STRAY // JJK x HYBRID (bunny)✔️ Re-Writing

CHAPTER 52

(AN: I'm using euros because I'm lazy. Feel free to correct.) 

BO-YOUNG

"Hyungsik, I need to call in a favor," Taehyung speaks into the phone. "You know Jungkook, correct? He's an artist. For a Christmas present, his hybrid would like to get him a prominent place in a gallery," he explains to the gallery owner, whose name is apparently Hyungsik. He paces back and forth for a moment as Hyungsik speaks from the other end.

"I know. I checked the bookings. Is February still free?" he asks. They talk for a while longer before Taehyung says his goodbyes and hangs up. He turns to me, a large grin on his face. "Guess what?"

"We got it?" I ask hopefully. Taehyung nods excitedly. "Holy sh- Oh my god!" I squeal, hopping around.

"The best part is: we get it dirt cheap!" Taehyung gushes. "It may not be a whole month, but we get half a month for 500 €."

"That is cheap, but I can't ask you to spend that much," I say sullenly. I give Taehyung a small smile as he processes my words.

"If you feel bad about it, you can pay me back when you get a job," he says.

"How did you know I wanted to get a job?" I question him as he shifts uncomfortably.

"Well..." he begins. "Jungkook and I were talking about everything a while back. The day we hung the Christmas lights. He told me you were planning on taking him out, despite you being broke on your own. I figured you were going to get yourself a job."

"You are correct. I haven't found a place that hires hybrids yet, though, so the process is slow," I tell him as I shrug.

"You'll figure something out," Taehyung says confidently. "Before you reject my offer to rent the gallery for you, how about we go check the space out?"

"Sounds good. Isn't there a gallery going on in there, though?" I ask. Taehyung nods as be begins walking towards the escalators.

"Yes, but does that matter? It'll just show you what it'll look like when it's full," Taehyung tells me as we begin to go down the escalators. Once we reach the ground floor, we walk out. The guard gives Taehyung a small wave as he leaves. Taehyung hails a taxi.

The drive takes only 10 minutes. When we step out, we're greeted by a large building with multiple floors. On the ground floor is the gallery. Through the window, we see many intricate paintings of different sceneries. Inside, a few people are looking at different pieces.

Taehyung and I walk in through the glass doors. The bright white light hurts my eyes. When we walk in, a man rushes to us. He gives Taehyung a short hug, patting him on the back as he steps away from the hug.

"Taehyung! It's been a while, hasn't it?" he says to Taehyung before looking at me. "Is this the hybrid you were talking about?" he asks.

It suddenly clicks. "You're Hyungsik?" I ask, to which he nods.

He, like Taehyung, is quite good looking. I suppose attractive people have attractive friends. That's just how the world works. He's wearing a dark turtleneck, making him look like a real art connoisseur.

"Ah, you're so cute. I've met my fair share of bunny hybrids, but I've never seen one as tall as you," he says as he extends his hand out for me to shake.

"Oh? I didn't think being short was a bunny hybrid stereotype," I say in surprise as I shake his hand.

"Hell, I didn't even know Jungkook got himself a hybrid until Tae called me today. I knew he was an artist too, but I never thought he was serious enough about it to rent a gallery," Hyungsik says.

I chuckle politely. "He isn't, or at least wasn't until recently."

"Interesting," Hyungsik muses as he eyes me with a look I can't read. "Would you happen to have any of his art with you? Maybe a picture?" he asks. I suppose he can't let just anyone with money rent out his gallery space. Having lackluster art could lower the reputation of the place.

Taehyung shakes his head.

"I do," I say, taking out my phone and showing Hyungsik the phone cover Jungkook painted me. "I also have a few sneaky photos I took. They're from awkward angles, though," I say as I scroll through my camera roll. I show him the painting Jungkook made with me as a reference, the one he made of the old house on the other side of the lake, and some others I've managed to take sneaky pictures of.

"Your invasion of Jungkook's privacy is coming in handy, Shortie," Taehyung teases. I elbow him in the ribs, making him wheeze for a second before laughing.

"Yep yep," Hyungsik says as he looks at the pictures. "That's some good work. I'll reserve the space for you."

before Hyungsik can walk away, Taehyun stops him. He asks: "Is there any physical form you could give us proving that we've reserved it? It'd make the gift more..."

"Ah, yeah. I can print something out for you. Wait here for a moment. I'll only take 15-ish minutes," Hyungsik says with a smile as he rushes off to god knows where.

"How about we look around while we wait? The art here looks pretty nice," he says as he saunters up to the nearest piece.

"Sure," I say as I follow him to the piece he's looking at.

The impressionistic art is well made and has really pretty colors. The artist painted them on basic canvases with what looks to be acrylic paint. The scene is beautiful. A large cathedral of sorts stands tall and proud, a crowd of people with vibrantly colored umbrellas standing at its base.

I look around more, leaving Taehyung's side as I wander around the gallery. A lot of the pieces center around large buildings. In the corner of the room, though, there is a piece not like the others. I walk to it.

It depicts a simple scene. A rainy night under a streetlamp. The other pieces all had their pops of vibrant colors, like the umbrellas, but this one has none. The colors are not necessarily dull, but rather dark. The only light comes from the yellow-tinted streetlamp's light, like the ones that line Jungkook's street.

The setting is familiar. A distant feeling of nostalgia bubbles up within me as I stare at the painting. I hear the clicking of heels behind me. Suddenly, someone speaks.

"Hey, bunny."