who left Mina with Sana, and the cat girl must be very angry at her. Still, she felt like she's going to burst if she didn't hear Mina now. She knocked on the door, trying not to show her urgency.

Nothing.

Knowing Mina wasn't asleep yet, she knocked again.

Still nothing.

"Mina?" She called. "Can I come in?"

She heard shuffles inside the room, yet no one answered her. She turned the doorknob, after declaring she's going in. The room was still like the last time she cleaned, long ago. The difference was that there was a lump of blanket on the bed, with Mina under the cover. Tentatively, she stepped forward, passed the threshold, into the very room that she only allowed herself to enter once a year to clean up dust. But now, her focus was on the girl who twitched and curled further into the blanket cocoon.

"Mina?" She called, patting on the lump where she guessed Mina's shoulder was. Still no answer from the girl, but it was sure she wasn't asleep.

"I'm sorry about earlier."

If Mina didn't want to talk now, Chaeyoung wouldn't make her, despite how hard she wanted to ask the hybrid.

But when she's about to turn back, Mina threw the cover off and sat up, glaring at Chaeyoung. There were red lines in her eyes from anger or crying, Chaeyoung didn't know. Either way, it's nothing positive.

"What are you sorry for?" She spat.

The words were thrown at her with such venom that took Chaeyoung aback. She didn't think Mina would be this angry just after a few minutes spent with Sana. What exactly did Sana do?

"I know it's not nice of me to leave you but consider the circumstances..."

"What circumstances? What circumstance was critical enough to make you do that? I thought... We stayed in the same house with each other! Didn't it cross your mind to ask for my opinion first? It's not yours to decide."

"I know what I did was wrong, but I thought Sana wasn't going to harm you." Chaeyoung frowned, confused by how angry Mina was. "Seriously, what did she tell you that made you this mad?"

"What did she tell me?" Mina chuckled darkly. "It's not her action, it's yours. I don't care about her, but I didn't expect you would be just like them, thinking I am some kind of property that you can give to people or throw away whenever you want."

"I told you I don't consider you as my property." Chaeyoung raised her hands indignantly. This was getting out of hand, and she had no idea why. "Wait what? What is this all about?"

"Don't play dumb!"

"Mina, please! What did I do wrong?" Chaeyoung pleaded. The situation was getting out of hand and once again she felt lost, inside of her own house. She could feel the uneasiness creeping up from the pit of her stomach and her vision blurred. Shaking her head to clear the haze that’s threatening to cloud her mind, she determined to set it straight.

"Didn't you just talk about giving me to Dahyun? I heard her telling you to send me to her if you don't want me." She snarled, retreating back further into the headrest, tail whipping angrily against the sheet.

"Huh?" It took Chaeyoung a few seconds before she finally registered Mina's accusation. Her mind showed her a flashback of the scene with Dahyun in slow motion and if she didn't want to slap the older girl then, she would definitely do now. So that's why Mina was so angry, sh