Hybrid - NCT dream ( HRJ; LDH)

boys

2021 July 25th, Seoul

Neither Renjun nor Donghyuck were able to sleep peacefully after their talk with Mrs Lee. Renjun spent the whole night turning and tossing in his bed, overthinking, and wanting to talk about it to someone. He had guessed that this soulmate bond would eventually pull them closer than friends, but he was still a bit weirded out.

Unlike Donghyuck he didn't really care about his mate's gender, and was happy as long as someone understood and loved him. Having his two best friends destined for him did not sound that bad at all. Being bonded meant that they would stay together until the rest of their lives, so he wouldn't lose them.

Neither of them would start a relationship and neglect him or move far away leaving him alone, and Renjun liked that thought. But he was also aware of the picture his best friend had built himself about his future.

A loving wife, a few kids, living in a nice house and being a loud family. But now that he had two soulmates, how could that dream become reality? Especially since one of his soulmates is Renjun himself, a guy.

Would they have to choose which one of them could have Seol, or were the three equally bonded and had both soulmates whether they wanted or not?

Renjun decided to talk to his sister the next day, telling her about the situation he has found himself in. The older girl felt happy for her little brother that he found his soulmates, and because she knew they would be good to him.

She didn't understand why he was so worried about something so trivial, and wanted to help him a bit. Her telling Renjun that the three of them would probably continue their dynamics just like before, being able to open up to eachother entirely, that includes Seol too.

They shouldn't make it hard for themselves and just let things take place their natural way. If they ended up developing deeper feelings for eachother somewhere in the future, they'd worry about it then.

The talk with his sister did give him courage to meet up with Donghyuck on the day after, heading towards the hospital to see their doctor. Both of them were nervous when they walked up the stairs and sat down in the waiting area after being told that the doctor would arrive soon.

The two approaching doctors caught their attention, as the shorter one kept flailing with his arms furiously while explaining something to the taller one. Recognising the two boys, the taller one stopped and threw them a questioning look before speaking up.

"Renjun, Donghyuck what brings you here? Are you feeling unwell?"

"Hello doctor Lee! Well, we have a slight umm... situation and we need your advice." Hyuck, who was usually the louder and more outgoing one fiddled with his fingers and looked awkward with the presence of the other doctor.

Before their doctor could speak up the shorter one shot them a sharp look and gestured them to follow him. The three males were confused but they nonetheless followed the sassy looking man, not daring to talk back after the look they got from him.

Closing the door behind them the tall man wanted to ask his colleague what this was all about, but was swiftly cut off with a hand motion. The two boys felt very uncomfortable under the judging eyes of the man sitting across them, but they couldn't fathom why they were treated like that.

"So, which one of you is Donghyuck and which one is Renjun?"

It was Renjun who spoke up, looking right at the eyes of the two doctors, not sure if he could trust the shorter one.

"Give me your wrists." The man then demanded while stretching out his arms over the table. Looking a bit taken aback both boys put one of their hands on the table. "Both wrists! And remove those skin patches first."

The tall doctor was staring incredulously at his friend, and was ready to yell at how he spoke with the boys, but he was taken aback as the two sitting across them compiled.

Both boys had bonding marks on their wrists, and that not only on one but both wrists. He knew what that meant, especially after seeing the brighter marks on them, but he never witnessed it before.

"I see that you two had already spent some time bonding as your marks have changed." Before Donghyuck could ask the man holding his wrist how he knew about it their doctor was faster.

"So you are telling me that the two of them are bonded? How did you know about it?" All eyes were trained at the short doctor when realisation hit Renjun and a gasp left his mouth.

"You are Seol's doctor, right? That's how you knew about us and the bond!" A satisfied grin confirmed his suspicion, but now he had even more things he wanted to clarify. "That means she was here since the bonding happened, right? And you also know about the pills she took that messed with the bonding, am I right?"

"I see that you are indeed smart, just like she described you. Yes, Seol visited me a little over a week ago, telling me that you accidentally bonded. She was very distressed and had many questions about it, that you probably also want answers for. And as for the pill that you spoke of, I was the one who prescribed it to her."

"You gave her a pill that messes with the soulmate bond knowing very well how it could affect her life?! Are you crazy? Do you want to lose your license and your job?!"

"I'm specialized in treating female hybrids, so I know very well what I am doing. She was also aware of the consequences, but we ran out of any other option and had to take this to allow her to live normally. This is a treatment method if nothing else can be done, but is very rarely used.

Her bond with not one but two soulmates was probably the thing that caused the unusually strong symptoms, which didn't react to other types of therapy." As the doctor calmly explained to both his colleague and the two boys, Donghyuck looked very confused.

Renjun on the other hand was racking his brain, trying to make sense of the cryptic words he was told when something struck him. "Those birth control pills... it's those, right?"

An applause resonated in the small office, and a satisfied smile stretched on the sassy doctor's face. "That is correct Renjun-ssi. I hoped that you would understand, since from what I heard, you did witness just how bad it was. Aren't I right?"

The boy sighed and looked down, feeling his best friend's questioning gaze at him, so he decided to talk. "Remember how Seol used to miss out school for a few days every month? She told everyone that she was sensitive and weak on those days so she used to stay home.

This went on for a few years and then stopped when she started taking the pills... that was also the reason why we disregarded the possibility of her being a hybrid like us." He looked at his friend and got a slight nod in return, telling him to continue.

"What she told people in school was not the truth though, and I found it out one day when my mom asked me to keep her company. Mom and sis used to go over and help look after Seol on those days when her mom had to work and couldn't stay at home.

I never really thought much of it until I saw her with my own eyes that day..." Remembering those days again made a lump form in his throat. "She was in a really bad state, and it seemed like it only got worse with time.

I would find her barely conscious leaning into the toilet bowl throwing up the few sips of water she took that day, or would see her being unable to lift her hand to hold a glass or even a spoon. I still remember how scared I got when I first saw her, looking like a dying person, passed out from the immense pain and dehydration.

But even so, she always tried to put on a smile when I went over to make me worry less. I wanted to tell you about it, but she was too ashamed of herself for letting me see her in that state, and begged me to keep it to myself.

She never told anyone about it because she didn't want us to worry, so if that's why she made the decision she did, then I fully support her!" His last words were directed to both Donghyuck and the doctors, agreeing with Seol's actions.

Donghyuck was both surprised and hurt to hear that his best friends had kept such a huge secret from him, but now was not the time to argue about it. Now that this matter was resolved, it was time to get to the real reason why they came.

"So, what do we do now?"