Homeless, Not Hopeless (JiKook)

1.

A woman's voice answered him with a "Yes sweetie."

Jungkook moved back to the counter and held his hand out towards the room, "You can have a seat. I'll bring it to you when it's ready."

"I really don't need two," the Hybrid quietly said.

Jungkook inhaled through his teeth, looking around the room, "I haven't seen you here before. I remember everyone here. Even if you don't eat both today, you can take the second with you."

The Hybrid dropped his head in a bow and quietly thanked the human.

Jungkook blushed, because no one had ever bowed to him before. Everyone he knew was either older, way younger (like babies and toddlers), or the same age as him.

"Here sweetie," a woman put a plate with two sandwiches on a small window in the wall.

Jungkook reached back and grabbed the plate, then handed it to the Hybrid, "Hope you enjoy. Oh! Would you like some coffee or water?"

The Hybrid hesitantly took the plate and mumbled out "Water's okay".

Jungkook smiled and gestured for him to wait just a second. He disappeared into the kitchen then came back with a glass of water.

The human sat the cup down on the counter and the Hybrid only stared at it.

After a pause the Hybrid looked up, "Can I sit up here?" He pointed to the stools on the far end of the counter.

"Of course," Jungkook nodded.

"Thank you," the Hybrid smiled sadly and took his meal over to the other side of the counter.

Jungkook went back to his comic book, but he would glance around at the Hybrid every few minutes.

This one ate slowly, so he must've been starving.

Jungkook shook his head at the thought. Maybe he was too proud to come and ask for food.

The Hybid had stayed all day, Jungkook noticed. He'd walk around the place, glancing out windows and he used the bathroom a couple times, but he always came back to sit in front of his plate.

He only ate half of his first sandwich and drank half of his water. Jungkook thought it was odd, but he said nothing.

By closing time, Jungkook's mother had gotten him to open up. His name was Jimin and he was a Purebred cat Hybrid.

Jungkook thought that was weird as well. Usually, they got half-breeds and mixed-breeds. Purebred Hybrid were usually taken by rich families and/or entertainment companies.

Although Jimin told Jungkook's mom his age, breed and name, he wouldn't say a single thing about how he became homeless.

Most Hybrids shared their stories, which Jungkook loved to listen to because it was so much different from his own life. Yet, this one was more timid than the others.

Jungkook's mom had gone in the kitchen to get a dog Hybrid named Seokjin a bowl of tomato soup. Seokjin always came in later in the day. He hated the big crowds at lunch and dinner time.

So Jungkook started wiping down the countertops. He paused when Jimin started talking though.

"I can help clean. I feel bad just taking food."

"No, it's fine," Jungkook smiled at the older boy.

"Really," Jimin stood up and looked around the big room, "I can sweep, clean tables, wash dishes-"

"Jimin-ah, it's okay," Jungkook stopped him, "Really, it is. We're a charity soup kitchen, we give."

The cat Hybrid stayed quiet for some time after that, watching Jungkook restock a napkin dispenser.