00:00Then the explosion happened. Loren pulled Vivian close to him. I grabbed Loki's hand and ran. We ran toward the
00:06end of the amusement park. Shrapnel flew everywhere. The exit was right ahead and then it exploded. I ran at
00:13the front and didn't see what was happening behind me. But in my dream, I saw it clearly. Loki let
00:18go of my hand and ran toward Vivian. So did Loren. I fell to the ground. No one looked back.
00:25I sat on the couch until midnight. With a mirror in my hand, I stared at my reflection over and
00:30over again. Round face and dull skin. The longer I looked, the worse I felt. Then I thought of Vivian.
00:37She always gets the attention wherever she goes. The door opened. Loki walked in. The smell of whiskey clung to
00:44him. His gaze swept over me for a second before he headed straight for his room. I stood up. For
00:49the first time ever, I reached out and grabbed his tail. A flash of disgust crossed his eyes.
00:53Don't touch me. It was just like the first time I tried to touch his ears. I thought all werewolves
00:58were like that. They were cold and untouchable. I know better now. It wasn't that he hated being touched. He
01:05just couldn't stand my touch. I froze for a few seconds. Then I laughed. So that's how it was. Turns
01:12out when you're not pretty, your love doesn't count. I didn't even realize I was crying.
01:16When I looked up again, I was alone in the living room. The tears wouldn't stop. It felt like a
01:22stone was crushing my chest. My fingers went numb. I could hear my own breathing growing heavier and heavier. And
01:28suddenly, I remembered the school carnival.
01:34Every year, I would ask Loki. Come with me. Everyone is bringing their shifter. No. But they... Then go adopt
01:46another one.
01:46So I went alone every year. I'd always stand off to the side and watch Loren from across the carnival.
01:52He had the same face as Loki, but he was always smiling. Vivian would touch his ears, and he would
01:57always bend down for her.
02:01Loren would ruffle her hair and ask. Do you want that teddy bear over there? Vivian would nod, rise onto
02:06her tiptoes, and reach for his ears again. I watched them with envy. That was the life I wanted. One
02:12year, Caden and his friends got me into a corner.
02:15Where's your wolf? Oh, right. He probably doesn't want people seeing him with you.
02:23Two twin wolves. One with the pretty sister, and the other got stuck with the ugly duckling. I'd hide, too.
02:31I got to my feet and threw a punch. His friend hit the ground. Caden rushed at me, and I
02:36knocked him down, too.
02:46The school called my mother. She asked me in front of everyone at the school office.
02:52They were right. Why were you out there fighting people?
02:58Mom.
03:01You're not pretty, and you've got a terrible temper. Even Loki doesn't want to be around you.
03:10I wish you were Vivian sometimes.
03:12Even my own mother didn't want me. I didn't remember how I ran out of the office.
03:16I cried in the park all night. When I got home, my father slapped me.
03:20He stood in the doorway, his face twisted with disgust.
03:28I wish I'd never had a daughter like you.
03:30I sat in the living room the entire night.
03:32When the first rays of sunlight streamed through the window, I turned my face away.
03:36I only felt safe when I hid in the darkness of my bedroom.
03:39When I woke up, it was already dark outside.
03:42The loneliness and self-loathing felt endless.
03:45I pushed open the door and walked out.
03:47Loki was gone, but his scent lingered everywhere.
03:52I ate something without really tasting it, and then started packing my things.
03:56I didn't have much to pack.
03:58At 18, when I got into college, I finally left that house.
04:01I was afraid my parents would mistreat Loki, so I took him with me.
04:05As always, he neither accepted nor refused.
04:08No, that wasn't true.
04:10He refused plenty of things.
04:12He refused to let me touch or hug him.
04:14When money was tight, I could only afford a one-room apartment.
04:17He slept on the bed.
04:19I slept on the couch.
04:21Loki was over 6 feet tall.
04:22He kept bumping his head on the low door frames of that tiny apartment.
04:26So I worked as hard as I could and eventually bought a small place of my own.
04:29Loki was all I had.
04:31No matter how distant he was, he was still the little wolf I'd brought home.
04:35When you love someone, you always feel like you owe them more.
04:38That's why I bought him so many things.
04:40I never realized he never wanted any of it.
04:43So I'd finally decided to let him go.
04:45I picked up my luggage and walked out of the apartment.
04:47I liked walking.
04:49Loki did too.
04:51He just didn't like walking with me.
04:53The only time he joined me was when Vivian and Lorraine were there.
05:02Whenever that happened, his tail wouldn't stop wagging.
05:05I always told myself he just missed his brother.
05:08A car horn suddenly blared, pulling me back to reality.
05:11I looked up.
05:12It was other shifters coming to pick up their masters.
05:16Hey, babe.
05:17Shit.
05:18I had never experienced that kind of bond.
05:22Are you sure you want to break your bond with Loki?
05:25Yes, I'm sure.
05:27Okay.
05:28Final confirmation.
05:29Humans breaking a shifter adoption contract must pay compensation.
05:34I left him the apartment.
05:36The clerk handed me the papers.
05:38Miss Lily hates.
05:39Would you like to deliver Mr. Loki's copy yourself or should we send it for you?
05:43I took out the letter I had rewritten countless times.
05:45You can send it.
05:46And this too.
05:47There were only a few lines in it.
05:49Loki, I'm sorry.
05:51I took you away without your consent.
05:53Now I'm setting you free.
05:57I walked out of the agency and drove away from the city.
06:00I was going to the sea to start over.
06:02A coastal university offered me a lecturer position.
06:05I accepted it and rented a small cabin by the ocean.
06:08The nights here were beautiful.
06:10The orange sky melted into the sea.
06:12I took a photo and, almost instinctively, opened my chat with Loki.
06:16I sent it to him.
06:17Then I scrolled up.
06:18It was all me.
06:19I sent him cute trinkets from shops, a strange-shaped cloud, and a pretty flower.
06:23He rarely replied.
06:25Sometimes just one word, mm.
06:27The last message was from the day I found out the truth.
06:30I had asked.
06:31Where are you?
06:32I'll come get you.
06:34Still, I got no reply.
06:35So he must have received the papers by now.
06:37He couldn't even say goodbye to me.
06:40I switched to a new account and deleted the old one.
06:44I couldn't sleep that night.
06:46Moonlight spilled across the floor.
06:48The little cabin was filled with darkness and the smell of the ocean.
06:51Ever since my mother said those words at the school office, Kaden had stopped holding back.
06:55Lily's just some ugly bookish nerd.
06:57Even her own mother can't stand looking at her.
07:00I didn't argue because he was right.
07:02So I learned to wait until nightfall, when no one was around, so I could cry.
07:06And when I cried, Loki would be standing in the yard downstairs.
07:12I used to think he was there for me.
07:14I understand now that maybe he was just like me.
07:17Maybe he also needed the night to hide his sadness.
07:20Besides teaching, I had my own research projects.
07:23After work, I would run along the beach and came back to write.
07:26I had a very demanding schedule, so could I sleep.
07:29During class breaks, students often gathered around me.
07:33Professor, why do you never take off your mask?
07:37Because I'm not pretty.
07:39Who said that?
07:40Tell me, I'll go talk to them.
07:42She sounded completely serious, and a few others nodded along.
07:45I just smiled and changed the topic.
07:47They started talking about the shifters and their families.
07:50Professor, what kind of shifter did you have?
07:53I didn't want to talk about Loki.
07:55So I said casually.
07:59He's dead.
07:59The classroom went quiet.
08:02The bell didn't come soon enough.
08:05After that, students started bringing me coffee, muffins, and cookies.
08:10There was no way I could finish them all.
08:12Bye, professor.
08:23Then I thought of the fox shifter who used to dig through the trash on campus.
08:31Fox shifters were usually beautiful, but his face was covered in deep, uneven scars.
08:36He only came out at night so he wouldn't scare anyone.
08:43One night, I was leaving the lab when it started to rain.
08:47A shadow suddenly darted out, a fluffy tail dragging behind me.
08:56Little fox.
09:05Sorry, I just came in to get out of the rain.
09:07I didn't know anyone was here.
09:08The rain was cold.
09:10He was completely soaked.
09:12You don't need to hide your face.
09:13I've seen you before.
09:15There's hot water and a dryer in my office.
09:17Come with me.
09:18In the light, I saw how young he was.
09:21He's maybe 18 or 19, about the same age as my students.
09:25While he was showering, I went next door to ask around.
09:27My colleague Tom was more than happy to talk.
09:30Hi, Tom.
09:31Do you have a quick minute?
09:34Oh, Lily.
09:35What can I do for you?
09:38Um, do you know that scarred fox shifter?
09:44Yes, of course.
09:46The fox's name is Eli.
09:48He used to be really good looking, apparently.
09:50His former owner tried to sell him to the black market.
09:53He refused and bit the guy, then ran.
10:13Gotcha.
10:14Where do you think you're going?
10:21Fuck.
10:29Finally caught you, you little bastard.
10:32Look at that face.
10:34What a shame.
10:36You could have fetched a good price, but now, nobody wants you.
10:39He got his face scratched during the escape.
10:42The black market people saw his face was ruined,
10:44so they beat him up and threw him into the sea.
10:46Some students pulled him out.
10:48Since then, he's been living on campus, digging through the trash.
10:53Where does he stay?
10:55There's a shed behind the hill.
11:00Lily, I heard your shifter passed away.
11:02You're not seriously thinking of taking this one in, are you?
11:10Honestly?
11:11With that face, who would even want him?
11:13That reminded me of something I'd heard before.
11:17She's so plain.
11:18Who would ever like her?
11:21I had heard things like that.
11:23Why couldn't we be loved?
11:25We wanted love just as much as anyone else.
11:30Eli isn't ugly.
11:31He's just injured.
11:32He's kind.
11:34I saw him give his own food to beggars on the street
11:36and donate to shifter shelters.
11:39So, don't say that about him.
11:42When I stepped out, Eli was standing in the hallway.
11:44His hair was still dripping wet.
11:46His eyes were red.
11:48Um, do you want me to dry your hair?
11:50I asked.
11:52He handed me a towel.
11:53I dried his hair first, then his tail.
11:56It was my first time using a hair dryer on a foxtail.
11:59I was clumsy and kept apologizing every time I accidentally hurt him.
12:03When I was done, I handed him a muffin and coffee.
12:06He didn't take them.
12:07He hesitated and said softly,
12:11I don't eat much.
12:12Could you take me in?
12:15I know I don't look good, but I can cook, wash dishes, and clean the house.
12:19I can massage and take care of plants.
12:20I smiled, then took off my mask and looked at him in the eyes.
12:30I'm not pretty either.
12:32Would you still want to come with me?
12:35You're cute.
12:37I want to come with you.
12:40Tears stung my eyes.
12:41I blinked and took his hand, walking out of the lab.
12:44The rain had stopped.
12:45I had finally found a home in someone like me.
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