A yawn escapes you once late afternoon rolls around, the rain outside having subsided to a minor drizzle. In certain spots, you could see the sun peak through the dense clouds and you smile, convinced that somewhere above the city, a rainbow has appeared.

You and Louis had talked the hours away, spending your time reminiscing in the memories of Cherryton Academy. The deer pestered you long enough until you told him all about what he has missed during his delinquent rebellion, mostly leaving out your own gloomy misfortunes. So you make sure that your stories revolve around Haru, Juno, Pina or the drama club, sometimes even funny moments during your training with Valentina. Of course, the stag notices your somber face when you openly say how sad you are that you didn't get to wish them a happy holiday, but he doesn't say anything. How could he? After all, that would pose the possibility of shattering your fragile soul even further.

To him, it's undeniable that you need this small piece of normality to keep yourself going.

But eventually, your little hang-out session has to come to an end and when a sympathetic Jiji appears at the door, you struggle to get back onto your crutches. You say goodbye to Louis, promising to visit him again in the near future, and let the nurse take you back to your own hospital room. You're about to open the door when the black cat stops you, suddenly taking a bottle of disinfectant from a nearby shelf.

"Here, let me see your hands, please." She demands and you do as told, furrowing your brows in puzzlement at the action.

"Did something happen?"

"Oh no, Miss, everything is alright." The feline reassures you, her smile beaming. "It's just that your roommate has a visitor with a fragile immune system, so we have to take every necessary precaution."

Nodding, your lips form an 'O' to show that you understand. At the moment, your mind is blank with who that visitor could be, your brain being too tired from the day's exhausting events. Jiji opens the door for you and eagerly, you hobble forward on your crutches.

The second your eyes land on the small canine sitting on Hayato's bed, it's all too clear to you why you had to disinfect your hands and your mind fills with memories. It's a child, probably no older than five.

It's Hana.

Her arm is connected to an IV and her fur is cut short, much shorter than Legoshi's was when he cut his. Still, it doesn't take away from the beautiful pattern on her body, although the colours are stale and sickly. Rich brown and black adorns her canine face that greatly resembles Hayato's, her ears big and round while adorable ember eyes stare back at you and study your appearance in the same way. White spots cover her arms and neck, creating a lovely pattern that is entirely unique.

She really looks like a mix between a Doberman and an African wild dog.

The small girl stares at you in surprise and amazement, a picture book in her hands as she's cuddling against Hayato.

Oh right...this is her first time seeing a human.

"Hi." You greet slowly, slightly awkward and anxious to do something wrong in front of the pup. "I'm Y/n, a friend of your father. You must be Hana, right?"

Shyly, she nods. Going up to her, you hold out your hand, thinking that this could be a good moment to amaze her with your 'human wonders'. "It's nice to meet you. You know, humans greet each other with something called a handshake, where we give each other a hand. Do you want to try it?"

A small but bright sparkle shimmers in her eyes and brings an immediate smile onto your lips. It widens when she nods eagerly with a grin, grabbing your right hand with her left one. Frankly, you have to say that her grip is strong for someone her age and with her condition. Gently, you shake her hand and let go, warmth spreading in your chest at the eminent, childish glow in her ember orbs.

My goodness, she's so adorable!

Amazed, the young girl lifts her hand in front of her and stares at it, before brightly smiling and turning to her father. The older canine smiles as well, probably just happy that you and his daughter get along. His head turns and your eyes meet, holding a silent conversation that tells you more than words ever could. Although, it doesn't take a genius to know that he's utterly grateful to be able to hold his child in his arms; only three days ago, the two of you weren't sure you'd make it out alive after all.

For once, it seems like luck was on our side. Now I can only hope that her treatment goes well. A child should be able to play with other kids and enjoy their childhood...not spend it in the hospital whilst enduring cancer treatment.

"You're really pretty." A soft, chipper voice brings you out of your thoughts and slightly startles you, though you're quick to catch yourself. With wide eyes, you glance at the hybrid and she grins, showing off her small fangs.

"Thank you. You're really beautiful, too, Hana." Ignoring the heat in your cheeks due to your embarrassment, you grin and point to her white spots. "I'm so jealous of your fur-pattern; I wish I had one like that."

Giggling, the pup cuddles further into the embrace of her father, hiding her flustered face. It elicits a chuckle from Hayato, who gently ruffles the very short fur on her head. You take this moment to make your way to your bed, only now taking notice of the second nurse in the room. She's a zebra and dressed in the same dress as Jiji; you assume she's the nurse in charge of Hana and therefore just here to keep watch over her.

Finally, you turn to your bed, only to stop in shock once more.

"My backpack!" You proclaim loudly, hobbling faster in the direction of the bag that sits on your bed. Once there, you open it and look through the contents, delighted to see everything as you had left it. Your phone, your purse, even some snacks that you had packed for after the experiments; all of it is still there and untouched.

"The police brought it here after my interview." Hayato informs you with a smug tone. "Told me to tell you that they're sorry it took so long, but they had to make sure that it's not a piece of crucial evidence."

"I finally have my phone back!" You grin, holding the precious object into the air as though it is sacred, which to you, it is. "I can finally listen to music again!"

Hastily, you take out your headphones, stash away the backpack on the side of your bed and climb under the covers. Once you're comfortable, you set everything up before selecting the first song that comes to mind and hit the 'play' button eagerly. As soon as the music fills your ears, you let out a pleased sigh.

"I missed this so much." You mutter, leaning back against your pillow. Distantly beneath the song, you hear Hayato's heartfelt laughter, his daughter only looking your way with a smile even though she doesn't fully understand what's going on.

You fully give yourself to the music, enjoying the calming effect it has on your aching body. Sadly, your bruised ribs still hurt every now and then, making a peaceful time like this much more necessary and easier to appreciate. Gently setting your hands into your lap, you close your eyes and let your mind wander.

I hope Legoshi comes to visit soon. I don't know how long the police are going to keep him because he ate Louis' leg, but I hope it's not too long.

I really want to see him again. A hug sounds nice....he's always been good at those.

And tomorrow, I'll call Juno and Haru, maybe I'll even facetime them. I really want to talk to them, maybe they can give me some entertaining news on the school or something like that. But I also just want them to know that I'm really okay now, that I'm safe.

Then, I'll wish them a late happy New Year!

A sudden tapping on your hand has you crack open an eye, slightly flinching from the sudden but soft touch. Curiously, you peer down at Hana, while Hayato swiftly yells "Sorry" in the background.

"Do you want to watch Spongebob with me?" The girl asks with a timid smile, easily melting your heart. "My Papa doesn't like it...and I really want to watch it with someone."

More a second, you hesitate, still processing her question. "...Sure."

And much to your surprise, the young pup giggles and climbs onto your bed with childish eagerness and out of instinct, you hold on to her to carefully pull her up once you notice her plan. Sighing in relief that she didn't accidentally hurt herself, you turn on the TV while she makes herself comfortable.

However, that apparently means climbing onto your lap and snuggling herself into your arms, only fully pleased once she's cuddled beneath the blanket as well, much to your surprise. The opening of Spongebob rolls on as you stare at the small child in your arms with apprehension. Looking at Hayato, he only laughs at your hesitant expression, instead leaning back against the top of his bed with his arms crossed behind his head and closing his eyes.

So you accept your fate, too afraid to do anything about the happy pup in front of you. Besides, she's so happy in this moment; you can't just ruin that. And it's not like she's hurting you, you're just kind of afraid to do something wrong.

But you chase those thoughts away and instead focus on the screen, laughing at the yellow sponge and the light green squid.

This is kinda nice...

Glancing down at Hana, you smile once more.

She's such a happy child. Despite everything, she still manages to enjoy the simple things.

Again, you sigh. Then, you make yourself comfortable as well, ready to watch as much Spongebob as possible just to keep the small girl in your lap happy.

***

In the hours of the early morning, only shortly after the sun has risen, Legoshi is called into the interrogation room. He's complicit, like always, seeing as not much can make the grey wolf lose his nerves. A smiling stoat sits opposite of him, watching unbothered as the wolf stuffs his face with the big meal that he gave him.

The smaller carnivore is Inspector Papiko, an older male tasked with the responsibility of releasing the juvenile predator after his two day detention. He was also the one in charge of the young canine's case. "Wow, a young carnivore's appetite sure is frightening! Ah, not to be sarcastic."

"Oh, sorry, Sir." Legoshi apologizes after finishing his meal, placing the empty dish neatly in front of him. "Thanks for the food. It was delicious."

"It's my treat. You must've been starving." The Stoat grins, his voice portraying his old age and gained wisdom. "Katsudon in an interrogation room, just like in the movies. But at least the soybean cutlet is good, right?"

"I really do appreciate that you're letting me eat this....after I had to drink three liters of laxatives."

"That's the normal procedure for juvenile predators. Your friend's leg ought to be out of your system by now." Gingerly, he takes off his glasses and cleans them, putting them back on and addressing the wolf once more. "Well, this is it for your two-day detention! Your misdemeanour has been dealt with. You have your friends' testimonies to thank."

With a sigh, the inspector recalls when he retrieved the many statements from the deer, the dall sheep a the bear. He would've preferred if he got to speak to the female human as well, however, her statement was not required to solve the case and it was clear that her doctor would like to keep her away from the police as much as possible during her recovery. Besides, he heard that his colleagues Judy and Nick already have to question her in regards to her own case, which included the infamous car crash that was named in the news recently.

Meanwhile, Legoshi's thoughts revolve around his friends, in particular those that currently reside in the city's main hospital.

I think I'd annoy Louis if I tried to visit him. But I've made up my mind...I'll go and pay Y/n a visit.

"Normally, we wouldn't give you a criminal record just for a misdemeanour..." The stoat starts again, catching his attention. "But this is different. You're a predatorial offender."

"A what?" Legoshi asks dumbfounded, his ear flapping as he stares at the smaller carnivore.

"A predatorial offender. You haven't heard of it before? It's when you commit predation, the unlawful consumption of flesh from a living animal."

Wow... I have a criminal record now?

Aghast, the wolf stares blank into the space in front of him, sweat rolling down his face. Filled with anxiety, he wonders how this will impact his life or even worse, how this will impact his relationship with you. Inspector Papiko sends him a reassuring smile. "Just be more careful when you're around herbivores and certain omnivores, alright?"

"U-uhm..."The wolf stutters, awkwardly folding his hands in his lap while his tail curls inward. "Since I'm a 'predatorial offender' now, what are my limitations?"

"First off, the unsegregated colleges are going to be pretty nasty with you. If you show up to the entrance exam, they'll look at your record and ask you to leave."

Well, I guess that makes sense...

"Also, finding work isn't going to be easy, since most companies nowadays are owned by herbivores."

Work, huh? I'm not gonna look forward to my twenties then.

Slouching forward with his ears hanging to the side in displeasure at thinking of his future career chances, the wolf still remains calm despite the rather 'unpleasant' news he's being told. However, his next limitation causes his eyes to bulge, his ears standing up as straight as a ruler.

"And also, it'll be impossible for you to marry a herbivore or a herbivore-presenting omnivore. Hahaha."

Laughing at the absurd rule that wouldn't concern any other carnivore he has ever met, the stoat laughs out loud, though he instantly stops when Legoshi throws himself back in anguish. His drink is knocked off the table and with a loud thud, the canine lands with his back on the floor, utterly stunned.

Taken aback by this intense reaction, the older male jumps onto the table to check if the wolf is alright. "Whoa, what's the matter, son?! Did you get poisoned or something?!"

"O-Officer, I..." I think I'll suffocate if I don't tell him right now! "There's a female omnivore that I want to marry...Isn't there anything I can do?"

At first, the Stoat isn't sure if he understood the wolf correctly but then, his face lights up in amusement. "Ohh..."

"Oh, you teenagers!" Sitting down and leaning against Legoshi's foot, which is still on the table and, Inspector Papiko regards the youngster with old hilarity. "When you become an adult, I'm sure you'll look back to your interspecial romance as a bittersweet memory."

The wolf doesn't respond and simply follows the stoat to collect his belongings, soon enough standing before the exit of the police station. The officer in front of him, a rather imposing camel, sternly squints his eyes at him as he bows his head. "Thank you for your care these past two days."

"You'd better control yourself, you hear?" The camel responds, crossing his arms at the young carnivore. "Most juvenile predators never recover, after all."

"I'll be careful." Legoshi says, before turning his back on the officer and the police station with lowered ears. He barely feels the backpack on his back as he leisurely walks down the streets, the scarf around his neck protecting him from the cold.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that I have a criminal record now. I've never even heard of the term 'predatorial offender'....And I know too little about interspecial marriage!

My ignorance is like a curse right now...

Deciding to do some research before making his way to the hospital, Legoshi takes a detour to a nearby bookstore and heads straight to the marriage section. He's unbothered by the stares of the other animals as he takes in the thin shelf for interspecial marriage and flips through a book called 'Should there be interspecial marriage?'.

"Interspecial marriage was legalized ten years ago." Hmm...Yeah, I remember this. I was seven at the time and it was all over the news.

He stumbles upon a page that lists three major categories of unaccepted interspecial marriages, carefully reading it. Seemingly, marriage between land animals and sea animals, between poisonous animals and non-poisonous animals and between predatorial offenders and herbivores or herbivore presenting omnivores is as of now strictly forbidden. Though surprisingly, size is not an issue, as is shown by the example of an African elephant marrying a hedgehog and starting a family together.

"Oh! Size doesn't matter? I wish I knew that sooner...even though she's not that much smaller than me." Legoshi exclaims a little too loud, awkwardly hiding his face in the book at the disturbed stare from the goat next to him.

Eventually, his head can't take in any more new information, so he decides to leave the book store and finds himself back on the busy streets at the ripe hour of eleven a.m. Though nervous, he begins to head in the direction of his next destination.

I've got a scar on my face, I've got a criminal record and my relationship with a human is as unstable as ever...My opportunities in life are becoming despairingly limited...

"When you become an adult, I'm sure you'll look back to your interspecial romance as a bittersweet memory."

A bittersweet memory...Is that really how I'll see all the stuff I've been through?

Pondering, he lets his eyes sweep over the many animals around him.

I look at the animals around me and there's not a single interspecial couple in sight. Their social experience and common sense dictates them to be with someone from the same species. If I were to reform myself, and enter a carnivore university and get a job somehow...then maybe I could get married to a female grey wolf...and have a family.

A mental image appears in his mind. He sees himself in the possible future, thick reading glasses on his nose and a newspaper in his hands while his grey wolf wife holds a pleasant conversation with him, his teenage daughter and new baby sitting at the breakfast table in silence. It's a domestic, 'perfect' life that he imagines, or at least that's how society wants him to see it.

Whoa, that is not me! That is not the life for me!

With his absent mind, he accidentally bumps into two goats and one of them shrieks in fear. "Oh, sorry."

"Did you see that scar on his face?" The other goat asks them behind his back, clear concern in their voice. "You okay?"

The other one nods. "Jeez, that scared me."

Yep, this is my life...

Intent on staying concentrated on the path in front of him, he exhales in relief.

Not exactly easy living though. But I can survive well enough as a tail-wagging misfit of society. I'll try to find a way of life that's for me.

Sitting in the train with a sleeping cat next to him, he decides to take yet another small diversion on his way to the hospital, staring off into space absentmindedly while the city flashes past the clear windows. Internally, he still tries to come to terms with the fact that he has a criminal record now.

After meeting Y/n and Louis, I received shackles on my legs. Irreplaceable shackles. Heavy and not meant for nostalgia.

He exits the train and takes the familiar route to the stone stairs, climbing them with conviction.

After all, I'm not in university, I'm not employed, and on top of that, I'm an ex-convict! My vague determination is now crystal clear.

Finally, he reaches the top of the hill, the view of the city lying barren before him while the sun reflects off the ocean waters.

The outside world is filled with unexplored territory.

"I have to find a way of life that's right for me....then maybe, I can live as an adult without regrets." He mutters to himself, taking in the magnificent view.

Legoshi is completely and fully caught in the moment, the sun grazing his brilliant grey fur while the cold wind weaves through the strands, And in this dreamy, almost surreal state of existence, he makes a bashful, but honest decision.

His heart fills with courage at the thought and he's ready to take on life and its many challenges, as he has done before. With a smile, he turns back to return to the train station, eager to now make his way to you.

You carry the same smile as you sit in your hospital bed, the gentle rays of the sun entering through the big window. Meanwhile, you have your head buried in a book about history, deciding that now is as good a time as any other to learn more about this world's history. Of course, you learnt a bit of it at Cherryton but as schools usually do, they tended to leave out all the interesting parts and details. So you decided to use your spare time to read, still a little delighted from your previous calls.

The first one you had called was Haru, simply because you know how worried she can get. Not that you blame her, you often gave her a reason to worry after all, even if unintentional. She had been oblivious when she answered the call, which told you that she forgot to sneak a glance at the contact name. So imagine her surprise when your voice sounded from the other side; frankly, you were worried you'd go deaf from her loud outburst of joy. With a giggle, you had told her that you were feeling rather good, with no intention of getting into more trouble in the near future, or ever at all. In turn, she had scolded you, warning you that if you'd do something like that to her again, she'll build a memorial for you with the ugliest weeds she can find.

Nervously, you responded with an awkward chuckle, which only worsened when she forced you into a pinky promise. You didn't have the heart to tell her about your missing left pinky finger.

She promised to visit you once she got free from her family and shortly after that, you called Juno. The she-wolf had a similar reaction, though she did not result to platonical threats of friendship. Instead, much like the canine she is, she stayed entirely positive and it took a good five minutes until she had calmed herself enough so that the two of you could talk. She told you about the unimportant but funny things you missed at drama club, as well as apologising for not coming to see you until now. You merely shrugged it off and told her that it's fine, wishing her and her family a happy new year. Much like Haru, she promised to pay you a visit once her grandparents, who she only gets to see on the holidays, had left.

Like expected, it felt nice to finally talk to your friends again, without the threat of your death or something like that hanging over your head. And while you were aware of your feelings during this entire drama, you had underestimated just how much you actually missed them. Even though a certain grey wolf had become your ultimate anchor in this world, your friends really made it feel like this place could be your home. You cherish all of them with your entire heart, ironically grateful that it was you who had to go through this mess and not any of them. If you had been in their place, the fear for you friends would've broken you completely.

Still smiling, you lift your gaze from the book to glance at the window, catching sight of the skyscrapers that seem to sparkle in the gracious sunlight. And though you know that it's winter and therefore incredibly cold, you can't wait to spend some time outside again.

"Miss Y/n?" Jiji's voice reaches you and you swiftly look at her, the black cat standing at the door with a knowing, playful smile. "You have a visitor."

Excitement bubbles in your body and you nod, silently telling her to let them come in. The cat peers over her shoulder and says something that you can't understand from this distance, but when she fully opens the door and the tall male steps inside, your heart flutters in your chest.

He looks lost, his eyes nervously darting around the room, to the nurse and then finally, to you. It only takes a second for his eyes to light up and his tail to wag, his ears playfully flapping while a tender smile grows on his face.

The smile that graces your own lips is bright and warm, laying every emotion you're harbouring entirely bare in front of the wolf. You almost cry from joy alone but you manage to catch yourself, instead letting all of your devotion become evident in your voice.

"Hey there, Legoshi!" 

****

Hello, Homies! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

The epic reunion is finally here, hell yeah! By the way, I added herbivore-presenting omnivores (meaning omnivores like pigs or others, that typically pose as prey animals, which includes humans) because it wouldn't make sense otherwise and honestly, I'm still disappointed that omnivores were never mentioned in Beastars. It's just herbivores and carnivores. And unfortunately, Y/n counts as a herbivore-presenting omnivore because we have nothing that qualifies us as a carnivore other than being able to eat cooked meat.

We also met Hana! Yay! I love her already, she's just adorable. She's actually based on a friend of mine from school that got diagnosed with Leukemia when she was only 14. She got through it and got back to school around 3 years later. In general though, Cancer fucking sucks.

Changing the subject, next Chapter will be this book's final one. I can't believe book 1 is ending, it's surreal to think that I've written literally a fanfiction the size of a novel. Geez. I love it though.

Anyways, I hope y'all are safe and sound and healthy in this pandemic! Stay safe everyone!

See you in Chapter 80, the finale!