Beastars: A Symphony of Life

Chapter 71: Infected by Genetics

"Where is he?" Shoji asked. The auction had ended fifteen minutes ago and they were waiting for Shoon to come back. He was MIA and the wild dog was worried. The scar on his neck was tingling, and he couldn't help but feel something was wrong.

"He told you to leave him?" Reina asked.

Shoji nodded.

"Then he knows what he's doing," she said. "He always does."

"But he was coughing a lot today," Shoji said. "If he's sick and starting to feel symptoms that means it's really serious."

The door slammed open and Shoon stood in the doorway. He had scratched the sides of his head raw. His skin was torn open and the wounds seeped blood. But that wasn't what surprised Shoji the most. What surprised him were the porcupine quills that stuck out of his upper back. Small pieces of flesh and skin hung off some of them like ribbons.

"Shoon..." the wild dog shakily breathed.

The shirtless hybrid looked around the sound proof, boarded up room. His eyes darted around the space. His mask hung from his belt. For the first time since Shoji knew him, he looked tired.

"We saved you the heart," Reina said, just as unsure as Shoji about the situation.

"No one wanted it?" Shoon asked, stepping further into the room. A cheetah followed behind him.

"They had heart problems," Reina nodded. "No one wanted a weak heart."

Shoon stepped up to the camel, tied down to the butchering table. He extended a claw and sliced their chest open. He broke open their ribcage and grabbed the still beating heart. He tore it out and shoved the flesh into his mouth, tearing a chunk from it.

"I'm in no mood or state to cut him up," the hybrid said, wiping his mouth. "Kin will take over."

The cheetah gave a weary smile, watching out for the hybrid's new quills as he walked past him and left the room. Shoji saw Shoon's back, which looked like he had been attacked by a rake.

"I'll get the janitors to clean up the blood he's trailing around," Reina said.

Shoji was still left speechless. He had never seen Shoon like this. He seemed to have a combination of rage, fear, guilt, depression, and panic. Like a switch had been flipped. Even when he was Razor, he had a bit of Shoon. But this time, he was completely different. And seemed like a fish out of water.

"You should check on him," Reina said. "I know he won't ask for it, but he looks like he needs someone with him right now."

Shoji nodded. He wanted to stay and watch the physical deconstruction of life. He had been looking forward to this. But at that time, circumstances had been different. He gave one last look at the dying camel before walking out of the room. He followed the trail of blood and pressed the elevator button. He'd have to wait for the penthouse one to return. He stood awkwardly in the hallway, looking around. When the elevator returned, Shoji stepped in and took the cab all the way to the top.

He stepped out and was grateful to see the blood had stopped. The wild dog looked around the large apartment, he didn't see Shoon anywhere. He didn't see anything, but heard water from the bathroom. He peered through the door and carefully walked in. The hybrid was submerged in the bathtub, head completely underwater. His eyes were closed and his fur floated around him, suspended in the water which was slightly pink from the small amount of blood flowing from areas on his wounds that hadn't quite healed. Shoji sat next to the tub, waiting for the animal to surface, even holding his breath. The wild dog couldn't hold his breath as long.

He was under there for a long time. Shoji rolled up his sleeve before reaching in and lifting his boyfriend's head from the water. He started breathing again, without strain, and opened his eyes to look at him.