Junhao Short Stories | HIATUS

Hybrid <two>

"I'm here!" Jun yelled as he walked into Seungcheol's large apartment. All three boys were never in dept and were able to buy their own apartments or houses right out of college. They were all highly qualified for the jobs they were searching for and all of them had a large enough salary to have a lot of spending money.
"We are in the kitchen!" Seungcheol yelled back. Jun took off his shoes then walked over. His friends apartment was really nice. It had two bedrooms, two bathrooms, one in suite, a good sized living room and a full kitchen. Wonwoo's apartment was close to this, but his kitchen and living room were connected, only separated by a counter.
"Hey Jun, how are you?" Wonwoo greeted Jun as he walked into the kitchen.
"I am fine, how are you?" Jun smiled at his friends. Seungcheol was making sandwiches and Wonwoo was getting drinks out.
"Pretty good. Would you like a pop?" Wonwoo was just about to close the fridge.
"Nah, i'll just take a water. So, Seungcheol, you ready to meet your Hybrid?"
"I am really mostly nervous." Seungcheol looks behind him at his friend. "I mean, I am not really specific with who I want. It would be nice to get someone who is sweet though, I don't really want someone who is crazy and rude."
"This place we are going too, they breed hybrids you said?" Jun got his water and also grabbed the sandwich Seungcheol handed him.
"Yes, they breed specific hybrids so they are somewhat of a 'purebread' I guess. But they also have rescues, where they were found on the street." Seungcheol handed Wonwoo his sandwich and also grabbed his own. "It would be nice to get a white cat but I really don't care."
"Well, do you want a kitten, or a cat?" Wonwoo took a bite of his sandwich.
"Well I definitely don't want a kid running around here." The three boys chuckle and nod. "It would be nice for them to be my age."
"What about a girl or boy? Do you have a preference?" Jun asked as he sat on the counter to finish eating.
"Probably a boy, you know I don't really get along with girls for some reason."
"Probably because you are manly as fuck and have a thick head." Jun laughs loudly at Wonwoos statement, making him laugh as well.
"I am not thick headed! I just can't get along with girls as easily as boys, its perfectly fine to do that." Seungcheol tried to defend himself.
"You like girls, how do you not get along with them?" Jun said between his laughter.
"Well I have a preference to boys so it still makes sense." Seungcheol hit Jun lightly in the arm but chuckled to himself. Seungcheol has come out to his friends pretty early on in his discovering of likeing boys. He of course, thought he was gay first, then realised he was actually bi. "We should get going soon, so finish up your sandwiches."
"What's the place called?" Wonwoo asks and brings out his phone, to look up directions.
"'Saphire's Peculiar Pets', it is a regular pet store as well."
"Its only about a ten minute walk, right?" Wonwoo puts in the direction in his phone.
"Yep, but lets go start looking, I want to look for the perfect hybrid... That sounds so weird." Seungcheol groaned and grabbed the plates and glasses, putting them in the sink to clean up later. "I hate that I get to choose what person is coming home with me. I am buying a person, that's disgusting."
"Don't worry about it Seungcheol, we are saving them at least." Jun puts a hand on his friends shoulder. "But I don't think I will be singing the same tune on Sunday."
"Right, I am still not really prepared for that." Wonwoo walks over to the door to get his shoes and the other two boys follow.
"I can't believe there is a specific bidding to buy hybrids for sex. Its absolutely disgusting." Seungcheol says. "Imagine what those hybrids feel, and how they are treated, its not okay."
"No its not, that's why I am saving at least one."
"What do you know about the hybrid, Jun?" Wonwoo started heading left down the road, so the other two followed.
"Well the people I have talked too say he is 'exotic', 'the best for needs', and they also say he is gorgeous. Jinhun, the guy i am meeting for the auction wouldn't even say his name. He said he wants to keep it a surprise for the day." Jun looks down as he speaks, he is worried to meet his hybrid. He really wants to protect all hybrids against that sort of treatment, but one is a start.
"If he is all that then why is he given back to the seller?" Seungcheol brought up the fact.
"My guess is to earn more money. I mean, you bid on him for an amount, then when you are done with him you sell him for a higher price. It's sick but it makes sense." Wonwoo had always been the sense of logic in his three friends. He had always been book smart, being the best at school and the best at his job. As he was the one leading, Seungcheol and Jun followed him as he took a quick left, then a right across the street.
"Well I don't plan on giving him back, no matter what. I will save him and hopefully I can save others later on as well. I have made a name for myself in the community so hopefully the other men don't mess with us." Jun was defiant and set on his decision. Jun rarely ever changes his mind about things, only when he is proven wrong about something.
"At some point you tell us what you have done. And the full story not the Jun little 'oh, it was nothing' sort of way that you speak." Seungcheol gave a point toward his friends face, and Jun nodded his head with a small smile of his lips.
"Come on, its just down this way." Seungcheol now lead the way and Wonwoo and Jun kept up. The pet store was a bright blue with gold trim. They walked in side to see a large area, little pet cages lining the walls as well as small little rows. The cages held real pets, ranging from dogs and cats, to bunnies and reptiles.
"Hello, what can I do for you?" A woman was sitting behind the counter. She had a bright face and looked to be a little older than the boys. A small name tag that said "Saphire" in blue ink adorned her tight fitting shirt.
"Hello, I am looking for a hybrid, actually." Seungcheol talks as Jun and Wonwoo looks around. Wonwoo was looking at the small kittens, while Jun was gazing at the reptiles.
"Oh, what type of hybrid?" The woman stands up and starts walking toward a back room.
"A house cat. I am not really specific on the type, I just want him to be sweet." The three boys follow behind the woman as she opens a back door. The back room looked very weird to the three boys. The hybrids were held in huge cages, much like the ones they saw in the other room. The cages were all the way up to the ceiling as each little room had a bed or two and a concealed toilet and sink. Some of the cages had mutiple beds when there were families of hybrids, then others just had one.
"Well, you can look around, there is another row behind this one, just walk around the back there." The woman directed the boys around. "I'll be in the front, but the door closes automatically." She smiles to the boys then walks back the way she came.
"Its a lot better than what it can be." Wonwoo eased all of their unspoken hate toward the place. Seungcheol started walking down the row, almost all the hybrids looked like they really didn't care.
"I really don't like this." Seungcheol said under his breath.
"What did you say?" The boys looked over to see a bird hybrid. She was on the smaller side but still an adult. Bright red feathers sprouted out of her equally red hair, the boys could also see small feathers coming out of her hands and forarms as well.
"I don't like this, I hate that all of you are stuck in here." Seungcheol looked at the girls state. She was healthy and fit, she didnt have any scatches or bruises either.
"Really?" A little boy, a dog hybrid, said in the next cage over. He was held with his mother and sister, or what looked like it to the boys.
"Yes, its terrible how you all are treated. Thankfully its better then some." Jun now said and did a slow 360. Most of the hybrids now looked at them.
"You are correct, we are treated way better then other hybrids else where." The mother of the small boy said. She stood up and walked to the metal wires. "Thank you for your sympathy, but you should get back to looking to buy. You stay back here too long, Saphire will start to get suspicious and kick you all out."
"Thank you, I hope you all can be free someday." Wonwoo looks around at everyone, earning some nods and 'thank you's in return.
Seungcheol starts walking down the way again, but this side was all dogs and some reptiles and birds. Wonwoo walked around the bend and called the other two over. This section was where all the cats were.
"So you three are the boys we heard." A black cat hybrid said in the first cage. She was snooty and held herself up high. "Your sympathy means nothing if you aren't going to do anything."
"For your information we are doing something. We are saving one of your kind from people that only want you to abuse you." Wonwoo defended them quickly.
"Us three, as well as the rest of our friends, are also trying to save you all as well. We are trying to get high jobs so we can stop the discrimination against you all. You should stop thinking so high of yourself and think before you speak, not many nice people will want to save someone with such an attitude." Jun was quick to speak as well, his voice was never raised at the girl, but his voice was strong. "Sadly I can think of many men who would love to use that attitude against you, be careful next time." They three started walking down the row again as the hybrid looked at the ground. Seungcheol lead the way but stopped three cages to the end. In the room was a boy with long bright white hair. The tipes of his ears were black, as well as the tip of his tail. He had simple faded jeans and a pure white shirt on. The man was laying on his bed, blankly staring at the ceiling. He turned his head and upon seeing the three he got up and ran to the front of the cage quickly.
"Hello." He said sweetly, with a small smile on his face. "Which one of you is buying?"
"I am, what's your name?" Seungcheol said with a smile. He stepped forward to the cage, the man put his hands on the metal and smiled back.
"My name is Jeonghan, but you can always change it." His voice was sweet but strong.
"Why would I change your name, its your name." Seungcheol glanced back to the boys, Wonwoo stepping forward.
"My names Wonwoo. If you don't mind me asking, do you have any powers?" Wonwoos deep voice seemed to startle the hybrid since his eyebrows went up.
"Oh, yes I do. I can hide my ears and tail, but only for a couple hours, maybe four or five." Jeonghan twitched one of his ears then rubbed it a little. "Is there a reason for your asking?"
"No, not at all, I was just curious." Wonwoo shrugged then looked at Junhui.
Jun smiled and stepped forward as well.
"How old are you Jeonghan?"
"I am 22, I was originally a stray when Saphire found me and took me here." Jeonghan smile never left his face.
"Would you like to come home with me, Jeonghan?" Seungcheol asked and put a hand on the metal as well, a little bit away from Jeonghans own hand.
"Really? That would be great!" Jeonghan jumped up and down slightly, making the three boys chuckle.
"I'll go get Saphire." Jun turned back and jogged to the front. He saw another family looking at the animals in the far wall but ignored them. He walked over to the counter where Saphire was sitting reading a book.
"Oh, have you found someone you like?" Saphire smiled up at Jun.
"Yes we have. My friends are still back there with him." Jun tapped the counter softly.
"Okay well let me get the keys and his stuff then you three can have him." Saphire grabbed a few papers and put them on the counter and also a small bag. Then grabbed her keys and walked over to the door. "Who is it that you all took a liking too?"
"Jeonghan." Jun was quickly the follow her.
"Ah, he is very sweet. I am warning you, Jeonghan can be very sarcastic at times." As Saphire passed the hybrids they all stared at her. Jun watched as there faces were a mix of emotions, it made him wonder what was actually going on in this little store.
"I see you all like Jeonghan." Saphire said to Seungcheol and Wonwoo.
"Yes we do." Seungcheol took a step back from the cage as Jeonghan did as well. Saphire grabbed the pad lock that was holding the cage door closed.
"Remember to behave with them Jeonghan, don't be rude to them." Saphire told Jeonghan as he hid his face behind his hair. He stayed looking down, only giving her a small nod. Once the door was open Jeonghan quickly walked over to Seungcheol, standing a little but behind him. "Come on this way, I have the papers ready in the front." Jun and Wonwoo walked behind her quickly as Seungcheol turned to Jeonghan and gave him a soft smile.
"Come on Jeonghan, lets get you home." Seungcheol put an arm around Jeonghans shoulders and the other welcomed it fully, even leaning into the taller slightly.
"Thank you, so much." Jeonghan looked up and smiled at Seungcheol as he smiled back with just the same sweetness.
"I wish I could do more."