THE KNOCK THAT CHANGE EVERYTHING [ HEEJAKE FF]

Jake's pov

The door clicked shut behind him, but the sound didn’t bring the usual sense of safety.

Not tonight.

Jake stood in the center of his dim apartment, staring down at the bundle in his arms. The soft white blanket was warm against his chest, but what it held… what it was that was something Jake couldn’t make sense of.

A baby.
But not an ordinary one.

Two fluffy golden ears peeked out from under the hood of the blanket, twitching gently at the sound of the apartment’s buzzing ceiling light. A tiny, curled tail furry and golden like sunlight hung over Jake’s arm. His small hands were human enough, but little claws slipped in and out with each wriggle, soft but sharp.

Jake had no idea how long he stood there, just looking.

He slowly lowered himself onto the couch, holding the hybrid infant like the world might collapse if he moved wrong. The baby made a quiet purring sound and blinked up at him. Wide, shimmering gold eyes. Not just bright. Glowing. Animal and human all at once.

Jake swallowed, hard.

“I’m… dreaming, right?” he muttered, but the scratch in his throat told him otherwise.

He looked at the note again still clutched in his other hand, already crumpled from his grip.

"His name is Heeseung. He’s yours now."

Yours.

Like he was a package. A gift. A curse.

Jake stood abruptly, pacing back and forth. The apartment was suddenly too quiet, too small. His mind raced through a thousand thoughts none of them helpful.

He wasn’t a father. He wasn’t even a dog person. He worked at a café, lived off instant ramen, and hadn’t done laundry in two weeks. What was he supposed to do with a lion baby?

Jake stopped and turned to look at the couch. Heeseung had rolled slightly to the side, tail flicking sleepily. His small mouth parted in a yawn, revealing the tiniest hint of fangs.

Jake felt his heart thump loud, confused, and warm.

This was real.
This was happening.

He should call someone anyone. Animal control? Child protective services? A vet?

He reached for his phone, then dropped it again with a sigh. What could he even say?
“Hey, someone left a magical lion-baby at my door and said he’s mine now. Help?”

They’d lock him up instead.

Jake moved back to the couch and knelt beside it. “Heeseung, huh?” he whispered.

The baby stirred, cracked one glowing eye open, and startlingly let out a soft, contented chirp. Not a cry. A purr. Jake could feel it hum through the air.

And then without warning Heeseung reached up and grabbed Jake’s hoodie with his tiny clawed hand. His grip was firm. Trusting. Immediate.

Jake froze.

Something inside him cracked.

He hadn’t been touched like that in years. Not since his childhood. Not with such pure need. Not with such absolute belief.

Heeseung’s warmth bled into his skin.

Jake sat down, slow and shaking, and cradled the hybrid baby back into his arms. The purring grew louder as Heeseung snuggled against his chest, his golden tail curling gently along Jake’s wrist.

Jake didn’t know where Heeseung came from.
He didn’t know why he was here.

But what he did know what scared him more than anything was that he couldn’t bring himself to let go.

Not now.

Not ever.