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San returned late in the afternoon, the fading light trailing behind him like shadows that clung to his boots. His expression was unreadable, jaw tense, eyes scanning every corner of the apartment the moment he stepped in.
Hyme looked up from where he was lying on the couch, using Lys's tail as a footrest despite the latter's grumbles. Kai was sprawled nearby, trying to teach Lyra how to play a game on his tablet—she was winning.
"San?" Hyme sat up. "What happened?"
San tossed his coat onto the hook, stepped forward, and tossed a folded paper onto the coffee table. The weight behind that gesture made everyone freeze.
Kai picked it up and unfolded it.
"Is this…?" His voice dropped.
Lys stood, sensing the shift in the room. "What is it?"
Kai read aloud. "WANTED: Half-breed hybrid with golden ears. Alive only. Double reward if delivered within 72 hours. No damage."
The silence exploded like glass.
Hyme's face went pale. His ears twitched and his tail wrapped tightly around his leg.
"Who posted this?" Lys asked, voice sharp and low.
San looked at Hyme. "That's the problem. It's anonymous. Through an underground contact I haven't spoken to in years. They said the client used an untraceable broker."
Hyme swallowed. "You mean… someone powerful enough to bypass even hybrid council tracking?"
San nodded slowly. "And with money. A lot of it."
Lyra frowned. "They want him alive. That means this isn't about revenge. They want to use him."
"Or control him," Lys added. "The royal family's hybrid project was never shut down, just buried."
Hyme was quiet for a long moment. Then, in a small voice, he asked, "What should I do?"
San crossed the room and knelt before him. He reached out, brushing Hyme's bangs away from his face, and held his cheeks gently.
"You're going to stay with me," San said. "No matter what. I'll keep you safe."
Hyme's eyes shimmered, pupils dilating slightly as he leaned forward, resting his forehead against San's.
"…Even if they come to the door?"
"I'll be the wall they have to break first."
Lys looked away, a strange expression on his face.
Just then, Kai's phone buzzed. He checked it, then frowned deeply.
"What is it?" Lyra asked.
Kai turned the phone to show them all. A blurry photo of Wooyoung's desk—specifically, a drawer stuffed with sealed red documents and a silver badge with the old Crimson Circle insignia.
"…Wooyoung's involved," Kai said quietly. "She's been hiding this from me."
San stood. "We need to go see her. Now."
"No," Lys said. "You and Hyme need to stay. If this is a trap, they might be waiting."
"I'll go," Kai volunteered. "She won't expect me to be suspicious."
Lyra stood. "I'll come too. Two hybrids are better than one."
San hesitated… then nodded. "Be careful."
As Kai and Lyra left, San turned to the others.
"Lock everything. Nobody goes out without me. Not until we figure out who's trying to take Hyme."
Lys nodded. Hyme just leaned into San's side, curling close like a frightened kitten pretending to be brave.
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