Chapter Text
Day 3565. Min-Ji marked another day off on the calendar in red sharpie. It wasn’t that she hated the shelter - it was a nice shelter, she was grateful to be there - but it just wasn’t home. She longed for a real home, with a real family. She longed to be adopted. Ten years she had been living in that 8x10 room that barely even bore her scent due to the steel reinforced concrete walls and slab floor.
“Good morning, Min-Ji,” one of the staff greeted as she entered the cafeteria. She had a big smile plastered on her face, and Min-Ji sometimes wondered if at the end of her shift she had to hammer her cheeks back into place. She chuffed a greeting in return, even less sociable than usual now that winter was setting in, and grabbed a tray for her food.
She liked oatmeal in the mornings. It was warm and sweet when doctored with nuts and berries, and a splash of agave, and gave her a very pleasant feeling in her stomach that lasted until lunch.
“Hey Goldilocks! Is that porridge too hot, or too cold?” One of the other hybrids, a jackal if the scent told her anything, sniggered and laughed with his table mates. He was young, just a teenager. He didn’t know that she’d heard the same joke thousands of times. Of course the bear hybrid like oatmeal.
“It’s just right,” Min-Ji said, smiling tightly, nails digging deep furrows into the hard plastic of his table as she passed.
Jackals were small, like most of the other more common hybrids. They were usually lean, lithe, and feisty. Their safety was in numbers, and this one felt safe in the company of his group, until he saw how her nails sliced through the tabletop like a hot knife through butter. She was pretty passive most of the time, but no one - especially punks like this - should forget that she was an apex predator. Taller than most, larger than most, her presence was intimidating up close.
It wasn’t like she was going to hurt the poor kid, of course not. But it was gratifying to see him blanch, and there was the added benefit that the display would run the rumor mill and reinforce her reputation for wanting to be left alone. She ate in silence, humming peacefully as warmth spread from her belly. And when she was done, she grabbed a handful of snacks, shoving them in her pockets before returning to her room.
“Min-Ji,” Mrs. Oolong cooed as she approached her room. Min-Ji was napping, a common occurrence for the season, and roused gently at the sound of the director’s voice. “Min-Ji, sweetie?”
Mrs. Oolong, for reasons Min-Ji couldn’t begin to fathom, had developed a fondness for the bear almost as soon as she had arrived at the shelter. She was a nice enough lady, somewhere in her fifties, short and plump, with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.
“Mmm?” Min-Ji grumbled as she sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
“Honey, there’s someone I’d like to introduce you to,” Mrs. Oolong said.
Min-Ji’s yawn ended in a low growl, and when she opened her eyes, Mrs. Oolong was not alone. Standing next to her was a young man with perfect, bronzed skin, dark brown eyes, and blond hair. He was at least a foot taller than the shelter director, about as tall as Min-Ji herself, she thought. He smiled at her, one side of his face nearly caving with a dimple.
Min-Ji chuffed, staring at the visitor.
“Mr. Kim,” Mrs. Oolong said, “this is Min-Ji. Min-Ji, this is Mr. Kim.”
He stood stock still, smiling and watching, waiting for her to make the first move. Obviously he had been coached.
The bear sniffed the air, her eyes never leaving him, just in case he turned out to be prey. She got up and walked over to him. They were of equal height, though she had more mass on him. To his credit, he didn’t even flinch. Min-Ji chuffed again. He smelled clean. Mild detergents in his clothes, and a gentle vanilla scent to his skin and hair. But underneath those scents, carefully hidden and not quite scrubbed away: sweat, coffee, pine, dust, and something metallic she would later identify as ink. She turned her back on him, returning to the bed to sit down.
Mrs. Oolong visibly relaxed, smiling broadly. “Perhaps you’d like to spend some time together. I can show you to the visitation room?”
“If it’s alright with Min-Ji,” Mr. Kim said, “I’d rather stay here.”
“Oh, Mr. Kim!” Mrs. Oolong said with an air of shock, “I’m afraid that wouldn’t be-“
“I insist,” he said. “I’d like Min-Ji to feel as comfortable as possible.”
The earnestness in his eyes won the old lady over, but she didn’t consent until she got an approving nod from the hybrid. “Very well. Min-Ji, if you need-“
“Thank you, Mrs. Oolong, but I’ll be fine.”
“Of course you will, dear.” She toddled off, leaving Min-Ji alone with Mr. Kim. He had to have either some remarkable connections or outstanding qualifications to have gotten through Mrs. Oolong’s rigorous screening. The old lady was quite protective of Min-Ji. There had only been a handful of candidates Min-Ji herself had met with in the nearly dozen years she had been at the shelter.
He only spent an hour with her. They chatted about superficial things; mostly the visit was to introduce his presence, his scent, to her.
He had definitely been coached, Min-Ji decided.
At the end of the hour, they said their goodbyes. “Would you mind if I came to see you again?”
She shook her head. “That would be nice, Mr. Kim.”
He blushed. “Please don’t call me that. My name is Namjoon.”
Namjoon came to visit every day, for the rest of the week. Hope started to bloom in Min-Ji that he might really adopt her, that she might finally find a home. After a few more days, Mrs. Oolong brought her into her office.
“I wanted to check in with you, Min-Ji,” she said, propping her elbows on the desk and clasping her hands. The twinkle in her eye was a little brighter than usual. “What do you think of Mr. Kim?”
“I think he’s nice,” she answered. “He seems kinda shy, but nice. I’ve been enjoying our visits.”
“Good, good.” The director pulled a folder from a drawer in her desk, pushing toward Min-Ji. “He’s put in his application to adopt you. How would you feel about that?”
Min-Ji blinked once, slowly, then many times in rapid succession. “Are you serious?”
The old lady nodded.
“He really wants to adopt me?”
She couldn’t contain her smile any longer. “He does, Min-Ji,” she beamed. “And I think it’s a very good match.”
Min-Ji set her fingers on the file in front of her. Truly, she knew so little about Namjoon, but he seemed patient and kind. Flipping open the jacket, she was greeted with his smiling face. He was several years older than herself, a writer - but a steadily paid one. She flipped to the long answer section; all the other details she could learn later. What she was interested in was his answer to why he wanted to adopt a hybrid.
Most people don’t think of adopting hybrids the same as adopting children. They think of them as pets. It’s subhuman behavior. I think of them neither as pets nor children, and, frankly, the concept of adopting an adult person a bit reminiscent of slavery or trafficking. But the truth of the matter is, my existence is a lonely one, and I find no better option for companionship than giving a home to someone who needs one. Should he or she be amenable, of course. It is not my intention to own or hold captive anyone. Any companion would need to willingly adapt to my lifestyle. I’ve done some research, I know there are hybrid breeds better suited to it than others. I believe I have the means of building a mutually beneficial relationship, and that is why I would like to adopt a hybrid.
Namjoon’s next visit was unexpected. The shelter usually didn’t allow visitors on Sundays. Min-Ji later supposed Mrs. Oolong had made special allowances for him seeing as he was set on adopting her. So it was a surprise when there was a knock on her door. She had been mid-nap, and the intrusion was not a welcome one. Growling as she got up, she snapped her teeth as she opened the door, ready to tear into whoever had woken her. All of it was instantly forgotten when she saw it was Namjoon on the other side of the door. Min-Ji didn’t hesitate, but launched herself at him, engulfing him in a suffocating hug.
“Air,” he gasped, before she finally let go.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured, casting her eyes away from him. “I didn’t mean-“
“It’s ok,” he said, reaching out to still her fidgeting hands. He smiled at her. “I guess Mrs. Oolong told you the news?”
She only nodded, still contrite for her outburst.
“Are you... Is that...” Namjoon stammered. “Are you ok with that?”
“Oh, Namjoon,” her voice cracked from emotion. “You have no idea.”
Min-Ji pressed into him, eyes closed as he instinctively wrapped his arms around her. With her head resting on his shoulders she inhaled his scent. Already it was a source of comfort. She couldn’t stop tears from leaking from her eyes, dampening his shirt, and she pulled away immediately.
“I’m sorry,” she said, wiping her face to clear any remaining tears. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be,” he said.
She shook her head, sniffed, and tried to pull herself together. This was unlike her; Min-Ji rarely showed vulnerability to anyone. She was a solitary creature, an apex predator, a strong ursidae who depended on no one. Her attachment to Namjoon was already stronger than she cared to admit; stronger than she was comfortable with. He hadn’t adopted her yet, and there was still the probation period to go through when - if - he did. Min-Ji had to be careful.
“It won’t happen again,” she said, but it was more a promise to herself than to Namjoon.
Because she wouldn’t look him in the eye, she missed the way his brow furrowed for just a moment. And she missed the way his hand twitched as he fought the urge to reach for her.
“Min-Ji is very special,” Mrs. Oolong told him when he came in to submit his adoption papers. “She was found in the forest as a cub, and went through a traumatizing separation from her mother. Terrible hunting accident.”
“That’s awful,” Namjoon said. He had initially showed interest in the bear for her low social requirements and natural affinity for the forest, reckoning his cabin home in the woods would be just the right fit for her.
“Yes,” the director agreed. “She went through thirteen foster homes in the following six years until I was able to take her in. Poor thing wouldn’t talk to anyone. Wouldn’t eat. Wouldn’t sleep. She just sat in a corner chewing her claws until they were bloody. It took years of therapy, and patience, to bring her around.”
Namjoon’s heart ached for the girl. “I can’t imagine.”
“I tell you this for good reason, Mr. Kim.” Mrs. Oolong looked at him sternly. “She is strong, so strong - you’ll believe she can handle anything - but she is so fragile. Min-Ji will try to please you, but also distance herself from you. Be patient with her. Build trust with her.”
He nodded.
The old woman smiled at him. “I think it’s a great match, Mr. Kim, I really do. She’s fond of you.”
“I’m fond of her, too.”
“Oh, and scratching is going to be an issue. Take great care with how you handle it.”
The warning unnerved him and he wished she would explain more, but she didn’t. Namjoon would have to work it out with Min-Ji as best he could.
He gave her a moment to gather herself, then said, “I thought today we could go shopping.”
Now she stared at him. “Shopping?”
“Yeah.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “You know, for furniture and things… things you’ll need or want. For your room.”
Min-Ji looked around the room. Everything in here belonged to the shelter. It bore her scent, but only because it had been with her these last twelve years. She had never had her own things before. She’d never been asked what she wanted, what she liked. She chuffed to keep from crying again. “I can’t leave the facility until the papers are executed.”
Namjoon gave her a warm smile. “I already got special dispensation from Mrs. Oolong. It’s ok.”
When he held out his hand, she stared at it like it was a foreign object. The emotions swirling through her were unfamiliar and so strong! Her chest hurt. Her mind was a vortex. She was in entirely new territory and it scared her. And the last thing she wanted was to trigger her adrenal reflex and lash out at him, so she picked option B and ran.
Min-Ji was a natural sprinter. Her body was built for powerful bursts of speed, so it took no time at all for her to make her way to the yard behind the facility. Finding the furthest corner, away from anyone else, she let loose with a growl, stomping the ground and digging deep furrows with her claws. So immersed in her chaotic emotions, she didn’t even notice Namjoon approaching.
“Mr. Kim!” Mrs. Oolong shouted as she ran as fast as her plump little legs could carry her. “Mr. Kim! Stay back!”
Fortunately she caught him before he got too close, though he did not appreciate being manhandled by an old lady. She was surprisingly strong.
“You must stay back, Mr. Kim,” she said between heaving breaths. “She could kill you.”
“She wouldn’t…” he said, not sounding very confident.
“She wouldn’t mean to,” she replied. “I haven’t seen her this upset since a potential owner rejected her based on her sheer size. What happened?”
Namjoon gave a slight shrug. “Nothing? I asked her if she would go shopping with me. I told her you had given special permission, and then she bolted.”
“Well, you know this is all very overwhelming for her.”
“Understandably, but what can I do?” he implored the director.
With a soft hand on his arm, she said, “Maybe it’s best if you go. You can come back tomorrow when she’s calmed down.”
Namjoon sighed, but when he met Mrs. Oolong’s gaze, there was nothing but resolve in his eyes. “No. She and I need to learn how to work through things like this. That starts now. What do I do?”
“Keep your distance,” she instructed. “Try to draw her out of her head. Remember: scent is her strongest sense.”
He nodded, stepping closer to the distraught bear. “Min-Ji? Min-Ji sweetheart, can you hear me?”
By now Min-Ji had worn herself out somewhat, but she was still far too upset to hear Namjoon calling to her. She crouched on the ground, digging deeper and deeper into the earth, keening quietly.
“Min-Ji?” He maintained a bit of distance, enough that she couldn’t lunge at him, but crouched in front of her, holding out his hand. He blew softly down his wrist in her direction, hoping it would carry his scent to her. “Sweetheart?”
The moment she smelled him, he could tell: she stilled immediately and tilted her head, nose scenting the air. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. When she opened them again, she locked eyes with Namjoon. He thought it was safe enough to take a step toward her, but as soon as he did, she scrambled away from him. Now she was backed into the corner of the fence surrounding the yard.
“Mr. Kim-“ Mrs. Oolong whispered a warning.
Without breaking eye contact, he gestured to acknowledge he heard her.
Min-Ji’s features were contorted in fear and pain. She alternated growling and keening, snapping her teeth.
Namjoon shook his head, stepping closer. “I’m not going to hurt you. It’s ok. You’re ok.”
He was too close, and she had nowhere to run. Trembling with the effort it took to fight the instinct to swipe at him, Min-Ji regressed. She clamped her powerful jaws around her claws, chewing them viciously until Namjoon could see blood.
“No!” He forgot about keeping his distance and rushed her. He cared too much to let her harm herself. Namjoon grabbed her hand from her mouth. It was a struggle - she was incredibly strong. “No, baby bear,” he cooed. “You’re hurting yourself.”
Min-Ji nuzzled into his neck, unsure if she was seeking comfort or ready to rip out his throat with her teeth. ‘Baby bear.’ The endearment broke her. She sobbed, keening loudly.
“You’re alright,” he said, soft and gentle as ever. “You’re alright baby bear.”
They stayed like that for several minutes, until he asked if she was ready to go back inside. She nodded, but refused to show her face, hiding in the crook of his neck as they walked back to her room.
“I’ll be right back,” he told her. Min-Ji said nothing, but curled up on her bed facing the wall.
Namjoon went to check in with Mrs. Oolong; he didn’t have to go far. She was waiting nearby.
“Let’s walk,” she said, gesturing him to join her. “I’m obligated to tell you that your behavior was reckless and you not only endangered yourself but the hybrid.”
“-“
“Now that the legal stuff is out of the way,” she continued before he could speak, “I’m impressed, Mr. Kim. You did well. Min-Ji will need-“
He cut her off. “If you’re suggesting I leave and come back tomorrow, I’m not going to do that. If it’s alright with you, I’d still like to take Min-Ji to buy furniture. I think it’s important.”
Clearly unhappy with his pushback, she frowned. “Mr. Kim-“
“Mrs. Oolong, I appreciate your position, but I’m not backing down. You said I need to be patient and build trust. How will it look to her if I bolt just because she acted out because she’s overwhelmed? That hardly makes me someone she can trust.”
“Very well.” The director grimaced. “Although I don’t like my own words tossed in my face like that.”
He smiled, his dimples charming her. “No one does.”
Namjoon returned to Min-Ji’s room to find her in the same position he left her. The mattress dipped as he sat on the edge.
“I didn’t think you were coming back,” she murmured.
“Sweetheart,” he crooned, “I couldn’t leave you like this.”
He took her arm, the one she had bitten the claws on, and examined it. The nails were bitten down to the quick, bloody and ragged. “Oh, Min-Ji. Why did you do this?”
She snatched her arm back. “I’m sorry!”
“You don’t have to apologize,” he said, quick to reassure her. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
With a deep, shuddering breath that sounded more like a choked sob, she spoke. Unable to ask the real question - did he still want her - for fear his answer would be no, she came at it with all the control she still had left. “I’ll understand if you’ve changed your mind. If you don’t want to adopt me.”
Namjoon’s breath caught in a sob he wasn’t expecting. “Baby bear, you’re gonna have to try a lot harder than that to get rid of me.”
Finally, she turned, looking at him with the surprise of someone who had learned from an early age that they couldn’t count on anyone. Her eyes were red, and he realized she had been crying while he’d been gone. He wanted to hold her, to comfort her, but wasn’t sure that was the right move just yet. Instead, he stood, gently tugging her to join him.
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s get you bandaged up, and then pick out some furniture.”