(Y/N - 16 years old)

"You're getting your soulmate mark at school today, aren't you? This is great news! I hope you get a good person, and hopefully they're a human just like you. It would be... gross if you got a hybrid for soulmate. You'd do well to pray before you take that pill, okay? Make us proud!".

That's what mother chirps cheerfully as she pushes me towards the front door while fitting my lunchbox into my bag, and before I can do or say anything back to her, she closes the door behind me with one strong swing.

Taken aback by how fast this just happened - she didn't even greet me or ask about how I felt about today - I frown at it after a moment of silence, what she said giving me a shiver of disgust all over my body.

She wants me to what?

To pray so that I don't get a hybrid as a soulmate? What's wrong with having a hybrid as my other half? They're known to be very loyal and loving compared to humans who are... anything but that, so why would that be a bad thing for me?

Already angry when the day's only just begun, I stomp away from the tall white mansion to instead embark on the path to the fancy school in the neighborhood, one that offers a smaller program for hybrids who have the means to pay their services, which isn't really a lot around here.

It's rare for hybrids to save enough money to attend school, let alone a private one, but some of them are adopted by good humans so... that helps at least a few of them to have a good start in life.

Still, judging by how my family always talks about them as if they're trash - what's even worse is that they're not the only ones - it's not hard to guess that people still look down on them regularly, something that annoys me greatly.

It's not like they did anything to warrant that hate. Them existing was apparently enough to be treated like the plague, but I don't agree with that way of thinking. I think it's unfair for them when all they want is to live a normal life like us.

When I'm older... I want to become strong enough to protect hybrids.

I want to give them safe jobs that will pay well and make a change in this messed up world. Even if people laugh at me at first, I won't give up because if no one fights for them, then no one ever will and I can't accept that.

I don't care how foolish of a dream that is, it's my goal and I'll do anything I can to make it there.

On the way to school, I quickly begin to hear how excited everyone is about today's events. There will be no classes and no homework, which in itself is reason enough to celebrate, but what has every students so happy has more to do with the soulmark that we'll have on our skin by the end of the day.

We're going to be given a weird looking pill that should activate the soulmark's appearance instead of needing to wait until we meet our soulmate in person, and then we'll have to register it into the system that gathers every known soulmarks so that they can link every pairs of soulmates together.

It helps with finding your other half faster, considering that they also registered their mark into the system, or that they took the pill at all.

This process didn't always exist as it's rather new - maybe a year or two depending on some places - so it's not everyone who has been registered into the system. Adults can head to their clinic and ask for the same pill if they haven't met their soulmates yet, but apparently, it doesn't work on everyone.

It is the most efficient for those who are at the youngest sixteen years old, so most people above twenty don't bother with trying. There are also those who would rather meet their other half through fate in fear of changing what the world had prepared for them, so the acceptance of such a process is debatable.

I for one don't really mind whether it happens today or in a few years, and I'm not afraid of fate either. If we meet early... then what's the worst that can happen? We'll simply get more time together, or so I hope.

Once inside the large building that accepts only the elite of the elite - an odd way of saying we're children with golden spoon already filled and pushed into our mouth - I avoid a group of loud and flirty cheerleaders, then turn left to reach the half side reserved for humans as turning right would take me to the half of hybrids.

I already went there once to give some documents to one of the teachers and I could see that I wasn't very welcome by other hybrids. It made me sad, but I could understand why. I got only frowns, but had they come to my side, they would've been shouted at and kicked out by force.

I follow the busy hallways until I make it to the cafeteria where we were told to go in the morning to receive our pill along with a bottle of water, and I find there a lot of students already waiting impatiently, which isn't surprising.

This is an event that we've all been impatiently waiting for ever since it was first introduced to our school two years ago. We were too young back then, but this year is just perfect for everyone of my grade, and while last year was rather quiet, they've made it into a bigger deal this time.

After a deep breath, I make my way to the end of the first line where a couple of students from my class are already waiting, as it was written on my paper that was given to me by my teacher yesterday. We were all separated into different numbers, though I'm unsure what they mean, to be honest.

Either way, once at the desk, someone will take the series of numbers written on my paper to find me in the list before giving me the cup containing the pill, and I will be made to wait at a table until my mark has appeared somewhere on my body.

I don't really know what to expect of the rest of the day after that, but I'm guessing we'll be allowed to bond with whoever is our soulmate should we be in the same building. It does make me wonder if my other half could be here too and I simply didn't know.

No, what would be the odds? It's very unlikely to happen, but I'm willing to entertain the possibility, if only a little. It would be great to get to know the one whom fate thought would fit me the most in this world.

"Next".

I step forward, then hand the severe-looking madam my piece of paper so she can find me in the list, and when she finds my name somewhere at the top, she quirks an eyebrow before handing me the cup and the water.

"Choi Y/N, your parents are expecting good news out of this, aren't they? They made a request to the school to receive a call once your soulmark registered, so I wish you the best of lucks. Those kind of parents are harder on their children's soulmates, so I hope you get someone who can handle this pressure. Next".

I stare at her blankly, unsure of what to say to that. That was highly uncalled for, but...

Thank you for the encouragement, I guess.

I bow briefly before walking towards one the farthest tables where I can have some peace and quiet, after which I sit down before putting everything on the table in front of me and my bag on the seat besides me.

This morning went faster than I would've preferred so I didn't really have time to prepare myself for this moment.

I stare at the red pill for a long time as others begin to exclaim over their marks, all of them in a hurry to find their other half so they can either accept or reject the bond. It's sad to say that the latter has been getting more popular as of late, as if fate has lost its value in the young's eyes.

It's even worse to know that more than half of the rejected bonds are towards hybrids by humans, with a constant rise that I find hard to understand.

If my soulmate ends up being a hybrid, I will make sure to let them know right away that I will never do such a terrible thing to them, not ever. I'll be loyal to them until the end. If they want me by their side, anyway.

It's on that thought that I finally uncap my bottle of water to take a small sip to wet my dry throat, after which I swallow the pill along with some more water to help it down.

I would almost prefer to be given a hybrid soulmate rather than a human at this point, though I'm aware that not every humans are as bad as the ones that surround me, and that others may also think like me, however rare they are.

So whatever my mother and father may say, who I end up with will have been chosen by fate and I will not let them get in the way, no matter what they believe is right.

Their mentality is just as bad as the way they handle money, so in that sense, I honestly wouldn't be surprised if one day we end up living in the street just because they couldn't think twice before buying useless junks.

Giving my older brother three expensive cars in the span of four months was by far the most senseless thing I've seen in a long time. He hasn't even successfully finished his driving exam yet since he keeps failing them, so what's the point of owning three cars?

As I wait for something to happen, I sometimes pull on my sleeves to see if the mark might appear somewhere around here, which would be a lot better than the alternatives - I would hate to receive it on the thigh or another similar place since that would require me to have a teacher follow me to the bathroom to take it in picture for the soulmark system, which really, is quite dangerous and wrong.

Maybe on my wrist? Or even on my hand, that would be great. If I get it around my neck... it would be complicated to see it, but that's why I brought a hand mirror from home, so I'm ready for the possibility.

I must have waited for around an hour until I get the first itch over my skin.

It starts gentle at first, and then it gets more intense. It's hard to tell where it feels strongest until I feel the itch focus entirely over the palm of my right hand, and that confirms to me that this is where my soulmark will be.

I immediately look down to notice the ring of flowers that finally covers the whole of my palm, and it catches my attention that it somehow has seven different flowers all around it instead of one. What is that supposed to mean?

The lines gradually gain in darkness until they become opaque, and everything stills, both in visuals and in sensations.

It seems the mark is finally complete.

Well... this is it, then. The pill worked as intended and I don't feel sick at all, which is a relief to me since I hate taking any kind of medicine as they always make me nauseous.

Knowing that I have no reason to stay here any longer since the purpose of my presence here is accomplished, I grab all my belongings, then walk back to the desk from the line one where the same madam from earlier is now waiting to scan any soulmarks from the students given to her, and once she sees me, she quirks the same brow before motioning for me to come over.

"Choi Y/N. Have you gotten your soulmark, then?".

I nod, then raise my hand to show it to her, which gains me some whispering from other students who watch from the sidelines, always curious to see other people's marks and how much prettier or uglier they are than their own.

"Interesting. Rest your hand on the desk and leave your palm as flat as possible, I'll take a picture... there you go. Let's see if there's another match now" she voices passively as she transfers the picture into the system after typing in my name along with my student number, and we wait.

It's a minute later that her eyes widen, and my worries instantly peek at the corners of my mind as I glance at her with concern.

"What? Why do you look like you've seen a ghost? Is there something wrong?" I ask her, fingers clenching onto the flowers tightly as if that might protect them. Did they have an accident? Are they already proclaimed dead? Why isn't she saying anything?

"Wrong... entirely depends on your perception, miss Choi. You have at the present... four male soulmates who have registered their mark, one of which is here in this very school. Two of them are hybrids while the other two are humans. Except for one, they all seem older, either in University or in College".

My mind blanks at her words, and I stare at her as if to make sure that she is not lying to me. Four soulmates? Two hybrids and two humans? But there is only one ring of flowers!

Unless... do I have seven soulmates then? Seven flowers for seven souls?

"That means... the one who's in this school... is he from the hybrid department? Can I meet him?" I ask her as soon as I begin to form functioning links in my head, hope gaining in strength in my heart, though she replies with a sigh, "Only if he wants to. I will send in a request right now".

With one foot nervously tapping on the floor, I stand by her side as we both wait for a reply that takes its time to come, but as soon as the confirmation flashes onto the screen that my soulmate will be on his way to the main hall shortly, I rush all the way back to the school's entrance that separates both sections to wait for him there.

I thought it was unlikely to happen, but I really ended up with a soulmate in the same school as me!

What kind of person will he be like? Kind with a calm temper? Or will he be mean and aggressive? Honestly, I am expecting to be met with coldness since most hybrids must be taught to expect being rejected by their human mates at this point.

I only hope that my sincerity will be felt despite the odds of our circumstances, for I have no desire to reject anyone who is linked to my soul.

It takes a little longer than I would've liked for him to reach the hall, but when I finally spot a boy of around my age coming into the entrance with a wariness on his face, black ears on top of his head slightly flattened as if he is expecting the worst, when I feel my soul lean his way as his eyes fall on me, I instantly know that he is mine and that I would do anything for him.

I slowly join where he is now frozen in place with a small tentative smile that seems to take him aback, and once standing in front of him, I hesitate on what I should do before deciding to simply show him my soulmark. This is where we should be starting, right?

Upon seeing my hand with the flowers, he raises his own in uncertainty to show me that he has the same mark, palm slightly larger than my own despite his baby face, and I can't resist the smile that widens at seeing that we indeed are part of the same group of soulmates.

"So it's you" I muse softly before looking up at his face again to take him in properly. He looks adorable with his round eyes, skin looking so soft despite the frown currently taking place on his features, which I cannot blame him for.

His animal attributes look so terribly soft that it takes me everything to not reach out without permission, what does he look like in his shifted form? I want to find out so much, would he let me see one day?

"Are you... will you reject me? I've seen it happen three times already in my class alone" he finally speaks up with a small voice, and I quickly shake my head while grabbing his hands by instinct, though I release him just as fast when he flinches back.

"Sorry- I- no, never! I don't plan on rejecting anyone, I promise! I swear I want my soulmates, no matter who they are, that's all I want. That means you and everyone else who's part of the soul group" I hurriedly say before stepping back to give him more space when he starts to use a protective stance against me.

I'm being too much already, aren't I?

I hold my hands together in front of me before looking at the floor. I wish we were taught how to handle meeting our soulmates before actually meeting them. I don't want to scare him off just because I want to make him comfortable with me too much.

"Is this... a trick? Or a game your friends dared you into? Because if it is, I really don't find that funny".

My eyes widen before I shake my head again and quickly. Why would he even - oh. I bet people he knows went through something similar. That wouldn't be surprising, humans can be really terrible after all.

"No, not at all. I don't even have friends so I don't see why I would let anyone force me into such a sick thing. I'm very honestly trying to let you know that I don't intend to reject you, that I want you, that's... that's all. What about you? Will you reject me if I don't?".

He pauses and stares at me at my question, it hadn't even crossed his mind that he could reject me if he wanted to.

Does he want to?

"No... I won't. Rejecting their other half... only humans do that. Hybrids don't take too kindly to that trend, obviously. Not to say that you're participating in it, just... humans overall do and... yeah" he sputters softly in awkwardness, and I relax slightly as I begin to understand that he wants this just as much as I do.

"Yeah... I also dislike their mindset. I have never agreed with the way they treat hybrids, though there is nothing I can do at the moment. But I wish to change things when I'm older!" I exclaim suddenly, only to shrink back into shyness after getting the feeling that I have gone too far once more.

What am I doing, blurting that out so suddenly?

I don't even know yet if I'll be able to achieve anything, he must believe that I think too highly of myself or something like that, right? A human so entitled that she believes she can change the world only by wishing for it?

His ears twitch my way and he tilts his head to the side.

"What do you mean? What do you want to change?".

I scratch the back of my head with a blush covering my cheeks, he would probably find me silly if I were to say the reason aloud... right?

"Just... I want to change how hybrids are treated? I want to offer them a safe space where they can be themselves, where they can work and earn money with the respect that they deserve, that kind of thing... I always thought that if I ever had a hybrid soulmate, that I would do my best to support them- support you. I know it sounds crazy but-"

The feeling of his warm hands suddenly grabbing my own to hold tightly cuts my speech short, and I look up to find him staring at me with wonder in his dark eyes. Even his black tail seems to be curling happily behind him, which means... did he like what I said?

"My name is Jungkook. What's yours?".

"U-uh? I- I'm Y/N. Choi Y/N".

"Then, Y/N... let's be good to each other, okay?".

My smile blooms just like his own shows off his white teeth, and we begin to giggle softly together as it finally hits us that we're doing this, that we'll try to make this bond work together.

"Yes, let's!".

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I've been so excited about this story and I can't wait to see what you guys think about it! It's going to be an angsty beginning (though there are sprinkles of fluff here and there), but I promise that the real fluff will eventually come, though it's going to take some time!
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I just want to state now that some of the chapters might be triggering for some of you! There will be verbal and physical abuse towards the MC (not from the members), blood, threats, mentions of death, kidnapping, that sort of thing. Please be careful if you are sensitive to those things.