Chapter Text
Jaebum blinked awake, and immediately checked his watch. There was a moment of sheer panic, when he read the numbers “10:36”, which subsided when he realized it was Saturday. Heart still pounding, he slowly lowered his feet from the mattress to the plush, carpeted floor, pushing himself into a standing position.
White light flickered through thin cotton curtains. Jaebum stumbled lazily to the window, and pushed the curtains aside. Squinting through the late morning light, he leaned close to the glass, watching as a leaf detached itself from a tree and settled in the swimming pool below. With a jolt, he realized autumn was upon him. School had been in session for a week already. He couldn’t really say he enjoyed university very much. He had hoped people would be a little less immature, and a little more openminded, but he supposed, in retrospect, that he shouldn’t have expected so much. The university he went to was supposedly liberal, and allowed hybrids in, even on scholarship, but that didn’t mean the other students treated them any better.
Jaebum was lucky. His parents were kinder than most people. They believed hybrids deserved just as many rights as everyone else. They didn’t take hybrids, except one, who his mother treated as a daughter. She was older than Jaebum, and had already graduated university two years before. He didn’t see much of his noona, but they always send each other gifts on their birthdays and Christmas.
Lately, Jaebum’s mother had suggested that he take in a couple of hybrids, if for no other reason than to keep them from being taken by more traditional families, where they would surely be mistreated. Jaebum suspected it was also because she was worried he got lonely in the house his father had bought for him. It was rather large, and empty, and Jaebum did get lonely at times, but he never would have admitted it. In any case, he decided his mother’s insistence was excuse enough to find himself a hybrid or two. He knew he would have to starting picking a few up soon, before they were all gone. Most of the non-hybrids at his university, were, like himself, very rich and capable of paying any amount to get the hybrid they wanted. Jaebum would need to act fast.
He wanted to make sure that he chose those who really needed him. If a hybrid had a loving family and a good life already, or was a type that was higher up, like a hound or a bird, Jaebum wouldn’t want to choose them because they would be more likely to have a happy life without him. He was looking for ones that were turned away by their families, bullied in class, and were types that were more looked down upon, like cats and snakes.
Jaebum turned this all over in his head as he ate a quiet breakfast. He tried to do some homework, but it didn’t go over well because he kept on having to reread paragraphs of his textbook. He dozed off in the early afternoon hours, and when he awoke, found it was already getting dark. He fixed himself dinner and ran over a list of what he would need to do to get his house ready for another inhabitant. He was guessing he’d have to bring the hybrids to his house without warning, so he might as well be prepared.
He spent the rest of the night putting fresh sheets on a few of the beds in the guest rooms on the lower level, and stocking the bathrooms with toilet paper, towels, and toothbrushes. He called in for more groceries, and then picked out some clothes from his own closet that he could give the hybrids if they were to need it. He flung a glance at his open textbook, and, deciding he would deal with homework the next day, curled up in his bed and fell asleep.
----
Jaebum kept his eyes peeled the next few days. On Wednesday, his macroeconomics course assigned him a group project. Partners were not assigned, and many people sprang to their friends. The small group of hybrids in the class looked around with frightened eyes. Jaebum noticed a particularly skittish looking one. He had pink-blonde hair and a cute face. He seemed to be a cat of some sort, with soft black ears poking out over his thick hair, which would explain why he looked like he was ready to be slapped at any moment. Jaebum scooped up his stuff, and crossed the room. If he remembered correctly, his name was Mark Tuan, and he was very quiet but very smart.
As Jaebum approached, Mark flinched back.
“Hey,” Jaebum said. “I’m Jaebum. Would you like to be my partner?”
Mark looked up at him with wide eyes. “Me?” he asked, quickly averting his gaze to the ground. “Of-of course.”
“Great,” Jaebum said. “You’re Mark, right?”
“Yes, sorry,” Mark confirmed, eyes still trained on the ground.
Jaebum slid into a seat. “We can sit here?” Mark nodded, and sat back down.
Jaebum noticed he hadn’t even picked up his things, like he expected no one to choose him as a partner. He also noticed that Mark was sitting as far from Jaebum as he could manage, without falling out of his seat.
“You don’t have to be afraid of me,” Jaebum said softly. “I’m not going to hurt you, I promise. I just want to work together with you.” Mark still looked unsettled. “Hey. Look at me.”
Mark shook his head, his gaze flicking up, and then back down again. “I… shouldn’t.”
Jaebum frowned lightly. “Why not?”
Mark’s black cat ears twitched. “Because I’m… me. And you’re you.”
“Have you been claimed yet?” Jaebum asked, an idea forming.
“No,” Mark replied. “If I was, I probably wouldn’t be here.”
Jaebum slipped a black bracelet out of his pocket and held out his hand. “I claim you now, then. Whenever you want, we can go get your things. I’ll arrange a meeting with your parents, to pay them off. What day works for you?”
Mark jumped, letting Jaebum fasten the bracelet around his skinny wrist. “What day works for you?” he stuttered out.
“Any day,” Jaebum said. “And you can still come to classes, of course, as long as you want to.” His mother would be pleased. As soon as class was out, he would phone her. She would undoubtedly want to meet Mark. “I’ll explain more later; now’s not really the time.”
Mark looked shell-shocked.
“What is it? Are you all right?” Jaebum asked.
“It’s just—" Mark let out a nervous giggle. “I never thought— I’m a black leopard hybrid,” he explained. “And no one wants a cat. I figured I’d end up going to an auction house, and then a brothel. I was lucky enough to put that on hold, come here, but I always— it just seemed so inevitable. My parents… don’t want me. I don’t blame them—“
“Hey.” Jaebum touched Mark’s hand. “I want a cat. You’re going to be okay. I’m not going to sell you to anybody. You’ll be with me as long as you want to be with me, okay?”
Mark pressed his lips together and nodded.
“Okay.” Jaebum turned to the textbook in front of him. “Now, about this project.”
* * *
“Hello?” Jaebum said into the phone after a female voice answered. “Mrs. Tuan?”
“Speaking.”
“My name is Im Jaebum. My father is the CEO of Im Corp?”
“Oh!” Recognition flooded into the voice at the other end. “Yes, we know Im Corp. What can I do for you?”
“Well, I’m at university with your son, and I would like to take him as my hybrid. He would leave home and come live with me. I will, of course, be paying you. Do I have your consent?”
“Wha— oh, yes! Yes! I— What day would you like to come over? Mark left some of his things here, I don’t know if he wants them—“
“I’ll bring him with to pick his stuff up when my parents and I come to discuss pricing,” Jaebum said, cringing at the way they were talking about Mark. “Does this Saturday around ten in the morning work?”
“Yes, of course. Thank you very much, Mr. Im,” Mrs. Tuan gushed.
“Thank you,” he replied. “I’ll see you Saturday.” Jaebum hung up and rounded on Mark.
“I’m very sorry,” Jaebum said. “I hate talking about hybrids that way—like you’re an animal, or a piece of meat. I can’t believe she—”
“It’s okay,” Mark said quickly. “I’m used to it.”
Jaebum shook his head, and dialed his own mother. “I’m still sorry,” he insisted as the phone rang.
“Honey?”
“Umma, I found a hybrid,” Jaebum said, unable to keep a small smile off his face. “His name is Mark, and he’s a black leopard, and I just called his parents. I arranged to meet with them at their house this Saturday at 10. Is that okay for you and Dad?”
“Yes. Dad has the weekend open for once. I can’t wait to meet him! Is he nice?”
“Yes, Mom,” Jaebum said. “Very.” He noticed Mark shifting. “I think I have to go,” he said. “It’s really good to talk to you. I’ll see you Saturday, okay? I’ll send you the address.”
“Okay. I love you.”
“Love you too.” Jaebum turned his phone off and slid it into his back pocket. “Okay. It’s all set.”
Mark nodded. “When will I move in with you?” he asked quietly.
“Whenever. Where are you now?” Jaebum asked.
“In one of the scholarship dorms.”
“Oh, so one of the not terribly nice ones that they give to hybrids in the name of being generous,” Jaebum confirmed. Mark eyed him. Jaebum swore he saw the corner of his mouth quirk up for just a second. “You can move in tonight, if you want.”
“Are you sure?” Mark said. “I don’t want to cause you any problems— I can wait if you need to set things up at your house or something—“
“Everything’s already set up,” Jaebum assured him. “Besides, I want to show you around my house, so you can get used to it before you really move in. Are you okay to come over tonight?”
“Y-yeah,” Mark said. He looked a little dazed. “And that way we can work on our project, too.”
“Okay.” Jaebum flashed him a smile. “I’m walking distance from the front gates. Will you meet me at the front gates at 4 this afternoon?”
“Yes.” Mark bowed slightly.
Jaebum nodded to himself. “I’ll see you then. I have another class.” He waved, and then walked away, suddenly feeling a bit giddy. He had his first hybrid. Sure, Mark was skittish and scared. Society’s views on hybrids had been ingrained into his head since day one—Jaebum could tell that he thought of himself as much lesser than other humans, and even other hybrids. But he was determined to change that. He had a feeling Mark was actually really fun, if only he could get past the fact that he thought he didn’t deserve fun. He really hoped he would.