The Hybrid House

Not for Me

The next morning, Jungkook was feeling a little spooked. He carefully looked out his door into the hallway to make sure the coast was clear. He had no clue who it was that he saw last night. He wasn't really all that sure he wanted to know who it was. He had a hunch that Onew did know, though. Did he really want to ask him?

No, he didn't. He just wanted to leave it alone and hope it would go away. If he didn't talk to the spirit anymore, then it wasn't his problem.

"Hello!" the ghostly voice said in his ear causing him to jump nearly out of his skin. His yelp of surprise was high-pitched and caused the ghost to double over laughing. Jungkook just glared and tried to ignore that he had just screamed like a little girl.

"Sorry," the puppy said when he finally stopped laughing. He proceeded to wipe phantom tears from his eyes from laughing so hard.

"Why would you do that?" Jungkook took deep breaths trying to calm down his heart. His skin raised with goosebumps due to the proximity of the canine specter.

"You said to leave your room, so I did. I never said I would stop talking to you." the ghost said. And true to his word, the ghost was standing out in the hallway.

'That's not exactly what I meant," Jungkook said sarcastically.

'I know, but it's not often people can see or hear me," The dog took a deep breath, "It can get lonely."

"Oh," Jungkook didn't know what to say to that. "Um...Do you have a name?" he asked.

The ghost smiled a little sadly and with that, he disappeared.

The panther kept staring at the place the dog had been, waiting to see if he was really gone or if he was going to come back and answer his question. When he didn't reappear, he shook his head and headed off to breakfast muttering about stupid dogs.

*******

Jungkook's entrance into the dining area was observed by Onew and his mates as they ate breakfast from a corner table.

"There he is," Onew nodded as the panther came in.

The others raised their heads and watched as the nervous cat checked out the whole room, pausing a moment when their eyes met his and he gave a small shudder and then headed over to the breakfast bar. They watched the panther move around the dining hall, avoiding others. Jungkook pushed his long-sleeve t-shirt up to his elbows before taking a plate revealing a tattoo sleeve on one arm.

"You think he's seeing him?" Minho asked quietly.

"Pretty sure," Onew nodded. "He's the only resident ghost we've got."

"Not possible." the fox growled.

"Key, I know it's hard." The bunny said, putting his arm out to calm his upset mate.

"No." The fox said in a hard voice. "He left us and instead of trying to contact us he talks to everyone else? I don't buy it." Key got up and dumped his dishes in the bin for washing. He stalked out, ignoring everyone who watched him leave the busy dining area.

The cat, Taemin, sighed at his vanishing mate, "We miss him, too." he whispered. Onew and Minho each took a hand of the sad kitty and squeezed, letting him know they felt the same. It was hard losing a mate. Someone, you had sworn your whole life to protect. What hurt was that they didn't even know how their mate had died. Some thought suicide, some thought foul-play. Nobody knew for sure. They continued their breakfast in silence, consumed with their thoughts.

********

Jungkook finally found a table to sit at once the upset fox had left the room. He was on edge and didn't know what to make of his morning visitor. Before he could think too much of it, another plate was put down on the table and he looked up to see Felix's happy smile. The wolf was right behind him with an indulgent smile, while the angry ferret was scowling behind him.