Book 2 : BTS 👀, Skz🥰, Ateez✨

Hybrid 14.3: Acceptance and Outing

There is a long moment of silence. I know that Minho or Felix will crack at some point. I'm just waiting as I'm sat there with all of them around.

"So you just quit the pack?" Minho snaps.

I stare at him.

"I was never in the pack. When I was human at least." I look at him "Think back before denying it. You didn't consider me as pack, or you wouldn't have treated me like you did."

"We all had our shitty experiences with humans-"IN contests.

"I had my par of shitty experiences with humans and hybrids IN. I've been raised in an orphanage until I was four and I still remember that time." I look at him coldly "There are humans fighting for hybrids rights and there are hybrids fighting for human and hybrids quietly. Don't put all the blame on what I was." He turns his eyes away.

"You can't just...turn away like this." Seungmin's eyes are teary "You were always there for us and-"

"Were you always there for me?"

The question rings a truth that I never expected one day to admit out loud a month ago. I tilt my head at Seungmin who opens his mouth and closes it.

"I picked all you up like lost pups and cubs. When you were sheer drunk, I didn't have a minute to myself." I look at Hyunjin "Do you have something to say to me regarding that?"

"I wasn't-"

"You were so drunk and so uncaring that you didn't even react when my hand was full of blood." I interrupt him "And you know what's worse?"

He keeps eye contact with me.

"I didn't expect you to be." And a flash of pain goes through his face.

"You never said anything." Bang Chan says calmly "You never complained about anything."

"That's true." I look at Bang Chan "I always bottled my feelings inside. That's what human do." I tilt my head at him "I didn't expect any of you to notice."

"If you didn't have any expectations, you should have left earlier." Minho snaps.

"To go where?"

My answer makes him freeze.

"Why did you think I stayed?" I tilt my head at him, a humorless laugh raising in me "Because I loved being your errand girl? Because I liked being treated like wallpaper when we were all having dinner together? Because I was always the one to blame when either IN or Seungmin did shit even though I was younger?" I shook my head "Anyone who would do this for love must be insane."

I can feel that they are shocked. That there is regret in them. However, blurting it all out feels incredible. I don't feel sad. I don't feel regret. I only feel relief.

"I-We are sorry." Bang Chan says softly.

"An apology won't cut it Bang Chan." I look at him "You and Changbin were the kindest to me. I trusted Han the most. Because we hung out together." I stare at Han "Because I thought that we were siblings. I had that slight hope in me when I called you. That you would take it seriously." I feel the tears mount and for once instead of holding back I let them.

"I-I..."he opens and closes his mouth.

"I felt like going crazy." I remind the time I discovered I was a hybrid "If Verity and Cha had not been there, if I had gone back to your place right away then...I would probably have gotten sick. Or maybe I would have done something worse."

It shocks them. But the truth drips from my worse. That was truly how I felt. Cha squeezes his hand on my shoulders his own eyes getting moist. He had saved my life unbeknownst to him of course. I put my hand on his and squeeze it.