Ch. 37 Taming A Cat (2)

To my misfortune, and to Tae-il’s delight, we met up Si-yul again not long after.

Tae-il had brought a gift again, and was handing me over to Si-yul—not at the clinic, but right at the front door of his apartment. These two men were getting too close for comfort.

“I’m not going overseas for a photo shoot, but my aunt in Canada is getting married this time,” Tae-il explained.

“Wow, do you have a close relationship?”

“We do. I might end up staying longer than three nights…are you sure it’s alright that I leave Bow Meow with you?”

Si-yul gave a genial smile. “This is more convenient for me, so don’t worry about it, and just enjoy your trip. ” He smiled at me where I lay in the carrier.

Tae-il had cottoned on to the fact that I was too intelligent for my own good, and he had tricked me into thinking that we were going to the park. He even delayed his packing until the very last moment. Agh, he should have given me enough time to prepare myself! Are you kidding me?

“Grrrnnng…” I let out a rumbling growl of discontent.

“Well…I’ll leave you in her care, Hyeong-nim,” Tae-il said.

“Don’t worry about it.”

I was irritated that I was in Si-yul’s home by some trick, and Si-yul was now waving his hand as Tae-il left. My master wasn’t even going on a business trip, and he left me in the hands of this vet.

“Well, then…”

With a large smile, Si-yul opened the door of the carrier. However, I refused to go out and curled up inside.

“Come out,” he said encouragingly.

I scowled. “…L-later.”

“Hmmm.”

We had some kind of agreement with each other, but it wasn’t a peace treaty. How long ago was that kiss—no, that way he used to measure my internal temperature with his tongue? There was no way I could forget that so easily. The man who knew my secret was the most dangerous man.

Si-yul backed away and started walking back and forth through the room, and my eyes followed him anxiously. What was he doing? He seemed to be stacking something on the couch. It was piled up so I could see it from the carrier. It didn’t seem to be something new, but it looked like high quality items. The soft smell of detergent tickled my nose.

My head swayed as I peered out of the carrier, and realized what I was. It was a mountain of women’s clothing!

Si-yul held up one of the items. “What do you think? This is what my sister wore when she was in college. Her size is about yours.”

I stretched my head outside the carrier, fascinated by the other boxes I saw in the room.

“I took these out from storage to give to you. This way you won’t be burdened. You said you didn’t want freebies, right?”

“Huh?”

“I won’t give it to you, but I’ll rent it to you for a while. Why don’t you try it on?”

I thought it over for a moment. I knew he was figuring out ways to see me in my human form. I wondered why he was so obsessed with it. Was it because I was less ferocious then? I didn’t have my claws and fangs out?

Various guesses ran through my head, but soon I was overtaken by one thought.

I wanted to wear pretty clothes!

***

There was an insistent knocking on the door from outside.

Tang tang.

“Hey, cat, can you let me in now?”

Si-yul was unreliable, so I temporarily kicked him out of his home as I tried on the clothes. After I had locked the door and secured the door chain, I sorted through the pile and tried on several pieces. How long had it been since I had fun coordinating an outfit? Si-yul’s sister didn’t have the same tastes that I did, but she certainly had a sense of style.

After selecting something that looked appropriately cute for springtime, l studied myself in the mirror.

I really did look like a human like this!

Brimming with excitement, I skipped to the entrance as Si-yul knocked on the door for the fifth time.

“Open the door—”

“I want to go out!”

“What?”

I flung open the door, and Si-yul took a surprised step backwards as I stood in front of him with my eyes shimmering in joy.

Si-yul blinked. There was a cat inside the apartment, and then a person popped out. It was just like a magic trick.

“I want to go out!” I repeated.

“…Where?”

“There’s a place I’ve been wanting to go!”

Now that I had clothes, I could finally take advantage of the opportunity. It just so happened that Tae-il was abroad again for a few days, and this was the perfect time.

Si-yul looked me over from head to toe. The cat had a fashion sense…it was pretty cute.

“Just somewhere…Kang!”

“Huh?”

Si-yul was confused when I used his last name. Kang Si-yul was too long and bothersome, and I usually called him “vet” or “bastard!” However, calling him by his last name was just my way of being friendlier.

In truth, the reason was because I needed to ask him a favor. If I were I cat, I would have folded my ears and bowed meekly.

After a pause, I held out my small white palms and looked at him with my most begging expression.

“I need 10,000 won.” (TN: about $11)

“What are you going to use it for?”

“…Transportation costs.”

“Where are you going? I’ll give you a ride instead.”

A fiery look crossed my face.

“…Uuuurggh.”

I didn’t always realize it, but I made the same disgruntled sounds as a cat when I was annoyed. A vet would know immediately that it meant that an animal was fed up with them.

“Alright. I’ll lend you some money.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Let me go inside first. My wallet’s in there.”

I quickly nodded and stepped out of the way. I was in the debtor’s position after all, and I tried to take a more refreshing attitude today.

He quickly fetched his wallet, and I looked expectantly at him, waiting for him to take his money out. However, Si-yul stood next to me by the front door.

I tilted my head at him. “Uh?”

“Come on, let’s go.”

The front door was locked automatically with a clicking sound. I quickly pulled on the pair of casual women’s sneakers loaned to me, looking puzzled.

“…What? Are you coming with me?” I asked him.

My plan was to visit my mother’s house, and there was no way Si-yul could come with me. However, he was acting with the intent to win.

“I didn’t say I would hand the money right over to you. And how could I send an animal out there alone?”

This guy was a sleazy opportunist! He knew that I was broke without him.

“You can do no such thing,” I argued.

“I can,” he deadpanned.

“Well, then I’ll go on my own.”

“Then you don’t want me to lend you the money?”

Agh, then I would have no bus fare! Was this the hardship of the poor?

I puffed up my cheeks. Si-yul always managed to stick to me like a magnet no matter how much I tried to get rid of him. Why did I always want to compare everyone to Tae-il? My master was a virtuous man who tried to distance himself from a woman, while the jerk in front of me selfishly tried to fulfill his greed. Of course, there was a difference between a woman and a cat.

Si-yul looked at me patiently. “First of all, I’m your temporary guardian.”

“Ugh.”

“So am I coming?”

“…Yes,” I said defeatedly.

It was annoying, but it couldn’t be helped. It had been a long time since I went out as a person, and I missed being among other people. It was a sacrifice I would make.

“If we’re going out, why don’t we take the back entrance?” Si-yul suggested. “There are a lot of things to look at on that side.”

“Really?”

“Yes, although the season is almost over, there are still some cherry blossoms left. Let’s take a look.”

“I do like flowers—” I paused. That sounded like I date. I grabbed Si-yul’s sleeve.

“But if we do that, wouldn’t that be like a date?”

“No! I’m just your guardian and companion.”

“…What’s the difference?”

“It’s different, it’s different,” he insisted with a wave of his hand.

In the end, I couldn’t beat him with words.

“How so?”

“Um. It’s just walking.”

“… ugh!”

It was undeniable. From the outside, it would look just like a date.