Chapter Text
Shura and Youngjae are friends. More than friends.
They’re family.
They never expected to be so close when Youngjae picked a call from a girl who was looking for a shared apartment. They met the same day in order to show the place to Shura. He lived alone in a quiet neighborhood, in a small house with two rooms and one bathroom. He came to the city and lived alone to study computer engineering at university, so he was renting the other room. When he met Shura, he was at his last year at the age of 22. Both had the same age, but Shura told him she worked as a café waitress.
When he opened the door, the brown haired girl in front of him tripped over him, and both of them fell on the floor. The girl’s face was red from blushing, and Youngjae couldn’t help but laugh at how cute she looked, making her blush more and stand up quickly while repeating ‘sorry’. He got up and told her it was okay, but Shura just thought she made the worst first impression ever.
She was so surprised when Youngjae told her the same evening that the room was hers. After the incident, she was sure he wouldn’t choose her. But he did, and it made her so happy. He even helped her moving and the first day he cooked for her. They spent all the time together since then, knowing everything about each other, becoming friends and best friends so quickly. After three months they felt like they knew each other since forever. They felt like a family. With one exception.
The second month they lived together, there were a few nights Shura spent alone in her room. Full moon nights. She knew how to control the change into a werewolf, his father taught her before he and his wife were killed by a werewolf pack when she was 18. But however, it wasn’t easy to hold the beast inside her, her body shaking, bones trying to break and turn into animal ones. She couldn’t let Youngjae know, so she locked herself in her room and cried silently till everything stopped. Of course, Youngjae heard her, feeling himself useless while his friend was in pain. He thought Shura was like him: a human with psychic powers. When he first knew about his situation, his powers got out and made a mess in his room. He tried hard to control his powers, because moving things with his mind could make a disaster. Maybe his friend was trying to control her powers, but he wanted her to tell him instead of him telling her he heard everything. When Shura came out of her room the next day, they acted like nothing happened.
It was the first days of December when Shura came home from work and found a note glued at the front door. At first she didn’t pay attention to that, but she saw Youngjae’s bag lying on the floor, little red marks on it. She was worried; she picked the note from the door and looked at it angrily.
Join the pack. And a wolf footprint painted with blood.
She ripped it and threw it away, now truly worried, and opened the door. She froze when she found Youngjae’s body lying on the sofa. She run at his side and put a hand on his chest. His heart was beating and Shura sighed in relief. She looked at him. He had bruises on his arms, some cuts in his cheeks and little wounds in his handsome face. He was breathing like he was asleep, but Shura could tell the boy was a mess. She bent down on her knees and placed her head near to Youngjae’s arm.
“Sorry” she said, tears now running through her face. She buried it on the sofa while crying, feeling broken inside. His friend was hurt because of her, of her desire to not join any pack because it was one who killed her parents. And she felt weak, because when she ran away from her home to the city to make a new life, she knew it would be dangerous if a pack found her, so she was moving from town to town, not talking to anyone, not feeling attached to anything, and now she found Youngjae and loved him like her new family. She decided to stay at his place and stop running away, she promised herself to protect Youngjae, but at the end she wasn’t there when he needed her. She couldn’t protect Youngjae.
After a while, she stopped crying. Now, she was more angry than sad. She was, first, angry at herself because she was gone when Youngjae was attacked, and also because it was her fault. But she was now angry at the people who hurt her family. When she felt his body shaking, she got up and moved away from Youngjae. The boy opened his eyes a little, just to see his friend becoming a trembling mess and going away from him. He called her name, but she ignored it. Then he got up with pain, placing a hand on his stomach and followed his friend as fast as he could in his condition. They were now at the garden, and when he reached the back door, Shura was kneeled down, hugging herself, digging her nails in her skin, trying to stop the change. But at her state, she couldn’t. Youngjae knew, and started walking faster towards her direction.
“Stay away, Jae!” she shouted without looking at her.
But Youngjae took another step. He wasn’t afraid of her. He wasn’t afraid of the nails that grew bigger like her teeth, of the hair growing from all her body, and definitely not afraid of her now yellow and angry eyes. But when she turned her head to him, he saw something in her gaze that made him stop and stare at her. Then she understood that the boy wasn’t going to move, so she got up and ran to the forest near their house while her clothes were being ripped.
Youngjae looked at her until her bob hair disappeared into the woods. He realized now that his friend wasn’t like him, but was special anyways. He wasn’t afraid of her, instead he was worried. He knew his friend wanted to be alone for some time, but he couldn’t help but wonder if she was going to be fine out there. What if the guys who attacked him were there? It happened so fast that Youngjae wasn’t really aware until he was dragged into the house and thrown at the sofa, his body suffering from the multiple punches and tears forming in his eyes. Then some male said “tell your friend to join us or we will kill you both”, and something hit him, making him collapse.
Hoping her friend would come back later, he walked inside the house. He picked a blanket from the sofa, and placed it near the back door so when Shura came back she would have something to cover her body. He didn’t want to go inside her room, so instead he took a blanket they normally use when it’s cold and they cuddle to watch tv. He went to the bathroom to pick the first aid kit and healed his wounds.
It was dark when Shura returned to the house. She saw the blanket near the door and covered herself with it. She smiled at her friend kindness. She walked to the living room and saw Youngjae sleeping with the tv on. He touched his hair softly, and then went to her room to pick some clothes and then she took a shower. When she exited the bathroom, Youngjae was at the kitchen cooking some food. She folded the blanket, placed it on the sofa and walked to the kitchen.
She hesitated before calling the male’s name. He turned his head in her direction and she sighed.
“I’m sorry”.
Youngjae smiled, and she felt warm in her heart. Her friend’s smile was so precious to her, something she wanted to see every day.
“It’s okay. I thought you will be hungry, so I made dinner” he placed the meat on their plates and took them to the table. Shura just sat while Youngjae was finishing settling the table. He just sat opposite her and started eating. She did the same. She finished the meat quickly, and Youngjae handed her a bowl of rice.
“Youngjae, I…” she started accepting the bowl, but was interrupted by him.
“I said it’s okay, Shu. Just eat” then he smiled and started to eat again.
“But-“
“I knew”.
Shura just stared at him trying to know what it meant.
“You knew…about me?”
Youngjae nodded. “I knew you were special, but I thought you were like me.”
Shura was more confused than before.
“What do you mean by ‘like me’?”
“I have psychic powers, like, I can move things with my mind”. Shura raised a brow, and Youngjae stared at her glass and it suddenly moved a bit from where it was. She blinked. “How?” was all she could say.
“I don’t know, I just woke up one morning and everything started to move. I made a mess of my room, and since then I’ve been trying to control it. I thought something like that happens to you”.
“Well, it’s a bit different” she started to eat again, decided to tell him the truth now. “I’m a werewolf, Jae. I know it sounds unbelievable, but it’s the truth. You saw it”.
“I believe you, but you know, you’re still my best friend, my half-sister. I don’t mind what you are; I love you for who you are. Human, werewolf, vampire, whatever. So please, don’t hide anything from me. Let me be by your side”.
Shura felt like she was going to cry. But instead of it, she placed a hand over Youngjae’s.
“Same goes for you, Jae. Don’t hide secrets anymore. Let’s be honest. I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you this time, it won’t happen again”.
Youngjae intertwined their fingers.
“About it, don’t worry. I can defense myself, it was just unexpected. Anyways, they were saying something about a pack. Can you explain about it? I don’t want you to get hurt”.
Shura sighed.
“Every werewolf has to belong to one pack. Renegades are dangerous to the pack system and are pursued by them. By what I had heard, there is a place where you can get yourself a pack. I have run away so much time I didn’t think I needed to belong to one, and honestly I don’t want it. A pack killed my parents. I just wanted to live in peace; I didn’t think it was going to affect you”.
Youngjae only nodded. He cleared his throat. “What about now?”
She looked at him and their eyes connected.
“I think I’m going to join one”.
“Are you sure? Shu, I’m okay. You don’t have to worry; I won’t let anyone touch me or you. I can fight. I understand why you don’t want to join a pack. I just want you to be happy”.
She smiled.
“Youngjae, you’re so sweet” he blushed, although it wasn’t the first time his friend told him something like that. “But when I saw you injured I felt like I was going to die. I want to join a pack, for me, for you, for us. They will keep us safe. Or at least I hope so”. She seemed hesitant, so Youngjae smiled at her.
“I respect your decision. But don’t be afraid to show me about your entire world. I don’t fear you. I’m not afraid of what I can discover. Just let me be by your side. Please” he put his puppy face and Shura couldn’t say no to his face.
“Okay, tomorrow we’ll go there. We should rest.”
They cleaned everything and she helped him going to bed. Youngjae asked Shura to stay with him and she accepted.
So here they are.
Loud music, the smell of alcohol all over the place. They are at a discreet bar at the city suburbs. There are a lot of people, so Shura is holding Youngjae’s hand. She doesn’t want to lose him in the crowd. The guard at the door just let him be there because a werewolf was by his side. Only werewolves were allowed. She feels deep inside like she has trapped Youngjae in a place full of hungry animals wanting to eat him alive.
“So, what’s the plan?” the male asked once they are near the bar counter.
Shura doesn’t know. She heard time ago of a place where un-packed werewolves go to find a pack, but she doesn’t know exactly how they do it. She’s about to answer him when she hears a laugh coming from behind Youngjae. She sees two males looking at them and laughing. One has light green hair and the other brown hair.
“Hey!” she shouts. Youngjae tries to stop her because he doesn’t want troubles with anyone, but he fails as the two males stop laughing and look at Shura. She approaches them, dragging Youngjae with her.
“What’s so funny?” she asks. Normally, Youngjae admires his friend for being so brave, but now, she seems more reckless than brave.
“You don’t have to be dragging your little princess everywhere, you know” the brown haired male says.
“How selfish, wanting the human just for you, how unfair” the other says.
She can feel her blood burning inside her. Youngjae feels the increase of Shura’s body temperature, so he frees his hand and places it on her shoulder.
“Leave it, Shu. Let’s get out of here” he whispers.
The boys start to laugh again, so without thinking she pushes Youngjae away and grabs the shirt of the brown haired one, closing her fist.
“Stop it or I’ll make you stop” she says.
The green haired approaches them but the other raises a hand telling him to stop.
“Okay girl, we’ll stop. But before you have to beat me”. He says.
“Huh?” is all Shura can say.
“Namjoon” the other guy calls “are you sure? I can manage it”.
“It’s okay Yoongi. I’ll leave it to you” he frees himself from Shura and smiles at his friend. The called Yoongi takes her by her arm and drags her to an empty spot in the bar, Youngjae and Namjoon following him. Then he frees her, and suddenly people starts to approach them shouting things Shura can barely hear as ‘fight! Fight!’ and ‘there’s gonna be blood!’ A circle of people is settled now surrounding them. Shura knows now. This is the way people get in a pack. Fighting for it. If she wants a pack to take her, she has to make a good first impression.
Great, I’m terrible at this.
She chuckles at the memory of the first time she met Youngjae. She sees Yoongi taking off his jacket and giving it to Namjoon. Shura is only wearing a normal T-shirt with leggings and sneakers. Ideal for a fight, she thinks. She prepares herself for what’s about to come, Yoongi doing the same. She looks at Youngjae. The boy raises his thumbs up and smiles at her while he mouths ‘you can do it’. She can tell he’s worried, but he’s smiling and it’s enough for Shura to be strong.
“Girl, you should focus on your enemy” Yoongi says, but by the time he runs into her to bring down Shura, she lifts her leg and kicks him between his legs. A cry of pain is heard upon the music. She doesn’t waste time and punches him at the stomach. He stops the second punch, and she quickly pushes him away using her leg.
Yoongi runs into her again, this time she just lets him approach before hitting him at the chest with her fist. He stops for a moment and Shura moves her leg to make him fall. He resists and kneels down, so Shura twists and hits the back of his neck with her elbow. Yoongi lets a cry get out before collapsing on the floor.
Everyone was shouting and cheering like crazy, but now everyone is silent. Only Youngjae jumps in joy, smiling and then running to his friend to hug her. Shura hugs him back, panting heavily for the effort.
“You’re incredible” Youngjae says. Shura murmurs a ‘thank you’ before breaking the hug. She grins at Yoongi, knowing he’s not dead, only unconscious and now being treated by his friend. After checking him, she takes Youngjae’s hand and exits the place, heading home.