“Oh, you’re friends with Hyukkie, then!”

“Yeah.” TaekWoon was more focused on sneaking glances at price tags.

“It’s a good thing you came in. This poor guy looks so dumpy in your clothes.”

“Uh-huh.” He almost felt his heart stop when he saw four zeroes tagged on a shirt. At least there was a one in front of them. Wait, for a shirt?

TaekWoon pretty much ignored everything as the shopkeeper – what did he say his name is? – and HakYeon started to cruise through the small store in double speed. Shopping trips like this were nauseatingly familiar, so TaekWoon tightly crossed his arms around his body and shoved himself into a corner against a bare wall.

The last time he’d come to Myungdong wasn’t too long ago.

“How do I look in this?”

“We have to go to this store next!”

There were legs standing in front of him. Fighting back the cold nausea, TaekWoon took a bit before he looked up to see HakYeon staring at him curiously, head slightly tilted to the side.

TaekWoon stared back. “What?”

The head righted itself, tail instantly wagging. Only then did TaekWoon realize it was decked out in a new outfit. He didn’t know much about fashion, but the hybrid certainly looked better out of TaekWoon’s clothes and in its new ensemble.

How much is it, though?

The hybrid continued to prance merrily about the store even as TaekWoon handed his credit card to the store owner.

“I’ll give you a discount this time,” the store owner said brightly. “As first-time customers and since you’re Hyukkie’s friends.”

TaekWoon sighed. “Can’t this thing work for you so it can buy its own things?”

“Ah, no, sorry. Even though he’s cute, I can’t afford him. Plus, hybrids don’t like talking to strangers, so how could he possibly work here?”

“Can’t talk to strangers. Can’t read. What good are you besides vacuuming my wallet dry?” TaekWoon muttered to himself as they cruised the aisles of the grocery store. He took note of the way HakYeon pouted, watching as TaekWoon started to reach for intestines, gopchang in mind for dinner. “And a picky eater. You need to learn your place.”

He decided on something else for dinner.

The days continued as normal. The only thing that changed was when TaekWoon woke up each morning, HakYeon would be dozing with only its head on the edge of TaekWoon’s bed. Each night it still fell asleep on the sofa but would migrate to TaekWoon’s room overnight. TaekWoon vaguely wondered if it woke up with his alarm and just pretended to stay asleep or if it really slept like a rock.

Somewhere in the middle of the week, TaekWoon stirred in the dead of the night and blearily woke up to see a shadow creeping in his bedroom. It froze, noticing that TaekWoon had spotted it in the act. TaekWoon heaved a sigh and grumbled something along the lines of “come on, then” as he scooted to one side of the full-size bed. He was already halfway back to sleep as the mattress shifted under HakYeon’s weight.

Luckily, HakYeon wasn’t the type to steal the covers overnight.

At first, he wasn’t sure what woke him up that one morning. It wasn’t his alarm; that was actually about to go off in roughly five minutes. Then he realized, slowly opening his eyes, it was HakYeon. He blinked a few times, getting the faint sunlight to help his eyes focus.

HakYeon’s expression was distraught, frowning slightly with its brows pushed together. Its breaths were short and gasping, and it seemed to be trembling. For a second, TaekWoon wondered if maybe it was sick.

“HakYeon…?” TaekWoon started to reach out.

It happened so quickly that TaekWoon almost missed everything.

HakYeon’s eyes shot open, wild and delirious, and its hands suddenly clawed into the sheets. Teeth bared, it swiftly kicked out with one leg.

The foot connected with TaekWoon’s body. Groin, to be exact.

[Curse words.]

The force of the kick knocked TaekWoon off of the bed, but he really couldn’t feel anything but pain, exorbitant pain, and stars exploded in his eyes. Oh deity. Good bye.

“T-TaekWoon!”

He thinks he saw HakYeon jump off the bed. Maybe it was at his side on the floor? Are there two hybrids in his apartment? Ohhhhh my Gooddddddd…

“TaekWoon!!!”

It seemed like hours went by of TaekWoon feebly clutching at his tenderized manhood while gasping with HakYeon in hysterics at his side. He had finally gained enough of his senses to see HakYeon almost in tears.

TaekWoon rolled to push himself up. “I’m okay. I’m okay. I just… need to breathe.” He spotted the clock. “. I’m running late…”

Even as he hastily hobbled through his apartment, HakYeon halfway attempted to tail him around but would quickly move out of the way if TaekWoon tried to double back. It followed him to the door, timidly hiding against the wall.

TaekWoon tried not to trip as he fumbled with his shoes. “Sorry I couldn’t make breakfast. Uh, there’s some leftovers in the fridge, so you can eat that.”

“Ah… okay…”

As soon as he was out the door, TaekWoon tried to right himself and not walk around like he’d just been punted in the nuts first thing in the morning. He monitored his restroom breaks at work just to be sure he wasn’t pissing blood.

Noting his closed window as he rounded the corner on his way home from work, TaekWoon doubled his steps to his apartment. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting to see upon opening his door, but a very dejected HakYeon kneeling on the floor in the living room was definitely not it. HakYeon’s eyes lifted as TaekWoon opened the door, and it almost seemed like the hybrid was about to jump up to celebrate but quickly changed gears, remembering it was kneeling on the floor for a reason. That didn’t stop the end of its tail from weakly thumping against the floor.

“Yah, what are you doing?” TaekWoon asked as he slipped out of his shoes.

It was so obvious that HakYeon wanted to jump up, but it remained on its knees on the floor, hands balled into fists atop its thighs. The tail gained a bit more strength and swished a bit on the floor, but when TaekWoon moved to crouch in front of the hybrid, it immediately stopped and curled back in, HakYeon shrinking to make himself smaller.

It seemed like the right thing to do. TaekWoon reached out with his hand at the hybrid, but he didn’t expect HakYeon to flinch, squeezing its eyes shut and tensing up. As if TaekWoon was about to strike the thing. He vaguely wondered what would have conditioned a response like that as he gently let his hand rest atop the hybrid’s head. For a good two seconds, HakYeon remained frozen before one eye slowly opened, getting a glimpse of TaekWoon. After gauging the situation, HakYeon instantly pressed its head into TaekWoon’s palm, still warily watching to see if that was a bad move or not.

TaekWoon reacted by ruffling HakYeon’s hair, making one of the dog ears wobble. “Why are you acting like you did something wrong? What happened this morning?”

HakYeon wilted the slightest bit, still managing to press its head against TaekWoon’s hand. “It… I was having a nightmare…”

“Is that all? That was some kind of nightmare for you to react like that.”

“More than a nightmare…” HakYeon murmured, eyes falling and looking someplace far away, “it was a memory… from the time when I had my first human friend.”

HakYeon probably would have continued if it wasn’t for the sudden grumble that rose from its stomach. The hybrid flushed and daintily pointed its face in another direction.

TaekWoon held back a chuckle. “Sit at the table and tell me about it while I make dinner.”

HakYeon quickly swiveled its head back to look at TaekWoon seriously. “I can’t.”

“What? Why?”

“I can’t stand. I tried to stand up earlier, but I think my legs are frozen.”

“Eh? How long have you been sitting here, then?”

“Ever since you left this morning.”

“Eh?!” Is there anything in this world that can remain in that position for nine hours? That means the hybrid didn’t eat breakfast or lunch, either. TaekWoon sighed and pushed himself to his feet, holding out his hand. “Come on, then.”