" When we self-regulate well, we are better able to control the trajectory of our emotional lives and resulting actions based on our values and sense of purpose. "
– Amy Leigh Mercree
The measurement, or progress of existence, actions, events, and conditions that belong in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole that had existed and keep existing.
That was the definition of Time that Sora had learned. For her, the progress of her existence stopped at a particular time. A time where she was still naive, wasn't fully familiar with hybrids and trusted easily while her heart was still pure and innocent.
However, this supposed innocence was the one that drove her into a hell she couldn't have imagined before, something she couldn't forget or even forgive.
Yet, there she was now. Her naivety gone, her familiarity with hybrids fully respected, and her heart full of resentment.
" Sora. "
" Oh, you scared me! Jin... " The young female said as she clutched her chest.
" Hey, can I talk to you? " The seriousness in his voice sends her chills.
She gazed at him, a bit unsure, " Uh, yeah sure. " At her response, he gently grabbed her arm and led her into a random room out of curious eyes.
" What's up with you these days? "
His question wasn't something she would expect from him. That's what Sora would want herself to think, but she knew him as much as he knew her. To her Seokjin's eyes, nothing would go missing when it was something related to his friends or family. And she was fully aware of that.
" What? " She asked back, trying to play dumb.
When she saw the worry on his face turn into a glare, she knew it wasn't going to work with him. " You have been acting off for these past few weeks. What's going on? "
She shrugged before she looked away, " I don't know what you are talking about. "
" Don't give me that crap, Sora. Yoongi is worried. "
Yoongi.
Jin was fully aware that using her hybrid's name would destroy her walls, as he was now a part of her family.
" Wh- ... Look, I don't know what Yoongi told you, but I'm fine. " She tried to convince him.
" Are you? Because it's not only us that had noticed your unusual behavior. You have been in deep thoughts and became jumpy. " He said, " What is going on? Please, you can tell me. Is it work? " He approached her as he gently grabbed both her arms to make him look at him.
Sora shook her head, " Nothing is wrong, Jin. Honestly, I'm fine. " She pushed his hands away as she took a step back.
Seokjin watched his friend avoiding his gaze before she warped her arms around herself. " ... You know I've been working long enough in the center with hybrids and humans to know that when a sentence starts with 'Honestly', it's not honesty but a start of lies, right ? "
Sora snapped her head to him to retort, " I- Just drop it! I'm okay! ... " And hung her head low, " I'm just tired, that's it. I've been overloaded with work this month, so I'm a bit on edge, but I'm fine, it's nothing. "
" You sure? "
" Yeah, I'm sure. Now if you could please move so I can give those documents to Namjoon, that would help a lot. "
The man stared at Sora, trying to read her body language before a sigh escaped his plump lips, and moved out of the way to let her pass.
" Thanks... " She mumbled under her breath but knew it was loud enough to be heard.
" Wait, Sora..." The young woman turned around. " You know that I'll always be here if you need me. Not only me but the others too. I don't know what is going on with you, but don't keep everything to yourself. Friends are here for that. "
She nodded, "... I will keep that in mind. Thanks. " She turned around as Jin watched her open the door and leave the room.
Sora was fully aware of her strange behavior. Even she wanted to simply stop and give herself a slap to get her cool back. However, thoughts of him were haunting her from the day she went back to the forest with Yoongi. She triggered memories and nostalgia in her that made her unconsciously live in the past again. She hated it. She disliked this part of herself, falling so easily from the tricks of her own heart.
Suddenly, she started to feel nauseous. She didn't know if it was because of the heavy schedule she gave herself to keep her mind busy or because of the thoughts she wanted to wash away. She quickly walked toward the female bathroom and locked herself inside one of the cabins, and tried to breathe steadily while her back was facing the door.
Thankfully no one seemed to be inside the bathroom, so no one would be able to hear her exasperating sighs and see her lamentable state.
" What are you doing, Lee Sora? " She mumbled to herself.
She gently slapped her rosy cheeks as she stood properly and exited the bathroom to go as she initially had in thoughts, give her new report on hybrids to Namjoon.
Just opposing the Center, Yoongi was working at the coffee shop, trying his best to keep the focus on his job as a waiter. Usually, he would help to make the coffees or take care of the job as a cashier, but today was a busy day. It took him time to keep track and get used to this new activity, and it would be a lie to say he didn't commit a few mistakes here and there, but that was okay.
The young male hybrid wanted to work properly and get his paycheck as soon as possible. He even recently accepted to add some hours to his schedule so he would gain a bit more money. However, his sudden hunger for money wasn't by greed but rather to help the human he was living with. The wolf hybrid had noticed how his human has been busying herself with work and how it tired her out. But for his innocent mind, he thought it was a simple problem of money and that he was the cause of it.
Yoongi had always hated feeling indebted to someone, even more to Sora. She thought he was someone to be taken care of, and he couldn't lie, he liked it, but as much as the hybrid enjoyed her taking care of him, he wanted to take care of her as her hybrid, her family.
As much as the wolf hybrid could feel the stress and somewhat sadness coming off his owner, his friend, he couldn't understand that the reason behind all of these difficult emotions was hidden a more difficult reason.
The end of his shift coming to an end, Yoongi quickly helped cleaning a few tables before going to the back of the coffee shop to change himself, then notified his manager that he had to leave. His co-workers were nice people, even if his manager who is a human, was well respected and didn't feel any personal favoritism with his other human co-workers. He was always understanding with Yoongi, and he felt thankful for that.
Now out of the coffee shop, the hybrid wanted to surprise Sora, who was working only a few feet away in the Center. They could go back home together like how they usually did before. Since Sora has been busying herself with work, and Yoongi working late at the coffee shop, they barely had time to go home together. And honestly, he kinda missed that.
For him, Sora was a member of his pack, and a wolf without a pack was a lonely wolf.
" Sora! " He called out as he jogged toward the woman.
Surprised, the woman turned his way, " Yoongi? What are you doing here? "
" I finished my shift earlier today, so I thought we could go home together like before. " He smiled at her.
A pain went to her heart when she noticed him shivering in the cold, thinking for how long he must have been waiting for her. She knew she has been too busy lately, not only with her job but with her own mind too. And she felt bad. It was like she forgot why she had decided to adopt Yoongi in the first place. She wanted him to feel safe and loved, to live a life without worry, and now she feels like she forgot her priorities as she only thought about herself these past few weeks.
" Yoongi. " He hummed. " Let's go home together. " She warmly smiled at him.
The male nodded at her, then both started walking back home.
A while after, when the two arrived home, Sora kicked her shoes away at the entrance and threw her purse at the other side of the living room. She sat on the sofa, not even bothering to take her coat off, and exhaled.
The hybrid carefully watched her not so usual behavior. He could see how tired Sora was. He could smell sickness and death around her.
He knew she had a rough day.
" Do you want to talk about it? " He asked her before he sat beside her on the sofa after taking off his coat and shoes at the entrance.
Sora perfectly knew what he was talking about. Today she witnessed a hybrid death. It was an old hybrid going by the name of Tate. No one knew his real name or personal information. He was simply found a few weeks ago, and everyone knew that he didn't have long before passing away. She actually spends most of the day with him, and read him a book, made him listen to some music, they spoke for a bit until his heart could no longer take it.
But what surprised Sora the most was his smile. If she didn't know any better, she would think he was peacefully sleeping. That was the only thing that made her own heart find some peace itself. He didn't leave him alone; she was there as other nurses and even hybrids by his side.
" That's a relief then. " Yoongi answered after carefully listening to her words. " He wasn't alone. You were there for him. " She nodded.
Obviously, it wasn't the only thing that made her feel sad and confused. Yoongi was fully aware of that but didn't want to pry.
The young woman could feel her hybrid stare at her, but she didn't want to worry him more than she already did, so she got up from her seat and looked at him. " Should we have a movie marathon? " She grinned.
" Hum, aren't you tired? " He asked.
He knew she was completely worn out.
" A bit, but it has been a while since we had a movie marathon with pop-corns and hot chocolate and sweets! " His gummy smile finally appeared, which made her giggle a bit.
" True, we haven't in a while... Then should I choose a movie and you prepare the pop-corns and the drinks? " Sora nodded, and as she took off her coat and threw it at a random chair before she walked to the kitchen.
The hybrid started to search for a movie to watch while the human was struggling to find the pop-corns kernels. When she did, she happily put them in a bowl of glass as she covered it with a plate and put it in the microwave. A while after, she came back into the living room with drinks and warm pop-corns.
" What did you choose? " She asked as she sat beside Yoongi.
She put the bowl between them and looked at the TV screen.
" Tomb Raider. " He replied.
She hummed as she was pleased with his choice.
As time passed, both were too engrossed in the movie. They exchanged some comments on the stupid actions of the characters of the movie. How they would have acted if it were them, but both knew they were too much of cowards to even think of an adventure like this one, so they started laughing.
After the movie ended, they put another one again. Sora could finally feel herself go as if she forgot all of her worries. She was laughing right now, having a great time with her friend, she felt going back to herself, and that didn't go unnoticed by the hybrid. He was glad he finished his shift earlier in the day and could go fetch her at her work.
As the young female's eyes started to drop, the male hybrids gently carried her frail body to her room. As he laid her body on her bed, he looked at the clock beside. 11:37pm, he read. It was late, he thought, but it was worth it. He smiled at her sleeping face before leaving her room without forgetting to close her door.
Sora was barely dozing off when Yoongi got her back to her room. She was remembering her best friend's words. Jin and Yoongi were worried about her. From that night, she decided to not let anything get to her.
What happened in the past stays in the past. It was simply meaningless for her to think about him now.
Downstairs, the wolf hybrid started to clean up the living room. He quickly cleaned the mess they made earlier, as he also wanted to go to sleep until he heard a buzzing sound. He looked around and followed the sound. It came from the coat that his friend threw on the chair when they arrived. He searched her pockets and found her phone. He furrowed his brow at the sight of the screen, illuminating a name in white color.
Popeye was the name of the caller.
" Who is this? " The hybrid muttered at the sight of the unknown yet familiar name.
If only he knew that he was the beginning of everything, yet the end of all.
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