A sudden heavy rain lashed against the city in the late morning. I was curled up in my hiding spot for shelter when I heard a familiar voice.
“Kitty! Kitty?” a man"s voice rang out through the downpour.
“Nyang?” (Yes?)
It was the man from before, scouring around the bushes with his bare hands. He was so determined to find me that he didn"t seem to care that his shoes were ruined by the mud. He had dropped his umbrella as well. He truly seemed like a nice man, first worrying that I would starve to death, then trying to look for me through the mud and rain.
“Kitty…where are you? Kitty!”
I blinked as I looked at his wet form. Deciding that I couldn"t let this go any further, I popped my head out. Although it was only my head, the man spotted me immediately and jumped over the bushes.
He was splattered in mud when he approached me. I felt sorry for him, and did not avoid his hands when he touched. A cry sounded in my throat, but of course it came out in the language of cats.
“Nya?” (Why are you so kind?)
“Oh my G.o.d, you"re all wet! Let"s go to my place, kitty.”
“Mya? Nya nyan ya!” (…What? No!)
His hands captured me and I immediately rebelled against them, but he held me in an iron grip against his chest as quickly left the open roof. His hands remained firm despite my struggle to escape him. There was only one word for this kind of situation.
“Myaak!” (This is kidnapping!)
***
Wiiiiiiig.
I half-closed my eyes against the warm, dry air. Oh, the beauty of civilization. At my feet was a clean towel, and I rubbed my face against it. Forehead, cheek, chin—how can a towel feel this good and fluffy?
“Nice, nice,” the man sweetly cooed.
As soon as we arrived at his home, he bathed me with warm water. How did he know that was just what I needed? I tried to politely refuse at first, but soon I gave in to the irresistible luxury. Now I was being dried by a warm breeze. It was heaven.
The man stroked my fur and my golden eyes drooped in contentment. A compliment purred in my throat.
“Gyarrrrung.” (Good, good)
“I didn"t expect the rain to come so suddenly,” the man said. “A little later and it would have been a disaster.”
I looked around the walls of his living room and saw it was filled with framed photos. Most of the subjects were of scenery and pretty animals. I remembered that he carried a camera. A photographer, then? If so, he may just be like me, an artist.
“Aren"t you hungry? Don"t you want something to eat?”
“Nya.” (No.)
I shook my head and leaned my head against his knee instead. He played with my ears and even squished the pinkish-colored beans of my feet. When his hand moved toward my soft chest and stomach, however, I immediately withdrew.
“What"s wrong?” he asked.
“Niyaong.” (No.)
“Hmm?”
I couldn"t let him touch me there. Even if I was a cat, I would be utterly mortified if someone touched my chest. Instead, I waved my tail towards his hand.
Sallang sallang—
“Miyaang!” (Tail!)
He touched the offered appendage, and I wrapped my tail around his hand. He let out a pleasantly b.u.t.tery laugh. The more I looked at this man, the more I noticed how handsome he was.
He smiled and continued to stroke me. His touch, along with the warm bath, lulled me into drowsiness as I soaked in the pleasures I had forgotten. Because of this cat"s body, I had the urge to sleep a lot as well.
Soon I forgot to flick my tail, and I settled down on my stomach and closed my eyes.
***
The man lifted the sleeping cat into his arms, padded towards his bedroom, and gently laid her on his bed, before pulling off his shirt and laying down as well.
He looked at the small creature. Her golden eyes were closed, and her body rose and fell in rhythm to her purring breaths. He drew the soft, little body of the cat towards his chest. It was warm.
It was a moment of quiet contentment, and they both sunk into the deepest slumber they had been in a long time.
A pale shaft of light fell onto the bed where the man and the cat were sleeping. Beyond the curtains hung a full moon in the sky.
The light touched Hae-in"s tail, and, as if it were amplified, it spread towards her body and face, even though the moonlight could not have shone there. Her body gave off a milky glow as the light settled over it.
“Mii…” (Mmmmm.)
Hae-in turned over without realizing what was happening.
As the milky light grew, her body grew long and slender, and her black fur disappeared. Instead, she had long, black hair and straight, thin eyelashes. Below her closed eyes was a straight nose, and pinkish lips that were half-opened.
When the light disappeared, the only thing remaining was Hae-in, sleeping naked. Sleeping next to her was also a half-naked man.
Hae-in had become a human in her dream.
As well as in reality.
Cat Of The Day:
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