His new life with Cha HakYeon (he learned the man's last name among other things the same evening he saved HongBin from the gang) was like a rollercoaster ride.

HakYeon was the nicest person HongBin had ever met since he was turned into a catboy yet the constant fear that, because everything was so good to be true, it could only be a trap or something, remained deep within his heart.

HongBin stayed with HakYeon after that day. Little by little, they started learning more from one another and falling into place with each other. It was hard for HongBin to feel at ease with HakYeon because the older was quite touchy and he wasn’t used to it, he wasn’t even used to like his owner (HakYeon scolded HongBin for thinking he was a pet, he was HakYeon’s roommate on his own words) but HakYeon understood so he tried to respect his needs and gave him the space he wanted.

HakYeon never asked HongBin anything about himself or his past unless it was strictly necessary and the young catboy appreciated that, he didn’t know how would the older react once he found out that he wasn’t born the way he was but HongBin learned a lot of things about HakYeon just a week into living together; like how he was a sophomore student in Fashion Design in one of the most expensive colleges there was (on a full scholarship) while he also being a trainee at a little entertainment company called Jellyfish. HakYeon told him likewise that he started working so he could buy his own place (which was the small room with a kitchen and bathroom he called an apartment) to find more independency from his family.

HongBin felt quite envious of him having a family and not wanting to see them but who was he to judge anyways?

He was later introduced to HakYeon’s bestfriend, Jung TaekWoon, who was the total opposite of his master. TaekWoon was shy, reserved and, initially for HongBin, rude. HakYeon was always so understanding of him, no matter how badly the other treated him so HongBin sometimes felt a strange need to just growl at the person who didn’t seem to appreciate the small miracle that was his new owner but never actually let it reach his lips. Eventually, he learned why TaekWoon was that way and that he actually cared a lot about HakYeon, it was in small gestures and actions, never too loud, and even HongBin felt envious of their relationship. TaekWoon had known HakYeon for years, he saw the truth beneath his usual happy self, what made him the person he was, the reason why no matter how bad he was hurt a smile never left his lips, and being the only true friend HakYeon had, TaekWoon admitted after six months that he was just testing HongBin until he was sure he wouldn’t just use HakYeon like others had in the past.

“I thought you were taking advantage of HakYeon,” TaekWoon simply stated one day when HakYeon excused himself for the bathroom when they were hanging in TaekWoon’s apartment much closer to the city’s downtown, “I had to make sure you wouldn’t hurt him.”

“Why would I do that?” HongBin’s eyes casted down, “He…he saved me.”

“I know nothing about your…kind,” the word hurt but he nodded, “I didn’t know if you would just run away as soon as you got whatever you wanted from HakYeon.”

“I’m an astray cat, what could I take from him?”

“He’s just…fragile, you know?” TaekWoon’s eyes shifted from HongBin to the bathroom’s door, “Don’t hurt him, HongBin. Please.”

It was then that HongBin realized just how important HakYeon was to TaekWoon, at such young age, it was easily mistaken for the catboy as love so he tried to respect whatever they had but HakYeon always seemed to be more immerse into making sure he was alright to actually look after himself so HongBin took it upon himself to take care of HakYeon even if he loved TaekWoon and if TaekWoon was there. He owed his life to the man anyways.

“Do you like TaekWoon-sshi?” he just blurted out, like in many other occasions, as they were closing down the coffee shop after HakYeon’s shift was over, “what are you laughing about?” his ears twitched, trying to hide his embarrassment, at the soft sound of HakYeon’s laugh.

“Sorry,” he giggle a bit more, “I’m just…why would you think that?” he asked with an amused smile at the way HongBin’s cat traits gave him away.

“No, nothing, I…” HongBin stopped mid-step when a familiar smell reached his nose, his tail went curled in itself and his whole demeanor changed as he looked at something across the street. HakYeon followed his line of vision and managed to see a flyer pasted on the wall among announcements for food delivery and upcoming events but before he could question HongBin, the catboy was already on the other side staring at the paper with flatted ears.

HakYeon looked from side to side, unlike HongBin, as he sprinted to his side only to get more and more surprised as he was able to read what the flyer said, “HongBin-ah…”

On the wall, there was a picture of HongBin with only: “Missing” wrote on top of it, a cellphone number and the word “Reward” in capital letters. HakYeon was the first one to react by taking HongBin’s hand, almost running to the bus stop to catch it before they had to wait for the next one, they were so anxious during the whole ride he wasn’t sure who intertwined their fingers first yet he wasn’t the one that pulled away the moment they reached HakYeon’s apartment.

“He’s looking for me, why?” the hybrid paced around the small apartment, back and forth, while biting his nails, “why now?” HakYeon only followed his roommate’s trail before making his own to the kitchen to make some tea for the two of them.

HakYeon crossed their first bridge that night after leaving the two mugs on the kitchen table before he walked up to where HongBin was fidgeting with his claws (which he didn’t feel coming out) to gently touch one of his strained cat ears. The dancer barely touched it with the back of his hand, eyes fixed on HongBin’s handsome face, only to get his attention while respecting his space. He had never dared to touch HongBin, in any sense, and crossing that boundary up to his sensitive feline parts was something that caught the younger off guard. He never meant to hurt HakYeon, never. He was just so lost in his thoughts and memories that sensing someone so close to him made him react on his instincts, scratching his hand away before looking up at him with instant regret.

“My bad, sorry,” his hyung was quickly to bow his head, holding his bleeding hand up, “I’ll go wash this and then we can talk about it, if you want, alright?” HakYeon’s voice was calm, the smile untouched on his lips, as he went back to the kitchen to wash off the blood.

Soon the four bloody stripes were cleaned, he was about to ask HongBin for something to cover the scratches when trembling hands slowly wrapped the bandage around his wounded hand, gently tying it up with flatted ears, “I’m sorry, I…I’m just scared, I don’t want to go back,” he softly mumbled, “I don’t understand why would he even look after me…” but HakYeon had learned how to read HongBin’s mannerisms to know better than believe him now.

“HongBin-ah, you need to be honest with me now, ok?” the catboy stared at the other’s covered hand, “please.”

“Fine, then…can you please sit down?” HongBin walked away from the counter to sit on the couch, waiting for HakYeon to follow him, the older did only with the two lukewarm mugs, handing one to the hybrid, giving him all the time he needed before he spoke, “I wasn’t born a hybrid, don’t ask me how it happened, I…don’t know, my family had an accident and…they died, except me, or at least that’s what I believe.”

HongBin explained everything to HakYeon that night, each detail, at the verge of tears but none fell from his eyes, hands clenched into fists as he told HakYeon his past owner probably wanted him back because if he told his real past to anyone, they could take away his whole enterprise. He most likely wanted to get rid of him, “I don’t care about…what happened to you, you’re still Lee HongBin, don’t let them take that away from you too. Don’t worry about that, I’ll call them tomorrow and get all the information I need, alright? Just stay here for a few days, don’t leave the apartment alone, ok?”

HongBin nodded, “Yes, hyung.”

The two stayed together in silence before HakYeon lifted his head surprised when HongBin scooted closer to his side, his head on his shoulder, ears tickling his neck, as he let out a grateful purr. The dancer slowly leaned a bit into him, slowly closing his eyes, trying to cherish the moment since he didn’t know if they would be able to share another.

That’s why HongBin woke up before sunrise the next day, he took a quick shower and didn’t even pack anything except for a polaroid that TaekWoon had taken of them on one of  HakYeon’s whims where they were checking some of HakYeon’s sketches and designs for his classes on the latter’s apartment. HongBin knew HakYeon was the best thing that would ever happen to him, in every way, so he took it upon himself to keep the older safe from his past, it could destroy his life the way it did to HongBin's, he had to leave before they found out the dancer had helped him. There was no way HakYeon could get rid of his last owner, not like he did with his debt with the gangs, and he didn't want to burden HakYeon even more than he already had. He silently stared at HakYeon's sleeping face, feeling a single tear run down his cheek as he fought the urge to touch his…friend’s hand before he made his way out of the place he got to call a home after so long.

A month passed by in a blur for HongBin, living on the streets just like he had before he even knew of HakYeon’s existence but the corners were darker, the benches were colder and his thoughts were scarier because the memory of all the nice moments he spent with HakYeon always haunted him whenever he tried to sleep (if he even found shelter from the night), eat (if he managed to get some leftovers from small restaurants) or even just breathing. He wondered if HakYeon was ok, if his past owner left him alone and sometimes he wanted to check on the older but he was far more scared of seeing him living happily, not sharing the hollowness in his heart. HongBin could bear with everything, losing his family, experiments, abusive owners but apparently not a broken heart.

HongBin understood close to nothing about love, he only saw couples and hybrids with their owners sharing the same streets but never understood the bridge in-between both of those ends until he met HakYeon. He knew the older should be at café as usual, working with that tireless smile of his as he served tables, yet he still had the hope that, perhaps, he was somewhere in HakYeon’s mind, a flicker in his head.

The city was calm, strangely silent, as he walked down one of the main streets of the middle class part of Seoul when he heard the sound of a truck gaining speed right behind him, he turned to see the hybrid-catcher going straight for him. He let out a small yelp before he took off running, taking the first turn he saw and then just kept going until he couldn’t breathe anymore. He gasped while he leaned against a wall, trying to catch his breath and making sure he wasn’t followed when his surroundings started to sink in.

“,” HongBin exhaled, “, , ,” he chanted in the moment he spun around to be face to face with HakYeon’s coffee place. He frantically looked for any sign of the dancer but he apparently wasn’t there, relief washed over him yet once he started walking back, a dull pain pressed down on his heart.

“HongBin?” that voice was something he wasn’t expecting, “HongBin-ah?”

He took a deep breath and looked up for any kind of divine help, “TaekWoon-sshi.”

The catboy never thought TaekWoon was able to make such a face but apparently the other was far more human that he had given the older credit for. TaekWoon slowly approached him, “HakYeon looked for you.”

“I’m sure he did but, please, don’t tell him about me,” he softly begged, “he doesn’t deserve this.”

“No, HongBin.” a chill ran down HongBin’s spine at the harsh tone, “HakYeon didn’t deserve what you did.”

“What else was I supposed to do? He’s better off without me.”

“Says who? You?” HongBin opened his mouth to speak but TaekWoon took three steps closer, “I’m mad because you’ve got no idea what he went through for you to just leave as soon as things got rough.”

“Listen, I’m sorry, tell him I’m really sorry, I know I acted like a coward but I didn’t have a choice, if he found out HakYeon was helping me…” he trailed off, afraid that if he spoke those words they’d become true.

“HongBin, you really need to talk to him, things…happened.”

So there he was, standing in front of TaekWoon’s apartment. Dirty. Ashamed. Scared. Anxious. Hopeful. He took a deep breath before TaekWoon pushed the door open for him, giving him time to step in but not a single chance to run away, slowly letting out the air he inhaled, he forced his feet to move forward.

“TaekWoonnie? Did you bring the—?” He heard HakYeon’s voice before he finally saw him when he walked to the middle of the living and his sentence was cut off midway, just like the rest of his thoughts or air for that matter as soon as his eyes landed on HongBin.

“I’ll leave you two for a while,” TaekWoon whispered when the tension was too much and practically ran out the door.

They stared at each other for a good ten minutes, just letting the presence of the other sink in but either had the intention of moving, or so HongBin thought, when HakYeon rushed forward to wrap his arms around him that he tripped and ended up hanging from his shoulders as he stared at the catboy from under.

“I…what happened? Are you ok? I was so worried, you idiot!” HongBin unconsciously circled HakYeon’s waist to get him to stand on his feet but didn’t let him go even when he knew he should have, “I just…I missed you.”

“You’re…not mad?”

HakYeon’s eyebrows went up before his whole expression softened, a warm smile curved his lips as he shook his head, “I was sad, anxious, scared…but never mad. I thought…I thought he had found you so I went to him to ask.”

“You went to him?!” he didn’t mean to sound as harsh as he did but his fear of HakYeon getting hurt was what kept him away from the older, “HakYeon, I told you he was dangerous! Why did you did such a thing?!”

“Because I was worried for you! I was terrified of the idea of him keeping you in a basement, excuse me for caring!” HakYeon rolled his eyes, “you could’ve leave a note or something, you know?!”

“I’m sorry for wanting to keep you safe from my past!” the catboy’s tail swayed angrily from side to side, curling around HakYeon’s ankles, “I didn’t think I was that important for you!”

“What?!” the dancer pushed him away with a grunt to stomp his way towards the couch where he flopped down, “Go take a shower! We’ll talk when you’re clean!” he pointed at the bathroom door, “I’ll leave some clothes on TaekWoon’s bed.”

HakYeon was sitting at the bay window when HongBin walked back into the living room, his hair damp and wearing clothes two sizes bigger, and took a seat by his side (he made a mental note to wash them before he gave them back to TaekWoon). None of them wanted to break the comfortable silence, afraid of saying the wrong things, of destroying that moment of peace. HongBin slowly slid down until he was lying down, placing his head on HakYeon’s lap only to close his eyes, feeling lighter than he ever had in his whole life. Gentle fingers threaded between his long locks, brushing them back, carefully avoiding his ears because he knew of his complexes.

HongBin woke up several hours later, he hadn’t notice how tired he was until he woke up (it was the first time he actually got to rest after he left HakYeon), still drowsy and with heavy eyelids, wanting nothing more than to just keep sleeping forever until he realized where he was. He expected to be in TaekWoon’s room but when he turned to look up, HakYeon hadn’t moved an inch although his head was now leaning against the connection between the wall and the window frame, breathing slow and steady, eyes closed and hand still in his messed hair. The catboy carefully sat up, as to not wake the other up, just looked up at the dark sky covered in city lights before he sighed deeply.

“What’s wrong?” A groggy whisper reached his ears.

“Nothing, I was…thinking,” HongBin smiled as he watched HakYeon yawn so wide he feared he was going to get eaten alive, “but it’s late.”

“I found him,” his feline side tensed up at the words, his eyes turned a bit sharp, “your past owner.”

The younger turned his head to the side, trying to relax his ears, “We don’t have to talk about this right now.”

“No but I want to do it,” HakYeon stretched and found a comfortable position, gazing outside the window, “he was desperate to find you.”

“…What?”

“Not because he cared,” he clarified, “but because he lost money with you and…he was threaten by the people who turned you into a catboy.” HongBin’s blood pressure fell all the way to the first floor of the building at HakYeon’s words, his past flashing right in front of his eyes, the pain, the fear, the grief, his hands started to shake and he wanted to run out of that place, run until his feet bled to see if that way he could get rid of it all, “HongBin…look at me. Look at me,” he grabbed the catboy’s face between his hands, he didn’t mean to scare the catboy but forcing their eyes to meet was a bad idea.

HongBin’s reflex was to throw a clawed hand at HakYeon’s face, luckily he turned away so the scratches landed on the side of his neck, “Oh, my God, HakYeon, I’m so sorry!” he retreated completely when he saw the red streaks across the skin.

“It was all about money, HongBin, and legal stuff,” the dancer’s fingers touched the wounds and he scrunched up his nose, “they just wanted to silence you.”

“It’s not like I go around telling everyone what I am,” both sighed.

“…I was given an option since I fought a lot,” HongBin’s ears perked up, “I could adopt you if I signed a contract.”

“You…did that for me?”

HakYeon’s eyes disappeared into two crescent moons, “I would do anything for you, HongBin-ah.”

Note: OMG, I'm back! LOL. Hey, everyone! Yes, I'm finally back with the next part, I'm so, so, so, sorry for the long wait, it was almos a year and even I'm surprised that I managed to finish this.I don't have any words to describe how sorry I am for making you wait this long...AGAIN. It's long but not long enough, I know. Between me wanting to enter college and having other stuff to do, my life has been a mess, I ended up studying to become a stylist while I'm waiting for my mother to let me enter college (yes, exactly what you read, my mother doesn't let me study). Still, I should work on this more often but I promise I never forget about my fanfics but finishing off the chapters takes me longer than I want. It's very late but I wanted to at least finish this part and upload it (it has a lot of mistakes, I apologize) tonight and tomorrow I'll fix the format and stuff, I'm dead tired.

However, this is the second part of HongBin's past. What actually happens during the month of separation will be revealed in the next part so please, staaay. There's been like 3 comebacks while I was gone and I cannot explain how proud I am of being a Starlight and watching them grow. VIXX even came to Mexico this year but sadly, I couldn't go, I was very sad (more so because of the incident with WonSik and TaekWoon) yet I expect to have another chance soon.

I hope you like this chapter (if there's any of my beautiful readers still out there) and kisses to all the sweeties that left me touching comments last time. I'll try to upload sooner now, I really hope I can keep my promises this time.