The Cat hides its Claws

Days flew by and the sports competition came. After running around at school yard and practicing every day, Sinsul’s skin was now dark with tan. It was easy to notice the change as he had spent twice as much time outside. On the other hand, Myohan hadn’t changed at all and his skin was just as light-colored as before, thanks to resting in O Shin’s shadow when he wasn’t practicing.

“….And for the last, I hope all of you will play fair and finish every game without any injuries.”

After the principal’s boring speech finally ended, Myohan covered his ears in preparation, for he knew there would be loud cheers soon. He looked around half-heartedly, and he spotted some boys he had played dodgeball with the other day. Sajun was in Class 10 and Jagyeom was in Class 5, so Myohan could see neither of them.

“This is it, cat.”

O Shin whispered to him. He stretched his back. Yes, this was it. He was going to do the relay race, and its outcome would decide whether he would get the horse or not. The sports competition finally started with dance club’s cheer performance.

Before lunch, they did some of the lighter games like jump rope and dodgeball. Myohan survived till the very last without meaning to, just because he really didn’t want to be hit, and his class won dodgeball. His classmates kept cheering for him during entire lunchtime.

After that, there was the preliminaries for soccer. Myohan’s class won that too, as Sinsul, Chookjae, and all the other boys played in a frenzy.

“Have a popsicle!”

Yuja and Chookjae brought a box full of popsicles. Other class presidents were also handing out sodas and popsicles to their classmates. Myohan grabbed two chocolate-flavored popsicles and handed one to O Shin. He had just returned after soccer, but he didn’t look tired at all as he took the popsicle. He ripped open its package, but then he put it in Myohan’s mouth instead of eating it himself. He smelled like the sand from the school yard.

They were allowed to leave their spots and go around spectate ongoing matches. Most students had left the bleachers to play tug-of-war. Students who were not going to do it had also gone to cheer, but Myohan and O Shin stayed where they were and finished their popsicles. Aren’t they tired at all? Myohan thought so as he stretched out his legs with the tip of popsicle bar still in his hand.

“I’ve been wondering…”

He was first to speak. O Shin, who had been watching him eat his popsicle, slowly looked up a little.

“…about what you are, why you asked me and not anyone else to help find the twelve zodiac animals, and why you are not helping with it.”

He had given much thought to such questions while O Shin was gone. He hadn’t doubted O Shin’s true identity till now, not to mention their relationship that he hadn’t thought about at all, and what he wanted from Myohan when he pretended not to help but kept giving hints at the right moment. Moreover, why did Myohan, who was usually so cautious, him in so easily? Opening up entirely to a complete stranger had to be impossible.

“And I was able to conclude a few things.”

Some boys were running around, probably excited after winning the tug-of-war. And there was also a nice-looking student among them picking up empty bottles rolling on the ground. Myohan’s popsicle had melted a little, so he stuck out his tongue to lick it. O Shin was still staring at Myohan. He didn’t seem to notice that his popsicle was melting and dripping.

“You don’t want to find the twelve.”

Myohan looked straight at him. His black, unshaking eyes looked back. He had to know everything, like who the twelve were and what made them transform. He would be able to find all of them in less than a day if he just tried a little.

Nevertheless, he wasn’t putting any effort to it. He just made Myohan handle everything and watched. Even when they caught Jagyeom, Myohan had been the one to spray water on him.

“You want to make me find them.”

Then he could have told Myohan what he knew and wait for him to find everyone, but all he offered were a few vague hints. But he had spoken directly, just twice.

‘This is all I can tell you.’

The day they first met, and the day Sajun had raised his doubt a while ago.

“There’s no information you can give me.”

Why had he fallen ill? What had made him so sick that he had to be absent? Maybe it was what he had said. Myohan knew it didn’t make any sense. He knew how unrealistic it was, to fall ill just because of saying something wrong, but that was the only explanation possible.

Plus, he and his friends were people who turned into animals. If that was possible, anything was. After a short silence, Myohan swallowed what was left of his popsicle in a single gulp. It gave him a short brain freeze.

“Including your name, I suppose.”

O Shin looked at him with surprise, but he just unconcernedly snapped his popsicle stick and threw it to the box under the bleachers. He could see his classmates coming back from far. The stick hit the box and bounced off. He stood up with a sigh, but O Shin grabbed him.

“Since when?”

He looked very confused. Myohan had never seen him confused. He looked into his eyes and put a hand on his head. Then he started to stroke the hair, much like how the man liked to do so to him.

“Since the beginning.”

Myohan had never called him O Shin. Not once. He realized that simple fact only then and let go of Myohan. He jumped down the bleachers, picked up the stick, and put it in the box. When he looked up, O Shin had buried his face in his huge hands.

The final game of soccer took place right after the tug-of-war. Myohan’s class had been triumphant so far, but then they encountered Class 2 in the finals. They were determined to make up for their loss at dodgeball, and in the end, Myohan’s class lost, 1:3. O Shin had lost his focus and kept making mistakes, which was another reason for their loss. Listening to Sinsul argue with Seonhan, Class 2’s president, Myohan looked around for Jagyeom. O Shin was now at his side.

“Lee Jagyeom!”

Jagyeom had just finished a three-legged race and was undoing the strap. He looked up after he was called. He saw Myohan coming to him and complained.

“Oh, did you really have to surprise me like that?”

Really, he was always chittering.

“Remember what I told you earlier?”

Myohan helped him undo the strap and it went down. Jagyeom nodded.

“I know, but I don’t feel really comfortable around him. Can’t you make Sajun do it?”

“Do you think it would work?”

“No…”

Jagyeom thought of Sajun and shuddered. The teachers were sending back students to their classes’ designated spaces. Myohan told Jagyeom to do his best, stood up, and looked around. As Jagyeom was in Class 5, Myo Cheong and Jino had to be nearby. Soon, he spotted Jino stretching his calves.

“O Myohan, you should get ready!”

He could hear Yuja calling him. The midday heat was going away. It was time for the relay race.

With the sound of a whistle, the first runners ran out. Thunderous roars went up from the bleachers. Six out of ten classes had failed to pass the preliminaries, and there were only four classes left, including Myohan’s, Jino’s, and Class 2. The student who had given Myohan some fierce throws was now next to him, getting ready.

“So you’ve done enough practicing?” Myohan asked Jino. He looked back at him. He seemed to be eager to say something. His twinkling eyes showed more of joy than hostility, which confused Myohan. Jino didn’t have any reason to be glad to see him.

“Yeah.”

Contrary to his look, he gave a cold answer. Myohan shrugged, thinking it must have been his illusion, and looked at the bleachers. Sinsul, Yuja, Chookjae, and Sajun were there, but Jagyeom wasn’t.

The first runners came in. Second runners started and O Shin, who was Class 1’s first runner, stood at the line. Myohan’s class was in the lead. Jino’s class’s runner was right behind, but still, Class 1 had the lead. Myohan thought that wasn’t good, but then O Shin took the baton and went off.

He was extremely fast. Now Class 6’s runner was way behind him. if he had been the last runner, Class 1 would have won fair and square. Myohan thought so. He stood next to Jino and asked, “Do you know why they put blinkers on race horses?”

Jino couldn’t answer that question since Myohan took the baton and started to run. But Jino caught up with him in no time.