The Cat hides its Claws

Myohan hadn’t thought of participating in the relay race. He didn’t have much enthusiasm to do something like that for his class. I should run slowly and I won’t be picked. He thought so, but then he was confused to see Yuja smiling brightly.

“Okay, then Myohan will be the last runner.”

Myohan had run as fast as he could because he had been distracted. He should have lingered behind, pretending he wasn’t a good runner, but now it was too late. When he came back to his senses, he realized he had run faster than any of his classmates, and he was going to do the relay race with four other boys including O Shin.

“I thought you wouldn’t want to run any race. What a surprise.”

O Shin, who was going to be the third runner in the race, put a hand on Myohan’s shoulder. Myohan dropped his head on his shoulder and sighed deeply.

“And whose fault is this…?”

Independent study time was over when they were done deciding on who would do what sport. When lunchtime started, Myohan and O Shin went to the taps. Jagyeom, Sajun, and even Myo Cheong were waiting for them. They had been meeting there during lunchtime and after classes since the day agreed to find the twelve zodiac animals.

“You actually like getting attention, don’t you?”

That was what Jagyeom said after hearing that Myohan was going to be in the relay race. But Myohan had no energy to scold him, so he just ignored the question and sat down.

“But my class is going to win the race anyway,” Myo Cheong sneered. Yuja had been right. Jino was going to be in the race.

“Hey, rabbit.”

“Shit, how many times do I have to tell you I hate it when you call me that?”

“Are you close to Choi Jino?”

Myo Cheong frowned hard and asked, ‘Why do you want to know that?’ Myohan just stared at him, and he blushed and looked away.

“Well, I guess I’m closer to him than to the other kids.”

“What’s this about Choi Jino?”

That was Sajun. He put a hand around Myohan’s shoulders and tried resting his head on him. Of course, Myohan didn’t hesitate to grab and twist that hand, but he didn’t seem to be feeling the pain. He rubbed a cheek against Myohan’s hair. O Shin gave him a hard look.

“But those twelve zodiac animals, do they all attend this school?”

O Shin’s coldness cracked. Was it because of what Sajun was doing to Myohan, or that unexpected but sharp question? There was no telling.

“We’ve been lucky enough to find a few in this school, but what if, say, some others are abroad?”

Myohan could say nothing to it. Actually, he hadn’t thought about it that way. He was supposed to find twelve people in the whole world, and the only hint he had was that they all turned into animals. He didn’t even know what made them transform. He had been able to find three so far, but only thanks to coincidences and luck.

“I know I promised to cooperate, but it just sounds too…impossible.”

Myohan bit his lips, feeling suddenly lost. It was impossible, unless O Shin, the only one with hints, started talking. Sajun looked at him, his head still on Myohan. He even grinned.

“…They’re all—”

It was that moment when O Shin put out a hand. His somewhat uncomfortable look was gone, and he was cold as usual. He hugged Myohan and pulled him toward him.

“…in this school.”

Sajun’s hand easily let go as Myohan let O Shin make his head rest on his chest. He slowly blinked and looked into his eyes. He could see a tightly closed pair of lips above a sharp chin. He bit his lips, making his neck tremble slightly. His shoulders seemed to be shaking. He took a deep breath and then looked at Sajun. The boy frowned with his python eyes.

“All twelve of them.”

Myohan had thought O Shin would tell him nothing. He had explained nothing, except for when they first met. While Myohan caught Sajun and caught Myo Cheong, he had been just watching from afar. Except for some vague hints Myohan didn’t know the answer to, he had said nothing.

“They’re all at this school…”

Myohan had many things to ask. Why were they all gathered at Myohan’s school? And how did he know about it? But he couldn’t ask. After throwing a sharp gaze at Sajun, O Shin took Myohan out of there. Myohan didn’t bother to shake off his hand.

Myohan thought he could just ask when they were home after classes, but to his surprise, O Shin didn’t come to his home. He disappeared, just like he had before finding the rat. The next day was different.

“Is he absent?”

Myohan nodded to Jagyeom’s question. O Shin wasn’t at school. It had never happened since he became a student at Myohan’s school. He wasn’t at home, and he wasn’t at school.

Myohan had so many questions to ask, but no one to ask. He wished he knew O Shin’s number. He didn’t realize that not knowing his contact information would be such a problem.

He thought of him, staring into the air. What came to his mind first was his black eyes. And then his sharp nose and soft lips. He realized O Shin was quite good-looking, although it wasn’t a hard thing to know. Why had he disliked him at first?

‘They’re all in this school…’

Anyway, now he had an important lead. The twelve zodiac animals were all in his school, which meant he could find them all by looking closely at every student.

According to what he could learn from the three he had caught so far, each of them tended to resemble the animal’s appearance and its habits. Myohan was no exception.

Then it had to be simple. Learn about the nine remaining animals, find out who looked and acted like that, and narrow it down. It was still going to be difficult, but he now had more hope than before.

“So, you think Choi Jino is the horse?” Myo Cheong asked, not so surprised. Myohan frowned and replied after a short pause.

“…mm-hmm.”

As all the students had gone down for lunch, no one was left in Myohan’s homeroom except for Myohan and who he had called. Myo Cheong looked down the window, spotted a shadow running along the racing tracks, and muttered, “He does look like a horse, but…”

Myohan remembered Sinsul saying Choi Jino ran in the school yard during lunchtime, and he had been watching him for two days. He called Myo Cheong, who knew more about Jino, and the two others to spy on the potential horse.

“Hey, bun, is there anything else?”

He had suspicions, but no clear proof. Well, it wasn’t like a horse was an animal with distinct characteristics. There were way too many boys who looked like horses, and Myohan’s conscience didn’t let him be sure just because Jino was good at running.

If O Shin were here, I could ask how to recognize the horse. Myohan couldn’t help but think so. He surely would have given him a hint to be sure of. The animal instincts deep inside Myohan were yelling Jino was the horse, but he needed better proof.

“Shit, he’s good at running, that’s all. I’ve known him for only three months.”

“Then do you know anything about other animals?”

“Of course not!” he grunted. As he had been forced against his will to join the quest for finding the twelve, he still didn’t seem so happy about it. Myohan gave up asking his opinion and rested his chin on a hand.

“Well, there’s one thing I can think of about a horse.” Sajun said slyly and hugged Myohan from behind. Jagyeom shook his head at his unyielding spirit. Myohan found getting away from him too bothersome, so he just followed Jino with his gaze.

Normally, O Shin would have thrown Sajun away, but as he was absent, he couldn’t. With Myohan now in his arms, Sajun put his chin on his head and grinned.

“Stamina.”

“I’ve been wondering for some time, but he’s a pervert, isn’t he?”

As soon as Sajun said the word, a cynical voice asked the question. Jagyeom made a vague smile that was neither acknowledgement nor denial. He was too afraid of Sajun to say yes, and had too much of a conscience to say no. But Sajun didn’t care and went on.

“Well, horses are known for two things. Stamina, and a huge sized you-know-what.”

“Size….”

Myohan’s pupils instantly narrowed. Myo Cheong frowned and rubbed his arm to see it. He recalled how Myohan had kissed him to capture him. He glanced, hoping and thinking it couldn’t be what he was thinking, but then his lips curled up.

“Well, it makes sense.”

“What the- what are you going to do to him?”

Myo Cheong made a fuss and stomped his feet. Myohan chuckled and looked at the rabbit. He had to be teasing. Sajun reached out for Myohan’s chin. He grabbed it and smiled, “Then, why don’t you do it with me first, as prac… Aah!”

Myohan threw his head backward, hitting Sajun’s chin. The snake moaned in pain. Myohan snorted.

“Don’t you dare cross the line.”

“Uuugh…”

Sajun backed off. Myo Cheong gave a pathetic look to the molester who was punished for his deeds.