After returning home from his overseas business trip, Taeil collapsed into bed and fell asleep as if he had passed out.
It was the longest he’d closed his eyes since losing Haein. Still, it was a light sleep, and he ended up waking around dawn.
They had only spent a month together, but being alone in bed now felt terribly empty.
He dreamed of his cat wandering lost somewhere, meowing as it was dragged off to who knows where.
“Haa…”
Guilt and worry mixed inside him, and no matter what he did, he couldn’t stop thinking about his beloved cat.
If only I’d locked the door properly.
While on the plane, he had missed several calls. Due to the time difference, he hadn’t been able to return them immediately.
As soon as morning broke, Taeil called back.
Maybe it was someone calling to say they’d found her? He held onto that fragile hope.
“…Hello? This is Shin Taeil. I saw a missed call from last night—”
[Ah, yes! That’s right. It was about a cat.]
“A cat? Do you have her? My cat?”
His heart jolted awake at the word “cat.” His pulse quickened.
He didn’t realize his voice had risen in excitement, but perhaps it had sounded too sharp, because the woman on the other end replied, flustered.
[Oh my, no—she’s not with me. A veterinarian came and picked her up.]
“…Who?”
[He left a business card… um, Dr. Kang Siyul, I think?]
“Ah!”
[He seemed familiar with the cat and even paid the reward money on your behalf… Did we do something wrong?]
No, that wasn’t it. Another missed call had come from that vet. That explained it.
Taeil immediately called Siyul.
Siyul’s first words were: “Save me.”
He admitted to receiving the call about the lost cat the night before, and since Taeil was out of the country with no return date confirmed, he’d taken the cat in himself.
But now the problem was that the cat wouldn’t stop crying for her owner.
All night long, she had meowed nonstop, nerves on edge. Siyul complained that he hadn’t slept a wink.
[My apologies. I didn’t know when you’d be back…]
“No, not at all. I should be thanking you.”
[Actually, the issue now is that she’s seriously pissed. I can’t even touch her. Could you come get her directly?]
“Of course. I’ll head over right away.”
This was the same vet who, when Taeil had been in a panic, had calmly walked him through how to make posters, emphasized including a reward, and encouraged him to post online.
He had even offered to put up notices at his clinic and use his veterinary network to help find the cat. He’d comforted Taeil, saying they would surely locate her.
So Taeil felt nothing but gratitude toward Siyul, who had taken Haein in first.
He bought a gift as a token of thanks and hurried to Siyul’s place—only to freeze momentarily when he saw him.
“Uh… your face…”
Even the ever-polite Taeil instinctively pointed at Siyul’s face in shock.
“Is it bad?”
“Pretty bad…”
Siyul hesitated. Should he say the claw marks on his face were the cat’s doing?
But they looked far too severe to blame on a cat.
A deep, angry red scratch started at his forehead, slashed diagonally across his nose, and down his cheek.
He’d been slapped before, sure—but this? This was the first time he’d had visible claw marks across his face. Even Siyul, king of shamelessness, felt embarrassed.
Thank goodness it was his day off. Not that the wound would heal in a day or two anyway.
“What happened?”
“Well, you know how women can be. Unpredictable.”
“Ah…”
“Meow!” (Owner!)
“Whoa!”
Through the open door, Haein sprang forward and leapt into Taeil’s arms.
Then, as if releasing all the sorrow in her tiny body, she cried into his chest with her hoarse little voice.
She rubbed her face against his shirt, her mewling soft and pained.
Siyul watched the scene with a sour stomach. After scratching his face like that, now she was playing the innocent sweetheart right in front of him.
Finally, still clinging to Taeil, Haein turned to Siyul and shrieked:
“Hisss! Hisss!” (You perverted bastard! You slimy, two-faced freak!)
Even after wailing her throat hoarse all night, she still hadn’t forgotten the grudge.
Her fury was intense—and for Taeil, who only knew her gentle kitten side, it was bewildering.
“Why is she so angry? I’ve never seen her like this.”
“She’s probably sensitive from spending a few days outdoors. Just take her home and get her settled. She’ll calm down.”
“Her voice is shot…”
“She called out for you nonstop all night. She really wore herself out.”
“I’m sorry, and thank you. She’s never like this at home… I don’t know how I can repay you.”
“I just did what anyone would. No need to thank me. But please, have a cup of tea before you go.”
Taeil agreed, since he had brought a gift anyway, and stepped inside. Haein squirmed in his arms, eager to go home.
________✧⑅˖♡∘˚˳°↝^._.^_________
Surprisingly, the two young men hit it off over an unexpected topic.
Admiring the framed photos on Siyul’s walls, Taeil remarked with genuine admiration:
“You’ve got quite the eye. This artist isn’t very well known…”
“I brought most of those from my family home. It was my brother’s hobby. Somehow, it became mine too.”
“Still, it’s impressive taste. Do you take photos yourself?”
“No, I just enjoy appreciating finished work.”
Then he trailed off mid-sentence, realizing he’d nearly said too much.
He knew Taeil was a cameraman—from Haein. If Taeil asked how he knew that, he wouldn’t know how to explain.
Thankfully, Taeil didn’t think much of it and soon took a seat at the table.
Haein refused to leave his lap, as if the floor itself were toxic.
She bristled with hostility at Siyul, her fur puffed and tail slapping the table in displeasure.
“…Hrrrroww!” (You filthy pervert!)
“She’s really holding a grudge.”
“Being hated is just part of the job for a vet, I suppose.”
________✧⑅˖♡∘˚˳°↝^._.^_________
He’s so full of himself! Lying and being a creep on top of it all!
Haein glared and flicked her tail with sharp annoyance, but Siyul remained cool and unbothered.
They’d always been like this—practically enemies.
Suddenly Taeil, sipping his coffee, remembered something.
“By the way, Doctor. I heard about something after she went missing. There’s a kind of microchip you can implant in pets, right? For identification or even tracking?”
For once, the tension between Siyul and Haein dissipated—and Haein shot Siyul a desperate, pleading look.
Their dynamic was always like this.
In that moment, she was grateful for how shameless he could be.
“Ah, I think there’s a bit of a misunderstanding. You’re referring to the pet registration microchips. There are two kinds—internal and external—but neither has GPS or tracking features.”
“Really?”
“Yes. It’s just part of the government’s pet registration system.”
“I see.”
Taeil nodded earnestly.
Meanwhile, Haein shivered in fear at the thought of something being implanted inside her. Even living as a pet was no easy feat.
“Inserting something into a small body like this is risky. If you’re considering it, I’d recommend an external chip instead.”
“But if it doesn’t track them, what does it actually do?”
“It helps identify the owner. The chip contains a unique ID code that can be scanned by a vet or shelter. That code is linked to the owner’s contact info in the national database.”
“Ah, I see.”
Only animal hospitals or shelters could scan them, which Siyul considered a limitation of the system.
“So really, a collar with a tag is far more effective in most cases. Just my personal opinion, of course.”
“That makes sense. But I’ve noticed cats don’t often wear name tags. That’s why I thought about the chip…”
“For a small, sensitive cat like yours, implanting a chip could be incredibly stressful. A collar is much better—as long as it’s… a little loose.”
Yes, loose enough not to choke even when she’s in human form.
For once, Siyul and Haein were in perfect agreement.
________✧⑅˖♡∘˚˳°↝^._.^_________
Taeil began preparing to leave.
To be honest, Siyul didn’t want to let Haein go. After all that effort to get her, and now she was slipping away. He was reluctant enough to not want Taeil to leave either.
But Haein had already threatened to throw herself out the window if he didn’t call her owner immediately.
Even for a cat, jumping from the 17th floor was no joke.
If she jumped, she’d die. Did she really hate him that much?
In the end, Siyul had no choice but to call Taeil.
“Taeil, there’s one thing that’s been bothering me. I don’t think your cat likes staying at pet hotels. And judging by your schedule, you seem to travel quite often.”
But Siyul wasn’t about to retreat so easily. With an almost sinister smile, he made a suggestion that would have made Haein foam at the mouth.
“Yes… actually, that’s been worrying me too.”
“She seems to get a lot of stress just being around other animals.”
“Now that you mention it, she ran away right after I picked her up from the hospital.”
Taeil glanced down at Haein, a hint of guilt in his eyes. Haein shook her head furiously, desperate to deny it, but her meaning couldn’t be understood—unless she spoke. And in this world, the one who speaks first wins—just like Siyul.
“So I was thinking… how about this? The next time you travel, why not leave your cat at my place instead?”
“What? No, I couldn’t possibly—”
“But I genuinely like her. Isn’t it a good idea? It’s not like we can let her starve.”
“MeowmyAAAK!! (This bastard is absolutely insane!)”
The word “not like” struck Haein like a thunderbolt. She bolted upright, appalled. Siyul’s ability to twist things to go his way was almost genius. Anyone watching would’ve thought he was just being sincerely considerate.
“…I think she doesn’t like the idea,” Taeil said, stroking the trembling cat in his arms.
Anyone could see she was upset, but Siyul calmly shook his head, as if it were nothing.
He might as well have had a sparkling business card floating above his head reading “Licensed Veterinarian“—and that alone was enough to disarm people.
“Haha! She’s just a cat. She can’t understand us. She’s just extra sensitive today from the stress.”
Don’t fall for it! Haein silently screamed, but of course Taeil didn’t understand.
“I see.”
“Still, think it over. I live alone too, and I get lonely sometimes. I’ve thought about getting a dog, but my schedule doesn’t really allow it.”
Taeil seemed to be warming up to the idea. From his perspective, there was nothing to lose.
“That’s such a generous offer, I feel bad accepting it right away…”
“Mya! Umya-mya-mya!! (No! No no no!!)”
“Wow. Look at that—she’s so excited!” Siyul beamed. “Taeil, you’re thirty, right? I’m thirty-two. Let’s drop the formalities and meet often. Just call me hyung.”
“…Uh, sure. Yes, hyung…”
Everyone knows there’s no such thing as kindness without motive—but Siyul was wearing a veterinarian’s mask.
And after all, it’s hard to suspect someone who says they love animals.
“I really want to get closer to her, but it’s not easy. Maybe if we spend more time together…”
“You mean the cat? I never had any trouble with her… That’s why I named her ‘Gaenyang’ (clingy cat) in the first place.”
Gaenyang… Haein clenched her teeth. All she could hope now was that Taeil wouldn’t actually leave her in Siyul’s care again. Anything but being dumped into that devil’s arms.
Please, God, she prayed. Despite not believing in anything.
But it seemed that when the one you’re praying to has no intention of helping, all wishes are for nothing.
Like Haein’s wish to never see that bastard again.
And Taeil’s wish—wanting to get her checked out by that very same bastard.
________✧⑅˖♡∘˚˳°↝^._.^_________
“Gaenyang-ah? Come on down for a moment, okay? Time for a checkup.”
Haein had climbed to the top of the bookshelf—well out of reach—and made no move at all when Taeil called to her.
Usually, she made a show of being a sweet, obedient cat in front of him. But right now, she was acting like a total rebel. She knew exactly how much he worried about her… and yet.
Sure, he was a good owner. But right now, he was siding with Siyul.
“I just want to make sure you’re okay. Just for a bit.”
“……”
“Let’s just take a quick look at that scratch, yeah?”
Taeil held out his hands, ready to catch her, his voice coaxing.
But Haein inched further into the shadows, pressing her body flat against the shelf like a loaf of bread.
She even turned her face away, deliberately ignoring him.
“Gaenyang!”
Taeil raised his voice a little, feigning sternness, but Haein continued to lick her wound, feigning ignorance like a true cat.
It was her full-body protest. She hated the name “Gaenyang” to begin with, and she definitely didn’t want a checkup for injuries sustained during her escape—or worse, a test for some random disease she might’ve picked up outside.
Not that she needed one, anyway.
It had only been two days since returning home, but her wound was already healing fast. And Haein wasn’t an ordinary cat to begin with—she wasn’t susceptible to disease.
For someone like her, the hospital wasn’t just unnecessary—it was dangerous. If her secret were exposed, everything would fall apart.
But right now, what she feared wasn’t the hospital itself—
It was who was inside it.
As long as that guy was there, it wasn’t an animal hospital—it was the devil’s lair.
When she pictured him, she couldn’t help but imagine two red horns sprouting from his head.
A gleaming silver scalpel in one hand, a black pointed tail flicking behind his white coat—ready to dissect her at any moment.
That was Siyul in her mind. A wicked demon with a smile that only made him scarier.
“Uuurrrgh…” (Uuugh…)
Just imagining it made Haein tremble.
It was like an instinctive response—like an animal stiffening at the scent of its natural predator. Just the thought of ending up in his hands again was horrific.
At this point, dissection felt like the only thing left on his to-do list.
She frantically licked her paws to shake off the creeping dread.
Taeil, meanwhile, seemed to think the problem was the pet carrier. He slid it discreetly into a corner and spoke gently.
“Look. I put the carrier away. No vet visit. Just come down, okay?”
“…Meow.” (…Absolutely not.)
Hearing his baby-talk tone, Haein snorted in disbelief and even shook her head for emphasis.
Taeil realized that sometimes, pets being too smart was a curse.
With senses this sharp, how was he supposed to fool her?
“…Sigh.”
Eventually, he shrugged and gave up, heading back into the bedroom.
Haein’s eyes sparkled.
The tall, precarious bookshelf she’d chosen as her stronghold stood in the living room. From up there, she had a full view of the kitchen, entrance, bedroom—everything.
Watching Taeil disappear from sight, she let out a pleased hum.
She had won.
She even started humming aloud.
“Miyong, miyuuung, myang-myung~”
She didn’t even know what she was saying, just nodding her head and singing like she was on stage.
Victory! No more seeing that pervert!
Her eyes narrowed in satisfaction, ears perked, and her tail swayed gently behind her.
That’s more like it. If you just left me alone, I’d be fine! Why waste money to see that perverted vet?
She was beginning to understand why animals hated doctors. Though her hatred and fury were a little more… refined than your average pet’s.
Real animals disliked vets out of pain or instinct.
But Haein had a detailed, well-organized grudge list. And not just because of the oral exam.
1. He treats me like a dumb animal.
2. He wants to own me.
3. His ultimate goal is probably dissection.
4. He pretends to be a good person—most dangerous of all.
5. Almost fooled me, but I’ll never trust him again.
“Gaenyang! You should be grateful, you know.”
“Yong?” (Huh?)
Just as she was internally listing every reason Kang Siyul sucked, she locked eyes with Taeil as he returned to the living room.
He held up his phone, smiling brightly.
“I just got off the phone. Hyung said he’d come over himself.”
“…Myaa?” (…What?)
“He’s busy today, so he’ll drop by tomorrow evening instead. He really seems to adore you.”
Taeil’s gentle, radiant smile made Haein’s mouth fall open in horror.
