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

CHAPTER 23

BO-YOUNG

I stare at the large red mark on the now erased hybrid record. I pull out the few pages that make my new one, running my finger over the line that proclaims me to be a stray. It's much better than being a fugitive, hell, I would have been ecstatic about having the title of "stray" a couple of days ago, but I'm not sure if I feel the same way now.

Despite staying here for only a short time, I've grown quite attached to Jungkook and his drama devoid life. After spending countless days and night constantly worrying about shelter, food, and hybrid-hating people, it's nice to just stay in one place and relax. I've gotten to live a similar life as I did before, something I simultaneously desperately dreamed would happen and dreaded the idea of.

I'm not insecure about my place in his life, or even his place in mine. I'm just worried about the bad that comes with all of the good.

I used to worry that the human I live with would never compare to Grace. Now I worry that I'll forget about her.

I clutch the papers in my hands, almost crumpling them. I place them down in front of me. Should I keep my old file in there? I'm no saint, but I know it'd be a bad start to lie to Jungkook. It was a leap of faith to take me in, so the least he deserves is to know who he's adopted.

God, I hate using the word "adopted" to describe these sorts of things. It doesn't work when the one being "adopted" is of almost the same age, and isn't a child. I see it more as being a legal guardian or legally living with someone. Someday I hope hybrids would be allowed to live alone, but progress takes time, and there's a long way to go.

A part of me wishes Jungkook and I wouldn't have to be legally bound with hybrid adoption papers, and that we could just be normal friends or flatmates.

I place the papers back into a neat pile, sliding the original papers in after the new ones, the adoption papers at the bottom. I walk to the large bookshelf, where I see a stack of printer paper hidden behind a row of books. I carefully pick one out of the pile and grab one of the spare pens Jungkook has left lying about. I write a short note detailing what the papers mean. I write a couple of paragraphs about what I told Taehyung and Hobi, telling Jungkook about my previous "owner", or in a way, mother. As I scrawling down my thoughts, I realize that my writing is lopsided on the blank paper, drifting off downwards as id it was melting.

"Classy! Absolutely gorgeous! Wow!" I exclaim frustratedly, allowing myself a little laugh at the sloppy note. My handwriting is shaky and unsure, the pen's lines so thin that every small tremble and tremor are detailed in the lines. I place the note at the top of the pile before lifting it to the coffee table, where I'm sure he'll find it.

I sit down onto the couch, the stack in my peripheral as I scroll through Netflix. After concluding that everything is still equally uninteresting as it was before, I switch to HBO, scrolling through until I find the show I'm looking for.

__________________________

The door swings open as someone enters the apartment. I've just finished episode five of Castle Rock.

Jungkook strides in, throwing his briefcase or satchel -I can't tell from here- next to the shoe rack before taking his shoes off, leaving them strewn across the edge of the vestibule as if the shoe rack didn't exist.

As his eyes land on me, his tired look turns into a smile.

"Long day at work?" I ask him nervously. Despite having five, well, four hours after writing the note, to prepare for this moment, I still feel unprepared.

"Yeah, the longest. I had so much paperwork to go through today," he tells me. His eyes land on the hefty pile of papers. "What's that?" he points to the pile.

"It's a pile of papers Taehyung printed out," I tell him vaguely. I stand up and walk towards the guest room where I'm staying in. "Go through them. You'll know when to read the note."

I walk away, leaving Jungkook looking confused. I hear him make his way to the couch, sitting down and picking up some of the papers.

I sit down onto the plush white bed, waiting for a moment before realizing that Jungkook will take a while to read through all the papers. It's extremely boring in this blank room, so I cautiously open the door and walk out towards the bookcase. I see Jungkook glance up at me briefly before going back to reading the paper in his hands. I grab one of the books at random before retreating back into my room.

It's a small book that's not very thick. It's got a plain cover and looks like nothing special. "Never Let Me Go" is its name. I sit down on the bed again, leaning against the headboard as I open the book.

_____________________

I don't know how much time has passed since Jungkook came home, but it must have been a while, seeing as I've read seven chapters from this book.

"Bo-young, could you come here?" I hear Jungkook call calmly from the living room. I close the book, taking a deep breath. I set the book down before getting up, feeling a small ache on the part of my back which was pressed against the headboard. The door creaks as I open the door. Jungkook is sitting on the couch in the same place where I last saw him, the papers back in a neat pile. A few papers are set aside, including my sloppily written note.

"Yes?" I ask, successfully calming myself enough to be able to speak without stuttering.

"I'm going to need a pen. Could you fetch me one?" he asks, pushing his hair back as he holds a piece of paper.

I feel a wave of doubt wash over me. "Why?" I ask.

"I'm going to sign your adoption papers. You need to sign 'em too."

1030 words