“There.” Yoongi whispered in my ear. “It’ll be there. All the illegal auctions are held in the back room.”

I swallowed and tried not to let my anxiety show. Yoongi gave me a slight smile and took my hand. I squeezed his fingers and he nodded to let me know I’d be fine.

We entered the back room of the dimly lit nightclub to find a crowd already salivating for the first Cat-Boy to be led out in chains onto the stage. Yoongi had told me about it, saying he’d been bought at one of these illegal auctions. He knew a Cat-Boy that was going to be auctioned off today and asked me to see if I could get him.

When he told me how old his friend was, I knew I had to try. The poor thing was only fourteen.

I pushed my way through the crowd and felt Yoongi stiffen. I glanced to my right and found his old master standing there looking smug and evil. I wished I could buy every one there, but I knew I could only afford one Cat-Boy. It felt sickening to be participating in such an inhumane place, but if it could get Yoongi’s friend Jungkook free than I’d pay the price.

Several Cat-Boys were before Jungkook. The crowd just got rowdier as the last one, a terrified little thing named Dongho, was sent to the highest bidder. I thought I was going to throw up.

“Here’s a fine specimen, feast your eyes on Jungkook!”

“That’s him, Riseul.” Yoongi said into my ear, and I nodded.

Jungkook was led out, his wrists shackled together, along with his ankles. He was dragging the excess chains behind him. The poor hybrid looked petrified to be standing in front of drunken and wild humans; his brown ears were standing straight up, his matching tail was swishing the floor nervously, and his eyes were darting through the crowd as if to find some sort of escape route. He was skinnier than I’d ever seen anyone, as if he hadn’t gotten a decent meal in a long time.

“Jungkook can do anything, ladies and gentlemen. He’s not known as our golden specimen for nothing! He can sing, dance, cook, clean, anything you ask him to do, he will most certainly be able and willing to do it.” I snorted. Able, maybe. Willing, not so much. “Starting bid is 100 dollars.”

I waited until the bidding started to taper down until it was Yoongi’s former master trying to bid for him. Aw HECK no, that was not going to happen.

“550 dollars!” I screamed out. The man looked around in shock, having been sure it would be him that would score the frightened young Cat-Boy. Then his eyes narrowed in a so-it’s-you sort of way and turned back to the auctioneer.

“650.”

“800.”

“900”

“1100.” I glared at him. There was no way he was getting that Cat-Boy.

I could see the sweat on his upper lip and it nauseated me. It was like every second he got uglier and meaner. “1200.”

By now the crowd was quiet and heads were swiveling back and forth between me and him. Even Jungkook had stopped searching for an escape route and was openly staring at me with his mouth hanging open. In particular, he saw Yoongi, who gave him a small smile, and he looked hopeful for a split second. This gave me the courage to scream out,

“2000 dollars.”

The man didn’t say a word.

“2000 dollars going once! 2000 dollars going twice! 2000 dollars three times and SOLD to the pretty lady in the front.”

I could hardly believe I’d done it. I was escorted to the back, where Jungkook was pushed through a door leading from the stage. He looked ready to collapse as I wrote out the check and handed it to the people in charge. They gave me the key to the chains and escorted us out.

“Here you go, Jungkook.” I unlocked his chains and allowed Yoongi to rush forward and envelope him in a huge bear hug of relief.

“I told you I’d get you out of there, Kookie.” He said tearfully.

Jungkook looked slightly stunned as he returned the hug. He slowly lowered his head to rest on Yoongi’s shoulder and closed his eyes. “Thank you Yoongi.” He mumbled.