The Cat hides its Claws

“So, you are going to take the extra classes?”

Summer vacation was about to start in a day. The class was given free time during PE class, so Myohan and O Shin snuck back into the classroom. They could see Sinsul and other boys running around in excitement.

“I suppose so.”

Just like any other student, Myohan loved vacation very much. He didn’t have grand plans like reading books or studying in advance, but he was happy to be able to sleep all day long. Even though vacation was getting shorter and shorter every year as he got older, he was still happy.

“It is to catch the cow.”

Myohan had decided to take summer extra classes for two simple reasons. First, Park Chookjae had ‘Chook’, the letter for cow, in his name, and second, he wouldn’t be able to meet him once vacation started. It was good that Chookjae was a diligent student. He was going to take extra classes, so Myohan had a way to be with him during the vacation.

“Why are you being so impatient?”

Myohan told O Shin he didn’t deserve to say that, but he just smiled and touched Myohan’s cheek.

“You can get him after you enjoy your vacation.”

“But then winter vacation will roll around soon. We don’t have much time.”

Four months had passed since O Shin came to him, asking him to find the twelve zodiac animals. From March to July, they had found five of them, and they had seven more to find. Even if Chookjae was the cow, they would still have six more to find, and Myohan wasn’t sure they would be able to find them all before winter vacation. Plus, the letters for the remaining six animals were commonly used in names. He had to capture Chookjae first to be less anxious.

“Or what, it’s actually okay to take time to find them?” Myohan frowned and asked. He didn’t like that he was so worried and O Shin wasn’t worried at all. O Shin pulled him close to kiss on his cheek. His smile was soft and calm.

“We must find them before this year ends.”

Their eyes met. Myohan blinked slowly. He didn’t ask why, as he was sure he wouldn’t get the answer. O Shin touched his soft cheek, and then kissed his lips.

“We will find them all. You’re the cat, luck is with you.”

“Maybe…”

Myohan nodded, wondering, what if Sinsul smelled cow on him? It would let them be sure. But it didn’t lead anywhere. What would happen after that? He had already guessed Chookjae was one of the twelve with his name. Park Chookjae was the cow, but that wasn’t what mattered. What mattered was ‘what turned him into a cow’.

“Well, we will have to ask the dog first.”

Myohan looked out the window as he said so. The ball rang and the class ended.

As it was one day before summer vacation, they were allowed to go home after morning classes. They all naturally headed to Myohan’s home. When he entered his home with six boys right behind him, he frowned, thinking something had gone really, really wrong. Since when had his home become their base?

“Oh, what happened on that day? Tell me!”

Myo Cheong grabbed Jino. He looked around with a pleading gaze, desperately asking for help, but no one came to his aid. The kitten slowly came out, and it went to Myohan, despite the crowd. It had gotten used to them now.

“Cheong…”

“Stop calling my name and answer the question!”

Since the next day he got drunk after eating Sajun’s chocolates, he had been endlessly asking what had happened. It was because when he woke up, there was rabbit hair on his school uniform. He kept asking Jino why he had transformed. As all the others repeatedly said nothing had happened, he chose Jino as his prey. He wasn’t capable of lying.

“Hey, I told you nothing happened.”

Jagyeom took pity of Jino and spoke, but of course Myo Cheong didn’t buy that.

“Okay, then Jino, tell me nothing happened. Just say it!”

“Cheong, I can’t!”

“Shit! Then something did happen!”

Jino looked like he was about to cry. His clear eyes looked so sad. He looked at Sajun, but he just scratched his head. He was okay with the truth being announced, but he knew Myo Cheong wouldn’t take it the same way. So he just gave him a pat on his shoulder, muttering it was all for him.

“Byeon Sinsul, I have a question.”

Myohan threw away his schoolbag, sat down on the sofa, put his cat on his lap, and then called Sinsul. The dog-boy asked as he watched the cat rub its face on Myohan, “What is it?”

O Shin sat down next to Myohan to watch Jino being tortured by Myo Cheong. His one hand was rubbing and massaging Myohan’s hand. Jagyeom tried to stop Myo Cheong, but it was in vain.

“Can’t you smell anything on Chookjae?”

Myo Cheong was now literally sitting on Jino. Sajun grabbed him and told him to calm down. Jagyeom gave up. O Shin watched all of that as if it had been a wrestling match.

“Chookjae? Smell?”

Sinsul’s eyes widened. Myohan stroked the cat and was about to explain about the cow, but then he jumped to his feet, surprised to hear something suddenly.

“Are you really…”

“Nothing happened!”

Myohan stood up so suddenly that his cat fell. It had to land on the floor. Myo Cheong was still holding on Jino with Sajun stopping him. Jagyeom was sitting next to him and Sinsul was sitting on the table. They all stared at Jino in shock. Only O Shin remained calm once more. Myohan didn’t know what to think.

“Meow.”

The cat rubbed a paw on its face and moved away. It was silent and its steps were heard clearly. Jino closed his eyes and shouted again.

“Cheong, nothing happened on that day!”

“…What the.”

Myo Cheong let go of him. He quickly got up, making Myo Cheong fall backward, but as Sajun was still holding him, he didn’t get hurt. A surprised voice muttered, “What the?”

Brown hair, a horse-like face, clear eyes, long neck, athletic body, and long fingers, all remained the same. Even Jino himself looked like he couldn’t believe it. Sajun couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Myo Cheong pushed him away and went to Jino.

“Say it again.”

“….Nothing happened on that day, Cheong. You didn’t change into a rabbit.”

“Then what happened?”

“You just…..you just ate those chocolates, got drunk, and, and fell asleep, so I took you home.”

Jino gulped hard and spoke. He frowned harder with each word, but he didn’t change into his horse form. Myohan sat down again. Myo Cheong turned to ask them.

“Is he telling the truth?”

O Shin grinned. Then he crossed his legs and said, “How can the horse not tell the truth?”

Myo Cheong still seemed like he couldn’t fully believe it, but he couldn’t doubt anymore. He lightly pushed Jino’s chest and frowned.

“You should have told me sooner, then.”

“I was just too afraid of you…”

No one seemed to be buying it, not even Jino. He smiled, but his hand was shaking as he patted Myo Cheong’s shoulder. Myohan put his mouth right next to O Shin’s ear. He worried Myo Cheong might hear them, but what was happening now was more important than that.

“How can the horse not tell the truth?”

O Shin smiled to be asked the same thing he had just asked. Myohan knew he wasn’t going to give him the answer as always. He sighed as he looked at Jino’s eyes full of guilt. Really, it was a mystery.

They hung out there for hours. They ordered pizza for lunch and joked around about Myohan voluntarily taking extra summer classes. Jagyeom looked at Myohan more than once, clearly wanting to say something, but he couldn’t. When Myohan noticed the gaze and looked at him, he wasn’t looking at him.

“Jino.”

Jagyeom wasn’t the only one who failed to say what he had to say. Myohan also failed to ask Sinsul about Chookjae as he kept trying to find out why Jino didn’t change after lying.

“Hey, lie about something.”

They all became tense when Myohan said that to Jino, right before they left. Jino had been moaning happily to see the cat on Myohan’s lap. He smiled awkwardly.

“Why?”

“I’ve been thinking about it, and it’s just not right.”

Myo Cheong moaned. With Jino’s reaction and others’ looks, he could make one guess. Maybe Jino had stopped turning into a horse. That was why he remained as himself even after lying. Maybe he lied when he said nothing happened.