The Cat hides its Claws

‘If you feel like crying, cry between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.’

Miho shut his eyes and opened them again. They felt hot, but no tears came out. Myohan could have just told him he could cry if he wanted, but he even picked the right time for him? It was really hard to know him.

‘You may cry during that time.’

However, his voice was too kind. He even gave him permission, as if he knew why he couldn’t cry. Miho closed and opened his eyes once more. He had made a promise only a while ago. Well, it had been more of a demand, but still….

“I promised to be at school…”

“So you do remember.”

He heard a familiar voice. He flinched and turned back slowly. Myohan was standing there, wearing his school uniform properly, which he never did. He was even wearing the jacket. He was leaning against a wall with his hands in his pocket. He checked time and sighed.

“Five minutes left, Miho.”

Why are you here? What about school? Miho had so many questions to ask, but his voice was gone. It felt so strange. He hadn’t planned on crying, but the moment he saw his face, his sight got fuzzy. Myohan pulled him in, as if he knew what he was going through.

“Trust me.”

I shouldn’t cry. I really shouldn’t cry here. But tears were already running down and Miho couldn’t stop it. Myohan pitied the drops of tears running down those soft cheeks. He embraced Miho.

Miho sobbed. How many years had he been holding back tears for? Myohan thought he had been right to pretend to be ill and leave school to come here.

‘He’s going after the sheep.’

That was what O Shin said he saw him leave. I wish I wouldn’t catch him. That was what Myohan thought, but he didn’t say that out loud.

He’d even been kind enough to tell him which time he couldn’t transform, and he was wishing Miho would cry during that time so his visit wouldn’t be in vain.

However, Miho didn’t cry. He was crouching hard like a sheep in front of a wolf, but he remained emotionless till the end. It wasn’t that he couldn’t trust Myohan; he just didn’t know how to cry. Myohan couldn’t even guess how lonely and sorrowful he must have been.

“I know.”

“I- shouldn’t cry, but…”

“….I know.”

I know it all, so relax.

2:59. Instead of telling him to stop crying, Myohan just stroked his hair. He was wailing now. He wailed in Myohan’s arms like a child. I should have come sooner. Myohan regretted it, but it was too late. The second hand slowly moved. Myohan closed his eyes and let out a sigh.

The sound of sobbing faded away. He could feel fluffy fur on his cheek. Miho soon started to cry again. Baa- Baa… To that sad crying, Myohan just muttered, “It’s okay, it’s okay.”

Miho cried like that for a long time, letting out all of his sorrow.

Now the morning and the evening were cold, it felt like the scorching sun had been a dream. It was hot when the sun was in the sky, but it was cold when the sun was gone. The season was changing, which meant it was easier than usual to catch a cold. Myohan started wearing a thin hooded jacket to be cautious. He looked at people moving around busily.

Some had luggage. There were flight attendants moving in groups, and foreigners who were trying desperately to get decent help from their translator apps. He frowned and O Shin made a joke.

“A cat in a strange place.”

“Whatever.”

Despite his cynical reply, it was the truth. They were at the airport for a school trip to Jeju Island. Half of all those people were Myohan’s schoolmates, and he recognized more of them.

“Class 1! Stand in two lines!”

Yuja yelled on top of his lungs to make the boys stand in line. However, Chookjae, who usually helped him, wasn’t nowhere to be seen. He had to be taking substitute classes for the school trip at school instead of coming, probably because his grandmother wouldn’t let him go.

But Sinsul was there, jumping even more than usual. Myohan laughed, thinking if he put a tail on the boy’s butt, it would start spinning like a propeller right away.

“Ha…”

In the midst of organizing the boys, Yuja suddenly let out a sigh. Sinsul went to him with large eyes.

“Yuja! What is it? Is something troubling you?”

“Yes, you are.”

“What about me!”

Yuja scowled at Sinsul, but he frowned again. Something was troubling him, but it seemed like it wasn’t something he could tell Sinsul.

On one side, Jagyeom and Miho were having a conversation. Jagyeom did most of the talking and Miho mostly nodded.

On the day he finally burst into tears, Myohan stayed with him until he transformed back. And then he took him to his home before leaving. He was sad, and O Shin just hugged him without saying anything.

After that, Miho never missed school. The bully no longer messed with him. That didn’t make Miho mingle up with his classmates, of course, but he and Jagyeom were now friends and that was enough.

“Aren’t you excited about this trip?”

“Not really.”

O Shin, who was standing in line with Myohan, asked, “Really?”

He replied half-heartedly, but O Shin’s eyes were still shining. Myohan looked up at him to know what he meant by the question, and he said amusedly, “Well, you never know.”

“Never know what?”

“This is the last July. Maybe something unexpected is about to happen.”

Still, Myohan wasn’t interested.

“It’s October now, you idiot.”

The school trip was going to be in accordance with the itinerary. They would arrive on Jeju Island, eat lunch, visit some sights, unpack their bags at a hostel, and have some free time. A few boys were most likely to drink booze they smuggled in during that free time, but Myohan wasn’t interested in that either.

Plus, none of his roommates would have brought booze. Myohan, O Shin, Sinsul, and Yuja, among them, who would be bold enough to bring booze? Well, Sinsul was, but his physical state would forbid him to do it.

“Every day is just the same.”

O Shin smiled at his whine, thinking he was cute.

“You’ve lived for only 18 years, but you sound like you’ve lived for an eternity?”

“What, do you find every day new and enjoyable?”

“Well…”

Myohan asked back without much thought, but it made O Shin smile. He slowly raised a hand and tapped on Myohan’s cheek. It tingled and he coughed. O Shin whispered sweetly, “Yes, at least for now.”

Myohan could feel his ears turning red. O Shin’s voice was so sweet that he could almost taste it. He looked away, but O Shin wouldn’t put down his hand until he caressed his ear.

The way he treated Myohan was quite strange. Sometimes he looked at him as if he were his pet cat, but sometimes he carefully caressed him as if he were something precious.

He looked at him eagerly as if he was about to disappear any moment, and he kissed him as if they were a couple.

He clearly wanted Myohan and craved for him, but he wasn’t exactly up to getting him. Of course, the queerest thing was Myohan himself, who kept finding him to be closer every day.

He was being drawn to another man, but it just didn’t feel wrong. He hated it when Sajun tried to flirt with him, but when O Shin touched him, it felt even more natural than breathing. And then there were memories with him that surfaced in his mind sometimes, but he didn’t know what they were about. He had been focusing on finding the twelve zodiac animals only.

“….Well, the trip might be fun, if it’s with you.”

Myohan looked up at O Shin and he smiled back. The trip was going to last three days. Maybe I can forget all about those animals and focus only on him during that time. That was what he thought.

***

The weather forecast said it would rain, but the sky above Jeju Island was clear and blue. Myohan looked up at the high sky the moment he came out of the airport. He put his arms up and stretched his back. His entire body now felt sore, after flying in a very uncomfortable seat. O Shin eyed at how long his body stretched and muttered something about cats.

“Ha…”

But then, they heard a deep sigh.