He didn't have to wait long at all. The morrow came and so did you. As he relaxed in his room creating melodies, he could smell Y/N and someone else. Jongin opened the door and Taeyong growled. Y/N was stepped back startled.
Taeyong realized the second scent was on you. His pupils narrowed into slits and his nose wrinkled, "you stink", he growled. You were the picture of confused. You showered before you left and wasn't wearing perfume. You sniffed your shirt and wrinkled your brow. What was it? You took a step forward. "Out!" he hissed. Soundlessly you turned and left.
"What was that?" Jongin scolded Taeyong. The hybrid immediately realized he was in the wrong.
"On her clothes. A smell", his ears pinned back as he bowed his head. "You smelled like a lot of people today, you must've visited somewhere before coming here", but that smell stood out to him and he didn't like it.
Jongin understood that they couldn't shake their instincts sometimes. "Hurry and apologize", he motioned to the hybrid.
Taeyong raced out of the ward to the front room. "You don't want to visit Taeyong anymore?" Minseok's voice stopped the man dead in his tracks. "Why?"
"I thought he may have warmed up to me", you replied, "I was wrong. I don't want him to hate me so it's best I stop pestering him. I told you before. Whoever I adopt must choose me too." He disagrees, you aren't pestering him. None of his previous owners took the time to get to know him. "I won't stop immediately. I'll make the visits shorter to interview the other recommended hybrid."
Minseok and Baekhyun shared a look. Any hybrid would fit you, but only you matched with Taeyong. They knew if another hybrid took a liking to you, you would adopt them. The hybrid himself understood the caretakers' line of thought.
"Sometimes their instincts flare up", Baekhyun explained, "it may not be you but whatever he smelled on you that triggered him. He's never told you to leave before right?" You shook your head. "This might be an off chance thing so don't let it get you so down", he consoled you.
"You may not have noticed it", Minseok added, "but Taeyong had definitely warmed up to you. The man is just shy, be patient with him."
Taeyong watched mesmerized as you bit your lip deep in thought. "Are you sure he doesn't hate me?"
"Ya!" Baekhyun scolded, "why must you doubt your elders?" Y/N laughed your apologies. "Your jacket is messed up", he noticed
You glanced down, "I didn't realized the soup had stained it."
"Hand it over", Baekhyun had his hand outstretched, "I have a friend not too far from here that own a cleaners. They can get any stain out."
Taeyong noticed your bandaged hand and felt rueful, you got hurt yesterday. Y/N gave Baekhyun the jacket and fifteen thousand won. Baekhyun himself didn't remember the price so he promised to bring your change. Taeyong scampered back to his room when he saw you turn towards the hall, a mischievous smile stretched his lips.
You reached the hybrids' room to find it was empty. You poked your head in. Taeyong was nowhere to be seen. "So it was your jacket", Y/N screeched at the voice behind you.
You stumbled into the room holding your chest, "what the hell!?"
You whipped your head to the door to find Taeyong standing there with an amused smile. Smiling when he almost gave you a bloody heart attack. You took a few deep breathes to calm your racing heart. Y/N noticed that their positions had been reversed. He stood by the door while you were closer to his work desk. He left the door ajar and stalked over to Y/N. You stood still, his eyes peering into your soul as they usually did. He stopped a few inches away before leaning in. He sniffed your hair, your neck, your shoulders. You warmed under his attention.
He didn't smell people on you anymore. "It was your jacket", he pulled away seriously, "that awful smell is gone." Alarms were blaring in Y/N's head. Taeyong was always a beauty but he is even more striking up close. You moved away when a soft velvety rope wrapped around your wrist. Y/N glanced at Taeyong's black and blonde tail. "You don't have to stand tyoue", his tail gently pulled you back to him. "Sit here. I'll sit on the bed", he forced you to sit at the desk before moving to the bed. "Your hand", he started cautiously, "how'd it get hurt."
"Oh! I was careless and spilled soup on myself", you lied easily.
"I see", his tail brushed your bandaged hand, "be more careful." The hybrid didn't see through your lie but he also didn't believe it entirely.
Y/N nodded shyly, "I'll try." A comfortable silence passed over them. You had learned to enjoy Taeyong's company in silence. So it was a surprise when he laid on his side and smiled at you.
"What does Kham-issi do?"
"Y/N", You blinked at him. Was the pink that dusted his cheeks your imagination? Maybe.
"What job does Y/N have?"
"I'm an architect. Why?"
"I want to get to know you", he admitted shyly.
His tail curled up and down your forearm. Earlier he looked two seconds from ripping your throat out and now he was being cute? Is he feeling sorry for earlier? You smiled. He wasn't at fault, you were. Y/N couldn't be angry at him for following his instincts, that wouldn't be fair. You resisted the urge to hug him.
"Ask me anything", you told him a little too excitedly.
"Um", he glanced at you then looked away. "Could you call me... Yongie like you did", his voice wavered as it faded out.
"That was a slip. You really don't mind?" He nodded as the pink filled his cheeks. What's with this coquettish appeal!? "Alright Yongie, anything else you wanna ask?" His eyes disappeared into his smile and Y/N felt the butterflies come to life. They spent that afternoon getting to know each other.
