That evening, Haein lay curled in the corner of her bedroom, groaning like a sick cat, completely motionless.
Running away again would obviously be hell. But facing Siyul? That was its own kind of torment.
No, it wasn’t just irritating—it made her blood boil.
Why am I the one who has to hide from him?!
She felt like prey caught in a predator’s trap.
There were endless things to complain about, but the most fundamental issue was this ridiculous cat body.
If not for this, she wouldn’t be falling for someone as a cat, wouldn’t be accusing a vet of violating her rights as a person—even though she wasn’t exactly a person at the moment.
“Meowrng…!” (Damn it…!)
She even considered going to her mother. But she gave up on that idea quickly.
She couldn’t stay in human form long enough to make it worth it.
Once a month, for a single day—that was all. Not fully a person, not fully a cat. And explaining all that? Way too horrifying.
She just had to endure one more year. She didn’t want to worry her family.
It was enough that she was going through this bizarre experience.
With a long sigh, Haein tried to steel herself again.
Ding-dong.
The doorbell rang unexpectedly.
Who could it be at this hour?
Perking up slightly, Haein glanced at the clock—it was almost 10 p.m.—then sluggishly made her way to the bedroom doorway.
Tilting her head, she watched Taeil approach the front door.
Maybe it’s his manager friend? Or Haeun? Ugh, I don’t want to deal with either of them right now.
Haein scowled, then sniffed the air sharply to catch the visitor’s scent…
And bolted like lightning.
“You’re here.”
“Ah, sorry to bother—”
Her sharp nose and animal instincts reacted instantly to her natural enemy.
Red alert. Red alert. RED ALERT!
Kang Siyul is here!
With a frantic ‘dadadadak’ sound, Haein dove under the bed and hid.
It wasn’t until she’d crawled all the way to the farthest corner and gasped for breath that she realized what she’d done—run away.
It was a completely instinctive response.
Shameful, yes. But it was definitely hiding.
The moment she sensed him, her body moved on its own.
She had tried to be rational. Tried to decide she would face him head-on.
But her body refused before her brain could catch up.
“Nyiiak…!”
Even curled up under the bed, Haein’s heart pounded painfully.
She knew she wasn’t safe here—but she couldn’t move.
He’s going to find me. He knows I’m here. This is so pathetic.
The moment she realized Siyul had arrived, she half-lost her mind. She hadn’t been prepared for this.
He said he’d come tomorrow!
Haein wanted to yell at him—but when she saw two pairs of feet from beneath the bed, she could only bite her lip.
He’s getting closer… closer…!
Her lips trembled with anxiety.
Taeil’s hesitant voice came first.
“She’s quick… I think she’s under here. Once she hides, she doesn’t come out easily.”
“Huh. She must really hate me.”
“Mrrrrow!” (Hate is an understatement!)
To Siyul’s casual observation, Haein responded with as much venom as she could.
From beneath the bed, she let out a loud growl audible from outside. Taeil winced apologetically.
“Sorry about this. You came all this way…”
“When you’ve been a vet for a few years, you get used to being hated. Honestly, I expected her to run, so I came by without warning. Animals like her have uncanny instincts. People say cats are practically mystical, right?”
Ears twitching, Haein’s tail bristled.
No, YOU’RE the cunning one, you rat!
So that’s what this was. He said he’d come tomorrow just so she’d let her guard down. He knew she might try to run again after his visit.
Kang Siyul was playing her like a fiddle. And now he was trying to rope Taeil into his game, too.
He leaned into his profession and said reassuringly, “I actually did a quick check-up while I had her. No visible issues… I mostly wanted to check on the wound on her hind leg today. But I guess that’ll have to wait.”
He was clearly scoping out her environment, eyes scanning Taeil’s apartment.
Taeil asked, “What about testing for infectious diseases…?”
“I’d like to test for things like feline AIDS or skin conditions, but she looks too agitated today. Maybe once she’s more stable. Oh! And I picked up some beer on the way—hope that’s okay?”
What did he just say?!
Haein felt her eye twitch. She crawled a little closer, straining her ears.
Is he planning to stay and drink?! I must be hearing things. There’s no way.
“I’m not picky,” Taeil replied. “But we don’t have much in terms of snacks. Should we order chicken?”
“Soccer night. Chicken delivery’ll be backed up.”
“Ah… didn’t think of that.”
“Besides, since I invited myself, I brought a few things from a place near the clinic.”
Siyul was using Haein as an excuse, pulling a “win the owner to tame the pet” maneuver—and it was working. Taeil, clueless as ever, was being swept up by Siyul’s easy charm.
“Like I said, when dealing with a wary animal, the best thing to do is show them you’re friendly with their owner. It lowers their guard. Proven and effective.”
Not wanting the two to grow any closer, Haein stuck her head slightly out from under the bed.
But the moment she locked eyes with Siyul, she scurried back.
Nope! No way. I can’t do this! He’s terrifying!
Panicked, all Haein could do was cry out miserably.
“Waaaoooow\… nyaaaah!” (My owner! That man’s a demon! Don’t fall for it!)
She desperately tried to warn Taeil. But the two men had already settled comfortably on the living room sofa.
With two grown men drinking, they’d probably become best friends by the end of the night.
This is exactly what’s wrong with men. Give them soccer and beer, and suddenly they’re lifelong buddies!
“Tonight’s game is exciting, right?” Siyul casually dropped the honorifics, already speaking informally.
“Yeah, totally. How’d he even score that one?” Taeil responded without missing a beat.
“It’s all about that assist. You can’t win with just a striker. You need good wings. Korean players seriously underestimate the importance of assists.”
Haein watched from under the bed, mortified.
Sigh… What kind of nightmare did I just crawl into?
“Now that you mention it, you’re right. Everyone just wants to score themselves… but look at those foreign players. They put their life on the line even for assists.”
It was easy for the two of them to become friends—they had quite a few things in common: similar age, soccer, cats, photography… and of course, Si-yul’s skillful use of charm.
“By the way, hey, remember that photo you liked at my place? The big one in the living room? You asked where I got it from.”
“That shot of the Perito Moreno Glacier by Yann Arthus-Bertrand?”
What kind of sherbet is that?
Haein thought Ta-il’s tongue had gotten tangled from the beer.
“I’m thinking of letting it go for cheap. Interested?”
“Huh? Seriously?”
“Yeah, really.”
Si-yul made the offer sweet as candy, and Ta-il—oblivious to the fact that it was basically a bribe—took the bait. The two were growing closer by the second, while Haein could only watch the scene unfold with rising unease.
________✧⑅˖♡∘˚˳°↝^._.^_________
By the time the second half of the match was ending, Ta-il had completely dozed off. He hadn’t been sleeping much lately, and once the alcohol kicked in, it knocked him out cold.
Naturally, this too was part of Si-yul’s plan.
While Ta-il snored lightly on the sofa, Si-yul—clearly still sober despite the drinks—stood up and strolled leisurely toward Haein’s bedroom.
Each relaxed step sent Haein’s tension spiking. As Si-yul drew closer, she sharpened her senses and extended her claws, ready to strike if needed.
“Hey.”
But the moment Si-yul lowered his head to peek under the bed, all of Haein’s resolve collapsed, and she scrambled deeper into the shadows.
She hadn’t even managed to stop him from befriending Ta-il. Everything felt helpless now.
“Hey?”
“…….”
“Cat-chan?”
“Kyak!” (Just go away already!)
The only thing she could do in response to his endless calls was hiss loudly and threateningly.
Apparently, Si-yul still wanted to talk. But Haein had zero desire to engage.
Then again, Kang Si-yul was the kind of person who danced on people’s heads.
“You know, your owner seems like a pretty decent guy. Even from another man’s perspective…”
He glanced under the bed mid-sentence.
Noticing the slight decrease in growling, he carried on. He knew—there was no resisting a well-aimed compliment. Not for humans, and certainly not for cats.
No creature dislikes hearing good things about the one they love.
“I can see why you’d fall for him. They say people who animals like can’t be bad.”
“…….”
“He seems like a real stand-up guy. Honestly, makes me want to introduce him to someone nice.”
“N-No!”
“Oh, right. You’re the girl who’s in love.”
That was definitely a mocking tone. Even though she was hiding, Haein couldn’t help retorting. Her voice was barely a whisper on the floor, but she didn’t care if Ta-il heard.
“Don’t act like you care all of a sudden after treating me like some animal!”
“Then what do you want? Should I treat you like an alien? A yokai? A goblin? What works for you?”
Apparently, only bizarre creatures qualified. Realizing she fell in that category, Haein shuddered.
“Whatever you prefer. I just want to get closer to you. I mean it.”
He said it with a rich, sincere smile, which only scared her even more.
Why was he so obsessed with her? Was it the curiosity of a researcher? A scholar’s desire to investigate? Maybe a collector’s obsession with rare specimens? Or worse—was it… the urge to dissect?
Haein trembled from nose to tail.
“Are you insane?!”
“It was a mistake, okay? I told you, I’m not into dissection.”
“I’m not going to believe a word you say! Just go back to your house!”
“I’ve been thinking. How could I get you to like me? Here’s an idea: What if I helped you? With your owner.”
Her ears perked up slightly at that. Haein blinked, not fully registering what he’d said.
Help me… with what?
“What?”
“I’ll introduce you to him. As a human.”
Si-yul’s smile slowly faded as he spoke, and his tone turned serious. Watching that shift, Haein thought: What a stupid suggestion.
And yet… a small part of her was intrigued.
“I’ll tell him you’re a junior of mine. Set you up for a date or something. What do you think?”
“A human?”
“Yeah. Human to human. Why do you think I’ve been cozying up to him? It’s all for your sake.”
Human… with Ta-il? Her heart fluttered—not from fear this time, but from something else.
But the moment didn’t last long.
Reality came crashing back, and she shook her head hard. She couldn’t let herself fall for this devil’s whispers again!
“I’m not listening! I know you’re just trying to mess with me again!”
“I’m not. I genuinely want to help. You must have some kind of wish, now that you’ve fallen for a human. A kiss, a date—wasn’t that why you asked for clothes too? You love imitating humans, don’t you? So what is it you really want? Surely it’s not marriage or something. But if it’s just a little pretend dating, I can totally help. I’ll even give you advice.”
There it was again. That gentle, coaxing voice. Haein clung to her last thread of reason and spat back, each word crystal clear.
“No. You’ll want something in return, won’t you?”
“Well… yeah, I do.”
Haein stepped back. Her tail brushed the wall, and she twisted her body slightly to keep her eyes on Si-yul, growling in warning.
Even deep in the dark, she didn’t let her guard down. And Si-yul, amused by her cautious intelligence, let out a soft chuckle.
A cat that knows nothing in life is free? Now that’s impressive.
He smiled deeply, and Haein’s tension only grew. She tried to read him, to figure out what he was hiding behind that grin—but Si-yul always had the upper hand.
“All I want is your trust.”
“…My trust?”
“Just a little gift from someone who wants to be friends with you. I really regret what I did to you. You were unfamiliar, and I made a mistake. I want to apologize. Make it up to you. Be helpful, if I can.”
He had earned Ta-il’s trust—now he wanted Haein’s too. That was one of his many talents, after all.
If she were a regular woman, maybe he could’ve won her over with money or gifts. But she didn’t even care about food anymore—and now she hated the clothes, too.
The only thing that got through to her was talk of Ta-il.
“And what would you do with my trust?”
“I want to be your friend. That’s all.”
She loosened up slightly but still remained wary. Si-yul kept going, sweet words flowing steadily.
He hadn’t fully figured out this prickly cat yet, but she was just an animal. He had patience. He’d wear her down eventually.
He’d already charmed the owner—how hard could the cat be?
“Come on. I’ll help you hold hands with him. Even kiss him. Trust me, based on my examination, you wouldn’t get caught…”
“Kyaaaaak!”
But Si-yul had touched a nerve again, and Haein snapped.
She’d nearly been lulled in again by his hypnotic voice, but the moment he mentioned kissing, her memory jolted—she had already kissed Siyul!
Snarling, Haein mentally berated herself. What the hell was she doing?
Si-yul clicked his tongue as she pulled away. So close. He’d almost had her. Guess “kiss” was still a landmine.
“I just wanted to say… you’re kind of mysterious.”
Haein, startled by the sudden compliment, turned her eyes toward him again.
She’d been called “interesting” before—but “mysterious”? That was new. A bit creepy, even.
But Si-yul wasn’t done.
“My heart races when I look at you. Sometimes it’s hard to breathe—I just want to know more.”
This guy… he wants to dissect me, doesn’t he?! Haein shuddered.
That was her only conclusion.
Si-yul, for his part, had completely misunderstood the nature of his own feelings.
After all, no one assumes they’re in love with a cat.
Even if her human form haunted his thoughts, even if he ached to see her again…
Even if he couldn’t forget the sight of her slapping his cheeks and crying…
He didn’t think it was love.
Because Kang Si-yul didn’t believe in love at first sight.
This fluttering in his chest—he told himself—it was just curiosity.
Just… curiosity.
