Assumptions

The bunny had borrowed a dress with the collar, allowing Bora to dress her up and make sure she knew the rules of the society she was walking into. Her heels clicked against the white tile, and she felt powerful, but she hated the scenery.

“What is the reservation under?” The hostess asked.

“I’m meeting a friend, it should be under the name Han?” Minji answered, watching the hostess type away on her tablet before smiling at the bunny hybrid.

“Right this way, Ms. Han arrived just a few moments ago,” She explained while leading her through the restaurant.

Minji glanced around, everything screamed expensive. The piano player in the center of the restaurant, the marble pillars, and various statues. The fauna that decorated the small indoor pond with a fountain… The white tablecloths that decorated the tables with candlesticks… she could feel her skin crawling with how out of place she felt.

“Enjoy your meal,” The hostess smiled when they got to the table, allowing Minji to see who she was meeting.

“Oh… Yoohyeon didn’t… Tell me it would be you…”

Minji recognized the friend. Dong, the human that came to their supposed rescue that night and took her home.

“Yoohyeon didn’t tell me you’d be human,” Minji sighed.

“Well… I’m not that bad…” Dong smiled. “Sit, we can just talk and be friendly, I really don’t expect much from tonight,” She gestured to the seat across from her, watching the bunny sit. “So… Minji, right?”

“Yeah, you’re Dong…?” She asked, watching the woman nod her head. “Got it…” She sighed before glancing down at the folded menu next to her plate. The writing was a gold scribble, making her nearly gag at the entire thing.

Too rich for her tastes.

“So Yoohyeon told me you guys have been friends for a while?” Dong asked while reaching for her menu.

“Kind of, we get along great.” Minji flipped through the menu, scanning over everything before finally locating the vegetarian section.

“Have you ever eaten here before?” Dong asked, watching the bunny shake her head. “Everything is good here. Even their appetizers. They have this great stuffed clam recipe, it’s so delicious,” She smiled.

“I’m vegetarian,” Minji answered quietly.

“Right… Sorry…” Dong mumbled. “It won’t bother you if I order a meat dish right?” She asked. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable…”

“Don’t worry about it,” Minji waved her hand, glancing up at the human across from her. She never got mad when Bora inhaled a steak next to her, so why would she be upset if a human did it too?

Dinner was rather boring, Minji could feel her skin itching from everything that surrounded her. She wasn’t used to this flashy, extravagant lifestyle. She actually liked her shitty apartment and basic everything.

“So what do you do for work?” Dong asked after they ordered their meals.

“I work in an office,” She shrugged. “I manage calendars and clients, put together meetings and whatnot,” She shrugged her shoulders again, glancing down at the glasses in front of her.

“Oh, so like a liaison of sorts?” Dong asked, watching her nod her head. “Is that what you studied in college or something? People management and coordination?”

“I didn’t go to college,” Minji sighed. “So, sorry to disappoint,” She shrugged.

“Not disappointing at all,” Dong smiled. “What kind of company is it?” She asked.

“Tech, I get them together to discuss new product lines, to ensure that everything is still running smoothly, take in feedback, report it back, standard boring stuff,” Minji shrugged. “What about you?” She asked, needing to get the spotlight off of her.

“Well, currently, I am working as a senior associate at a law firm, currently making my way up to partner, but I’m also being interviewed for a prosecutor position, so,” She shrugged.

Great, a high-up, big-shot lawyer.

“Sounds fun,” Minji muttered before taking a sip of her water.

The rest of dinner had gone as smoothly as it possibly could. Minji answered a few other questions, Dong, as well before landing on extreme small talk that didn’t matter. They ate and Minji really wished they could end it sooner rather than later. She declined dessert and was really itching to leave now.

By the time they left, Dong walked with Minji, frowning when everything was silent.

“You don’t talk a lot do you?” Dong asked.

“To be completely honest… I don’t talk to humans unless I really need to.” Minji knew being honest would ruin whatever social relationship she had right then, and she knew it would harm Yoohyeon’s reputation.

“Oh?” Dong frowned.

“I’ve been burned by humans way too many times to even begin to trust them. Not that you scream dangerous… But… Everything tonight isn’t me… It isn’t what I would’ve done. If Yooh had said you were human from the beginning, I wouldn’t have agreed to even show up,” The bunny spoke.

“I get it,” The human sighed. “You’re not the first hybrid I’ve attempted to date.” She let out a nervous chuckle before looking back up at the bunny. “But I respect it.”

“Thank you,” Minji sighed. “Now… I should hurry… I think the last bus is in like ten minutes…” She frowned.

“Why don’t you let me drive you? At least that way if you miss it you really will end up home safely.” She extended her hand, offering the ride.

Minji let out a sigh, it was a fifteen-minute walk and she was in heels which easily made the walk twenty minutes. She hated that the human was right.

The lavish car was more than Minji could handle, but it wasn’t like the restaurant. She couldn’t handle having all of the expensive things in life and it was going to kill her being stuck in the clothes she was in.

“So… You live where again?” Dong asked.

“South Central,” Minji answered quietly.

“I meant street wise… So I can put it in my phone,” Dong frowned, handing off the phone to the bunny. She watched her type quickly, passing it back and starting the maps.

Minji watched the nightlife around them, wondering why she had even agreed to this. She wondered why she had such a weak spine when it came to Yoohyeon’s puppy pout, but again, she made her bed and now she had to lay in it.

“So do you like where you live?” Dong asked.

“It’s safe,” Minji shrugged.

“I wouldn’t say safe,” Dong chuckled. “The news is always broadcasting how horrible and unsafe it is there,” She frowned.

“It’s safe for hybrids and it would stay safe if humans stayed out of our territories,” Minji frowned.

“So… Me dropping you off would be a bad idea?” Dong glanced over at the bunny when they stopped at a red light, watching her shake her head. “Look, I get you have a thing against humans, but why me specifically? Did I do something wrong at the restaurant that makes you dislike me so much?” She asked.

Minji couldn’t help but scoff.

“What?” Dong frowned.

“You’re all the same,” Minji frowned. “Asking what you did wrong so you can try and fix it! You can’t fix the past and you certainly can’t fix the future,” She explained.

“Then what did I do specifically to you?” Dong asked. “You’re putting the weight of the human race on me specifically right now and I would like to know why.”

“You didn’t do anything wrong except exist.” Minji looked over at her, seeing her grip the steering wheel tighter. “It was… It was an okay dinner,” She muttered.

“An okay dinner? Just an okay dinner? That place is a five-star restaurant! How was that an okay dinner?!” Dong gawked.

“Where to start?” Minji laughed. “The greens in the salad were soggy, they weren’t at all what a salad should have been, the raw carrots were soft, the celery was bendy and the entirety of the building was just… Over the top so condescending! All of the fancy decor and gold-lined plates and stupid gold-covered steaks... Yeah, I saw the idiot that ordered it.” She glared. “It was like you were trying way too hard and flaunting money by dragging someone there.” She added.

“And where would you have taken me if the roles were reversed?” Dong asked.

“If the roles were reversed?” Minji asked, watching her nod her head. “Somewhere I wouldn’t have to wear a collar that’s for sure,” She muttered while unbuckling the stupid piece of leather that was around her neck. “There… there’s a place… Right on the tracks, a few blocks east… It’s so unassuming and perfect. Intimate,” She whispered. “If I wanted to go back into the dating scene… I would’ve taken someone there,” She explained.

“You would take them as a first date?” Dong asked.

“If I knew the person, yes… But a blind date? Maybe just a food truck.” Minji looked out the window, seeing the elaborate buildings of the fancy, well-taken-care parts of the city start to fade into smaller buildings, brick designs and some even run down.

“That sounds a lot better than being forced to wear uncomfortable fancy clothes…” Dong whispered.

“Realizing you fucked up?” Minji chuckled.

“Bigly,” Dong laughed.