The Cat hides its Claws

Chapter 84: Chapter 84

“So you should forgive them as well now.”

Myohan was imitating what had comforted him the most. He spoke softly with warmth.

“The time you had promised to fulfill his wish…”

He had promised to make the dragon into a human if he became his friend for a hundred years. Myohan hadn’t seen every day of the god’s life, but the god had seen his everyday. Keeping promises was the only thing they had in common.

“It has passed already.”

In Myohan’s arms, O Shin breathed faintly and whispered.

“Okay.”

His shoulder felt wet. The sky always cried instead of Shihuang, but there was no one to cry for the god. Myohan embraced him even tighter. His small voice tickled his ear.

“I suppose…”

He couldn’t insist on being selfish and childish when his old friend was becoming a better man. He smiled hollowly and Myohan hugged him again.

He got to realize something. Although the god never said anything about it, he realize why he transformed into a cat. The god didn’t bother to explain, and he pretended not to notice it.

“And you can forgive me as well.”

He became a cat when he got a fever. When he had been ill, he became a small cat and was all alone in that large apartment. O Shin had said he had made him lonely, and he hadn’t been talking just about making him grow up without his parents.

Myohan had been punished as well.

“I am sorry.”

The god abandoned his pride and apologized. It melted all the grief in Myohan’s heart. He wasn’t mad. The god had given him life and protected him. Being a cat sometimes wasn’t a bad price for it.

“But…”

However, he wasn’t done yet. The god slowly got out of his arms. Myohan looked down, thinking of his eleven friends. He knew he didn’t have to make it a condition. The god would grant his demand anyway. Still, he smiled.

“I have one thing to ask you.”

Time started to flow again after the god kissed Myohan’s hand and vanished. He stared at the air wondering if he had the right choice.

“Myohan.”

But his anxiety disappeared the moment he looked at Shihuang’s eyes. They were still black. Myohan looked at him and grinned. Shihuang frowned to see that sudden smile, but then his eyes widened.

“Congratulations.”

What he had felt the moment he saw that enormous beast, the fear he had felt from those black eyes, that thrill was gone now. His overwhelming energy and ancient power were now gone. Myohan took his hand and smile.

“You’re not a dragon anymore.”

“How…”

He looked like he wanted to ask, like where the god had gone, how he was a human now, and why Myohan now looked free of burdens.

But Shihuang didn’t ask. He just pulled his lover in and repeatedly kissed him. Soon their kiss turned passionate.

Myohan couldn’t even imagine what he must have been through. How long he had looked for him, how much he must have regretted, how he had kept it all to himself. But there was one thing he could remember: he had promised to wait, and he kept it.

They didn’t go to sleep until it was late at night. They didn’t talk much, but in one moment, Myohan asked a question and Shihuang answered it with a smile.

“Have you retrieved your precious thing?”

“Yes.”

He sounded satisfied.

“I’ve gotten it back.”

***

It was still cold in March. The sky was still icy blue with lingering winter. He didn’t take off his thick coat even when he was inside. He looked back as the back door was opened with a huge bang.

“Myohan! We’re in the same class!”

It was Sinsul. It was the first day of their senior year, and he sounded too energetic. He brought his soccer ball even though his schoolbag wasn’t with him. The first thing to do was to put his ball in a locker. They hadn’t been assigned lockers yet, but he put it in one anyway.

“Yuja’s in this class as well.”

They were all in the same class again. Yuja was in Class 1 as he was the top of their grade. Only Chookjae, who had gotten the second-highest grades last year, was in Class 2.

“How can we be in the same class for three years in a row?”

Myohan muttered to himself. Sinsul chuckled and sat down in front of him.

“Yuja’s not the class president anymore.”

“He will be soon.”

Yuja was going to be the class president again. That was obvious, and even Sinsul couldn’t say otherwise. Then, he pointed out the window with wide eyes.

“Wow, look at him!”

Someone was running on the racing track. It could be only one man. Myohan nodded without interest.

“That’s Choi Jino, right? Wow, he’s really hard-working.”

“But you’re playing soccer every day too.”

“I do it for fun, but he’s a pro runner.”

“That’s exactly why he has to train even harder.”

Yuja came in after about ten minutes. Jino was dragged inside by another student who had to be Myo Cheong.

Yuja came with Chookjae and said goodbye to him. Then, he frowned and sighed to see Sinsul and Myohan.

“Really? We’re in the same class for three years in a row?”

“I was wondering about that too,” Myohan said as he got up.

Sinsul tried to follow him, but then Yuja stopped him and scolded him for trying to follow Myohan to the toilet. Myohan wondered how he knew he was on his way to the toilet.

The hallway was full of boys. They were partly excited about finally becoming seniors and partly worried about getting admitted into universities this year. Myohan saw two familiar faces among them.

“Oh, shit, why were you running so early in the morning?”

“But Cheong, I really have to train really hard from now…”

“Not that much, you idiot!”

They passed Myohan. He met eyes with Jino for a split second, but Myo Cheong mercilessly dragged him away. Jino kept looking back at Myohan. He could guess what he was thinking with those sparkling eyes.

“Sadeol! Seonhan! I told you not to run in hallways!”

“Oh, miss! Please have mercy on us!”

Someone ran into him a minute later. As he had been in a daze staring Jino and Myo Cheong walking away, he tumbled and fell.

“I’m sorry! Are you okay?”

But Sadeol grabbed him before he could fall to the floor. His light-colored eyes flashed. Seonhan looked at Myohan in worry.

“Sorry! Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

Myohan wanted to laugh. He found it so hilarious that he had been intimidated by him.

“I’m fine.”

He hadn’t fallen, and he wasn’t feeling any pain. Then, he went into the toilet before the two could stop him.

“So…”

Was it a series of coincidences? He recognized the two standing inside. They looked like two mild plant-eating animals frolicking together.

“I’m glad he’s not in your class.”

He didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but their conversation found its way to his ears as he washed his hands. Miho’s sister had come to him in his dream. He cried so much after he got up and his eyes swelled up. Jagyeom promised to go to her resting place together later. After that, Myohan turned and left.

‘I want to ask you one thing…’

What he had said to the god a few months ago. He still wasn’t sure about it, but he suppressed his doubt and forced himself to speak.

‘The boys, could you make it like it never happened?’

‘With their memories?’

‘Yes, like they’ve always been normal.’

‘Maybe I was wrong.’

He couldn’t help feeling a little sad and lonely, but he had already made his decision. When the god asked if he would be fine with it, he just smiled, although his eyes said otherwise.

‘I pity them.’

Did he feel bad for them? No. The boys had been punished instead of the subjects, and it was the price they had to pay.

‘No friends, no lovers, no families.’

However, he didn’t want them to be thrown out by their families or lose friends. Sometimes, seeing them having fun together made him feel pity for them. Yuja had said he was worried about them, but actually, he couldn’t know yet. There was only one thing he knew: the punishment was just too harsh for them to endure.