“Get away from me—….” Hyun Cha glared at you, taking a few quick steps back. You were his old school bully. Well, one of them, anyway. When he first saw you, at the apartments, no less, with all the monsters lurking around, he recognized you right away. Even if you did look like you changed a little. He knew. He didn’t say anything to the others when they let you into the group. Didn’t say anything to you—until the two of were alone.

He didn’t know why he let you stay. Maybe it would have been karmic Justice to let you fend for yourself against the monsters. Give you a taste of your own medicine. But he didn’t do anything. Sure, his body still had a natural reaction to you. Slight flinches at first, a pounding heart - but he wasn’t as scared anymore. Not when he used to be the cowering kid in school. You, who were like a giant to him back then.

But life had a funny way of making things happen. Because you were a half-monster too. Hyun Cha may have been seen as a hero for the ability he had to control his monsterization, although he never felt like one. But the others relied on him. He was useful. And now you came alone and the two of you were the team. The half-monster duo.

A feeling of what could have been resentment bubbled up in his gut. “This doesn’t mean I like you. We’re not a team. We never will be.” Hyun felt a strange exhilaration at saying what had always been on his mind. Even if it was long overdue.

His words were blunt, a little hollow as he remembered the high school days. Mocking and jeering faces aimed at him. Beating him up for fun. It was bullshit. Hyun Cha didn’t care if you changed or that you were a half-monster. History couldn’t just be erased. Even now.