Jihoon sat there with a confused look on his face. “I’m sorry, what?”

“It’s a common misconception. You look at them and you see a human body with animal extremities and some animalistic behaviours and think they are some kind of human-animal pet. The first thing you need to know – if you want to be a kind owner – is that they aren’t animals. Every hybrid was once a very normal, entirely human embryo. The very first hybrids had animal DNA spliced into their genes when they were still just a clump of cells, but any DNA sample will confirm they are, entirely, human.”

Jihoon blinked. “I didn’t know that.”

“No, the government has made it quite clear how they want hybrids to be perceived. The information is all out there in libraries and on google, but people simply believe what they hear on the streets or in the news.”

Jihoon thought about that a moment. “You don’t approve of the government’s way of handling the hybrids.”

“Do you?”

“No! Goodness, no.”

“They are going off this idea they got from a group of whacko scientists, that hybrids aren’t in control of their animalistic nature, and if they are not controlled by full, pureblood humans, that they pose some kind of dark threat to the community. They need to be owned like they’re furniture or something. If they’re not owned and stamped with a chip they’re taken away and destroyed. The government is committing the mass murder of hundreds of people who can’t help being what they are, just because.”

Jihoon stared out the window where Seungcheol was bounding around in the grass.

“To be honest, Seungcheol probably had lots of siblings. I can imagine they’re all dead now. They get incarcerated. Incinerated. The government lops them into a cremation room. My ex-boyfriend worked for that division when it was first started. He said the hybrids walk in alive. They’re tricked in, unsuspecting. And burned alive. All to control what they see as a ‘breeding problem’.”

Jihoon shuddered. “That’s horrible.”

“It’s holocaustal,” Jun answered coldly. “I’m a biochemist, so I have a very deep understanding of how the situation works. I’m studying part-time to become a vet, too. Apparently only certified vets are allowed to practice on hybrids, despite the fact that they’re all essentially human. It leads to great mispractice and I’ve seen some owners come to me, sobbing themselves to pieces with disfigured hybrids who were botched by a vet who didn’t know what they were doing.”

“God,” was all Jihoon could answer.

“Yeah. I know it all sounds harsh, but I’m telling this because you need to understand that Seungcheol is essentially human.”

“He doesn’t always seem human, what’s that about?”

“The splicing is only meant to introduce physical components of animals into the body. For some hybrids that’s exactly what it does. It gives them ears and a tail and the ability to make certain noises. For others, unfortunately, it also introduces certain hormone levels that can change a hybrid’s emotional state. For instance – Minghao? You’d barely know he was a hybrid. Other than ears and tail, he’s your average nineteen-year-old guy. Except that he can’t go study microbiology like he wants, because as you know, the government has declassified all hybrids as animals and pets. However, Jeonghan’s character is extremely cat-like. He needs plenty of sleep, he’s a little sassy, he prefers meat, and he’s a very curious kitten.”

They watched the trio of hybrids outside: Jeonghan and Seungcheol were playing around with each other, with Minghao on the outlook.

“I guess it’s the same for Seungcheol.”

“Clingy, needy, needs a lot of attention and love. Sounds like a golden retriever to me,” Jihoon smiled.

“I would have figured you for a cat person.”

“I like both,” he answered non-committedly. “It was interesting, though. I went to the pound looking for a dog and came back with a hybrid.”

“Well, hybrids are more dependable. The longer he’s with you and gets used to you he’ll become self-sufficient, like my boys are. I could be gone for a month and they would be able to keep things running: pay the bills, go shopping, make their own food. They’re not dependent on me, except they have to be tied to me and live with me in order to escape the government’s… well, raids.”

“Wow.”

“Once you manage to raise them a little, they’re fine on their own. Like I said, they’re just humans. Seungcheol might be clingier, more affectionate, because he’s a dog though. The only dog hybrids I ever met were…” Jun suddenly fell still, a shadow passing over his eyes. “…governmental, untrained vets do terrible things. They enjoy experimentation too much.”

Jihoon shuddered.

“I’m guessing you don’t like the idea of Seungcheol being-”

“No, I don’t,” Jihoon answered quickly. “I don’t know much about hybrids, or about him, but I do know that he deserves a happy, good life. Looks like he’s been through a lot. He deserves a little happiness.”

“I’d say so.”

“Is there anything I need to know?”

“Well, Seungcheol does seem very young, mentally.”

“Told me he was two months old.”

“That’s ridiculous. Hybrids grow at the same rate humans do.”

“Yeah. Maybe he has some kind of memory loss.”

“If he was badly abused, that’s no surprise.”

The two sat for a moment with coffee while Seungcheol was taught how to play Frisbee. The hybrid was more than delighted with the invention of this new game.

“I’m going to have to buy him one of those, and I live in an apartment,” Jihoon sighed with a smile.

“You can take him out for walks,” Jun chuckled. “…any other questions?”

“Uh… digestive tract?”

“Human,” Jun smiled.

“If they’re human then… well, I’ve heard stories.”

“Yes?”

“…about people getting them… spayed and neutered.”

“Spaying and neutering is what you do to animals, Jihoon. Castration is what you do to humans.” Jun shuddered unhappily. “I’ve seen too many male hybrids in extreme pain with bad infections from where their items used to be, and