After yelling like that, Hae-in immediately regretted everything. It was over. Completely doomed. This damned vet was obviously going to dissect her or sell her off. Maybe she’d end up floating in formalin!
In that moment, Death’s warnings didn’t matter. All she cared about was the safety of her feline body.
But contrary to her expectations, the vet’s hand gently reached toward her again, his fingertips lightly tickling her fur.
He poked around her damp nose, then gently pulled down the skin beneath her eyes, his expression shifting into one of sheer disbelief.
“You… How the hell are you talking? Are you even really a cat?”
“L-Let me go! Mya-mya-mya! Put me down!”
“What are you? Some kind of cursed creature?”
He muttered seriously under his breath, rubbing his chin as he observed every inch of Hae-in’s body like he was trying to dissect her with his eyes alone.
Demon. He’s a demon. A demon in a lab coat.
The veterinarian looked like he could stare at her all day without getting bored, completely absorbed as if she were some pinned butterfly specimen.
Hae-in wriggled and flailed in his grip, trying to escape. She noticed with horror that her speech was starting to blend with cat noises again.
“Mya! I…!”
“So what is it? Are you a cat or not? What the hell are you?”
His eyes sparkled with far too much curiosity—dangerously so. A chill ran down her spine. Hae-in instinctively curled her paws.
“…I-I don’t know either! I don’t know, okay?! Let me go!”
“Hm, so… not just an intelligent cat… but judging by your speech, definitely a higher life form of some kind…”
“Hyanya! What the hell are you doing?!”
“Let’s see here…”
Muttering to himself, he shoved his fingers into Hae-in’s mouth without warning.
He was probably checking her oral structure, since technically, cats shouldn’t be able to produce human language. Still—how dare he!
Without thinking, Hae-in clamped down, biting his finger as hard as she could.
Her sharp molars, practically little daggers, sank deep between his fingernail and skin. The taste of blood filled her mouth, but she kept biting down relentlessly.
Shameless bastard, sticking his fingers in a lady’s mouth like that!
If her jaw was stronger, she’d chew his whole hand off.
“Nya-nya-nya-nya!”
“Ahh, you little—!”
The vet yanked his hand back, blood dripping from his wounded finger.
Ah, crap.
Only after tearing into him did Hae-in realize her situation. Now was not the time to act feral. She should be begging for mercy, not fighting back.
Hae-in’s large eyes welled up with tears as she pleaded desperately.
“S-Sorry… I’ll apologize, so… let me go, Doctor… please?”
“Agh… that really… freaking hurts… damn it…”
“You want me to lick it better? Huh? Does it hurt a lot?”
Hae-in quickly offered, but even she knew how pointless that was. His hands were already covered in scratches and bloodstains; even a Viking’s hands would probably be in better shape.
“Jeez… What are you, exactly? You’re a cat, right? What the hell?!”
“I-I’ll just be a cat! Okay? I’ll just be a cat! So let me go!”
“There’s no such thing as a talking cat. You know that, right?”
No such thing? Obviously… But still!
Despite the panic shaking her pupils, Hae-in refused to give up.
“I won’t talk anymore, okay? Then it’s fine, right? Please, don’t tell anyone! And… I’m sorry I bit you…”
“Wow. You want me to let you go, keep your secret, after you practically ripped my finger off? You’re asking for a lot.”
The vet sneered. Clearly, he wasn’t the type to just roll over. He waved his shredded hand in front of her face, and yeah… it was pretty much bleeding profusely.
“Alright, your choice. Dissection? Or maybe I sell you to a broadcasting station? I could make some serious cash that way.”
God, what kind of psychopath thinks like this?
Was this revenge for biting him?
Tears spilled from Hae-in’s jet-black fur. She hadn’t even realized she could still cry.
The vet paused at the sight of the glistening tear tracks staining her fur. His mocking expression faltered.
Hae-in begged with everything she had.
“I can think! I’m as smart as a person! I’m not just some cat… Please don’t dissect me!”
“Then what are you?”
“I don’t know! Just let me go! Mya-mya-mya!”
She knew she was a Reaper’s vessel, but of course, she couldn’t say that. The Reaper had placed a curse on her—cut her open, rip her apart, she still couldn’t confess the truth. Not even that she used to be human.
The vet’s expression shifted from curiosity to pure disbelief.
Hae-in herself didn’t even fully understand her existence. There was no way he would.
“How old are you, then?”
“I don’t know!”
“You don’t know anything, do you?”
“That’s… right!”
It wasn’t easy to lie so transparently, but Hae-in managed it with flying colors.
The vet chuckled, scratching his chin in exasperation. His eyes dropped to the examination table where Hae-in was pinned down like a fish on a cutting board.
And then, like he couldn’t resist, he asked—
“Wanna live with me?”
“…What?”
“I mean, your life’s basically been house-hopping between humans, right? I’ll take care of you.”
Danger. Danger on every level. That offer sounded like an invitation to hell.
Hae-in’s face twisted in outright disgust. She looked at him like he was garbage.
“Ew.”
“Hey, that’s harsh. I’m not good-looking enough for you?”
Self-absorbed lunatic.
She’d never seen a decent guy who bragged that confidently.
Hae-in was now sure of two things: this vet was full of himself and dangerously unpredictable.
“Think about it. If you live with me, I’ll keep your secret…”
“You’re insane. Absolutely not.”
“Then maybe I’ll tell that guy outside you’re not just some regular cat?”
Snap!
“You tell him… and I’ll… I’ll bite you again!”
An impressive threat, considering her position.
Hae-in shivered from embarrassment as soon as the words left her mouth.
The vet burst out laughing, clutching his stomach like it was the funniest thing in the world.
“Pfft—Hahaha!”
“Don’t laugh!”
Hae-in hated exposing her belly more than anything, but tied up as she was, she had no choice. It left her completely vulnerable, her threats pitiful.
Her sharp feline eyes caught sight of the name tag on his coat pocket. Cats had excellent vision, after all. Three clear characters stood out.
She spoke his name, emphasizing her intellectual superiority.
“Kang. Si. Yul. Veterinarian.”
“Huh?”
Hae-in hoped it would shock some reason into him. Surely he wouldn’t dissect a creature capable of reading.
From the looks of it, he wasn’t planning to sell her off, either. More like… he wanted to keep her to himself. Terrifying in its own right.
“I’m not just some dumb animal, okay? So back off!”
“You’re seriously something… You can read, too?”
“N-No dissecting! I hate it!”
“Yeah, well… you’re definitely not normal. What are you?”
Kang Si-yul leaned in, his face drawing closer. He poked her cheek with his finger, smirking.
Hae-in snapped her head around, trying to bite, but he’d already withdrawn his hand.
She didn’t want to admit it, but even her pride couldn’t deny it. This vet was… infuriatingly handsome.
“Can you do magic, then?”
“If I could, you’d be cursed already, idiot!”
Crazy people were crazy, handsome or not.
Hae-in trembled as Si-yul’s face drew closer again.
In the span of mere hours, she’d been an alien on a lab table, a fish on a chopping board, and now a cat at the mercy of an unpredictable vet.
Curling into a tight ball didn’t help—she was tied up too securely.
She struggled, squirming violently. Si-yul reached out.
He’s going to dissect me for real—!
“Mya?”
“…Fine. I’ll let you go.”
Hae-in blinked, stunned. Just a moment ago, he’d been threatening to gut her, and now… he was unfastening the restraints on her paws.
He even loosened the buckle around her belly.
The second she could move, Hae-in scrambled back on all fours, tail puffed high in full defensive posture.
She couldn’t read his sudden change in attitude, which only made her more wary.
Her senses heightened, every nerve on edge, prepared to bolt at the slightest hint of danger.
“What… what the hell are you scheming?!”
But every one of Hae-in’s reactions only seemed to amuse Si-yul further. He even clapped softly in fascination, as if admiring a well-made toy.
“Wow, that was such a cat-like reaction. Then again… yeah, your skeleton’s all cat. But, huh… you’re missing a few organs.”
He grinned and held up Hae-in’s X-ray. When had he taken that? Hae-in had been too busy trembling to notice, but apparently, quite some time had passed.
As he reached toward her again, Hae-in’s fur stood on end, bristling like sharp quills. With her ears flattened and teeth bared, she looked indistinguishable from an ordinary, angry cat—regardless of what was going on in her head.
“Shiiiiiik—!”
“What are you, really? An alien? You from some weird planet?”
“No!”
“Oh? So you’re Earth-born at least?”
His curiosity was practically dripping off his face. He looked like one of those dreamer kids who’d grown up obsessed with space stories. Now, though, he was just a sly, mischievous veterinarian.
Humans like this are the most dangerous. Overly curious, sharp as a blade, and holding my X-ray of all things… I’m screwed.
Hae-in’s fur stayed puffed up, her four paws planted firmly beneath her in full defensive mode. He’d let her go for now, but who knew when he might tie her up again?
Si-yul circled the examination table slowly, whistling under his breath, clearly enjoying himself. The sound irritated Hae-in beyond reason, and she hissed like a feral mother cat guarding her litter.
“Hrrrrrggghhh…!”
The sound spilled out instinctively, pure defense mechanism.
“Hey now, don’t get so worked up. Relax a little.”
“Chhhaaaa!”
“Let’s help each other out here. I’m not the type who enjoys tormenting an already stressed animal.”
“Shhht! Who wants to cooperate with you?!”
“Hmm, then I’ll just call over that handsome owner of yours. Let him know the stray cat he picked up is… quite unusual.”
How the hell can a human look that wicked when they smile?
He’d already figured it all out. Hae-in’s reluctance to reveal her true identity, her attachment to Tae-il, the trust she had in him—all of it, laid bare.
Hae-in hated quick-witted people for this very reason. She preferred the easygoing, uncalculating types… like Tae-il.
“…What kind of ‘helping each other’ are we talking about?”
She glared at him, wary but curious. Deep down, she hoped this vet wasn’t entirely rotten.
“Oh? You know what that phrase means?”
“………”
“Guess you do. Impressive intelligence.”
“Enough! What’s your point?!”
“From the looks of it… you like that guy, don’t you? You’ve basically accepted him as your owner, right?”
Hae-in hesitated, then nodded slightly. It wasn’t exactly the word she’d use, but Tae-il felt like her only ally right now.
As for this veterinarian? Demon spawn, through and through. His rough hands still felt like shackles on her body.
And even though he hadn’t actually dissected her, the mere mention had drained any fondness she might’ve had for him.
She still couldn’t fully relax around him. Even after calming down, her bristling fur probably wouldn’t settle for a while.
“I’ll help with that.”
“Help with what?”
“Let you stay with that guy. Be his cat properly. I’ll make it happen.”
“…What’s your angle?”
“Why so suspicious? I am a doctor, you know. I don’t lie much.”
‘Don’t lie much’? That means he does lie…
Hae-in narrowed her eyes. First, he wanted to keep her as his pet, now he’s offering to help her stay with Tae-il? This man changed his tune faster than boiling water bubbled. Like a cat, honestly.
“Not much of an angle… I just want to observe you a little more.”
“…Dissect me?”
“Ob-serve,” he emphasized. “Sure, I’d love to keep you, but you obviously hate my guts right now. That guy, though? You like him. So I’ll settle for occasionally checking in on you as his cat.”
Si-yul raised both hands as if to show he was harmless, before shoving them deep into his pockets. A surrender gesture? As if.
“Besides, the clinic prefers cats with owners anyway. Officially, I mean.”
His sudden nice-guy act wasn’t fooling Hae-in. She kept a watchful eye on him, never turning her back.
This was the kind of man who could restrain or release her in the blink of an eye. Someone with total control, and he knew it.
Despite his disarming smile, Hae-in’s fur stayed bristled, her tail stiff, claws extended, eyes glinting with distrust.
Si-yul, with that annoyingly gentle expression, said softly,
“Sorry. I admit I went too far earlier. I regret making you hate me. Really. I’d like to get along.”
“Grrrrrr…”
“How about this? As a sign of goodwill, I’ll tell your new owner you’re completely healthy. I won’t breathe a word about your… peculiarities to anyone else. I’ll even help you pass for a perfectly ordinary cat. Only I could pull that off, y’know.”
“…Really?”
“Yeah. I’ll tell him you’re as average as they come.”
It was true—having a veterinarian vouch for her would make pretending to be a normal cat much easier.
Still, Hae-in stayed ready to bolt, one paw hovering midair as her instincts screamed at her to keep her guard up.
She wouldn’t fall for his smooth-talking.
“Honestly, I hate noisy situations too. And… I am curious about your identity, even if you claim you don’t know it yourself. More importantly, I believe in saving the best things for last.”
A ‘save the best for last’ type, huh? Dangerous. Sneaky.
She filed him under Dangerous, Scheming Bastard. Not an ideal partner, but what choice did she have?
“…I still hate you.”
“Appreciate the honesty.”
“You’re scary.”
“Doesn’t bother me. Let’s focus on… becoming friends, yeah?”
Hae-in loathed the idea, but she had no better options. With extreme reluctance, she gave the tiniest nod.
________✧⑅˖♡∘˚˳°↝^._.^_________
“All done with the check-up. The results were… fascinating.”
“Fascinating? Is there something wrong…?”
“Oh no, nothing like that. She’s just incredibly healthy… and surprisingly clever.”
After their intense negotiations, Si-yul returned the now-docile Hae-in to Tae-il’s arms.
She pressed herself tightly against his chest, relieved to escape from the demon and into the arms of an angel.
She curled up like a pampered housecat, snuggling close, but internally, she seethed—wanting to tattle on that scheming vet.
But not to Tae-il. She couldn’t bear for him to discover she wasn’t an ordinary cat.
In fact, she didn’t want anyone knowing… yet Si-yul had already found out.
Tae-il cradled her gently, his hand supporting her trembling body. Her claws pricked his clothes, but he didn’t seem to mind.
“That’s a relief. Do you have any food recommendations?”
“Ah, perfect timing. We’ve got a fifth-anniversary promotion going on. Discounts for new members… I’ll set you up with some samples—try them, see what she likes. Cats are notoriously picky.”
“Really? That’d be great.”
Tae-il was oblivious to the hidden schemes behind Si-yul’s kindness.
“Of course. And now that I’ve bonded with this little lady… I hope you’ll keep bringing her to me.”
“Is that so?”
“Definitely. Cats are territorial creatures—they hate new environments and unfamiliar hands. Best to minimize their stress.”
“Got it. This clinic is the closest anyway.”
Tae-il stroked Hae-in, thinking most cats weren’t usually this skittish. Her tiny claws pricked his shirt, but he only cooed softly,
“Good girl… it’s okay now…”
