- 9 hours ago
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🎈
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00:05Emily's really good to you.
00:06Why are you so cold to her?
00:08Who asked her to be good to me?
00:09Nathan, you're seriously taking her kindness for granted.
00:12Thank her?
00:12Fine.
00:13If she hadn't grabbed me first that day, I'd be with Sophia right now.
00:16Can't blame him.
00:17Even though they're sisters, Emily looks way too plain compared to Sophia.
00:20I suddenly remembered that night 13 years ago.
00:22The spark in Nathan's eyes when he first saw Sophia, brighter than the stars.
00:26That was why I chose him, and the start of his resentment.
00:28A dull pain hit me hard.
00:3013 years of walking on emotional tightrope collapsed.
00:33I sat frozen on the living room sofa until midnight.
00:35I kept picking up the mirror, staring at the round-faced girl with dull skin inside it.
00:39The more I looked, the uglier it seemed.
00:41I shoved the mirror away in disgust, only to pick it up again moments later.
00:44I thought of Sophia's bright, radiant smile.
00:47I lowered my head and let the wave of inferiority swallow me whole.
00:50The sound of the door opening broke the silence.
00:52Nathan walked in, reeking of alcohol.
00:54He barely glanced at me before turning toward the bedroom.
00:57I wiped my tears with the back of my hand, stood up, and for the first time grabbed his tail.
01:01Don't touch me.
01:02Just like the first time I tried to touch his horns.
01:04I used to think it was natural dragon aloofness.
01:06Turns out it was pure disgust.
01:08Even after I rescued him and cared for him devotedly for 13 years, I laughed at myself bitterly.
01:13So people who aren't beautiful don't deserve sincerity.
01:15Tears fell without warning.
01:17When I looked up, I was alone.
01:18An immense, silent despair wrapped around me.
01:21I couldn't stop remembering those school garden parties.
01:23I would carry a big pot of beef stew and find Nathan in the yard.
01:27Nathan, can you come with me to the school garden party this time?
01:30No.
01:31But a lot of people bring their bee skin.
01:33No.
01:33If you want someone to go with, adopt a new one.
01:36So I always went to the garden parties alone.
01:38I stood in the corner, watching Ethan, who had the same face as Nathan, smile so gently at Sophia.
01:43Sophia?
01:44Do you want that little bear plush?
01:45Sophia would nod with a smile, stand on her tiptoes to touch his horns.
01:49And Ethan would always bend down to make it easier for her.
01:51I watched like a thief, longing for Sophia's life, terrified of being discovered.
01:56Just as I was about to leave, Kevin and his gang shoved me to the ground.
01:59I panicked.
01:59Well, if it isn't our class genius Emily, why didn't your little beasting tag along with you today?
02:05Emily's beastling and Sophia's are twin dragons.
02:07The good looking one got the beauty, while the other got stuck with the plane sister.
02:10What a shame for him.
02:11I started backing away, only to see Nathan, who had refused to come with me,
02:14walking towards Sophia with a cone of ice cream.
02:16He handed it to her, and my breath caught.
02:18As if sensing something, Nathan glanced in my direction.
02:21But nothing happened.
02:22I wasn't sure if Nathan had seen me.
02:24But one thing I knew for certain, the next second he turned and left with Sophia and Ethan.
02:28Seeing this, Kevin laughed viciously.
02:31Your beastling doesn't want you at all.
02:33He's fucking embarrassed to be seen with you in public.
02:36Rage surged through me.
02:37I couldn't take it anymore.
02:39Gritting my teeth, I swung at the lackey and knocked him down.
02:42Kevin lunged at me.
02:43I pinned him and beat him, too.
02:45In the end, I was called to the principal's office.
02:48I thought my mom would stand up for me.
02:49Instead, she complained right in front of the teacher and Kevin.
02:52Why did you have to hit him?
02:53Your classmate didn't say anything wrong.
02:56Mom, you're not good looking to start with, and your temper is awful.
03:00Even the beastling you raised doesn't like you.
03:02How did I ever give birth to such a pathetic nerd?
03:05Sometimes I wish Sophia was my only daughter.
03:07I don't remember how I ran out of the office.
03:09I only remember crying in the park all night.
03:12When I got home, my father slapped me across the face.
03:15How did I end up with such a useless daughter?
03:17I sat in the living room the entire night.
03:19When the first rays of sunlight came in, I instinctively shrank away.
03:23Only when I curled up in my dimly lit bedroom did I feel a sliver of peace.
03:27I closed my eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
03:29My reversed sleep schedule left my mind blank when I woke up.
03:32After a brief moment of emptiness, endless self-loathing and loneliness swallowed me again.
03:37I pushed open the door and realized it was already dusk.
03:40Nathan had gone out, but his scent filled every corner of the house.
03:44I ate a piece of bread without tasting it, then packed up everything that belonged to me.
03:47There wasn't much of my stuff anyway.
03:49After I got into university at 18, I escaped my family home.
03:53I was afraid my parents would mistreat Nathan, so I brought him with me.
03:56Nathan always kept the same attitude, neither accepting nor rejecting.
04:00Of course, that wasn't entirely accurate.
04:02He would reject my touches, my hugs.
04:04When I was poorest, I could only afford a single room.
04:07He slept on the bed, I slept on the sofa.
04:10Nathan was over 6 feet tall and kept bumping his head in the tiny rental.
04:13So I worked day and night until I could buy a small 3 bedroom apartment.
04:17I thought I only had Nathan.
04:18Even if he was a bit cold, he was still my little dragon that I had rescued.
04:22Love often feels like owing someone, so I bought him so many things.
04:26I never imagined he didn't want any of this love at all.
04:29I decided to set him free.
04:30I liked walking.
04:31Nathan liked walking too, but he never liked walking with me.
04:34Only when Sophia was out with Ethan would he join me.
04:36I should have realized it sooner.
04:38Nathan's tail was usually drooping lazily, his pupils dull and uninterested.
04:42Only when Sophia appeared would his dragon tail wag excitedly in tight circles,
04:46while his vertical pupils contracted sharply with clear eagerness.
04:49I used to think he just missed Ethan.
04:51A car horn pulled me out of my memories.
04:53I looked up blankly and saw other beast kin picking up their owners.
04:56That warmth I had never experienced.
04:58I stood there alone, like a clown watching someone else's happy performance.
05:02Are you sure you want to end the adoption with Nathan?
05:05I nodded.
05:06Terminating as a human required financial compensation.
05:08I left the three-bedroom apartment to him.
05:11Miss Emily, do you want us to deliver this to Mr. Nathan, or will you handle it yourself?
05:14Please deliver it for me, and give him this as well.
05:17The letter had only two sentences.
05:19Sorry Nathan, I took you away without your consent.
05:22So this time, I'm setting you free.
05:24I walked out of the beast kin affairs office, got in the car, and left the city.
05:28My new life would be by the sea, waiting for spring.
05:32My new job was lecturer at a coastal university.
05:34I rented a small sea view courtyard.
05:37The evening sea breeze carried a salty tang.
05:39I wore my mask while walking along the shore.
05:41The orange sunset was perfect.
05:43I took a photo, and habitually opened my chat with Nathan.
05:47Scrolling up, it was all my one-sided messages.
05:50Cute trinkets, strange clouds, blooming flowers.
05:53He rarely replied.
05:54A short, hmm, was usually all I got.
05:57The last record stopped on the day I overheard the truth.
06:00I asked him, where are you?
06:01I'll come pick you up.
06:02He still hadn't replied.
06:03He should have received the termination certificate by now, right?
06:06Yet he wouldn't even say goodbye.
06:08Only a heart full of dense, aching bitterness remained.
06:11I thought about it, and decided my new life shouldn't be tied to the past.
06:15So I changed my phone number, and created a new social media account.
06:18Sleep was impossible that night.
06:20The night air was cool as water, moonlight pouring down.
06:23This was my favorite time.
06:25After my mom publicly tore open my scars in the office that year,
06:28Kevin started mocking me about being ugly without restraint.
06:31Emily is just an ugly bookworm.
06:33Even her own mother doesn't like her.
06:34I couldn't argue back because it was the truth.
06:36I could only wait for nightfall, hiding in the darkness to cry in secret.
06:40Back then, Nathan would always stand in the yard.
06:42After I cried on the balcony, he would still be standing there.
06:45I once mistook it for his silent companionship.
06:48Now I realize he was probably just like me, using the darkness to cover his own sadness.
06:52Besides teaching at university, I had my own research project.
06:55After finishing, I would run a lap along the beach before coming back to write.
06:58I filled every hour of my schedule to earn nights without insomnia.
07:04Professor, why do you never take off your mask?
07:08Because I'm not good looking.
07:10Who said that?
07:11I'll tear their mouths apart.
07:12There's no such thing as an unattractive girl.
07:14The girl spoke with genuine passion, and the others looked ready to fight on my behalf.
07:18I would laugh and steer the conversation to another topic.
07:21Then the students started talking about their own beastkin.
07:23Professor, what kind of beastkin do you have at home?
07:26I didn't know how to explain my complicated history with Nathan, so I just said,
07:30He passed away.
07:32I'm so sorry.
07:34After that, during the two big lectures each week, students would always bring me milk tea, cake, or chocolate.
07:39I couldn't finish it all, so I thought of the little wolf beastkin who scavenged around campus.
07:43Beastkin were striking, and wolf beastkin looked even more handsome.
07:46But this little wolf on campus had many deep and shallow scars across both sides of his face.
07:50He was careful not to startle the students, so he only came out after dark.
07:53When I came out of the lab that evening to find the little beastkin, it happened to start raining.
07:57A shadowy figure slipped out cautiously.
07:59His bushy wolf to get it, flicking into view.
08:01Little wolf.
08:03Huh?
08:03The autumn rain was cold.
08:05Sorry, miss. I was just trying to get out of the rain.
08:08I didn't know anyone was here.
08:09The young wolf beastkin was completely soaked.
08:11You don't have to cover your face.
08:13I've seen you before.
08:15I have a dryer in my office.
08:17Come up and dry off.
08:18He hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
08:20Thank you, miss.
08:21Under the bright office lights, I saw he was very young.
08:24Around 18 or 19.
08:25Same age as my students.
08:27While he showered, I went next door and asked colleagues about him.
08:30His name's Lucas.
08:31I heard he used to be really handsome, so his old owner tried to sell him to the underground black
08:35market for that kind of dirty work.
08:37But he fought back hard, bit someone, and escaped.
08:39His face got messed up while he was running away.
08:42When the black market guys saw he was ruined, they beat him and tossed him into the sea.
08:46Luckily, some students pulled him out, and he's been living off scraps around campus ever since.
08:51Where's he staying?
08:52There's a shed on the hill behind the school.
08:54Emily, I heard your beastkin passed away.
08:56You're not actually thinking of adopting him, right?
08:58He's so ugly.
08:59Who would want to adopt him?
09:00His words overlapped with the old mockery I used to hear.
09:03She looks so ordinary.
09:05How could anyone like her?
09:07But why?
09:08We also have hearts that want to love and be loved.
09:11Hayes, Lucas isn't ugly.
09:12He's just been hurt, and he's kind and adorable.
09:15I've seen him share the food he scavenged with the little beggars outside school.
09:19I've seen him donate money to the beastkin school.
09:21So please, don't talk about him like that anymore.
09:24When I came out of my colleague's office, I saw Lucas standing in the hallway.
09:28His hair and tail were still wet.
09:30His eyes glistened with unshed tears.
09:33I awkwardly changed the subject.
09:36If it's hard for you to do it yourself, can I help dry you?
09:40I took the towel and dried his hair and tail, then used the hair dryer.
09:43It was my first time drying a beastkin's tail, so I kept making clumsy mistakes and apologizing.
09:48It's okay.
09:49Thank you so much, miss.
09:50After I finished, I offered him the cake and milk tea.
09:53He didn't take them.
09:54After hesitating for a long time, he spoke again, voice low but steady.
09:59Miss, I don't eat much.
10:01Could you adopt me?
10:02I know I'm not good-looking, but I can cook, wash dishes, clean the house.
10:06I can also give massages and take care of flowers.
10:09But I'm not good-looking either.
10:11Would you still choose me?
10:13You're very cute, miss.
10:15I want to go with you.
10:17My eyes stung.
10:18I blinked back the tears, took Lucas's hand, and left the lab building.
10:22The rain had stopped.
10:23I finally had a home, and someone just like me.
10:26Who is that wolf?
10:27My newly adopted bee sting.
10:30What about me?
10:31We already terminated the adoption.
10:33You're abandoning me.
10:35For that ugly mutt?
10:38Thirteen years ago, Sophia and I found two frozen little dragons in a blizzard.
10:42They lay collapsed in the snow.
10:43I scooped up Nathan.
10:45Sophia took Ethan.
10:46For thirteen years, I cared for Nathan with all my heart.
10:49Every morning, I woke early to make his breakfast.
10:51On his birthdays, I picked gifts a week ahead.
10:53When he felt down, I sat by the fireplace with him in silence.
10:56Until the day I accidentally overheard his conversation with other beast kin.
11:00Emily's really good to you.
11:01Why are you so cold to her?
11:03Who asked her to be good to me?
11:04Nathan, you're seriously taking her kindness for granted.
11:07Thank her?
11:07Fine.
11:08If she hadn't grabbed me first that day, I'd be with Sophia right now.
11:11Can't blame him.
11:12Even though they're sisters, Emily looks way too plain compared to Sophia.
11:15I suddenly remembered that night thirteen years ago.
11:17The spark in Nathan's eyes when he first saw Sophia.
11:20Brighter than the stars.
11:21That was why I chose him, and the start of his resentment.
11:24A dull pain hit me hard.
11:25Thirteen years of walking on emotional tightrope collapsed.
11:28I sat frozen on the living room sofa until midnight.
11:30I kept picking up the mirror, staring at the round-faced girl with dull skin inside it.
11:34The more I looked, the uglier it seemed.
11:36I shoved the mirror away in disgust, only to pick it up again moments later.
11:40I thought of Sophia's bright, radiant smile.
11:42I lowered my head and let the wave of inferiority swallow me whole.
11:46The sound of the door opening broke the silence.
11:47Nathan walked in, reeking of alcohol.
11:49He barely glanced at me before turning toward the bedroom.
11:52I wiped my tears with the back of my hand, stood up, and for the first time grabbed his tail.
11:56Don't touch me.
11:57Just like the first time I tried to touch his horns.
11:59I used to think it was natural dragon aloofness.
12:01Turns out it was pure disgust.
12:03Even after I rescued him and cared for him devotedly for thirteen years, I laughed at myself bitterly.
12:08So people who aren't beautiful don't deserve sincerity.
12:11Tears fell without warning.
12:12When I looked up, I was alone.
12:13An immense, silent despair wrapped around me.
12:16I couldn't stop remembering those school garden parties.
12:19I would carry a big pot of beef stew and find Nathan in the yard.
12:22Nathan, can you come with me to the school garden party this time?
12:25No.
12:26But a lot of people bring their bee skin.
12:28No.
12:29If you want someone to go with, adopt a new one.
12:31So I always went to the garden parties alone.
12:33I stood in the corner, watching Ethan, who had the same face as Nathan, smile so gently at Sophia.
12:39Sophia?
12:39Do you want that little bear plush?
12:41Sophia would nod with a smile, stand on her tiptoes to touch his horns, and Ethan would
12:45always bend down to make it easier for her.
12:47I watched like a thief, longing for Sophia's life, terrified of being discovered.
12:51Just as I was about to leave, Kevin and his gang shoved me to the ground.
12:54I panicked.
12:55Well, if it isn't our class genius Emily, why didn't your little beasting tag along with
12:59you today?
13:00Emily's beastling and Sophia's are twin dragons.
13:02The good looking one got the beauty, while the other got stuck with the plane sister.
13:05What a shame for him.
13:06I started backing away, only to see Nathan, who had refused to come with me, walking towards
13:10Sophia with a cone of ice cream.
13:12He handed it to her, and my breath caught.
13:14As if sensing something, Nathan glanced in my direction.
13:16But nothing happened.
13:17I wasn't sure if Nathan had seen me, but one thing I knew for certain, the next second
13:21he turned and left with Sophia and Ethan.
13:23Seeing this, Kevin laughed viciously.
13:26Your beastling doesn't want you at all.
13:28He's fucking embarrassed to be seen with you in public.
13:31Rage surged through me.
13:33I couldn't take it anymore.
13:34Gritting my teeth, I swung at the lackey and knocked him down.
13:37Kevin lunged at me.
13:38I pinned him and beat him, too.
13:40In the end, I was called to the principal's office.
13:43I thought my mom would stand up for me.
13:45Instead, she complained right in front of the teacher and Kevin.
13:48Why did you have to hit him?
13:49Your classmate didn't say anything wrong.
13:51Mom, you're not good looking to start with, and your temper is awful.
13:55Even the beastling you raised doesn't like you.
13:58How did I ever give birth to such a pathetic nerd?
14:00Sometimes I wish Sophia was my only daughter.
14:03I don't remember how I ran out of the office.
14:05I only remember crying in the park all night.
14:08When I got home, my father slapped me across the face.
14:11How did I end up with such a useless daughter?
14:13I sat in the living room the entire night.
14:15When the first rays of sunlight came in, I instinctively shrank away.
14:18Only when I curled up in my dimly lit bedroom did I feel a sliver of peace.
14:22I closed my eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
14:25My reversed sleep schedule left my mind blank when I woke up.
14:28After a brief moment of emptiness, endless self-loathing and loneliness swallowed me again.
14:33I pushed open the door and realized it was already dusk.
14:36Nathan had gone out, but his scent filled every corner of the house.
14:39I ate a piece of bread without tasting it, then packed up everything that belonged to me.
14:43There wasn't much of my stuff anyway.
14:45After I got into university at 18, I escaped my family home.
14:48I was afraid my parents would mistreat Nathan, so I brought him with me.
14:51Nathan always kept the same attitude, neither accepting nor rejecting.
14:55Of course, that wasn't entirely accurate.
14:58He would reject my touches, my hugs.
15:00When I was poorest, I could only afford a single room.
15:03He slept on the bed, I slept on the sofa.
15:05Nathan was over 6 feet tall and kept bumping his head in the tiny rental.
15:09So I worked day and night until I could buy a small 3-bedroom apartment.
15:12I thought I only had Nathan.
15:14Even if he was a bit cold, he was still my little dragon that I had rescued.
15:17Love often feels like owing someone, so I bought him so many things.
15:21I never imagined he didn't want any of this love at all.
15:24I decided to set him free.
15:25I liked walking.
15:26Nathan liked walking too, but he never liked walking with me.
15:29Only when Sophia was out with Ethan would he join me.
15:32I should have realized it sooner.
15:33Nathan's tail was usually drooping lazily, his pupils dull and uninterested.
15:38Only when Sophia appeared would his dragon tail wag excitedly in tight circles,
15:42while his vertical pupils contracted sharply with clear eagerness.
15:45I used to think he just missed Ethan.
15:47A car horn pulled me out of my memories.
15:49I looked up blankly and saw other beastkin picking up their owners.
15:52That warmth I had never experienced.
15:54I stood there alone, like a clown watching someone else's happy performance.
15:58Are you sure you want to end the adoption with Nathan?
16:00I nodded.
16:01Terminating as a human required financial compensation.
16:04I left the 3-bedroom apartment to him.
16:06Miss Emily, do you want us to deliver this to Mr. Nathan?
16:09Or will you handle it yourself?
16:10Please deliver it for me, and give him this as well.
16:13The letter had only two sentences.
16:14Sorry Nathan, I took you away without your consent.
16:17So this time, I'm setting you free.
16:19I walked out of the Beastkin Affairs office, got in the car, and left the city.
16:24My new life would be by the sea, waiting for spring.
16:27My new job was lecturer at a coastal university.
16:30I rented a small sea view courtyard.
16:32The evening sea breeze carried a salty tang.
16:34I wore my mask while walking along the shore.
16:37The orange sunset was perfect.
16:39I took a photo, and habitually opened my chat with Nathan.
16:43Scrolling up, it was all my one-sided messages.
16:45Cute trinkets, strange clouds, blooming flowers.
16:48He rarely replied.
16:50A short, hmm, was usually all I got.
16:52The last record stopped on the day I overheard the truth.
16:55I asked him, where are you?
16:57I'll come pick you up.
16:58He still hadn't replied.
16:59He should have received the termination certificate by now, right?
17:02Yet he wouldn't even say goodbye.
17:04Only a heart full of dense, aching bitterness remained.
17:07I thought about it, and decided my new life shouldn't be tied to the past.
17:10So I changed my phone number, and created a new social media account.
17:14Sleep was impossible that night.
17:16The night air was cool as water, moonlight pouring down.
17:19This was my favorite time.
17:20After my mom publicly tore open my scars in the office that year,
17:24Kevin started mocking me about being ugly without restraint.
17:26Emily is just an ugly bookworm.
17:28Even her own mother doesn't like her.
17:30I couldn't argue back because it was the truth.
17:32I could only wait for nightfall, hiding in the darkness to cry in secret.
17:36Back then, Nathan would always stand in the yard.
17:38After I cried on the balcony, he would still be standing there.
17:41I once mistook it for his silent companionship.
17:43Now I realize he was probably just like me,
17:46using the darkness to cover his own sadness.
17:48Besides teaching at university, I had my own research project.
17:51After finishing, I would run a lap along the beach before coming back to write.
17:54I filled every hour of my schedule to earn nights without insomnia.
18:00Professor, why do you never take off your mask?
18:04Because I'm not good looking.
18:06Who said that?
18:07I'll tear their mouths apart.
18:08There's no such thing as an unattractive girl.
18:10The girls spoke with genuine passion,
18:11and the others looked ready to fight on my behalf.
18:14I would laugh and steer the conversation to another topic.
18:16Then the students started talking about their own beastkin.
18:18Professor, what kind of beastkin do you have at home?
18:22I didn't know how to explain my complicated history with Nathan, so I just said,
18:26He passed away.
18:28I'm so sorry.
18:29After that, during the two big lectures each week,
18:32students would always bring me milk tea, cake, or chocolate.
18:34I couldn't finish it all,
18:35so I thought of the little wolf beastkin who scavenged around campus.
18:39Beastkin were striking, and wolf beastkin looked even more handsome.
18:41But this little wolf on campus had many deep and shallow scars across both sides of his face.
18:46He was careful not to startle the students, so he only came out after dark.
18:49When I came out of the lab that evening to find the little beastkin,
18:52it happened to start raining.
18:53A shadowy figure slipped out cautiously,
18:55his bushy wolf to the end flicking into view.
18:57Little wolf.
18:58Huh?
18:59The autumn rain was cold.
19:00Sorry, miss.
19:01I was just trying to get out of the rain.
19:03I didn't know anyone was here.
19:05The young wolf beastkin was completely soaked.
19:07You don't have to cover your face.
19:09I've seen you before.
19:11I have a dryer in my office.
19:13Come up and dry off.
19:14He hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
19:15Thank you, miss.
19:16Under the bright office lights, I saw he was very young,
19:19around 18 or 19, same age as my students.
19:22While he showered, I went next door and asked colleagues about him.
19:25His name's Lucas.
19:27I heard he used to be really handsome,
19:28so his old owner tried to sell him to the underground black market for that kind of dirty work.
19:32But he fought back hard, bit someone, and escaped.
19:35His face got messed up while he was running away.
19:37When the black market guys saw he was ruined,
19:39they beat him and tossed him into the sea.
19:42Luckily, some students pulled him out,
19:44and he's been living off scraps around campus ever since.
19:47Where's he staying?
19:47There's a shed on the hill behind the school.
19:49Emily, I heard your beastkin passed away.
19:51You're not actually thinking of adopting him, right?
19:53He's so ugly.
19:54Who would want to adopt him?
19:56His words overlapped with the old mockery I used to hear.
19:59She looks so ordinary.
20:00How could anyone like her?
20:03But why?
20:04We also have hearts that want to love and be loved.
20:08Hayes, Lucas isn't ugly.
20:09He's just been hurt, and he's kind and adorable.
20:12I've seen him share the food he scavenged with the little beggars outside school.
20:15I've seen him donate money to the beastkin school.
20:18So please, don't talk about him like that anymore.
20:21When I came out of my colleague's office,
20:23I saw Lucas standing in the hallway.
20:25His hair and tail were still wet.
20:27His eyes glistened with unshed tears.
20:30I awkwardly changed the subject.
20:33If it's hard for you to do it yourself, can I help dry you?
20:37I took the towel and dried his hair and tail,
20:39then used the hair dryer.
20:40It was my first time drying a beastkin's tail,
20:43so I kept making clumsy mistakes and apologizing.
20:45It's okay. Thank you so much, miss.
20:47After I finished, I offered him the cake and milk tea.
20:50He didn't take them.
20:51After hesitating for a long time, he spoke again, voice low but steady.
20:56Miss, I don't eat much.
20:58Could you adopt me?
20:59I know I'm not good-looking, but I can cook, wash dishes, clean the house.
21:03I can also give massages and take care of flowers.
21:06But I'm not good-looking either.
21:08Would you still choose me?
21:10You're very cute, miss.
21:12I want to go with you.
21:13My eyes stung.
21:15I blinked back the tears, took Lucas's hand, and left the lab building.
21:18The rain had stopped.
21:20I finally had a home, and someone just like me.
21:24Don't touch me.
21:25Just like the first time I tried to touch his horns.
21:27I used to think it was natural dragon aloofness.
21:29Turns out it was pure disgust.
21:31Even after I rescued him and cared for him devotedly for 13 years,
21:34I laughed at myself bitterly.
21:36So people who aren't beautiful don't deserve sincerity.
21:38Tears fell without warning.
21:40When I looked up, I was alone.
21:41An immense, silent despair wrapped around me.
21:44I couldn't stop remembering those school garden parties.
21:46I would carry a big pot of beef stew and find Nathan in the yard.
21:50Nathan, can you come with me to the school garden party this time?
21:53No.
21:54But a lot of people bring their bee skin.
21:56No.
21:56If you want someone to go with, adopt a new one.
21:59So I always went to the garden parties alone.
22:01I stood in the corner, watching Ethan, who had the same face as Nathan,
22:04smile so gently at Sophia.
22:06Sophia?
22:07Do you want that little bear plush?
22:09Sophia would nod with a smile, stand on her tiptoes to touch his horns,
22:12and Ethan would always bend down to make it easier for her.
22:14I watched like a thief, longing for Sophia's life, terrified of being discovered.
22:19Just as I was about to leave, Kevin and his gang shoved me to the ground.
22:22I panicked.
22:22Well, if it isn't our class genius, Emily, why didn't your little beasting tag along with you today?
22:28Emily's beastling and Sophia's are twin dragons.
22:30The good-looking one got the beauty, while the other got stuck with the plane sister.
22:33What a shame for him.
22:34I started backing away, only to see Nathan, who had refused to come with me,
22:37walking towards Sophia with a cone of ice cream.
22:39He handed it to her, and my breath caught.
22:41As if sensing something, Nathan glanced in my direction.
22:44But nothing happened.
22:45I wasn't sure if Nathan had seen me, but one thing I knew for certain,
22:48the next second he turned and left with Sophia and Ethan.
22:51Seeing this, Kevin laughed viciously.
22:54Your beastling doesn't want you at all.
22:56He's fucking embarrassed to be seen with you in public.
22:59Rage surged through me.
23:00I couldn't take it anymore.
23:02Gritting my teeth, I swung at the lackey and knocked him down.
23:05Kevin lunged at me.
23:06I pinned him and beat him, too.
23:08In the end, I was called to the principal's office.
23:10I thought my mom would stand up for me.
23:12Instead, she complained right in front of the teacher and Kevin.
23:15Why did you have to hit him?
23:16Your classmate didn't say anything wrong.
23:18Mom, you're not good-looking to start with, and your temper is awful.
23:23Even the beastling you raised doesn't like you.
23:25How did I ever give birth to such a pathetic nerd?
23:28Sometimes I wish Sophia was my only daughter.
23:30I don't remember how I ran out of the office.
23:32I only remember crying in the park all night.
23:35When I got home, my father slapped me across the face.
23:38How did I end up with such a useless daughter?
23:40I sat in the living room the entire night.
23:42When the first rays of sunlight came in, I instinctively shrank away.
23:45Only when I curled up in my dimly lit bedroom that I feel a sliver of peace.
23:50I closed my eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
23:52My reversed sleep schedule left my mind blank when I woke up.
23:55After a brief moment of emptiness, endless self-loathing and loneliness swallowed me again.
24:00I pushed open the door and realized it was already dusk.
24:03Nathan had gone out, but his scent filled every corner of the house.
24:06I ate a piece of bread without tasting it, then packed up everything that belonged to me.
24:10There wasn't much of my stuff anyway.
24:12After I got into university at 18, I escaped my family home.
24:16I was afraid my parents would mistreat Nathan, so I brought him with me.
24:19Nathan always kept the same attitude, neither accepting nor rejecting.
24:23Of course, that wasn't entirely accurate.
24:25He would reject my touches, my hugs.
24:27When I was poorest, I could only afford a single room.
24:30He slept on the bed, I slept on the sofa.
24:33Nathan was over six feet tall and kept bumping his head in the tiny rental.
24:36So I worked day and night until I could buy a small, three-bedroom apartment.
24:40I thought I only had Nathan.
24:41Even if he was a bit cold, he was still my little dragon that I had rescued.
24:45Love often feels like owing someone, so I bought him so many things.
24:49I never imagined he didn't want any of this love at all.
24:52I decided to set him free.
24:53I liked walking.
24:54Nathan liked walking too, but he never liked walking with me.
24:57Only when Sophia was out with Ethan would he join me.
24:59I should have realized it sooner.
25:01Nathan's tail was usually drooping lazily, his pupils dull and uninterested.
25:05Only when Sophia appeared would his dragon tail wag excitedly in tight circles,
25:09while his vertical pupils contracted sharply with clear eagerness.
25:13I used to think he just missed Ethan.
25:14A car horn pulled me out of my memories.
25:16I looked up blankly and saw other beastkin picking up their owners.
25:19That warmth I had never experienced.
25:21I stood there alone, like a clown watching someone else's happy performance.
25:25Are you sure you want to end the adoption with Nathan?
25:28I nodded.
25:29Terminating as a human required financial compensation.
25:31I left the three-bedroom apartment to him.
25:34Miss Emily, do you want us to deliver this to Mr. Nathan?
25:36Or will you handle it yourself?
25:37Please deliver it for me and give him this as well.
25:40The letter had only two sentences.
25:42Sorry, Nathan.
25:43I took you away without your consent.
25:44So this time, I'm setting you free.
25:47I walked out of the beastkin affairs office,
25:49got in the car, and left the city.
25:51My new life would be by the sea, waiting for spring.
25:54My new job was lecturer at a coastal university.
25:57I rented a small sea-view courtyard.
25:59The evening sea breeze carried a salty tang.
26:02I wore my mask while walking along the shore.
26:04The orange sunset was perfect.
26:06I took a photo, and habitually opened my chat with Nathan.
26:10Scrolling up, it was all my one-sided messages.
26:13Cute trinkets, strange clouds, blooming flowers.
26:16He rarely replied.
26:17A short, hmm, was usually all I got.
26:20The last record stopped on the day I overheard the truth.
26:23I asked him, where are you?
26:24I'll come pick you up.
26:25He still hadn't replied.
26:26He should have received the termination certificate by now, right?
26:29Yet he wouldn't even say goodbye.
26:31Only a heart full of dense, aching bitterness remained.
26:34I thought about it, and decided my new life shouldn't be tied to the past.
26:38So I changed my phone number, and created a new social media account.
26:41Sleep was impossible that night.
26:43The night air was cool as water.
26:45Moonlight pouring down.
26:46This was my favorite time.
26:47After my mom publicly tore open my scars in the office that year,
26:51Kevin started mocking me about being ugly without restraint.
26:54Emily is just an ugly bookworm.
26:55Even her own mother doesn't like her.
26:57I couldn't argue back because it was the truth.
26:59I could only wait for nightfall, hiding in the darkness to cry in secret.
27:03Back then, Nathan would always stand in the yard.
27:05After I cried on the balcony, he would still be standing there.
27:08I once mistook it for his silent companionship.
27:11Now I realize he was probably just like me, using the darkness to cover his own sadness.
27:15Besides teaching at university, I had my own research project.
27:18After finishing, I would run a lap along the beach before coming back to write.
27:21I filled every hour of my schedule to earn nights without insomnia.
27:27Professor, why do you never take off your mask?
27:31Because I'm not good looking.
27:33Who said that?
27:34I'll tear their mouths apart.
27:35There's no such thing as an unattractive girl.
27:37The girls spoke with genuine passion, and the others looked ready to fight on my behalf.
27:41I would laugh and steer the conversation to another topic.
27:43Then the students started talking about their own beastkin.
27:46Professor, what kind of beastkin do you have at home?
27:49I didn't know how to explain my complicated history with Nathan, so I just said,
27:53He passed away.
27:55I'm so sorry.
27:56After that, during the two big lectures each week, students would always bring me milk
28:00tea, cake, or chocolate.
28:01I couldn't finish it all, so I thought of the little wolf beastkin who scavenged around
28:05campus.
28:06Beastkin were striking, and wolf beastkin looked even more handsome.
28:09But this little wolf on campus had many deep and shallow scars across both sides of his
28:13face.
28:13He was careful not to startle the students, so he only came out after dark.
28:16When I came out of the lab that evening to find the little beastkin, it happened to start
28:20raining.
28:20A shadowy figure slipped out cautiously, his bushy wolf teeth flicking into view.
28:24Little wolf.
28:26Huh?
28:26The autumn rain was cold.
28:28Sorry, miss.
28:28I was just trying to get out of the rain.
28:30I didn't know anyone was here.
28:32The young wolf beastkin was completely soaked.
28:34You don't have to cover your face.
28:36I've seen you before.
28:38I have a dryer in my office.
28:40Come up and dry off.
28:41He hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
28:43Thank you, miss.
28:44Under the bright office lights, I saw he was very young, around 18 or 19, same age as my
28:49students.
28:50While he showered, I went next door and asked colleagues about him.
28:53His name's Lucas.
28:54I heard he used to be really handsome, so his old owner...
28:56...tried to sell him to the underground black market for that kind of dirty work.
29:00But he fought back hard, bit someone, and escaped.
29:02His face got messed up while he was running away.
29:05When the black market guys saw he was ruined, they beat him and tossed him into the sea.
29:09Luckily, some students pulled him out, and he's been living off scraps around campus ever
29:13since.
29:14Where's he staying?
29:15There's a shed on the hill behind the school.
29:17Emily, I heard your beastkin passed away.
29:18You're not actually thinking of adopting him, right?
29:20He's so ugly.
29:22Who would want to adopt him?
29:23His words overlapped with the old mockery I used to hear.
29:26She looks so ordinary.
29:28How could anyone like her?
29:30But why?
29:31We also have hearts that want to love and be loved.
29:34Hayes, Lucas isn't ugly.
29:35He's just been hurt, and he's kind and adorable.
29:38I've seen him share the food he scavenged with the little beggars outside school.
29:41I've seen him donate money to the beastkin school.
29:44So please, don't talk about him like that anymore.
29:47When I came out of my colleague's office, I saw Lucas standing in the hallway.
29:51His hair and tail were still wet.
29:52His eyes glistened with unshed tears.
29:56I awkwardly changed the subject.
29:59If it's hard for you to do it yourself, can I help dry you?
30:03I took the towel and dried his hair and tail, then used the hair dryer.
30:06It was my first time drying a beastkin's tail, so I kept making clumsy mistakes and apologizing.
30:11It's okay.
30:12Thank you so much, miss.
30:13After I finished, I offered him the cake and milk tea.
30:16He didn't take them.
30:17After hesitating for a long time, he spoke again, voice low but steady.
30:22Miss, I don't eat much.
30:24Could you adopt me?
30:25I know I'm not good looking, but I can cook, wash dishes, clean the house.
30:29I can also give massages and take care of flowers.
30:32But I'm not good looking either.
30:34Would you still choose me?
30:36You're very cute, miss.
30:38I want to go with you.
30:40My eyes stung.
30:41I blinked back the tears, took Lucas' hand, and left the lab building.
30:44The rain had stopped.
30:46I finally had a home and someone just like me.
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