《The Cat hides its Claws》 Chapter 1 ¡°You should stop running.¡± What Myohan saw when he looked up, panting, was the face of the man he was desperately trying to run away from. That was what he got after running until his hair was wet with sweat, despite still cool breeze of March. He looked up at the man, dispirited, but the man didn¡¯t even budge. He just looked down at Myohan, emotionless. 185cm? No, maybe even taller than that. It felt somewhat humiliating to look up at the tall man. Myohan knew he wasn¡¯t tall at all for a boy, but this was too much. ¡°Hey, cat.¡± ¡°Why are you calling me a cat?¡± Anyway, the man kept calling Myohan a ¡®cat¡¯. Then he made an offer. ¡°Just a year. No, it¡¯s not even a year. Until next February. Just do as I say in the meantime.¡± No, he was giving an order. ¡°It won¡¯t be bad for you.¡± That was an extremely crazy offer. Myohan couldn¡¯t understand it at all, and it wasn¡¯t tempting at all. Regardless, the man seemed quite confident. It seemed like he was sure Myohan would agree to his offer. Myohan glanced behind the man¡¯s shoulder. Then he narrowed his eyes. It seemed like the man wasn¡¯t going to move aside until Myohan gave him the answer he wanted, and Myohan wasn¡¯t going to agree to his offer. ¡°Hm.¡± Myohan was sure that ten out of ten people would hate the man¡¯s offer. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± ¡°How to run away from you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy. Just say yes, and then I¡¯ll let you go.¡± What the? What was he talking about? Myohan¡¯s lips twitched, but he knew it wasn¡¯t threatening at all to the man. ¡°I don¡¯t want to, that¡¯s why I¡¯m still here.¡± He took a deep breath. He had failed more than once, but he had no choice but to give it another try. He roughly measured the height of the wall behind him, and then spoke. ¡°I¡¯ve been telling you, no.¡± Then he took another deep breath. ¡°It won¡¯t work.¡± Yes, of course. Myohan couldn¡¯t help laughing. He turned his back on the man and jumped up to the wall. He was quite good at running away. He stood on the wall and the man¡¯s eyes followed him. He couldn¡¯t run to the other side of the wall. He didn¡¯t have time to think about what to do either. He couldn¡¯t run to the alley and he couldn¡¯t run from the man¡¯s gaze. Therefore, the only option he had was to strike directly. He could feel a drop of sweat running down his temple. He exhaled, then he smiled. Then, he jumped lightly. He jumped, putting a foot on the man¡¯s shoulder in the middle to go over him, like a feline beast. The man hadn¡¯t seen it coming. He flinched. And what Myohan did after that was just run like crazy. If the man could find him no matter where he hid, maybe he wouldn¡¯t be able to follow him if he just ran like that. He hadn¡¯t had much time to think if it was a good plan. It would be a lie to say he didn¡¯t have even a bit of hope about it. He could instinctively know he had been running for a long time, and he didn¡¯t see the man even when he was almost out of breath. But that hope was shattered the moment he stopped. ¡°I told you.¡± Oh, not again. ¡°It won¡¯t work.¡± Two hours. For two long hours, Myohan had been running away from the man, and he had been following Myohan. Now Myohan really wanted to know who he was and why he was making such an idiotic offer-like order. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to what you have to say.¡± ¡°Now you are ready to talk?¡± These were the things that the man had said while he chased Myohan: Deadline is next year¡¯s February. Twelve people to find. They have one thing in common. ¡°Why do I have to find those twelve animals for you?¡± The twelve zodiac animals. ¡°They are all humans. They just happen to turn into animals sometimes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s, hah¡­ Oh, I¡¯m so tired. Hey, then they¡¯re not humans.¡± To exaggerate a little, Myohan was about to die. He was completely out of breath, sweating hard, and he couldn¡¯t even see because his forehead sweat ran into his eyes. He couldn¡¯t understand how he could be so hot in such cool weather. ¡°They are humans. You¡¯re human, too.¡± Myohan frowned. It was too hot. He could feel streams of sweat running down his back. He took off his hoodie, revealing his T-shirt and white skin. It felt much better. ¡°They are normal humans with extraordinary physical abilities, but when a certain phenomenon occurs, they become animals. Mouse, cow, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, pig.¡± What are you talking about? Don¡¯t be so absurd. Myohan really wanted to say so, but the man went on before he could. ¡°And you, cat.¡± Myohan had been frowning so long that his forehead was getting wrinkles. He rubbed on it and blinked. ¡°Why do you keep calling me a cat?¡± ¡°Good at running, good at escaping, afraid of strangers, small.¡± Myohan wasn¡¯t happy to be called small, but he didn¡¯t show it. He just glared at the man, fanning his face. But of course his angry eyes plainly showed what he was thinking. ¡°You turn into a cat when a certain phenomenon occurs.¡± Myohan wanted to say no. He was sure he could tell him to stop talking nonsense and go away. If it hadn¡¯t been for the man¡¯s confidence, Myohan would have mocked him and went back home. ¡°Put that on again. You¡¯ll catch a cold.¡± A cool breeze blew. Myohan let out a sigh. He had always had good guts, and today, his guts were signaling danger. Getting stuck with this man was not going to be good, so he decided to run away. ¡°Well, let us discuss this seriously. We have to find twelve men in total, or, twelve animals, if you prefer it that way. The deadline is before the next year. You must find what changes the twelve zodiac animals into animals and find the twelve.¡± Now he was saying ¡®you¡¯ instead of ¡®us¡¯. Myohan had been feeling it for some time, but this man was used to giving orders than asking. And yes, it was rude, but for some reason, Myohan didn¡¯t feel like objecting to it, probably because his instincts knew the man was his superior. He tried to make a quick calculation about what would happen if he agreed to help the man and what would happen if he didn¡¯t agree. The former was going to be too much work, but so was the latter. Oh, why he was facing such tremendous hardship? ¡°Okay, I know that, but I¡¯ve been asking, why do I have to find those twelve animals for ¡®you¡¯?¡± Yes, drag out as much time as possible. Of course, even that was too much work for Myohan. ¡°I never said it is for me.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s for me?¡± ¡°Yes, almost.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Have you ever wondered why you turn into a cat?¡± ¡°I can know that if I find them?¡± ¡°No.¡± Is this man toying with me? ¡°Well, enough playing.¡± ¡°¡­You can read my mind?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t seem to know that what you think plainly shows on your face.¡± No, I don¡¯t think so. But the man even noticed that thought and was somewhat surprised. It was the first expression of emotion he showed, so Myohan thought it was somewhat strange. ¡°You may not find out why you change into a cat, but you will be able to stop turning into a cat.¡± The man seemed to be up to having a serious conversation with Myohan. Meanwhile, Myohan didn¡¯t know how much of the truth the man was telling, but he had to listen to him to get out of this predicament. ¡°And why should I trust you?¡± ¡°So suspicious, just like a cat.¡± The man kept thinking of Myohan as an animal, even though he had said that Myohan and his kind were humans. Myohan snorted and looked away. ¡°To doubt the credibility of my story, you should have doubted who I am first.¡± ¡°How impatient. I was about to start doubting you.¡± ¡°I think it won¡¯t be bad for you. It will be great if you stop turning into a cat, and even if that doesn¡¯t happen, you¡¯ll get some animal friends. Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to know you¡¯re not the only human who turns into an animal?¡± ¡°But why does it have to be me?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re a cat.¡± Cats were full of doubt. Yes, it was a bit tempting, but it was still suspicious. Myohan crossed his arms and threw his head backwards, making his pale hair dishevel softly. The back of his neck felt cold with the sweat cooling down. But he didn¡¯t wear his hoodie again. He didn¡¯t want to show he was really afraid of catching a cold. Why was this man suddenly messing up Myohan¡¯s life? ¡°You may think I¡¯m doing this suddenly, but I am not doing this suddenly.¡± Did he really read minds? ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this day for a long time, longer than you can ever imagine. This life, this year, the moment when the twelve animals and the cat will gather.¡± A corner of Myohan¡¯s lips curled up. ¡°Do you think speaking like that suddenly will make me pity you?¡± The man immediately got rid of his sad face and muttered. Well, it was worth a try. ¡°It will take at least a month to find each of them. I¡¯m supposed to find the twelve till December when it¡¯s already March?¡± ¡°I told you, until February, not December. You can do it.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t say ¡®you¡¯.¡± Myohan was engulfed in a strange sense of anxiety every time the man said ¡®you¡¯, like he was supposed to do it all alone. ¡°Let¡¯s find the mouse first. You will find him in a week. You can do it.¡± The man kept saying ¡®you¡¯. Myohan never said ¡®okay¡¯ either, but the man seemed to be beliving as he wanted. Myohan wanted to say something in protest, but then he recalled something and looked at his phone in fear. Then he started to run with a speed beyond comparison with when he had run away from the man earlier. He had forgotten all about it, but he was on his way to school. Chapter 2 The cool breeze blew. The weather was still cold, but the sunlight was warm, so it didn¡¯t feel bad overall. During such good days, the best thing to do was to have a leisurely nap on a seat near the windows, but¡­ ¡°Myohan! Let¡¯s play soccer!¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m mopping?¡± Myohan angrily rubbed the wet mop on the floor. He did it because he was mad, but it splattered dirty water all over and he soon had to stop. Myohan¡¯s friend Byeon Sinsul, who was wearing a T-shirt and holding a soccer ball, tapped on Myohan¡¯s head with it playfully. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have come late, you know.¡± ¡°Oh, go away, you bastard.¡± Myohan angrily pushed the ball away and placed the mop right in front of Sinsul¡¯s shoes. He thought it would make him at least flinch, but Sinsul loved soccer and his shoes were already dirty. He just smiled. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m a bastard, so start coming early to school!¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t late because I wanted to.¡± ¡°Of course, you never oversleep because you want to.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Sinsul took a step back only when Myohan threateningly raised his mop. He put his ball on his head and shrugged with a smile. He looked so playful and good that it made Myohan¡¯s anger fade. He just sadly put his face on the mop¡¯s stick. Then he sighed deeply. ¡°I was late because some idiot was picking on me, and now I have to be punished for that¡­¡± ¡°Some idiot?¡± Cats slept ten to sixteen hours every day. Although Myohan insisted he wasn¡¯t a cat, he was a cat, and he slept a lot. He was often late to school because he tended to oversleep. ¡°You had a fight?¡± Therefore, whenever Myohan said he had come late for a good reason, his homeroom teacher immediately dismissed it as bullshit and sentenced him to cleaning the hallway for a week. Well, it was wrong to come to school by lunchtime, but he hadn¡¯t wanted to! ¡°No, not that. I was chased.¡± ¡°Tut tut, you should have been nice, or you should have run well.¡± ¡°I did run well, and it took that long.¡± The chase he thought to have lasted for two hours turned out to be a four-hour one. It was already afternoon when Myohan arrived at school, and since the teacher had been sick of him being frequently late since the beginning of the semester, he showed no mercy. Sinsul clucked his tongue at Myohan, then he took all the other boys to the schoolyard. Myohan kept looking at them as they went down, not because he wanted to play soccer but because he envied their freedom. Sandy wind came in through open windows. Cleaning the hallway wasn¡¯t hard. He didn¡¯t have to clean the entire hallway; he just had to clean a few meters right in front of his homeroom. The problem was that the taps were at the end of the schoolyard, and he was on the sixth floor. To clean the hallway, he had to take the dry mop to the end of the schoolyard, soak it with water, go back to the sixth floor, clean, go down to the schoolyard again to wash the mop, and go back to his homeroom on the sixth floor to put it back. He was sure he was about to lose some weight. ¡°Oh Myohan, you came late again?¡± ¡°You¡¯re just hopeless!¡± ¡°You all want to die? Come here!¡± His classmates chuckled and passed by, patting his hair. The class president even gave him a can of soda. He looked down at citronade he would never buy with his own money, and then recalled the class president¡¯s name was Yuja, which literally meant citron. Well, he certainly did live up to his name. ¡°Teacher, I¡¯m done.¡± After mopping the floor absent-mindedly, it was all clean and shiny. Now it was time to go to the taps to wash the mop. ¡°Oh, really.¡± He really didn¡¯t want to do it. He wondered if he couldn¡¯t do it in the toilet and looked, but there were already some students who had carried out exactly the same idea being punished there. Now he had no choice but to utilize his useless cat abilities. He slowly walked to the end of the hallway. Then he looked around. Luckily, there wasn¡¯t anyone nearby, and when he looked down, the ground was empty as well. Now he didn¡¯t have to hesitate. He opened a window wide and threw the mop to a tree. He could just jump, but the mop could be broken. The mop fell, bumping into branches, and safely landed. Myohan checked it and stood on the window sill. It was most certainly faster than walking down. It was just a little, no, pretty dangerous, and he was going to be in big trouble if anyone caught him. Myohan looked down. It was dizzily high, but he wasn¡¯t afraid. He narrowed his eyes to see there the mop was. Then he jumped, just like he had had when he jumped up to a wall to run away from the man earlier the day. He jumped lightly like a cat and easily landed on the ground. He patted his pants and shirt to check if there was any damage. He stood straight and tried jumping. He couldn¡¯t feel any pain. His legs were fine. Feeling pretty good, he picked up the mop and looked up to the window he had just jumped from. Then his eyes narrowed. Someone was looking down at him here. He tried to see who it was, but the shadow disappeared. It couldn¡¯t be good, but Myohan just shook his head and moved. Maybe his eyes had been wrong. He just couldn¡¯t wait to wash that mop and go home. The man didn¡¯t show up after school finished and he arrived home. He thought while he took a bath. Now to think about it, he had so many questions he hadn¡¯t been able to ask. Like how he had found Myohan, how he had found out he was a cat, how did he know about the twelve zodiac animals, and why he was asking him instead of anyone else. ¡°What kind of idiot is he¡­¡± Myohan muttered as he dried his hair with a towel, of course not expecting an answer at all. ¡°First off, I¡¯m not an idiot.¡± Chills crept up on his back. He wanted to scream, but he was way too shocked that he couldn¡¯t utter a word. Every streak of hair on his body rose in tension. He froze, right there, with his hands on his cheeks. The man appeared in front of him. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d be so surprised.¡± Shit. Myohan cursed silently. He could hear his own heart beating like crazy. He just blinked, completely frozen, and the man just shrugged to see him like that. ¡°So easily scared, just like a cat.¡± ¡°Shit.¡± Eventually he said what he had in mind. Myohan was in his home¡¯s living room. The door was locked. The only entrance was the huge window of the biggest bedroom, but there was no way anyone could enter a window on the 20th floor, unless they knew how to climb walls. What kind of lunatic would do such a dangerous thing just to break into someone¡¯s home? ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how I came in here. Well, let us sit down and talk.¡± The man sat down on the sofa, crossed his legs and looked at Mohan, as if it was his home. Yes, maybe he could do such crazy things. ¡°How do you know where I live?¡± Myohan sat diagonally from the man with the towel still on his head. But the man just shrugged and didn¡¯t answer his question. Myohan was grateful that at least he wasn¡¯t rude enough to demand a cup of tea. It was so confusing that it felt so¡­unreal. ¡°Well, have you thought about it?¡± ¡°Whatever. How did you find me? No, more than that, how did you get in?¡± ¡°Cats are¡ª¡± ¡°If you are about to say cats are so curious, just answer my questions. And how did you find out I¡¯m a cat?¡± The man looked so surprised that Myohan was saying what he wanted to say. Now he felt like answering. He leaned down to put an arm on the table. Then he stared hard at Myohan. ¡°You look like a cat.¡± Myohan wanted to tell him to stop joking, but he looked too serious that he missed the chance to say so. Myohan reclined on the sofa and tilted his head backwards, letting out a heavy sigh. Of course, it wasn¡¯t entirely wrong to say he looked like a cat. With his pale but stretched-up eyes and pale hair, Myohan looked quite sharp, and anyone would have said he looked like a cat. But in that sense, at least ten million out of fifty million Koreans had to be cats. The man read the mood and spoke a little warmer than before. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give you a chance to ask questions. I promise to answer them seriously.¡± ¡°How do you know me?¡± The man blinked as if he couldn¡¯t understand the question. ¡°Oh Myohan. Cat. Eighteen years old. That¡¯s all I know about you.¡± ¡°Then you know almost nothing about me. How do you know that I¡¯m a cat?¡± ¡°I just know.¡± Another game? Myohan glared at him, a lot irritated. Despite it, he seemed quite solemn. ¡°I just know. I know when I see you if you are a cat or any other animal.¡± ¡°Then you can recognize other animals when you see them?¡± ¡°Roughly.¡± ¡°Then you can find them alone. Why do you want my help?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re the cat.¡± The conversation was going nowhere. The man was not giving any answers despite his promise to give serious answers. Myohan was tired of dealing with him and pulled down the towel to cover his eyes. He couldn¡¯t see, but he could feel the man¡¯s gaze fixed on him. ¡°A long, long time ago, a god spoke.¡± The man suddenly started telling a story. Myohan had heard it before. ¡°To announce he would give huge rewards to animals who came to meet him in the morning of the new year. The cow, who wasn¡¯t good at running, left for the god¡¯s place on the day before early in the morning, and the clever mouse climbed up on its back for a free ride. The cow arrived at the palace by dusk, but as soon as the gate opened, the mouse ran to enter the palace first. So the cow got second place, and the tiger, who could run hundreds of kilometers without resting, came in third. The rabbit who was good at running but took a nap during the journey got fourth place. The dragon, the only animal who could fly among them, came next. The snake was the sixth, horse the seventh, followed by the sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig.¡± ¡°But that¡¯s a legend. A myth.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a legend. Because in this story, the cat is hated by the god for being fooled by the mouse.¡± ¡°Whatever,¡± Myohan muttered, but the man went on calmly. ¡°There is a different version. Once upon a time, there lived a lonely god.¡± He seemed to be joking, but Myohan didn¡¯t have the energy to stop him. He just closed his mouth and let him continue. ¡°This god had twelve good subjects he liked. The god gave each of them the name of the animal he looked like as his last name. Then he divided the day into twenty-four hours and gave two hours to each of them. They all choose the hours they liked, but one man, who looked like a cat, couldn¡¯t choose a time.¡± Myohan pulled down the towel to meet eyes with the man. He was still staring at Myohan. His dry voice continued, ¡°The god pitied him and gave him the power to control the other twelve.¡± His black eyes swayed with emotions which were hard to name. ¡°That¡¯s you, cat.¡± The man¡¯s lips curled up softly. Myohan narrowed his eyes to see him smile, and then he spoke in a trustworthy voice that wasn¡¯t like him. ¡°That¡¯s why I need you.¡± Chapter 3 Myohan wanted to deny it, but for a second, he thought maybe the man really needed him. Perhaps his black eyes were beguiling him. He even pitied the man and his plea. But that thought didn¡¯t last long. The man¡¯s expression soon changed and he grinned. ¡°And that was a joke.¡± ¡°What?¡± The man winked as Myohan gave him a shocked look. Then he closed his eyes and reclined. ¡°I need you for one reason. I¡¯m so busy that I need some helping hands, maybe even helping paws, so I¡¯m going to get your help. It would be better to do it together than to do it alone.¡± Myohan couldn¡¯t tell how much of the man¡¯s words were genuine, but he thought he was still joking and threw his towel at him with all his might. However, the piece of cloth just landed on the man¡¯s lap lightly. Anyway, Myohan decided to try a different approach. Waiting for the man to explain wasn¡¯t going to get them anywhere, so he had to point out everything that seemed suspicious. ¡°What on earth are you going to do when you find them?¡± ¡°Nothing bad for you, cat.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Myohan narrowed his eyes, disgusted. He didn¡¯t like the man¡¯s way of talking. ¡°You are right. I¡¯m a cat, and I sometimes turn into a cat, which puzzles me a lot. But it¡¯s not like it¡¯s troubling me a lot.¡± Myohan checked and the man wasn¡¯t saying anything. Then he continued slowly. ¡°Having better reflexes than others is rather good.¡± He recalled how he had jumped from the sixth floor earlier in the day. An ordinary man wouldn¡¯t have been able to do it. ¡°If we find those twelve and I stop turning into a cat, just like you¡¯re promising, it would be good only for me. So why are you convincing me to find them? What will you get out of it?¡± It had been bothering him all along. The man¡¯s offer had a great flaw. He wasn¡¯t going to gain anything by helping Myohan become a full human, but he was literally forcing him to find the twelve zodiac animals. ¡°And who the hell are you that you know about them?¡± The man slowly frowned. Then he opened his mouth as if he wanted to talk, but he closed it again. He looked a little frustrated. Myohan went on calmly. ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep talking if you¡¯re not going to give any answers. How can I trust you and help you? Why would anyone kindly help a total stranger who talks nonsense?¡± ¡°There are many things I can¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯re done here.¡± Myohan made it clear that he had reached his limits. The man kept playing a game of words, and it wasn¡¯t making him feel like helping at all. Being bothered was the thing he hated the most. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you who I am.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°All I can tell you is that I have to retrieve something special to me, and to do it, I must find all twelve animals. And to find them, I must get your help.¡± Their eyes met. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything once we find them all. I promise you won¡¯t be losing anything with this.¡± Myohan wanted to tell him to leave, but he couldn¡¯t, because¡ª ¡°I promise.¡± Firstly, the man¡¯s voice trembled a little, ¡°I¡¯m really good at keeping promises.¡± and secondly, his eyes looked so sad. ¡°Help me, cat.¡± Myohan was dull to other¡¯s feelings naturally. He wasn¡¯t kind enough to pity anyone, and he wasn¡¯t nice enough to help without getting something in return. ¡°I don¡¯t trust you.¡± But this time, it was different. Each word the man said reached the depth of Myohan¡¯s heart. It almost felt like he was being enchanted. ¡°But you find the rat within a week. Then I will help, even if I don¡¯t trust you.¡± Myohan couldn¡¯t push the man away. His animalistic instincts were telling him so. The man¡¯s eyes widened, and then he smiled softly. ¡°Of course.¡± *** Three days passed. Despite the man¡¯s promise to find the rat, he was nowhere to be seen. Myohan was supposed to feel good about it, but for some reason, he was disappointed. ¡®I will distribute time to you.¡¯ He sighed as he mopped the floor. He was thinking of the dream he had had the night before. ¡®The moon and the sun¡­¡¯ The dream had been foggy, and he forgot about half of it the moment when he woke up. He thought he heard some of the things the man had talked about, like distributing time and the thirteen, but he couldn¡¯t recall. He just decided to blame the man¡¯s nonsense for all that. ¡°Myohan! You are not late these days! I guess your punishment has taught you a lesson?¡± ¡°Yeah, this is really killing me. I would rather stay up all night and come in time than to do this more.¡± Sinsul, who was holding his soccer ball again, leaned against a wall to make a joke to Myohan. He found it extremely amazing that Myohan wasn¡¯t coming to school late anymore. After mopping the floor, Myohan straightened his back, stretched, and yawned, just like a cat. It was a cat habit which only he didn¡¯t know about. ¡°I heard the teacher saying she would end your cleaning punishment early.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah, she likes you because you get good grades. It¡¯s only when you come late.¡± ¡°Oh¡­. yes, you¡¯re right.¡± ¡°And unless you don¡¯t sleep during classes.¡± Although Myohan was frequently late to school and spent his time there mostly on sleeping, he got quite good grades. He was smart, and as he heard everything that happened around him even while he was sleeping, he never missed a word his teachers said. And it wasn¡¯t like he caused trouble, so he was a good student, as long as he wasn¡¯t late of course. ¡°If you are going to wash that mop, let¡¯s go together.¡± ¡°No, that isn¡¯t necessary.¡± ¡°Well let¡¯s go! I¡¯ll keep you entertained!¡± Myohan, who had been planning to jump from a window again, frowned, but Sinsul couldn¡¯t know what he was thinking and pressed him. Myohan eventually had to go with him reluctantly, but then he felt someone looking at him and looked back. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just¡­¡± The gaze felt familiar. He had felt it when he jumped from the window the other day. It was quite ominous to dismiss it as an illusion. ¡°It feels like someone keeps staring at me these days.¡± ¡°But this is an all-boys¡¯ school. Are you going crazy?¡± ¡°No, you idiot. Of course not.¡± Myohan let out a sigh and shook his head. He couldn¡¯t expect a serious answer to anything from Sinsul. And despite his promise to keep Myohan entertained, he ran away kicking his ball the moment they arrived at the schoolyard. Myohan had to go to the taps alone. But when he got there, he found the place wasn¡¯t deserted. He narrowed his eyes to see a familiar back. Then the man took his eyes off the sky and commented leisurely. ¡°You¡¯re late.¡± ¡°Why are you here?¡± The man hadn¡¯t come to see Myohan for three days. He just shrugged at the question. ¡°I was a bit sick.¡± ¡°I asked, what you are doing here.¡± ¡°I thought you were going to jump down from that building.¡± He pointed at a window on the sixth floor. Myohan thought the gaze must have been his, so he just started to wash his mop. ¡°You have two days left to find the rat.¡± ¡°No, I still have four days.¡± ¡°Weekend doesn¡¯t count.¡± ¡°Well¡­. Okay, if that¡¯s what you want.¡± ¡°But you don¡¯t look worried at all.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to find him today.¡± ¡°How?¡± Myohan asked that without much thought, just because he couldn¡¯t understand how the man was going to find the rat after three days of doing nothing. But instead of answering the question, the man smiled mischievously and grabbed a hose, its end pointed directly at Myohan. Before he could get away, he turned the tap. Water started coming out mercilessly until Myohan was completely soaked. The man turned off the tap only then. Myohan¡¯s hair was dripping water. ¡°Like this.¡± For a moment, Myohan couldn¡¯t know what was happening. His hair dripping water, the man smiling so brightly, it all just didn¡¯t feel real. He rubbed his face with his shaking hand. It was all real. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you.¡± Myohan hated water. And it was really cold. He undid three buttons of his now completely soaked shirt, and then he took a step toward the man. He was still smiling. ¡°And how are you going to do it?¡± Chapter 4 ¡°Like this, you idiot.¡± The man quickly hid behind the taps, but of course Myohan wasn¡¯t going to let him escape like that. He jumped up to the taps, the hose now in his hands. Water started to come out of it. Myohan¡¯s mop was lying in the dirt now. But the man didn¡¯t fear the jet of water and moved. He dodged, came to Myohan and grabbed the hose, making water splatter everywhere. Myohan angrily took the hose again and growled. ¡°You show up after three days, and this is what you do?¡± ¡°You asked me how I am going to catch the rat.¡± ¡°And this is your answer? Huh?¡± Myohan threateningly waved the hose. The man was fast, but he couldn¡¯t dodge the strong jet of water forever. He eventually took the attack and raised both hands. ¡°Well, now I¡¯m soaked too, so it¡¯s even, right?¡± ¡°Of course not. I will give you twice of what you gave me.¡± Myohan¡¯s revenge wasn¡¯t over yet, and he fired water to him again. But then two things he hadn¡¯t been able to expect happened. One, the man dodged his attack with his great reflexes. Two, there was a student he had never seen before standing where the man had been standing a second ago. ¡°¡­Oh.¡± It happened just too suddenly. The good student, who was there just to wash his mop, got the spray of water instead of the man. ¡°Oh, my.¡± Then he turned into an animal. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t pour water on a stranger like that.¡± Into the rat they had been looking for. ¡°What the¡­.¡± ¡°What did I tell you?¡± The man smiled playfully. Water was still coming out of the hose Myohan was holding. The man turned off the tap instead and shrugged to Myohan. ¡°I told you we would find him.¡± Myohan met the rat¡¯s eyes. It was hiding in its own school uniform, and he could see it bury its face in its front paws. Both the uniform and the rat were damp now. The man raised it by its neck. ¡°You know, there¡¯s an old saying¡­¡± The rat twisted in his hand, demanding to be put down. It chittered and waved its short legs. It pitifully thrashed, but the man didn¡¯t let it go. He just put it right in front of Myohan¡¯s face to finish his sentence. ¡°About a soaked rat.¡± The rat gave up fighting. It was just a rat, but it somehow looked so pitiful that Myohan laughed. ¡°We¡¯ve caught a soaked rat.¡± Actually, Myohan hadn¡¯t believed what he said, both about how he would stop turning into a cat when they found all the twelve, and that there were other people who turned into animals. He had lived for 18 years already, but he hadn¡¯t seen anyone like that. Yet, he had just witnessed an ordinary student turn into a rat. It looked quite bewildered, and Myohan was extremely shocked. The only one who remained calm was the man. Myohan didn¡¯t know what to say at first, but the man patiently waited for him. ¡°¡­So it is real.¡± ¡°I never lie.¡± ¡°This is crazy.¡± Crazy. That one word was enough to express everything he was feeling right now. He kept muttering the word and jumped down the taps. He stood in front of the man and grabbed the rat, making it shriek angrily. ¡°Okay.¡± Myohan took the rat from the man and put it on his hand. It rolled up into a ball and looked up at Myohan between its paws. ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± Myohan tapped the man¡¯s shoulder. He had promised to help if he found the rat within a week. He had said it willingly, and he was going to keep his promise. Plus, he had to find out more about the dream he had the night before. The man¡¯s lips curled up in satisfaction. It was then when the frightened rat suddenly started to cry. ¡°Who¡¯s been playing with water?¡± They could see someone, probably a teacher, running to them. Well they had been having one hell of a water fight, and of course it couldn¡¯t go unnoticed. Myohan quickly picked up the rat¡¯s clothes and yelled. ¡°Run!¡± The rat also started to cry in his hand. Myohan was really good at running away. They headed to Myohan¡¯s home. School was over, so it was okay to do so. He didn¡¯t like his bag was still at school, but it wasn¡¯t like anything bad was going to happen to it overnight. ¡°Ugh! Hey!¡± The rat-student had an extremely annoying voice. He stomped his feet and frowned, and the way he talked sounded like a chittering rat. ¡°Aren¡¯t you crazy? Who do you think you are to splatter water on a complete stranger? Huh? Are you kidding me? You¡¯re going to tell everyone about this, aren¡¯t you? That I turn into a rat? Uuuugh! And I couldn¡¯t even do my cleaning duty because of you?¡± His name was Lee Jagyeom. The nametag on his school uniform said so. He turned back into human exactly an hour after he turned into a rat. As soon as it happened, he put on his clothes and started to shout angrily. He chittered a lot as a rat, but now that he was a human, he was even noisier. ¡°Maybe we should pour water on him again.¡± Jagyeom heard the man mutter so and closed his mouth, flinching. But Myohan shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t. We can¡¯t have a conversation with a rat.¡± ¡°You¡­.bastards! You want to pour water on me again? Is making fun of me so enjoyable to you? What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a bucket in the bathroom.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go get it.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± But Jagyeon grabbed Myohan¡¯s arm. The man, who was on his way to the bathroom to get water, stopped to see it. Jagyeom looked at Myohan with tears in his eyes. ¡°Please, no water¡­.¡± Myohan could understand him. Of course he hated turning into a rat. Myohan could relate to it, so he tutted and nodded. ¡°Only if you stop chittering. It¡¯s too noisy.¡± Jagyeom looked like he wanted to protest, but then he saw Myohan narrow his eyes, he decided not to say anything. A cat was also a predator to a rat. Of course those feline eyes made him shudder. ¡°You¡¯re Lee JagyeoM, right? I¡¯m O Myohan. Junior, Class One.¡± ¡°I know. You clean the hallway every day.¡± ¡°Only for this week. And this is¡ª¡± But Myohan had to stop there and look up at the man. Now that he thought about it, he knew nothing about the man. How old was he? Where did he live? What was his name? Then the man felt the gaze and slowly talked. ¡°¡­.O Shin.¡± ¡°Osin?¡± ¡°O, Shin.¡± ¡°So your family name is O and your name is Shin?¡± He nodded, slowly but surely. Myohan snorted angrily and muttered. ¡°What an arrogant name.¡± Jagyeom rolled his eyes. He was small, but now that he was cringing in fear, he looked even smaller. ¡°You said something about finding me or something earlier. What did you mean by that?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Myohan exclaimed. He had forgotten all about it because of Jagyeom¡¯s annoying protests. But he found explaining himself too bothersome, so he just looked at O Shin, demanding him to talk. ¡°He is looking for the twelve zodiac animals.¡± ¡°I told you, it¡¯s ¡®us¡¯, not ¡®me¡¯ alone.¡± Jagyeom¡¯s eyes widened. He looked like a surprised baby animal. ¡°The twelve zodiac animals?¡± ¡°Yes. There are twelve people who turn into animals like you, and they are the twelve zodiac animals?¡± ¡°There are others who turn into animals like me?¡± ¡°Yes, there are. I¡­¡± But O Shin lightly hit his shoulder before Myohan could finish the sentence. He looked at him, and O Shin¡¯s calmly voice spoke instead. ¡°There are eleven others. I must find them, and you must help me.¡± It was the method he had used with Myohan. Myohan thought, ¡®That¡¯s not going to work¡¯, and at the same time, Jagyeom angrily protested he wasn¡¯t obliged to help. But then O Shin smiled and put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Do you want to turn into a rat in front of a huge crowd?¡± ¡°Hup!!¡± ¡°They won¡¯t leave you alone once they find out you¡¯re a rat.¡± Wow, he¡¯s a really evil bastard. Myohan couldn¡¯t help but be impressed. He wondered for a second if he had been blackmailed like that as well. Luckily, he couldn¡¯t recall it. ¡°You¡¯re going to help, right?¡± Jagyeom seemed to think it was totally unfair, but he couldn¡¯t find anything to say. There was no way to escape O Shin and Myohan. Turning into a rat when touching water was a great weakness. A lot of bad things had happened to him because of it. Moving, transferring, and eventually taking a middle school qualification test to enter the high school he was currently attending. He had survived a year there, and life had never been happy, but now he had been caught as soon as he became a junior. He looked like wanted to cry, much like Myohan only a few days ago. Of course, O Shin had mercy on neither of them. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡± ¡°Wait, wait!¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are there really eleven others?¡± O Shin just nodded. ¡°And what are you going to do to us when you find us all?¡± It was similar to the question Myohan had asked, but while Myohan asked about his own future, Jagyeom was talking about ¡®us¡¯. Myohan wished O Shin would use the word. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when we find them all.¡± ¡°But how can I trust you two?¡± ¡°You two?¡± Myohan frowned, not glad to be grouped with O Shin. It made Jagyeom quickly lose his courage. ¡°¡­You¡¯re not going to sell us or something, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± That answer came without any hesitation. O Shin sounded confident, which seemed to make Jagyeom relax a little. If this wasn¡¯t about a physical experiment or being sold off to the media, he had no reason to be too afraid. He let out a sigh and then asked again in his usual shrill voice. ¡°So where are they?¡± That was a foolish question. O Shin had said, ¡®You must help to find them¡¯, so asking where they were wasn¡¯t going to get them anywhere. O Shin just smiled. ¡°That¡¯s what we have to find out.¡± Myohan could feel deja-vu. He was saying the same thing he had said to Myohan. ¡°But how?¡± ¡°Oh, about that¡­¡± Myohan knew what O Shin was about to say. He turned aside and mouthed what O Shin said simultaneously. ¡°You are going to find out how.¡± Passing of responsibility. That was what O Shin was really good at. Chapter 5 Although they found the rat much easier than Myohan had thought, they didn¡¯t make any progress after that for a month. Jagyeom kept chittering and protesting about their lack of progress, and Myohan wondered if he should pour a bucket of water on him. In the meantime, time went by quickly, and Myohan got a strange worry. ¡°Myohan! Let¡¯s go to play soccer!¡± That stupid sport. Sinsul ran out to the schoolyard to play soccer whenever he had time to, which made Myohan wonder if he was possessed by a ghost who died before he could play enough soccer. As usual, he was trying to bring Myohan into his team again. As a cat, Myohan had great reflexes, so he was really great at soccer. When he got the ball, no one could take it away from him, and when he didn¡¯t have the ball, he took it from the other team in no time. He was that good even when he played reluctantly, so imagine how good he could have been if he played with a bit of enthusiasm. Sinsul¡¯s final goal was to make Myohan play soccer at the big sports festival in June. ¡°I have to go to clean the library.¡± Of course, Myohan had no time for balls. On the day he rescued the wet rat and took him to his home, he forgot two things. One, the mop he left by the taps. Two, his distinctively bright hair color. ¡°Are you going to play soccer after that?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m going home.¡± It wasn¡¯t meant to be a water fight, but it ended as one, and Myohan ended up taking all the credit for it. His teacher was really mad and sentenced him to cleaning the library, and although Myohan thought it wasn¡¯t fair, he had to clean the library every day after classes. ¡°Why are you always so eager to go home? Come on, let¡¯s play soccer!¡± So was Myohan worrying about Sinsul and his passion or soccer or his library cleaning duty? No. He let out a deep sigh and then abruptly looked back. ¡°What is it?¡± Sinsul asked with wide eyes. The hallway looked just as usual. Myohan studied every part of it, but then he narrowed his eyes and shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°Do you feel like playing soccer now?¡± ¡°No, not at all.¡± ¡°But why? Please, let¡¯s go!¡± But Myohan just smacked Sinsul¡¯s head and ran down the stairs while he was in pain. Sinsul didn¡¯t follow him, so he must have given up for today. When Myohan looked up, he could see him telling a joke to a student who had been passing by. Myohan ran down the stairs and looked up at the windows again when he was outside. No one was there, but he couldn¡¯t help feeling troubled. The library was in the new building for freshmen instead of the old building for juniors. Its name was the Space for Dreaming, and Myohan thought the real dreaming he needed was the one he did while sleeping as he organized the returned books. ¡°¡­.¡± Then again, he felt someone staring at him. He put down the book with a thud and slowly walked around the library. He was the only one there. Students borrowed books mostly during lunchtime, and they tended to go to other places, such as home, after classes. He had to be alone in there, and it was creepy that he could feel a gaze. He checked no one was there and picked up a book again, but then someone put a hand on his shoulder. ¡°What the, why are you trying to hit me?¡± ¡°¡­.Oh.¡± The yelling was Jagyeom¡¯s. Myohan let out a sigh to see him raise his hands in defense. Then he put down the book he¡¯d been holding. He had raised it instinctively. ¡°Why did you surprise me?¡± ¡°I just put a hand on your shoulder. It was wrong of you to be so surprised by it!¡± Chitter, chitter. He was talking in human language, but somehow it sounded like a rat¡¯s chitter. Myohan lightly hit his head to make him shut up, only to get a fierce gaze in return. ¡°Since when have you been here?¡± ¡°I was here before you came in!¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Then I must have missed you because you are so small. But Myohan didn¡¯t say that thought out loud. Jagyeom was a lot smaller than him, and he was extremely sensitive about it. Myohan had once called him small, and he got to learn he, a cat, could actually be threatened by a rat. ¡°Was anyone else here?¡± ¡°Huh? No, who would come to the library after classes?¡± ¡°Well, only a bookrat like you would.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me a rat! What if someone hears us?¡± Then he would think ¡®rat¡¯ was Jagyeom¡¯s nickname, but Myohan just nodded. It seemed like Jagyeom hadn¡¯t been the one who alerted him. Jagyeom had been looking at Myohan for about twenty minutes at most, but Myohan had felt that gaze at least twice before. There was a maniac stalking him, but it soon disappeared like always, so Myohan decided he didn¡¯t have to care about it much. ¡°Let¡¯s go home, rat.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡± Thinking about it, it had started about a month ago. He could feel a gaze, but when he looked to its direction, there was no one there. He wondered if it was that man who wanted him to find the twelve animals, but that gaze was slightly different from his. And most of all¡ª ¡°Oh, hey.¡± ¡°How long are you going to stay here?¡± The man had been living at Myohan¡¯s for a month now. After they found Jagyeom, he naturally stayed there without asking for permission. Now he greeted Myohan when he came home as if they had always been living together, so he couldn¡¯t be the one watching Myohan. ¡°Isn¡¯t it time to find the other animals?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t like the slow process, go out and look for them yourself.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t find them because you¡¯re wasting your time cleaning the library.¡± No, Myohan changed his mind. It had to be him. ¡°Are you stalking me?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Myohan stood right next to the man, who was lying on the sofa, and leaned down to look into his eyes. ¡°Look at me.¡± His black, beady eyes meet the pair of particularly faint eyes. Staring like that, they became close, until their noses met. Myohan didn¡¯t care, of course. He just frowned at the man¡¯s still and steady gaze. He must have taken a shower since he smelled like Myohan¡¯s shampoo. ¡°It¡¯s probably not you¡­.¡± Myohan straightened his back and rubbed on his chin to think. The man didn¡¯t say anything. He looked somewhat in a daze, but that didn¡¯t interest Myohan. ¡°Has something happened at school?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not you, is it?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I feel like someone¡¯s watching me.¡± Myohan regretted saying that the second he said that. He knew it sounded absurd. But the man didn¡¯t say so. His thick eyebrows twitched. ¡°Watching you?¡± ¡°I can feel a gaze. But when I look there, there¡¯s no one.¡± ¡°Since when?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, about a month ago?¡± It was quite bothersome, but it wasn¡¯t threatening. Maybe it wasn¡¯t a thing to care about too much. It could have been Myohan¡¯s imagination. So he just shook his head to dismiss the idea, but the man commented seriously. ¡°You should trust your own instincts, cat.¡± That strangely helped. It made Myohan be sure of what he felt. On the next day, he couldn¡¯t free himself from the mysterious gaze. It kept following him, even to the library. He checked on the returned books, put them in their designated spots, and then stretched his back and frowned. Someone was there. His cat instincts were accurate. Someone was watching him. Was it Jagyeom? No, if it had been Jagyeom, he would have talked to Myohan already. Jagyeom never just quietly looked at him from afar like this. There was no one in the library, and it was impossible to be quiet enough to be unnoticed by Myohan. Then it had to be the space that wasn¡¯t close to where Myohan was but where one could see his every movement. He slowly went to the window. It was only open halfway so that no one would be able to jump from it, but he opened it and stuck his upper body. ¡°Hey.¡± It was April, with spring breezes. It was April, so the day wasn¡¯t long enough. The sky was already dark and it was bright in the library, so he couldn¡¯t look out very well. ¡°What are you?¡± There was only one place possible. It was close enough for Myohan to reach now if he jumped as high as he could. It was a window at the end of the old building¡¯s hallway that was facing the library. The boy didn¡¯t look like he wanted to run away. He had an arm on the windowsill and his head on it. Then he smiled softly. Myohan had never seen him before. The soft line of his lips, which didn¡¯t match his fierce eyes, curved prettily. Even Myohan, who always had trouble remembering others¡¯ faces, knew he would never be able to forget that face. The boy looked down a little. He let out his tongue to moisten his lips, and it gave Myohan chills. He looked at Myohan. His eyes, which were as light as Myohan¡¯s, dangerously sparkled. ¡°Hi.¡± The voice that came with the wind wasn¡¯t that bad, but Myohan wasn¡¯t kind enough to say hi in return. The cool spring breeze blew. The boy smiled again, removing his hair from his face. It was a dangerous smile that made crushed Myohan¡¯s heart down with a thud. He could feel his hair standing up. He noticed the boy¡¯s nametag on his chest only then. ¡°Nice to meet you, kitty.¡± His name was Kim Sajun. Chapter 6 ¡°What the¡­¡± Myohan thought he had to run. Sajun¡¯s eyes shined dangerously as if he was about to devour Myohan, which didn¡¯t match his kind face. ¡°Why are you stalking me?¡± But Myohan didn¡¯t run away. His pride was too high to let him run away just because the boy¡¯s gaze was a little intense. Sajun seemed to find Myohan amusing and a little strange. ¡°Who are you, and why are you stalking me? Are you interested in me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The answer that came was quite shocking. It made Myohan frown hard. He hadn¡¯t really meant it. The ¡®interest¡¯ he had talked about was ¡®feeling¡¯. Were you watching me because you like me? Sajun could fully understand the question, but still, he said yes. He smiled and then added matter-of-factly, ¡°I like cats.¡± ¡°Stop calling me a cat!¡± ¡°So sharp, just like a cat.¡± Now Myohan was really irritated. Sajun¡¯s way of talking was just like that of the man who was at his home now. He didn¡¯t like that he was facing another person who talked like that. He asked back, not trying to hide his irritation, ¡°Why am I a cat?¡± Sajun pointed at Myohan with a hand. Being pointed like that didn¡¯t feel good, but Myohan decided not to bother to point that not. ¡°Because you look like a cat.¡± Is he joking or something¡­ ¡°Oh, and for your information, I really mean it.¡± Myohan narrowed his eyes after having his mind read like that. Sajun was really a lot like O Shin. ¡°I was going to watch you some more, but it is an honor to be talked to first.¡± ¡°Stop talking crazy nonsense and answer my question. Why were you stalking me?¡± ¡°I told you.¡± His thin lips curved softly. Myohan had felt it for some time, but Sajun¡¯s smile was strangely dangerous. Even though he was smiling, his eyes had something similar to the will to kill. Myohan wasn¡¯t happy to be overwhelmed like that, so he glared at Sajun. ¡°I like cats.¡± ¡°Oh, will you stop with that shit?¡± Myohan¡¯s neck started to hurt after looking out the window for so long. Sajun seemed to be thinking of neither running away nor coming closer. Actually, Sajun hadn¡¯t done anything to Myohan. Myohan had been just irritated to feel an unknown gaze all the time, and now that he knew who it was, he could find Sajun and ask him again later. There was no need to bother to talk to him now when they were in different buildings. ¡°If you like cats, just give some food to stray cats in your neighborhood and pat them. Stop stalking me. If I see you do it again, I¡¯ll make you pay for it.¡± It was especially so as Sajun was calling him a cat. ¡°You¡¯re running away?¡± Maybe Sajun was joking. Maybe he was calling Myohan a cat because his appearance resembled a cat. Myohan was constantly called a cat because of his feline-looking face and fast movements. ¡°Oh, shut up.¡± Myohan decided to end it there and grabbed the window to close it. He was getting a bad feeling. If they talked more, he was going to reveal his secret. His instincts were telling him to escape from the situation, whether Sajun knew he was really a cat or not. More conversation wasn¡¯t going to get him anything. However, Sajun wasn¡¯t thinking of letting him go. ¡°O Myohan.¡± Myohan glanced at Sajun. ¡°What do you think will happen if a man jumps down from a building?¡± He still had a smile on his face. ¡°He¡¯ll die.¡± ¡°Yes, if he¡¯s an ordinary person.¡± Oh crap. Myohan blamed his instincts for never being wrong about bad things. ¡°But the boy in front of me is still alive and well after jumping down from the sixth floor.¡± That gaze Myohan had felt every time he jumped down because he didn¡¯t want to go down the stairs. That gaze that had followed him to the ground. He had believed it was O Shin¡¯s, and he should have realized that gaze had been exactly the same with the ones he had felt recently. ¡°It was so marvelous that I recorded it with my phone.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Myohan shook the window, making it rattle. A corner of his lips curled up. ¡°If you¡¯re trying to say something, say it properly.¡± His voice was strong enough to startle Sajun for the first time. Running away wasn¡¯t Myohan¡¯s thing. Yes, he had run like crazy from the man, but now it could lead to even bigger problems. Sajun was in the same school, so he could spread a rumor in no time. Sajun felt the irritation mixed in Myohan¡¯s low voice and flicked a finger. ¡°Cross over.¡± Myohan didn¡¯t hesitate. The window was weak, and it opened widely the moment he pushed. Its chink was damaged but he didn¡¯t care. He stood on the windowsill and jumped. The distance was risky. Anyone else wouldn¡¯t have dared to cross over. Jumping from a small window to another small window. If anyone had seen him do it, he would have thought he was an alien. He jumped lightly and landed easily, just like a nimble cat would have done. He stood on the windowsill without much difficulty and stared at Sajun. For some reason, he looked quite surprised. Myohan liked that his smile was gone. ¡°So?¡± Myohan went in and approached Sajun. He slowly spoke, narrowing his eyes. ¡°What do you want to say if I¡¯m a cat?¡± But Sajun just looked at him. Myohan¡¯s light hair moved in the wind. He wasn¡¯t panting at all, even after jumping over a long distance. Sajun cupped his chin, thinking he wanted to touch those pretty eyes. Myohan didn¡¯t resist and stayed still. Sajun bit his lips lightly. He let out his tongue to moisten his lips, which made Myohan realize something. ¡®He is¡­¡¯ Now he knew why he had felt danger each time he looked at Sajun¡¯s face. Jumping from the sixth floor wasn¡¯t enough to make people think of a boy as a cat. Most would have just thought he had extremely good reflexes, or they would have doubted their eyes. Nevertheless, Sajun was calling Myohan a cat. Myohan smirked and thought about the twelve zodiac animals. His long eyes, thin lips, small pupils of a predator, and the way he looked at Myohan, they all made him recall an animal. ¡°Hey, snake.¡± Myohan couldn¡¯t know what Sajun wanted. He was clearly about to demand something now that he had evidence to reveal Myohan¡¯s secret, so Myohan had to find a similar secret of his to make him shut up. He wouldn¡¯t have even imagined to do so if he hadn¡¯t seen Jagyeom turn into a rat. He had thought he was the only person who could turn into an animal for his entire life. ¡°If you keep trying to mess with me, I¡¯ll dip you in booze and make snake wine.¡± For a moment, he thought splattering water might work. Jagyeom turned into a rat when he was wet, so Sajun could be similar to that. ¡°You¡¯re misunderstanding me, I don¡¯t want to threaten you.¡± Myohan frowned hard, trying to see what Sajun was up to. He had been talking quite threateningly till now, but he wasn¡¯t threatening? ¡°I¡¯ve been telling you that I like cats.¡± Sajun was still smiling. But then, his face came closer. Before Myohan could realize what was happening, their lips met. ¡°Why would I threaten you?¡± It happened so suddenly that Myohan didn¡¯t have time to get away. Sajun¡¯s hand stroked his face. Myohan blinked in shock, and then he angrily grabbed Sajun by his collar. No, he tried to grab him by his collar. ¡°You crazy bastard!¡± But Sajun easily suppressed Myohan. They were both boys, but they were not equally strong. Although Myohan had good reflexes, he wasn¡¯t that strong. Being unable to get away angered him more than being kissed by another boy. He could feel himself losing temper. ¡°You really have a death wish, don¡¯t you?¡± Myohan twisted his arm to free it and kicked Sajun¡¯s stomach. Sajun quickly blocked the attack, so Myohan couldn¡¯t hurt him as much as he had wanted to, but it was better than nothing. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you before, and you just jump out of nowhere and annoy me? Are you crazy? And why did you put out your mouth like that?¡± ¡°As you just said, I¡¯m a snake.¡± ¡°I know, you bastard.¡± ¡°Maybe that¡¯s why.¡± Sajun slowly studied Myohan up and down. Myohan could feel goosebumps. ¡°Whenever I see you, I get to want to eat.¡± He had found Myohan out of mere coincidence. He was standing behind the school to enjoy the good weather, but then something nimble went over the wall. At first, he thought it was a huge beast. He was surprised to see a cat as big as a tiger jump over a wall, but what he had thought of as a beast was actually a boy. And the intruder also seemed a little surprised to see him there. The moment their eyes met, Sajun felt a strange sensation. It was hunger. Chapter 7 ¡°At first I wasn¡¯t thinking of following you around, but then I kept seeing you cleaning the hallway and throwing that mop out the window.¡± Sajun had doubted his eyes. When Myohan stood up the windowsill, he feared he might be committing suicide. Before Sajun could stop him, Myohan jumped, and when Sajun looked down from the window, Myohan was standing on the ground, perfectly fine. ¡°I was half-joking when I called you a cat. I didn¡¯t know you would admit it so easily.¡± Soft hair, tender cheeks, curled up red lips, they all made Sajun crave him. He smiled. Myohan gave him a disgusting gaze, but it only made him smack his lips. Really, he looked delicious. ¡°So,¡± Huge snakes could devour a small cat in a single bite. Myohan was easy prey. ¡°Can I have you?¡± Sajun didn¡¯t seem to be joking. He looked serious, and he wasn¡¯t acting when he smacked. He really thought Myohan would be delicious. ¡°You¡¯re really good at talking shit.¡± Myohan¡¯s lips twitched. Have? That was just crazy. A human being, having another human being? He didn¡¯t want to think about it. ¡°That¡¯s a crime in this country, you maniac.¡± ¡°What makes you think so?¡± ¡°What?¡± Sajun took a step closer. Myohan wanted to take a step back, but he couldn¡¯t. There was no space for it, and his pride didn¡¯t permit him. ¡°The verb ¡®have¡¯ has a number of different meanings.¡± Myohan frowned, unable to comprehend. Sajun opened a palm and continued slowly. ¡°You know, to have something, to have someone do something¡­¡± His serpent-like lips opened. He pulled Myohan by his arm, and then he licked his cheek with his red tongue. ¡°And to eat¡­O Myohan.¡± He felt hungry. The tender cheek felt so good when licked. He hadn¡¯t had such an appetite for a long time. He wanted to rip apart Myohan¡¯s clothes right now. Was this hunger he felt as a predator while looking at a prey, or was it intense sexual desire? He had to know. Myohan¡¯s opinion didn¡¯t matter much. Myohan was really startled, which almost never happened to him. He thought Sajun was messing with him when he kissed him, but now he could see this wasn¡¯t a prank or a joke. He stood still for a moment, and then he raised his captured arm and smiled, making Sajun widen his eyes. ¡°Your smile makes you even more¡­¡± ¡°Shit.¡± Myohan smiled a bright smile that didn¡¯t match his voice at all. Then, whack! ¡°¡­.!¡± The smile was still bright. Sajun¡¯s hand fell off Myohan¡¯s arm when he raised it. ¡°Fuck you.¡± The moment Myohan raised a middle finger, Sajun fell to the floor with a huge thud. The sound resonated through the hallway, but the fall wasn¡¯t what was painful. Sajun couldn¡¯t even breathe. Myohan had just kicked his weakest spot he had as a man, as hard as he could. He had to be experiencing indescribable pain. Sajun curled on the floor. He couldn¡¯t even moan. Myohan snorted as he looked down on him. You deserved it, you bastard. ¡°Uuugh¡­.¡± It had to be really painful. Maybe the organ had been really damaged. Still, Myohan didn¡¯t care. He thought it was only because Sajun had messed with him. As a cat, he was neither patient nor merciful. He didn¡¯t let anyone touch him. He lightly touched Sajun¡¯s back with a foot and smiled, this time really out of joy. ¡°I guess you can¡¯t have me now.¡± Yes, it was a complete loss for Sajun. *** ¡°So¡­?¡± Jagyeom swallowed hard, his round eyes glancing at Myohan with fear. But Myohan just flipped a page of the book he was reading and said unconcernedly, ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think I burst any of his two eggs.¡± ¡°You, you merciless brat!¡± If he had been in his rat form, Jagyeom would have been chittering loudly. He kept blaming Myohan, calling him a ruthless man with no compassion, so Myohan took his eyes off the book and looked at him. His narrow pupils had a dangerous glitter in them. Jagyeom flinched and added in a tiny voice. ¡°Well, he was first to wrong¡­¡± He still didn¡¯t know Myohan was a cat, but he had instinctive fears. A cat was a predator to a rat, and that was nature¡¯s law that couldn¡¯t be changed. ¡°He had it coming.¡± Well, actually, Jagyeom well knew Sajun deserved it. It just that he couldn¡¯t imagine the manly pain he must have felt. ¡°You did the right thing.¡± O Shin, who had been listening quietly, opened his mouth for the first time. He was lying on the sofa as if it had been his home. He took Myohan¡¯s book to look at his cover. Myohan sighed. ¡°But what are you two doing here?¡± ¡°Emergency conference.¡± O Shin¡¯s simple reply wasn¡¯t enough to make Myohan¡¯s frown disappear. He looked at the cover¡¯s cat, and then at Myohan. Then he stood up. ¡°We must capture the snake.¡± After finding out the owner of the gaze that had been bothering him for days, Myohan gladly took care of the snake in his own away. Then he welcomed the weekend, but O Shin, who was practically living with Myohan now, came with the rat. Although to be accurate, Jagyeom came because O Shin gave him no choice. ¡°We¡¯ve found him. That bastard is the snake.¡± ¡°I know, so it¡¯s time to ¡®capture¡¯ it.¡± ¡°But you said all we have to do is to find the animals!¡± Myohan had told O Shin he had found the snake, and that was the problem. He should have talked after the weekend passed. He had said that only to stop O Shin bothering him so that he could enjoy the weekend, but now he was bothering him even more, saying they had to capture the snake. ¡°But how did you know he is the snake?¡± Myohan had told Jagyeom everything, except that Sajun knew he was a cat. He explained in detail to O Shin last night when they were alone. ¡°I told you, he looks like a snake.¡± However, Myohan laughed after saying that. He hated to be presumed a cat just because he looked like a cat, but now he was doing the same thing. Jagyeom frowned to hear that Sajun looked like a snake and that was all, but then Myohan added, ¡°If you ever run into him, kick him just like I did.¡± ¡°Hey, I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Then he¡¯ll eat you. It will be quite easy since you¡¯re a rat. You know, in a single bite!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± Jagyeom got chills and yelled at Myohan to stop. He was really scared. ¡°Scared, huh?¡± Jagyeom was really angry, but he could do nothing to Myohan. Plus, he couldn¡¯t deny the fact that the thought of being eaten by a snake scared him. He was a rat, after all. ¡°And what makes him turn into a snake?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. How am I supposed to know that?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t do,¡± O Shin interrupted. Myohan didn¡¯t try to hide that he didn¡¯t like it, but he didn¡¯t care. ¡°We must see him turn into a snake.¡± ¡°Why do you keep adding conditions?¡± ¡°I told you in the first place.¡± ¡°Told me what?¡± ¡°We must find the twelve by finding out what makes them transform.¡± Myohan could vaguely recall hearing something similar to it when he did that four-hour-long chasing game with O Shin. Something about a certain phenomena that revealed the twelve¡¯s animal forms. ¡°As we did with the rat, we must see the snake become a snake. That¡¯s when we find him. Finding a boy who looks like a snake isn¡¯t enough.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not telling me to see all the twelve animals, are you?¡± ¡°Of course I am.¡± Now Myohan was getting a bad feeling. He thought it would be simple by just finding them, but it seemed like that wasn¡¯t all. He got ready to counter and tell the man not to be absurd, but then O Shin added, ¡°To be exact, eleven animals, minus the rat.¡± O Shin didn¡¯t seem to be joking. You fraud. Myohan really wanted to say so. How was he supposed to see Sajun turn into a snake? He didn¡¯t even want to see that sly boy again. He decided to tell O Shin to do it on his own, but then he pointed at the cat painted on the book¡¯s cover. ¡°Cats are whimsical.¡± ¡°Cats?¡± Jagyeom was confused to hear that. Myohan, who had stood up to leave the meeting, flinched and looked at the man. ¡°I can control the rat with his secret, but I have nothing to control you with¡­¡± Stop lying, you crazy bastard. Myohan really wanted to say so. O Shin seemed to enjoy his reaction. ¡°I believe you promised to help me as best as you can, although you may not believe me.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Well, I guess my only choice is to throw that squeaking rat as bait and capture the snake.¡± ¡°What?¡± Of course, Jagyeom was shocked to suddenly hear that, but O Shin didn¡¯t care about him at all. ¡°It may as well be my fault. I failed to gain your trust.¡± ¡°Okay, okay.¡± Now he was guilt-tripping Myohan. Myohan had already promised to help, and he had blackmailed Jagyeom with the man. He knew O Shin might actually be capable of using Jagyeom as bait to capture the snake. Myohan sighed, sat down again, and opened the book again. He couldn¡¯t focus on it at all, but he was hoping it would help him calm down. Chapter 8 ¡°What if we pour water on him? Wouldn¡¯t it work on him as well?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Myohan had the same thought, but as O Shin had said before, the twelve turned into animals when certain phenomena occurred. Whether the thing that transformed them was all the same or not, they didn¡¯t know. Even Myohan was¡­ ¡°I think he¡¯ll really eat me next time.¡± That was what Myohan worried about the most. Yes, Sajun was rude to him first, but Myohan had kicked his most important organ. It was highly likely that Sajun would really eat up Myohan for revenge if they ever met again. Myohan got the chills just imagining the scene and shuddered. Then O Shin quietly spoke. ¡°I can¡¯t let him eat you of course.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That snake has dared to mess up with the animal that god presented to humankind.¡± Myohan wondered what he was talking about, but he couldn¡¯t ask more. O Shin sounded more serious than ever. ¡°Maybe he¡¯ll regret it if I throw him in a fire.¡± His eyes were furious enough to scare even Jagyeom who didn¡¯t know what was going on. ¡°You said he looks like a snake, right?¡± I must see his face. O Shin stood up as he said so. But Myohan thought he just said that. O Shin never came to Myohan¡¯s home again during the weekend, and he had no method to see Sajun¡¯s face. Well, at least Myohan thought so. ¡°I¡¯m O Shin.¡± On Monday, he came to Myohan¡¯s classroom as an exchange student. ¡°Nice to meet you all.¡± Looking so natural. As always, the moment Myohan arrived at school, he fell on his desk and went to sleep. He had to capture that snake, but he was sleepy, so he slept. He had an extremely simple way of thinking. ¡°We don¡¯t have any extra desks, so someone must bring it¡­¡± ¡°Teacher! O Myohan is sleeping again!¡± And Sinsul told off Myohan with a smile. Actually, Myohan wasn¡¯t asleep. If he had been asleep, he would have woken up the moment he heard his name. But he couldn¡¯t look up. The transfer student¡¯s voice sounded way too familiar. No, it couldn¡¯t be. He tried to deny reality and closed his eyes. ¡°Myohan, you need to wake up. Go and get a desk from the study room.¡± Byeon Sinsul, I¡¯m going to kill you someday. Myohan reluctantly got up and glanced at the front. Why were his senses never wrong? The student next to the teacher was the man who hadn¡¯t come to Myohan during the weekend. It was O Shin, the man who called Myohan a cat and enjoyed ordering him around. Now he was standing in the same classroom with Myohan, wearing the same school uniform. ¡°I will go with him.¡± ¡°Good, then bring a desk and a chair and sit next to Myohan. Well, as for the rest of you, do independent study. And Yuja and Chookjae, come with me.¡± Myohan and O Shin left the room quietly. Myohan walked first toward the study room at the end of the hallway, but then he stopped at turned back. He was frowning really hard, and he looked somewhat irritated. His closed lips were also twitched to show his irritation. O Shin nodded slightly to invite him to talk. ¡°You¡­¡± Myohan had many questions to ask, like what he was doing at school, and how he had managed to come to Myohan¡¯s homeroom among so many classrooms. But what he wanted to know the most was¡­ ¡°Are you 16?¡± ¡°Hah!¡± Myohan frowned even harder. The man laughed and looked away. ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± He had asked seriously. Since the moment they first met and while he stayed at Myohan¡¯s home, Myohan had never thought them to be of same age. It wasn¡¯t about O Shin¡¯s appearance. Every matured gesture he made, his serious eyes, his way of talking¡­ He couldn¡¯t have been a teenager. ¡°I was wondering what you would ask¡­¡± The man laughed for some time with his mouth covered with a hand, and then he muttered. Myohan had frowned like he was ready to blow up, and what he said was so¡­trivial. ¡°I think my age matters.¡± ¡°That school uniform doesn¡¯t suit you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Boring bastard. Myohan started to walk again. Actually, he lied. The school uniform suited the man extremely well. He was tall, had long legs, and was handsome. Really, any kind of clothes would have suited him. ¡°I told you, I must see the snake.¡± But he became a student just to see the snake¡¯s face. Myohan muttered quietly about how there wasn¡¯t a single sane person around him. After they brought a desk and the chair, Myohan gave his textbook to O Shin and fell down to sleep again, saying textbook for the next class was in his locker. When he finally woke up, it was lunchtime. What woke him was Sinsul talking to O Shin. As most of the boys had gone to the cafeteria, there were but a few students left in the room. ¡°You¡¯re O Shin, right? Let¡¯s go play soccer!¡± Myohan was feeling really peaceful and sleepy, but now that Sinsul had come, he knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep. Sinsul was constantly pestering to play soccer whenever he got time. He was clearly going to cling onto Myohan after asking O Shin once. Myohan turned to look up at O Shin, his head on his arm. O Shin glanced at him and then asked Sinsul, ¡°Do you like to play with balls?¡± Play with balls¡­ He sounded like he was asking a dog. Well, it did sound right for Sinsul. Myohan had always thought so. Sinsul just laughed heartily, not caring about the subtle difference of description. Then he nodded, patting O Shin¡¯s back. ¡°I like playing with balls! Join me! We should practice hard to win the sports competitions!¡± ¡°But you are always playing soccer even without that sports competitions.¡± Yuja, who was sorting the printed materials their teacher had given him, coldly made a remark. Myohan couldn¡¯t agree with him more. ¡°Oh, why is everyone so cold to me?¡± Sinsul became sad and cuddled his ball. He looked quite pitiful, but no one cared. They all knew he would regain his usual excitement in no time. And they were right, he soon recovered and started to convince Myohan to play soccer. He pressed on, saying practice was necessary to win over other classes at the sports competitions in June, and then he started insisting like a little boy. Myohan found him noisy and bothering, so he just waved a hand at him and yawned. ¡°Go away.¡± ¡°But this is serious!¡± ¡°I get it, so just go down to eat lunch.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no time to eat! O Myohan, we must practice!¡± ¡°I refuse.¡± Myohan thought Sinsul was only half right. Yes, there was no time to eat when there wasn¡¯t enough time to sleep. ¡°But the losing team has to buy ice cream today. I¡¯ve already made the bet. Please help.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to.¡± Myohan was not going to go out to play soccer at all. He was skipping lunch just because he found eating too much work, so there was no way he was going to run around in dusty yard. And O Shin seemed to be thinking the same. They just wished Sinsul would give up and leave. ¡°Well, I guess I have no choice. Park Chookjae, let¡¯s go!¡± Eventually, Sinsul changed his target to the vice class president who was doing work the teacher had entrusted to them with the class president. Chookjae stood up, but Yuja¡¯s cold voice immediately stopped them. ¡°Can¡¯t you see Chookjae is sorting these with me?¡± In the end, Sinsul ran out with teary eyes, still cuddling his ball. ¡°I hate you all!¡± Looking like the tragic heroine of a soap opera. ¡°He¡¯s crazy.¡± Yuja muttered so, and none of them tried to argue with it. Finally, some peace and quiet. Myohan let out a sigh and closed his eyes to go back to sleep. The sunlight was warm. The wind was still cool, but the weather had gotten a lot warmer. Myohan thought it was perfect weather for sleeping. The other students went down for lunch one by one, until Myohan and O Shin were left alone. O Shin stared at Myohan, and then he carefully stretched a hand out to tidy his hair that had been scattered by the wind. He touched Myohan¡¯s forehead, and he fell on his desk, just like Myohan. ¡°Hey, cat.¡± But Myohan was already deep in sleep. He had been losing sleep recently because of Sajun¡¯s gaze, and he was sleeping well for the first time in days. Chapter 9 Myohan¡¯s cat-like eyes were closed. His long eyelashes were of a light color, just like his hair. Was it because of his clear skin that showed his veins? His closed eyelids looked so thin. The man knew how the eyes underneath them glittered like gems. He traced Myohan¡¯s face with his gaze, and then he stopped at the lips. The delicate lips quivered. ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re alive.¡± That was all the man could say, literally. He pressed his hoarse neck and smiled bitterly, just like he had done when he told Myohan about the twelve zodiac animals. Down at the school yard, Sinsul was playing soccer with some friends. There was a student running along the running track around the field, another student eating chips on the stairs. One student was coming only now, and there was another leaving early, limping. The man looked around to see all of it. Then he stood up, looking back. ¡°There you are.¡± He was looking at the back door of the classroom. The boy who had been standing there without making a sound looked surprised, but only for a split second. Narrow eyes, small pupils, and hissing sound. Sajun went inside and smiled. ¡°Nice¡­¡± But he couldn¡¯t finish his greetings. The man was standing in front of him in no time and looked down at him. ¡°They say what you say might bring your doom.¡± Sajun couldn¡¯t move at all because of the pressure he could feel. The man¡¯s glistening, angry eyes made him forget how to breathe. He was clearly enraged. His eyes had rage and the will to kill. But why was that? Sajun tried moistening his lips, but he couldn¡¯t calm down. After looking into each other¡¯s eyes like that for some time, Myohan woke up. He looked at the two, still half asleep, but then he realized the visitor was Sajun and jumped to his feet. The heavy sound of his chair falling down let Sajun get away from the man. The man also took a step away from him. ¡°Why are you here?¡± The moment Myohan yelled so, they could hear collective footsteps in the hallway. Students were coming back after having lunch. Sajun looked at Myohan, and then at the man, and he frowned. So that was what this was about. ¡°There will be no mercy the second time.¡± The man warned in tiny voice so that Myohan wouldn¡¯t be able to hear. He was standing in front of Myohan protectively, and his nametag read ¡®O Shin¡¯. That name really doesn¡¯t match him, Sajun thought. ¡°You don¡¯t look so childish, but your words are.¡± Now that he knew what was going on, regaining his confidence was easy. He put up a sly smile and returned to his usual self. However, what the man said right afterwards made him freeze once again. ¡°I¡¯ll make snake wine with you.¡± The man smiled softly, a lot like what Myohan had done before he kicked Sajun¡¯s balls. ¡°After freezing you hard.¡± The battle of gazes lasted for a long time, but Sajun left as soon as the students came back. On the other hand, Myohan was angry to see Sajun again, and then he felt despair as he realized that he had to see ¡®that bastard¡¯ turn into a snake. Really, it was driving him crazy. *** ¡°Well, then.¡± There were only but a few people in the library. It was located in a desolate place, and since the afterschool independent study sessions were banned for safety reasons, few students stayed at school after classes. Except for the cat who was sentenced to cleaning punishment for playing with water at the taps, and the rat whose hobby was reading, although it didn¡¯t match him at all, no one would go there. ¡°Let¡¯s start the meeting for finding solutions.¡± As usual, Jagyeom was reading alone in the library. Then Myohan came in to clean. Jagyeom looked up, wondering if it was already time for Myohan to start cleaning, but Myohan wasn¡¯t alone. He looked extremely bothered, and behind him stood an extremely familiar man. Jagyeom was surprised to see the familiar face wearing their school uniform, but the man just ignored his shock and sat down on his table. ¡°First, as about the snake¡­¡± ¡°Be quiet in the library,¡± Myohan warned as he grabbed a handful of books. Jagyeom glanced at them, getting a little afraid. ¡°We must find out how to capture him.¡± ¡°Oh, who removed this book¡¯s cover?¡± ¡°Anyone have a good opinion?¡± The man folded his hands on the desk. He was quite serious, but unfortunately, he was joined by no one. ¡°And why is the first book of this series is missing?¡± Awkward silence fell. It looked like Myohan wasn¡¯t going to talk to him at all. And as Jagyeom didn¡¯t even know who the snake was, he had nothing to say. So he just gulped hard and decided to ask what he was curious about. ¡°Hey¡­¡± The man looked at him. Jagyeom asked, looking at those calm, mysterious eyes. ¡°¡­You¡¯re a high school student?¡± It felt like Myohan glanced at their direction while organizing the books. But when Jagyeom looked at him, he was absorbed in his work. The man tutted. ¡°I was hoping for something more creative.¡± Being asked that question once was enough. He didn¡¯t forget to add so. Idiots. Myohan gulped back a laugh and hid behind a bookshelf. He almost laughed out loud, hearing Jagyeom asking the same question he had asked earlier. But what was even funnier than the question was the man frowning at it. Well, just as Myohan had said, school uniform didn¡¯t match him. He moved from a shelf to a shelf to see if all the books were in their right places, but then he stopped in front of the window he had broken a few days ago. He touched its broken chink, and he looked out. But then¡­ ¡°You.¡± Sajun was on the other side again. He leaned on the window, just like he had when he provoking Myohan. He smiled and waved his hand. ¡°I knew you would look.¡± Myohan grabbed the windowsill and glared at him. He was going to cross over again, if Sajun said anything wrong. However, Sajun didn¡¯t seem to be up to enraging him once more. He just kept his smile. ¡°I¡¯ll wait at the bridge behind school.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Come alone.¡± Myohan wanted to ask what he could possibly mean by that, but then familiar presence hugged him front behind. Or, more accurately, put his hands on the windowsill with Myohan between them. Myohan looked back to look up at his face. ¡°What?¡± Their eyes met. The man looked somewhat irritated, but that faded away the moment they met their eyes. He studied Myohan¡¯s face and spoke. ¡°¡­I heard talking.¡± When Myohan looked at again, Sajun wasn¡¯t their anymore. Myohan looked at the empty hallway of the other building, and then at the man¡¯s hand on the windowsill. Then he put a hand on it. He could feel the man flinch. Myohan said as he got away from his arms. ¡°I was talking to myself. Let¡¯s go home.¡± Myohan hadn¡¯t meant to do as Sajun wanted. Not at all. To start with, he felt no need to go to see him, and he went, he wasn¡¯t going to go alone. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you, cat.¡± It was just simple whim. Simple change of mind that would have made the man sigh and say cats are extremely whimsical. That was all. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know you would really come alone.¡± When Myohan arrived at the bridge after making an excuse about leaving something behind at school, Sajun was sitting at the end of it, looking at the river that flew beneath. Sajun¡¯s hair that flew in wind and the leaves that flowed away on the water made Myohan feel some kind of d¨¦j¨¤ vu. He frowned. ¡°I warned you. If you talk shit again, I¡¯ll make sure you lose your masculinity forever.¡± ¡°Shit? As I¡¯ve told you many times, I like cats.¡± ¡°Say what you have to say, then.¡± Sajun smiled slyly and stood up. Myohan put down his bag so that he would be able to counterattack anytime. He followed Sajun¡¯s every move with a frown. Sajun wanted to laugh to see how his tension was making his hair stand up. ¡°I told you, I am not going to blackmail you.¡± ¡°Get rid of that bullshit. What you¡¯ve been doing till now is blackmailing.¡± ¡°I just wanted to ask¡­¡± Myohan¡¯s eyes turned fierce. His pupils narrowed, showing hostility. Sajun shrugged. ¡°Okay, I want to negotiate.¡± ¡°About what?¡± ¡°Let me kiss you, just once.¡± Chapter 10 Myohan didn¡¯t hesitate to walk away. He didn¡¯t have to hear more of what Sajun was saying, nor did he have any reason to listen. He regretted coming and wasting his time. He turned to go home, but then the wind carried Sajun¡¯s voice to his ears. ¡°I heard you¡¯re looking for the twelve zodiac animals?¡± That made Myohan¡¯s feet stop immediately. How did he know about it? Had he heard him and the others talking at the library? Or by the taps? He could make more than one or two guesses. Sajun smiled like a serpent and took a step towards him. He said soothingly, ¡°Let me help you.¡± ¡°No.¡± The reply came without any hesitation. Myohan retrieved his bag without even looking at Sajun. ¡°Is that all? I¡¯m going, then.¡± ¡°But then people will find out you¡¯re a cat.¡± Sajun could hear the sound of a breeze. It all happened in the blink of an eye. Myohan came to him and grabbed him by his collar. Sajun had no choice but to bend his back, surprised by the unexpected, but then Myohan looked into his eyes. His lips curled up. ¡°Hey.¡± Sajun couldn¡¯t avoid his gaze. Myohan¡¯s light-colored eyes glared fiercely. His growling voice gave him chills. Sajun had looked at Myohan as a predator, but now, for the first time, he could feel the fear of a prey. Myohan grabbed his collar even tighter. He calmly said, ¡°You might actually get killed, you know.¡± He was getting really angry. He could move on after one or two insults, but this was too much. No one liked to be ignored. He had decided to listen to Sajun because he felt somewhat guilty for kicking his balls, but the damn snake kept talking shit to the very end. There was a river right under them, so he was going to throw him down and go home. His anger completely froze Sajun. It felt just like what he had felt when the man threatened to make snake wine with him earlier. He was losing breath because of Myohan¡¯s hand holding his collar. But then, ¡°Meow.¡± They could hear pitiful cry of a cat. It close enough,as they both could hear it. They looked down to the river at the same time. ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡± Myohan let go of Sajun immediately. And at the same time, Sajun¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°O Myohan!¡± It all happened so quickly. They saw a little kitten in the river, Myohan let go of Sajun, threw his bag away, and didn¡¯t hesitate to jump down. Splash! Sajun urgently reached down, but then Myohan came up again, breathing hard. Water came up almost to his chin. Myohan waded through water to the kitten and grabbed it. It clung to his hand desperately. ¡°Hey, snake!¡± Myohan came out of the river and shouted to Sajun. He was coughing because water had gotten into his mouth and nose right after he dived in. He raised the kitten high and pulled his wet hair back, making drops of water run down his tender cheek. ¡°What are you doing? Take it.¡± Sajun stretched a hand down, nearly dazed. He succeeded in taking the cat and held it awkwardly. It must have just been born, as it was only the size of a palm. Myohan checked the cat was safe, and then he stretched his neck, coughing. As he could jump down from the sixth floor, jumping down a little more than two meters was a piece of cake. He bent down to measure the height, and then he lightly jumped. ¡°I don¡¯t have time to play your game.¡± He was as soaked as the kitten. Water fell from his soft hair to his face, which irritated him. he pulled his hair back, making water leave marks on the bridge floor. ¡°If you want to say that I¡¯m a cat, do it. I can just transfer to another school.¡± He rummaged through his bag, found a hoodie, and took the kitten from Sajun. He carefully held it. The kitten had been shuddering after falling into cold water, so it soon cuddled into his arms. ¡°And as for the twelve zodiac animals, I will find them on my own.¡± Sajun said nothing. Myohan took his bag and held the hoodie with the kitten in it with one hand. Then he looked straight at Sajun. His wet, fluttering eyelashes were so charming that Sajun wanted to devour them in one gulp. ¡°So take care of your lustful yourself.¡± Myohan¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t tremble. He wasn¡¯t angry anymore, nor did he feel good about saving the cat. He was just calm. ¡°Bye.¡± After that, Myohan left, this time for real. Sajun felt like laughing. Myohan hated water so much that even he could see it, but he had jumped without hesitation just to save a cat. Brave but reckless, kind to the weak. It was what he felt when he first saw Myohan jump over a wall behind the school. Sajun crouched down and covered his face with a hand. He had meant to play with him a little, get some fun, and stop there. He just wanted to find out what he was feeling: hunger or sexual desire. This is unfair. He muttered. His face was now red. ¡°Aww.¡± When Myohan thought he was far enough from Sajun, he fell to his feet. The kitten in his arms moved and stuck its head out the hoodie. Its eyes were a little blue, so it was probably really young. Its little ears moved so cutely and Myohan sighed. His ankle throbbed. ¡°I got hurt while saving you, you know that?¡± ¡°I knew it.¡± He was just talking, but then he heard an unexpected answer. His eyes widened. Did this cat just speak? ¡°Cats can¡¯t speak, you know.¡± The voice said with a sigh, reading his mind. Myohan looked up with doubt, but then a huge cloth fell on his head. His body was lifted. ¡°You always have to pretend to be tough.¡± It was O Shin who had headed home with Jagyeom. And the cloth was his shirt. He looked down coldly at Myohan, wearing only a thin t-shirt now. Myohan put the shirt away from his face and asked in surprise, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± But the man said nothing and just looked at him. He was wet and water was still dripping from his hair. His school uniform was a mess as well. He was shuddering lightly in cold wind, but he had his hoodie wrapped up around a furry kitten. Water ran down from Myohan to his arm. ¡°Pathetic.¡± He concluded Myohan¡¯s condition in one word. ¡°Cats.¡± He looked angry. Myohan looked at his mad eyes and blinked. ¡°Think they will be attacked if they are weak. That¡¯s why they don¡¯t show it when they are ill.¡± He looked at Myohan¡¯s right ankle. It was slightly swollen. It must have been sprained. ¡°That is why you should pay attention to how your cat walks.¡± When he heard Myohan had left something at school, he doubted his ears. Myohan would never go back to school again normally, even if he had homework to submit the next day. As O Shin knew how lazy he was, he was sure he was up to something. ¡°How could you think to jump up that high when you¡¯re injured?¡± O Shin had seen everything. Myohan jumped down crudely without the right balance, so he thought it would cost him at least one ankle. And he was right. When Myohan came out of the river, he was limping, although very slightly. Myohan rested his head on the man¡¯s chest and closed his eyes, refusing further scolding. He knew it looked quite funny for him to be carried like that, but he also knew demanding to be put down would only make him look funnier. He could feel pain growing in his right ankle. He pulled the shirt up. Man, it¡¯s freezing. ¡°I was right. You¡¯re a stalker.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not in the mood for joking.¡± Myohan opened his eyes just a bit to look at the man. He could see his long nose and tightly closed lips. He looked really hurt, so Myohan asked, ¡°Why are you mad?¡± ¡°Anyone would get mad if one¡¯s pet cat is hurt.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not your pet cat!¡± But O Shin said nothing more. Myohan added sheepishly to see him still angry, ¡°I usually can fall from that height without getting hurt.¡± He could jump down from the sixth floor without a scratch, so of course jumping down from a bridge that was only two meters high was nothing to him. It¡¯s just that water was beneath the bridge, so that made it harder to measure the distance and his body tensed instinctively, leading to a mistake. Also, he shouldn¡¯t have jumped in without checking the water¡¯s depth. The man kept his mouth shut. He just focused on carrying Myohan. Myohan gave up trying to lighten the mood and patted the sleeping cat. When he was about to throw up because of the awkwardness, he tried again. ¡°Hey, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be able to catch the snake.¡± But the man said nothing again. Myohan frowned hard and closed his eyes, his head on the man¡¯s chest. O Shin wasn¡¯t going to talk, so he could just get some sleep. That wasn¡¯t a bad conclusion. Plus, the man¡¯s arms were extremely comfortable to sleep in. They swayed in rhythm, just like a cradle. After he fell asleep, O Shin sighed. ¡°Stupid cat.¡± He looked so sad, but Myohan couldn¡¯t see it as he was sleeping. Chapter 11 Some days passed without Sajun showing up in front of Myohan. Those days were peaceful. Myohan sighed while looking out the window. The weather forecast had gone crazy and it said it was about to snow, even though it was April. He was wearing a hoodie over his school jacket, but still he sneezed. He was about to catch a cold, although he hadn¡¯t gotten a cold even after diving into water the other day. This wasn¡¯t good. He sighed again. ¡°Well, then.¡± The man¡¯s voice filled the quiet library. Jagyeom put down his book and looked at Myohan. His ankle was wrapped in bandages, and he slowly moved between the bookshelves. ¡°Let us begin.¡± ¡°Be quiet in the library.¡± Oh, d¨¦j¨¤ vu. Jagyeom muttered to himself. But the man went on, looking at the piece of paper on the table. ¡°First, we must decide on the kitten¡¯s name.¡± Myohan had taken it to a vet¡¯s a day after he saved it. The vet ran some tests, and the kitten was fine, although it was a bit underweight. Myohan didn¡¯t hesitate to buy cat food and other necessities as soon as he heard it. He couldn¡¯t leave it on the streets after saving it. Both him and Jagyeom showed interest the moment O Shin talked about the kitten¡¯s name, which they hadn¡¯t done when they were talking about how to capture the snake. ¡°Potential names are Tuna, Hati, Noah, and Monggu, but what I recommend is Myomyo.¡± Jagyeom took a peek at his paper. There were names like Myoyeong, Myoah, Sinbi, Kim Hyeonsik, and Park Suncheol on it. He couldn¡¯t help but laugh when he saw the name Suncheol. Such a tough name for such little and cute cat? He wondered what to say about it, but then Myohan added, ¡°It¡¯ll be Qin Shi Huang.¡± ¡°What?¡± The man looked at him in surprise. Myohan smiled and took out a book. ¡°I picked a random book.¡± ¡®Qin Shi Huang and His Unification of China.¡¯ That was the book¡¯s name. It disappointed the man for a second, but when Myohan looked at him again after blinking slowly, he was as emotionless as usual. Jagyeom frowned and shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s just wrong. A cat named Qin Shi Huang?¡± ¡°It¡¯s much better than a rat named Lee Jagyeom.¡± Myohan countered coldly. Jagyeom yelled angrily. ¡°Hey, there¡¯s a Myo Cheong in this school as well!¡± ¡°Then maybe you two should get together.¡± Myohan laughed, put the book back, and sat down at the table. The man looked away. It somewhat hurt Myohan¡¯s feelings and he hit the table, making Jagyeom flinch. ¡°But shouldn¡¯t we be talking about how to catch the snake first?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already got him.¡± Before Myohan could ask what he meant by that, O Shin hit the table, just like he just had. Jagyeom flinched again and muttered about how the two were so easily pissed off. ¡°He¡¯s been caught already.¡± ¡°By who?¡± ¡°By you, O Myohan.¡± Myohan couldn¡¯t understand. He still didn¡¯t know what made Sajun turn into a snake, nor had he seen his transformation. He had no evidence to prove Sajun was the snake. But still, O Shin was telling him he had gotten the snake. ¡°And it¡¯s March.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already April. What are you talking about?¡± Myohan ruffled his hair. However, he realized something and stood up, half in doubt. He went to the window, forcing his still sore ankle to walk. When he opened the broken window, cold wind hit his face. He looked at the window on the other side, the window at the end of the hallway of the old building. ¡°Hi.¡± Sajun waved his hand. He still resembled a snake a lot, but his previous hunger had disappeared. Myohan blinked slowly. Something fell onto his eyes. ¡°I knew you would look.¡± He felt something cold. He didn¡¯t like the drops of water on his face, so he rubbed it with his hand. Sajun put his head on a hand and smiled softly. ¡°I told you I¡¯d help find the twelve zodiac animals.¡± ¡°Are you¡­¡± ¡°I will help you, unconditionally.¡± And I¡¯m supposed to believe that? Myohan frowned. Sajun was still smiling. He shrugged. And then he stretched a hand out. ¡°I,¡± It felt so strange. Sajun was right in front of him, but it didn¡¯t feel as dangerous as before. Was it because his sly attitude was gone? Or was it because of the soft gaze he gave Myohan? ¡°Turn into a snake when I touch snow.¡± A snowflake fell on his hand. Myohan watched with wide eyes. Snow started to fall. Cherry blossom flowers were already in full bloom, but it was snowing. So the weather forecast wasn¡¯t crazy after all. Myohan thought so. O Shin was now behind him and put a hand on his shoulder. He felt like laughing. No way¡­. He muttered so. ¡°They say it¡¯s a snake in a pit.¡± Myohan didn¡¯t know what he meant by that. Of course, he was too bewildered to say anything. O Shin glanced at him and whispered, ¡°A snake¡¯s mind is hard to understand.¡± See? ¡°I told you, we already have him.¡± O Shin gritted his teeth to think how Sajun had looked, crouching and blushing. Myohan had caught the snake. So it would never be able to escape. Now, the snake was in the cat¡¯s hands. ¡°The answer to question No.14 is choice 5.¡± ¡°Aagh!¡± ¡°I thought it was choice three!¡± Circle. ¡°The answer to question No.15 is choice 3.¡± ¡°Oh, I shouldn¡¯t have changed it.¡± ¡°I was right to change to it!¡± Circle. ¡°Write-out question No.1: converge to 0.¡± ¡°Will there be partial points?¡± ¡°As if it¡¯ll make any difference for you.¡± ¡°Hey!¡± X¡­ ¡°There will be partial points, just wait.¡± No, a triangle, for undecided. ¡°Write-out question No.2: 1806.¡± ¡°And does that have partial points?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get 1 point if your answer is right, but there¡¯ll be no partial points for the solving process.¡± ¡°What the, how was I supposed to get the answer right without the solving process?¡± Circle. ¡°As for question No. 3, x is 1 or 1/¡­¡± ¡°Hey, Yuja! Please tell me the answer to question 2 again!¡± ¡°Hey, Byeon Sinsul, don¡¯t stop him!¡± ¡°¡­.1/2.¡± Circle. ¡°I¡¯ll put the key here, so take a look at them and give your wrong answer notes to Chookjae.¡± ¡°What? We have to make wrong answer notes?¡± The classroom was in chaos. Myohan, who had been half-heartedly grading his test papers, turned at the eyes looking at him. ¡°What?¡± It was O Shin. He had been looking at Myohan for some time without looking at his own test papers. He smiled to see Myohan¡¯s test papers full of circles. He had felt it for some time, but Myohan was surprisingly diligent. ¡°You¡¯re better than studying at I thought.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The day he captured the snake, when Myohan went to his homeroom teacher, he was told he could stop cleaning the library. He was excited to hear that, thinking all of his hard work was being recognized, but then his teacher ruined his good mood with just one sentence. ¡®The midterm exams start tomorrow. You should study.¡¯ Myohan had forgotten that cherry blossoms always came with midterm exams. As O Shin said, he was a surprisingly hard-working student, so he started to study, although he didn¡¯t have much time. He didn¡¯t even have time to rejoice about catching the snake. Thankfully, he had been born smart. Or else he would have failed the tests and been scolded hard by his teacher. ¡°Let¡¯s play soccer!¡± In any case, the three-day long midterm exams were over now. When Sinsul finished grading his last test paper, which was math, he jumped up and down with a soccer ball in his arm. He kept wailing about how he hadn¡¯t been able to play soccer during the midterm exams. (Not because he studied, but because there had been no one to play the team sport with.) A few of his classmates pitied him and decided to play with him, but then Yuja, the class president, hit the teacher¡¯s table hard. ¡°Stay where you are, and focus.¡± Sinsul yelled, ¡°Why are you stopping? We are going to play soccer!¡± ¡°It¡¯s important.¡± But Yuja took care of his protest, easily and firmly. He put his glasses up as he saw Sinsul sit down without saying anything more. His charisma was enough to make the excited boys calm down. When they were all seated, he showed them a piece of paper. It was a guideline about the school festival. ¡°The school festival is in two weeks. Each class must put up a play. I know none of you will raise your hand, but I¡¯ll ask out of courtesy. Who wants to be in the play?¡± No one said anything, of course. Why would any of them be made a laughingstock in front of the whole school? Myohan looked out the window, completely uninterested. O Shin also looked at them. But Yuja had expected such a reaction, so he started to write on the blackboard. Chapter 12 ¡°Since it will be unfair for some of us to do the play while others don¡¯t, I am going to choose a play in which each and every one of us will be able to participate.¡± ¡°Oh, come on. Why don¡¯t we pick, like, five and make them¡­¡± ¡°If you keep interrupting, I¡¯ll make you be the princess.¡± The protesting student immediately shut up to see Yuja write the word ¡®princess.¡¯ Anything but the princess. Everyone thought so. Yuja finished writing the roles. The prince, the princess, dwarf 1, dwarf 2, dwarf 3¡­ He was probably thinking of Snow White. Myohan laid his head on a hand and closed his eyes. He wished he could be ¡®tree¡¯ or ¡®passerby 1.¡¯ Both memorizing the lines and practicing were too much work to him. He yawned, rubbed his eyes, and then narrowed his eyes. May sunlight was warm, and it was hard to imagine that it had snowed only a few days ago. Myohan looked outside, enjoying the view of falling cherry blossoms. ¡°None of us wants to be the princess, so let¡¯s pick the prince first.¡± White petals fell like snowflakes. There were still afternoon classes, but Myohan could see a student standing in front of the school gate, probably leaving early because of sickness. The janitor had left for lunch, so the gate was closed. Myohan would have easily jumped over it, but it was impossible for ordinary people¡­ ¡°I¡¯m asking again out of courtesy. Who wants to be the prince?¡± ¡°¡­..O Myohan?¡± Yuja blinked in surprise. Myohan jumped to his feet, making his chair fall with a huge crash. Everyone looked at him. Myohan looked out the window with wide eyes, and then he grabbed his bag and pulled O Shin¡¯s arm to make him stand up as well. ¡°I have to go, bye?¡± Then he was gone. Blink, blink. Yuja could say nothing, even after Myohan left. Others were no different. Chookjae, who was standing next to Yuja, poked him. Yuja came back to his senses and wrote two names on the blackboard. ¡°Well, let us decide on the rest of the roles.¡± Prince: O Myohan. Princess: O Shin. Just like that, their destiny was sealed. Shit. Myohan muttered. He looked around, looking for someone, but there was no one there. ¡°Rabbit?¡± O Shin asked unconcernedly while Myohan panted and nodded. ¡°He jumped over the school gate.¡± Myohan had just seen a student look around and jump over the school gate lightly and neatly. Any ordinary person wouldn¡¯t have been able to do so. He should have jumped down from the window the second he witnessed it, but he hadn¡¯t been able to do so as there had been too many eyes watching. So he dragged the man out and ran to where the student had gone, but they couldn¡¯t find him. Myohan looked around again, disappointed. He should have at least seen his face, but all he saw was the back of his head, so he had no clue where to start. ¡°No, you said you can identify which animal it is when you see¡­.¡± Myohan stopped catching his breath and talked. O Shin frowned. But when Myohan asked if he could recognize other animals when they first met, he had most certainly nodded. However, now he looked into Myohan¡¯s eyes and said otherwise, without even blinking an eye. ¡°I lied.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I lied to drag you into this.¡± Myohan¡¯s lips curled up. O Shin looked away, thinking he was about to get angry, but he didn¡¯t. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± O Shin¡¯s dark eyes showed surprise. Myohan undid couple of his shirt buttons and turned back. O Shin took a step toward him. ¡°You¡¯ve lied to me about one thing.¡± ¡°O Myohan.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just go home.¡± The day Myohan found out Jagyeom was the rat, O Shin promised to capture him. Myohan splashed water on Jagyeom only because O Shin made him do so. While Myohan was surprised to see Jagyeom turn into a rat, he was just smiling. It couldn¡¯t have been impossible if he hadn¡¯t known that water was what made Jagyeom turn into a rat. ¡°I wish we knew what makes him transform.¡± Myohan couldn¡¯t know why, but O Shin didn¡¯t seem like he wanted to cooperate. Well, he did make Myohan handle Sajun on his own. Myohan concluded that he should start trying tomorrow so and started to head home. But then¡ª ¡°The experience of¡­¡± The man slowly spoke. When Myohan turned to look at him, he was right in front of his face. ¡°The spirit leaving the body.¡± Wind blew, making his hair flutter softly. His black eyes were full of mysterious feelings. Myohan frowned, feeling d¨¦j¨¤ vu at the way he piercingly looked at him. He removed the hair in Myohan¡¯s eyes and spoke tenderly again. ¡°Trust your guts, cat.¡± It all felt so familiar. Familiar scene, familiar face, familiar voice, familiar hand. But he didn¡¯t know what that feeling was. The man just smiled. On the next day at school, Myohan felt like jumping out of the window. The man right next to him. I must still be dreaming. Myohan muttered so and tried to leave the room, but Yuja stopped him. ¡°Hey, Your Highness, you can¡¯t just leave like that.¡± What Yuja was showing them was a script for a play calld ¡®Snow White and the Lazy Prince.¡¯ It had many characters in it and was extremely childish, mixed up with all kinds of existing plays, but that wasn¡¯t what that mattered. ¡°You should take your princess with you.¡± Myohan and O Shin frowned hard at once, but Yuja didn¡¯t care. He just took Myohan¡¯s arm and made him sit down again. ¡°Well, I hope both of you learn your lines fast. I don¡¯t expect you to be great actors, but at least learn all of your lines, okay? Myohan, you¡¯re smart, so it shouldn¡¯t be hard for you.¡± ¡°Hey.¡± Myohan called out to Yuja coldly. Yuja nodded, inviting him to speak. ¡°Why am I the prince?¡± Yuja smiled kindly. Then he banged on the desk with the most generous expression. He looked back and forth between Myohan and O Shin. His charisma made even Myohan flinch. ¡°It¡¯s because you two boys ran from the class meeting yesterday.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°It took the rest of us to distribute the roles and write the script, you know that?¡± He sounded deadly, but his face was still smiling. Myohan had committed the sin of running away during the class meeting, so of course he had nothing to say. O Shin had given up and was already reading the script. Yes, I¡¯m the prince, but he¡¯s the princess. I didn¡¯t get the worst role. Myohan tried to console himself like that and sighed deeply. On the other hand, O Shin¡¯s face turned darker and darker as he read on. Then he showed a part to Yuja and asked. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Oh, about that¡­¡± Myohan took a peek at it. After childish lines and lines of the dwarfs, the prince was supposed to do a thing after the silence. Yuja smirked. ¡°The kiss will be the perk of the play, of course.¡± Myohan looked at the script, and at Yuja, and then out the window. Yuja added mercilessly, ¡°Make it look real.¡± Yes, it would be much better to jump down. *** Once upon a time, there lived a lovely girl. Her skin was as white as snow, so she was called Snow White. One day, she gave a hundred won to a merchant and bought an apple. Then she cleaned it and sold it at two hundred won. The next day, she bought two apples with her two hundred won and sold them for four hundred won. ¡°Get the number of apples Snow White had to sell to earn ten million won.¡± ¡°Her business was successful and she earned ten million¡­. No, no, that¡¯s not it!¡± Yuja, who had been adding the narration, hit the table with his script. Myohan, who had muttered next to him, shrugged. I guess you heard me. His schoolmates were a lot more serious about the play than he had thought. They kept practicing during lunchtime and after classes, so he could spare no time to go after the rabbit. He protested silently as he read the script again that he had already learned completely. So pathetic. ¡°You know the play that gets the most votes will win the cash prize. So let¡¯s try harder.¡± What motivated them was the cash prize the school was promising. It wasn¡¯t big, but enough for a class to have a pizza party or something similar to it. Yuja¡¯s eyes sharply glowed and he hit the table again to get everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°Well, let¡¯s start again, from the princess¡¯s line.¡± Chapter 13 The word ¡®princess¡¯ made O Shin¡¯s lips twitch. Although others didn¡¯t notice it, Myohan did, and he laughed silently. Although O Shin still remained cold and emotionless, he kept responding to the word princess. He sighed to hear Yuja call him ¡®princess.¡¯ The boys had been calling him princess for some time now. ¡°Oh, look at all this money. It¡¯ll be enough for me to become a princess.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± In the end, Myohan couldn¡¯t help laughing. O Shin said ¡®oh¡¯ way too calmly, and it was just too funny. The man gazed at him fiercely. Myohan giggled with a hand covering his mouth, his shoulders trembling. Myohan thought that O Shin wouldn¡¯t cooperate, but to his surprise, he was seriously into the play. He read his lines quite naturally. Still, there were a few problems. He was the tallest boy in the class, and his voice was just too¡­masculine to play a princess. ¡°Oh, our Snow White!¡± ¡°Our beautiful princess as white as snow!¡± ¡°Princess, please open your eyes!¡± Dwarves 1, 2, and 3 said their lines in turn. O Shin was lying on a few desks put together, and Myohan could see his eyes twitching. Myohan, still trying not to laugh, took a step forward. ¡°Out of my way.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the prince of the neighboring kingdom!¡± Sinsul, whose role was a dwarf, said his line with great effort. Myohan stood in front of lying O Shin sighed deeply, his smile long gone. The man¡¯s eyes were still closed. Myohan hesitated, and then Yuja harshly hit his shoulder. ¡°What kind of prince sighs like that in front of his princess?¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you have eyes? How can you call this a princess?¡± Myohan pointed at the man as he said so. O Shin opened his eyes and looked at Myohan. Yuja crossed his arms and looked back and forth between Myohan and O Shin. Then he looked at O Shin¡¯s feet that were in the air as the makeshift bed was short for him. ¡°The princess can be a little tall.¡± ¡°¡­.A little?¡± Chookjae, who was dwarf 7, rubbed his chin. Now O Shin was the center of everyone¡¯s attention. He said slowly, ¡°If you¡¯re going to make me lie here for long, at least give me a pillow.¡± Sinsul took pity on him, rolled up his jersey, and put it under his head. Now that O Shin felt much more comfortable, he closed his eyes again, feeling a lot better. Yuja sighed. ¡°Myohan, just do it unless you want to be the princess yourself. I let you be the prince only because I knew you would really get mad if I made you be the princess.¡± Now Myohan had no choice but to put a hand right next to O Shin¡¯s face. Yes, I am the prince, but he¡¯s the princess. I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s suffering the most here. He told himself so, put the other hand on O Shin¡¯s left cheek, and covered where the lips were supposed to meet with his thumb. Yuja had taught him the fake kissing method without actually kissing. The audience would never know if their lips really touched or not. O Shin flinched when Myohan¡¯s hand touched his cheek. ¡°Your Highness, please save our princess!¡± Myohan leaned down with dwarf 4¡¯s line. The man¡¯s long eyelashes were getting closer. When it was close enough, Myohan stopped, counted to three, and then put his head up. O Shin¡¯s eyes slowly opened. His dark eyes quietly stared at Myohan. The moment his red lips opened, Myohan frowned hard. ¡°My prince?¡± ¡®Cat¡­?¡¯ His head started to ache. His ears buzzed and he could hear a familiar voice. He fell to the floor, feeling great pain. He grabbed his head with both hands, but it didn¡¯t make the headache go away. ¡°O Myohan?¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Are you sick or something?¡± Unknown memories kept flooding in. Blue sky, green forest, leaves flowing on the river and the fear he had felt at the time. ¡®You¡¯re a cat.¡¯ He took a deep breath. He couldn¡¯t hear his classmates. A series of scenes went through his head. ¡°Myohan.¡± O Shin, who had come down from the desks, hugged him from behind and put a hand on his head. Then he started to slowly stroke his hair. He softly whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t think.¡± Myohan¡¯s mind was now blank. The voice started to fade. Myohan gripped O Shin¡¯s shirt hard, and he spoke once again. ¡°Don¡¯t try to think.¡± That made the last bit of the headache disappear. Myohan couldn¡¯t even recall what he had been thinking a second ago. When he looked up at O Shin, breathing hard, he was looking back at Myohan, his eyes as mysterious as usual. Yuja was really worried about Myohan so he sent him to the sickbay, but not before saying if he hated kissing that much, he could take the rest of the day off, but only for the rest of the day. When Myohan arrived at the sickbay with O Shin¡¯s help, the school nurse assigned him to a bed without any doubt since he looked deadly pale. ¡°I heard you fainted while practicing.¡± ¡°No, I walked here.¡± ¡°They¡¯re saying the princess¡¯s kiss has defeated the prince.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± While the school nurse was gone for a while, Jagyeom came to visit with Sajun behind him. They had run into each other when they went to Myohan¡¯s homeroom. Although they hadn¡¯t met before, Jagyeom was able to put the pieces together, with the name Kim Sajun and his appearance. Also, there was an instinctive fear he felt for predators as a rat. ¡°I wish we were in the same homeroom.¡± Sajun smacked Myohan with his words, even though Myohan was still tired. As soon as he said that, he got two fierce gazes. One from Myohan on the bed, and the other from O Shin. But Sajun didn¡¯t mind and continued, ¡°Then I would be able to kiss instead..¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pull your tongue out if you say another word.¡± Of course, Myohan immediately put a stop to it. ¡°So, why were you looking for me?¡± ¡°I wanted to meet you and¡­¡± ¡°Not you.¡± Even after getting all those warnings, Sajun just wouldn¡¯t stop trying. Myohan just ignored him and pointed at Jagyeom. Jagyeom started by saying it was probably nothing. He sounded unsure. ¡°I saw a student jump over the school gate a while ago.¡± ¡°What?¡± That made Myohan get up immediately. Jagyeom was startled by the unexpected reaction. He put a hand on his chest and frowned, ready to yell at Myohan not to surprise him, but Myohan asked somewhat anxiously, ¡°How did he do it?¡± ¡°He hopped, like this.¡± Jagyeom tried to imitate the rabbit, bending legs and then jumping lightly. It exactly matched what Myohan had seen a few days ago. Myohan closed his eyes, half-lying and half-sitting, and muttered. ¡°I saw him too.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°He¡¯s probably the rabbit.¡± ¡°Oh, no, you see¡­¡± But Jagyeom couldn¡¯t easily agree with Myohan. He recalled what he had seen. ¡°He might not be, because¡­¡± He was washing a mop, just as usual, and then someone jumped over the school gate. He jumped high like a rabbit, and no ordinary person wouldn¡¯t have been able to do it. He wondered if it was the rabbit, but then he was really confused to see the student move rather slowly. ¡°He limped after the jump.¡± After jumping over the school gate so nimbly, he limped. He even fell down after a few steps, probably because of landing incorrectly. ¡°That¡¯s one clumsy rabbit,¡± Sajun commented. ¡°Right?¡± So they were back at square one. Heavy silence filled the room. The three were all wondering the same thing. Could someone who sprained his ankle so easily be the rabbit? ¡°A rabbit¡­¡± O Shin spoke calmly. ¡°¡­has weak bones. When it falls from a high place, its bones are easily broken.¡± At the same time, the door of the sickbay was opened. They all looked at it. ¡°Nevertheless, a fully-grown rabbit can jump up to a meter high.¡± A student came in with an ankle cast. He limped, totally afraid, and he was startled to see four sets of eyes looking at him. He cowered somewhat pitifully. ¡°And it¡¯s also frightened easily.¡± His round eyes were full of fear. His white face reminded them of a certain animal. His nametag read Myo Cheong. He froze, unable to move, but then he started to walk back. ¡°Hey, you.¡± Myohan got down from the bed and took a step toward him, but¡­ ¡°Ahhhh!¡± The student jumped up high, and then he ran out. Chapter 14 Myohan frowned, his hand still pointing at where Myo Cheong had just been. Round eyes, shocked face, nose trembling in fear. Myohan asked, a little bewildered, ¡°¡­.He is the rabbit, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Yeah, I think so.¡± Jagyeom nodded, although he too looked a little confused. O Shin smiled as he liked the situation. Sajun muttered to himself with his arms crossed. ¡°Another prey, then.¡± *** Myo Cheong of class 6. He was the Myo Cheong Jagyeom had meant when he said, ¡®There¡¯s a Myo Cheong in this school as well.¡¯ Now they knew his name, his homeroom, and his face. Now that they had found the rabbit, everything was fine. Thinking so was their mistake. ¡°Hey, you.¡± Myo Cheong was fast, even with a sprained ankle. Each time Myohan went looking for him, he was out of sight in less than a second. Myohan didn¡¯t know what to think of when he lost the rabbit yet another time. O Shin leisurely gave him a piece of advice. ¡°I told you, rabbits get afraid really easily.¡± Myohan didn¡¯t have that many opportunities to find Myo Cheong. He had to practice for the play at lunchtime and after classes, so he had very little free time. So he had been going during breaks, but the rabbit wasn¡¯t being cooperative. ¡°Myo Cheong.¡± Whoosh- ¡°Hey, Myo¡­¡± Whoosh- ¡°Let me just¡­¡± Whoosh- ¡°You damn rabbit!¡± Myohan angrily kicked a wall. The group was having ice cream by the taps to discuss the matter. Jagyeom flinched with ice cream in his mouth. O Shin put a hand on Myohan¡¯s shoulder to calm him down. ¡°Calm down, prince.¡± No, he was doing the very opposite of calming him down. Myohan couldn¡¯t help sighing. Myo Cheong had been running away from him for three days now. He wondered if he was supposed to go borrow a book on how to befriend a rabbit. He threw his ice cream stick, but it just bounced off the trashcan and he had to pick it up again. Damn, now even the ice cream stick was determined to go against his will. ¡°Why on earth is he running?¡± Actually, he could have chased him. Even it was a long chase, he could have soon caught him if he wanted to. However, Myohan didn¡¯t feel like catching him forcefully. He wasn¡¯t cold enough to do that to a rabbit shuddering in fear. Sajun put his ice cream stick into the trash can for him and casually hugged his shoulder. ¡°Maybe I can give it a try¡­¡± ¡°The best thing you can do is nothing.¡± But Myohan just swatted his hand off. The rabbit was afraid of even him, and he didn¡¯t want to imagine what would happen if Sajun visited him. He wished he at least knew why Myo Cheong was running away. It wasn¡¯t like Myohan looked dangerous. ¡°That¡¯s called the instincts of an animal.¡± Myohan ruffled his hair to hear O Shin say that. Then, it had to be someone who looked less scary than himself, someone who looked like he would never be able to hurt Myo Cheong. Yes, there was just the right person for that¡­ ¡°Hey, Squeaker.¡± Jagyeom looked up. Myohan put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a serious gaze. Sajun seemed envious of Jagyeom for getting Myohan¡¯s whole attention like that, but Myohan just ignored him. He looked at Jagyeom as he blinked in fear. Similar looks, similar size. Similar name, and they were both herbivores. ¡°Most rats are omnivores, although a few bigger species are herbivores.¡± O Shin informed them of that, probably knowing what Myohan was thinking. Myohan cleared his throat, thinking O Shin had to be reading his mind. Jagyeom was still glancing at them, but then he frowned. Myohan¡¯s hand suddenly clutched his shoulder. ¡°It hurts!¡± But Myohan didn¡¯t reply to that. His glistening eyes were full of ominous energy. The moment Jagyeom gulped hard in fear, Myohan nodded. ¡°Still, you¡¯re our only option.¡± ¡°¡­.For what?¡± The afraid eyes blinked. Myohan pretended not to notice the rat¡¯s fear and said firmly, ¡°Do whatever it takes to bring the rabbit here.¡± ¡°But he runs away the second he sees you. What would be different if it were me?¡± ¡°You can do it.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Myohan narrowed his eyes. His sharp pupils threateningly glared at Jagyeom, giving him the chills. He swallowed what he had meant to say and looked away. ¡°¡­.I¡¯ll try.¡± And they each went back to their homerooms after agreeing to meet again at lunchtime. Myohan was really excited to get the rabbit at last. He was looking forward to it so much that he didn¡¯t sleep and sat upright during the whole class. The teacher was so glad to see it and gave one passionate lecture, but sadly, Myohan didn¡¯t even catch a word. ¡°As for Plato, he concluded this action to be¡­¡± The moment the bell sounded for lunchtime, Myohan ran down to the taps, resisting the urge to jump right to the ground. Yuja tried to stop him, saying they had to practice again, but Myohan just ignored him, although he knew that when he got back to the classroom, he would be scolded a lot by the class president. ¡°For your information¡­¡± Myohan was pushing clingy Sajun yet again when he saw Jagyeom come. He looked really excited, and the man smiled to see it. ¡°In history, Lee Jagyeom the politician¡¯s revolt failed.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Jagyeom sheepishly shook his head. Myohan sighed and crouched down, totally disappointed. Jagyeom said apologetically, ¡°He¡¯s not in his homeroom.¡± ¡°¡­Well, at least you tried.¡± The rabbit was really clever. Now Myohan really wanted to know why Myo Cheong was avoiding him so much. He wondered if he should send Sajun, but then, Jagyeom carefully spoke. ¡°His classmate Choi Jino told me that..¡± A small flame came to life in Myohan¡¯s eyes. Jagyeom took a breath and sighed sadly. ¡°Myo Cheong is being bullied by some bad kids.¡± Myohan immediately jumped to his feet and ran somewhere. O Shin smiled to see his back as he went away. The cat¡¯s filled with responsibilities. He had to swallow what he couldn¡¯t dare to speak. Where Myohan was running to, panting, was the vegetable garden behind the new building. Although it was called a vegetable garden, it was managed by no one and was practically an empty field. They had taken turns to manage it till last year, but it seemed like this year¡¯s freshmen weren¡¯t interested in it. But the problem was that the garden without a single plant had become a gathering place for bad students. That was where they did all their bad things, like smoking and taking money from other students. The teachers knew about it, of course. A number of solutions had been proposed, like putting security cameras and assigning a guard there, but none of them had been carried out. ¡°Wow, he¡¯s not talking again.¡± Myohan stopped near the garden, put his hands on his knees, and caught his breath. He had been running around so much ever since he met the man. ¡°Hey, can¡¯t you speak or something?¡± Myohan hid behind a wall to take a peek. Four buff guys were surrounding one guy. Myohan couldn¡¯t see his face from where he was hiding, but he knew it had to be Myo Cheong. One of his legs was in a cast. ¡°I told you to bring money.¡± ¡®This isn¡¯t good.¡¯ There was no way Myohan could defeat four men of that size. He wondered but to do, but then he saw one of them grab Myo Cheong¡¯s collar. ¡°I asked you a question, didn¡¯t I?¡± Oh, bother, bother. Myohan usually stuck to minding his business only. He always said that although connivance was a sin, meddlesomeness was another kind of sin. Everything changed after he met the man. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have gone to Sajun¡¯s summon. ¡°Hey.¡± And he wouldn¡¯t have been picking a fight with four guys much bigger than him. ¡°I need to have a word with him. Give us a minute.¡± Whatever. He didn¡¯t have much of a plan. Cats were reckless by nature. That was what O Shin would have said. ¡°Who are you?¡± Myo Cheong looked at Myohan with his wide eyes. The boy who was still holding his collar let go of it. Myohan muttered in a small voice, ¡°What?¡± One of them took a step toward him. If Myo Cheong was indeed the rabbit, he must have heard. Rabbits had keen ears. Myohan looked right at him. He hadn¡¯t seen his face since they saw each other in the sickbay. Myohan whispered again. ¡°When I count to three.¡± Chapter 15 ¡°What is he saying?¡± Myo Cheong seemed to be thinking. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t have much time to think. Myohan shouted, trying to measure the height of the window of the first floor right behind the wall. ¡°One,¡± He thought of the worst-case scenario. What if Myo Cheong didn¡¯t do as he said and everything went wrong? Still, he had no other option. He recalled how O Shin had told him to follow his guts. ¡°Two,¡± He gulped. He could see the buff guys laughing to see him suddenly begin counting. They had to be thinking he was up to something stupid. Myo Cheong closed his eyes. ¡°Three!¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± The one who screamed was the one standing at the back. Myo Cheong kicked his thigh with his leg in the cast, and at the same time, Myohan jumped up a wall and then stepped on the shoulder of the guy in front of him. ¡°What, what the?¡± ¡®Kick with your leg in the cast and run.¡¯ Myo Cheong recalled what Myohan had said a minute before and looked like he was about to cry. What should I do? What should I do? He was nervously shifting around when Myohan shouted again. ¡°Hey, what are you doing? Run!¡± Myo Cheong quickly ran away only then. Myohan let out a sigh of relief. He had guessed so as he ran without limping, but he was right. His leg had already recovered. He took a deep breath, dodged a punch, and then nimbly jumped up to the shoulders of the biggest guy. ¡°Idiots,¡± he added, smirking. And then he quickly ran toward the wall he had been standing on. The bullies all frowned. Of course they were angry to miss two victims in less than a minute. They decided to go after Myohan instead of following Myo Cheong. ¡°You..!¡± But when they went behind the wall, there was no one there. Myohan sank to the floor. He could see the bullies looking around confusedly. He had jumped up through the window while they were in shock. It was good that the window was open. ¡°Reckless cat.¡± A familiar voice said so. Myohan undid a couple of shirt buttons and grinned. ¡°I knew you would say that.¡± He had been sure of it. The man just laughed. Myohan didn¡¯t seem to be surprised to see him there. He even knew what he would say. Now he really understood the man. ¡°But what if they come after you?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°They must have seen your face.¡± Myohan hadn¡¯t thought that far. His body just moved instinctively, making him do what he had done. The fact that he might be the next target of those bullies, or that his interference might have just put Myo Cheong in an even worse situation hadn¡¯t crossed his mind at all. So why did he do it? He was actually pretty confused. ¡°Rabbits have keen ears.¡± Myohan nodded, but actually, he didn¡¯t even care a bit about it. What mattered the most was that he had missed the rabbit yet again. Letting him run away was meaningless. He had missed a chance and it wasn¡¯t going to come back. Would he be willing to talk if Myohan went to find him again? ¡°You know it?¡± The man asked, but it sounded like he already knew the answer. He offered Myohan a hand, so he took it to stand up. Then he looked out the window. The bullies were long gone. He narrowed his eyes and replied, looking down at a student, ¡°Well¡­¡± Myo Cheong, who had run away, had come back. *** ¡°You saved my life?¡± ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to be bothered.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re my¡­¡± ¡°Stop, stop!¡± O Shin stopped in the middle of his line and looked at Yuja. Yuja yelled angrily, ¡°What kind of a prince looks at his princess like that?¡± After classes, both Myohan and O Shin were held back by Yuja, who told them they were going to pay the price for running away during lunchtime. Myohan, who had been reciting the lines he had remembered days ago, replied halfheartedly. ¡°How am I supposed to look at him, then?¡± ¡°With love, with love!¡± ¡°They won¡¯t notice the difference when we¡¯re on stage.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± Chookjae had to grab Yuja to make him calm down. It seemed like Yuja was about to get a heart attack from all the stress he was getting trying to make a prince out of Myohan. The school festival was just around the corner, but the damn prince kept looking at the princess as if he were a bug. Well, to be fair, the princess just as emotionless, too. Yuja managed to recover his calm and banged on the table, although he was very tired. ¡°Let¡¯s give it one more try. But this time, with more emotion.¡± Myohan wasn¡¯t being uncooperative on purpose. He knew he had to make up for missing the class meeting, and now he had already learned his lines, he had no reason to complain about being the prince. It just that he couldn¡¯t think of the tall guy in front of him as a princess. Not bursting into laughter was the best he could do. ¡°You saved my life?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± After O Shin said his line, a lot more naturally, Myohan opened his mouth to say his. But then, the back door opened and there came in a familiar boy. Myo Cheong found that he had attracted too much attention and flinched. ¡°Um, I¡¯m looking for O Myohan¡­¡± Myohan put down his script. Yuja let out a deep sigh and waved his hand. ¡°Be back in ten minutes.¡± They went out the second they got his permission. Myo Cheong didn¡¯t say even a word on their way to the taps. Myohan looked back from time to time to see if he was following, but it only made him jump up. Myohan had to speak to him first after making sure no one else was listening. ¡°Why did you run away from me?¡± Myo Cheong¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t timid as expected. Myohan thought that he would always whisper as he was startled by even the smallest sound, but he was wrong. Of course, what he said was even more unexpected. ¡°I thought you were trying to bully me as well.¡± ¡°¡­.Why would I?¡± Myohan was a little shocked. He had run away because he thought Myohan was another bully? But he took pride in being a nice and diligent student. ¡°Because I¡¯m an easy prey.¡± Myo Cheong continued speaking slowly, his dry voice making Myohan shut his mouth. ¡°Because I¡¯m quiet.¡± No emotion at all. His voice was calm, quiet, and dry. ¡°I can say nothing and do nothing when bullied.¡± Myohan blinked slowly. Myo Cheong looked into his eyes. ¡°I have few friends and no one to help me.¡± His rabbit eyes drooped sadly. Although he sounded fine, his eyes were dying. Myohan now could see why he couldn¡¯t help caring about this rabbit. ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°Hey, rabbit.¡± There was the feeling he had been sensing ever since he found the rabbit. ¡°There¡¯s no good reason for being bullied.¡± He felt no sympathy in hearing what the bullied kid was thinking. Why was that? Because he was that cold? Because he lacked sympathy? ¡°Let¡¯s say those guys bully me next.¡± Myohan went closer to Myo Cheong. Yes, it didn¡¯t feel right. Even though he had shuddered to see them, he had been rather relaxed when surrounded by bullies. Even though he looked like he was crying, he hadn¡¯t looked sorry at all. ¡°Then what, is it because I¡¯ve given them a good reason? Because I helped you? Or because I called them idiots?¡± He had been stupid to chase the rabbit without any doubt. The voice in his heart had told him otherwise, but he just told himself that the boy was just fearful after being bullied for so long. ¡°No, it¡¯s because they¡¯re bullies, and that¡¯s the only reason.¡± Myo Cheong¡¯s eyes widened. Myohan added as a conclusion, ¡°Don¡¯t try to reason with yourself with such shitty reasons.¡± Well, bite the bait now. ¡°¡­Then what, I was just unlucky?¡± Myo Cheong¡¯s eyes trembled. He angrily stomped his feet. ¡°Yes, they all say that the victim isn¡¯t responsible, the perpetrators are. And yet, both teachers and students tell the victims to change.¡± His round eyes were now full of emotion. But it wasn¡¯t sadness. ¡°I said a few words, and they said I was rude, so I kept my mouth shut, and then they called me mute. Bring money, do this, do that. Shit, I was going to get compensation money if they beat me, but they were scared to see me wearing a cast and couldn¡¯t do more than threatening me¡­¡± It was resentment. Resentment strong enough to make Myohan feel sick of it. Myo Cheong kept cursing and stomping his feet for some time, but then, he abruptly turned to Myohan. Myohan couldn¡¯t help flinching and taking a step back. ¡°I could have beaten those guys up, but I was just seeing how it would go, and you came in and ruined all that!¡± Chapter 16 When Myo Cheong was finally finished, he breathed hard. Myohan grinned. ¡°Hey, rabbit.¡± Myo Cheong¡¯s nose trembled slightly. Yes, that. That instinctive expression of feelings was what had been confusing Myohan. ¡°And why do you keep calling me rabbit? I¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re a really good actor.¡± Myo Cheong flinched and shut his mouth. His eyes were shaking hard, but he was trying to look bold. Still smiling, Myohan imitated O Shin. ¡°You know, rabbits have keen ears.¡± He recalled how afraid Myo Cheong had looked at the sickbay. He had been full of fear since the moment he opened the door. That was why Myohan hadn¡¯t noticed till now. The fear Myo Cheong had shown hadn¡¯t been false at all. ¡°You must have heard outside the door why we were looking for you.¡± With his rabbit hearing, he must have heard their talking through the door. As he was afraid before he even saw who was inside, of course he was lying when he said he thought they were trying to take his money. The truth was, he felt a deep fear about his true identity being revealed. ¡°You did it on purpose, didn¡¯t you?¡± But then there came anther question. Why had he bothered to open the door to show his face to them? ¡°So that I would find you.¡± Myo Cheong didn¡¯t know why Myohan was looking for him. That was why he decided to show that he was being bullied and make Myohan think he wanted nothing to do with him. He did all that to make Myohan give up. ¡°That¡¯s why you asked your schoolmate to tell me about you.¡± With each word Myohan said, Myo Cheong¡¯s face turned even whiter. To think about it, there had been a number of strange things. His schoolmate revealing his private life to a complete stranger, and him being bullied at the garden at the right time. ¡°However, you didn¡¯t know that I¡¯d help you.¡± Yes, Myo Cheong had looked like he felt like crying, but not because he was sorry. It was just despair for his ruined plan, and guilt from his last bit of conscience. ¡°You¡¯re fine with being bullied, but you¡¯re afraid of being busted, rabbit?¡± Myo Cheong hadn¡¯t hesitated to kick the guy¡¯s thigh. He perfectly kicked where it would hurt the most. In conclusion, he there was only one reason for bringing Myohan out and telling his story. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He wanted to be pitied. He was guessing a nice student who couldn¡¯t help but aid a bullied student wouldn¡¯t be able to press on such a hurt victim. But he was wrong. Myohan grinned again, this time for real. ¡°But Myo Cheong the monk¡¯s revolt failed as well.¡± Trust your guts. O Shin¡¯s voice rung in his head. Myo Cheong smirked to see him smiling brightly. And then he muttered, ¡°Shit, all screwed.¡± Because of the ten-minute timeout Yuja had given him, Myohan had no choice but to leave Myo Cheong and go back to his homeroom. Yet he didn¡¯t forget to tell the stomping rabbit, ¡®If you run away again, I¡¯ll throw you to a snake.¡¯ ¡°Please marry me, my prince.¡± ¡°Sorry, but I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°The moment your lips touched mine, I¡­¡± Well, he had gotten him. He had caught and put a shackle on the rabbit. ¡°Are you really content with it, my prince?¡± O Shin took Myohan¡¯s wrist and asked. It was one of his lines, but his black eyes said differently. He was really asking. Are you really content with it? ¡°¡­.No.¡± No. Of course not. He couldn¡¯t. He still didn¡¯t know what turned Myo Cheong into a rabbit. ¡°O Myohan, you just made a mistake.¡± Yuja rolled up his script and tapped on Myohan¡¯s arm. He didn¡¯t protest and nodded. As he quickly admitted his mistake, Yuja didn¡¯t say anything more and gestured for them to resume. O Shin smiled faintly. Myohan blinked. Experience the moment the soul leaves the body. That was what he had said. The moment the soul leaves the body. Well, that was when people died. So Myo Cheong transformed when he died? ¡°You already know the answer, my prince.¡± O Shin slowly offered his hand. Myohan took it and looked back at him. O Shin was enjoying watching himself reflected in the clear eyes. ¡°Really? What do you think, then?¡± Myohan took a step closer. Yuja nodded with satisfaction, happy to see Myohan serious for once. O Shin put a hand on Myohan¡¯s chest and whispered to his ear. ¡°I believe you.¡± ¡°¡­Great!¡± Applause. Yuja smiled and patted Myohan¡¯s back. He had never smiled so broadly before. ¡°You nailed it! Now let¡¯s go home!¡± Now the festival was only a few days away. They were almost done practicing. Actually, as the play was only about 10 minutes long, they didn¡¯t have to practice so much. They all had learned their lines, and a short practice wasn¡¯t going to turn them into actors. It just that Yuja had insisted on practicing because of Myohan¡¯s uncooperative attitude. But now he was satisfied, so they didn¡¯t need more practicing. ¡°What¡¯s the problem, then?¡± Sajun said as he clung onto Myohan who easily dodged and put a foot between Sajun¡¯s legs, making him stick to a wall. He turned pale, recalling the pain. ¡°Can¡¯t you put your foot down?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Do all snakes like to be kicked?¡± Jagyeom shook his head. Myohan gave Sajun a fierce gaze. ¡°He wants us to show him proof that he turns into a rabbit.¡± Myohan had gone to find Myo Cheong many times after that day. At first, the rabbit shuddered in fear, but then he realized Myohan would do nothing to him and started to regain his confidence. And then, a few days ago¡ª ¡®You don¡¯t know, do you?¡¯ He said that boldly with a confident smile. ¡®Shit, I was afraid for nothing. You don¡¯t know what makes me turn into a rabbit, do you?¡¯ Well, he had a point. Myohan had managed to keep his face straight, but actually, he had panicked a lot. Myo Cheong added, ¡®No, even if you knew, you wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything.¡¯ Really, what had he meant by that? Did he really turn into a rabbit when he died? No, if it was the case, he wouldn¡¯t have even known he was a rabbit. ¡°The moment the soul leaves the body¡­¡± What O Shin had said and what Myo Cheong had said kept swirling inside Myohan¡¯s head. He narrowed his eyes to think, but then Sajun offered him a hand. ¡°It¡¯s time to go, prince.¡± At the same time, O Shin covered Myohan¡¯s eyes and pulled him toward himself. Myohan, who had been standing on one leg to threaten Sajun, was easily dragged to him. He could see Sajun click his tongue. O Shin¡¯s cold eyes turned to the snake, his eyes full of hatred and anger that surprised Jagyeom. But Myohan couldn¡¯t see it as O Shin¡¯s hand was covering his eyes. He pushed the hand away angrily. ¡°Get rid of that prince thing, will you?¡± ¡°But Yuja said if we go late, he¡¯d kill us.¡± Myohan was really sick of it all, but he could remember Yuja telling them to come back soon as they had to measure their sizes for their costumes. Myohan patted Jagyeom¡¯s head, said bye, and started to walk away. O Shin followed him. When the other two boys were left alone, they awkwardly exchanged glances. Jagyeom sighed to see how disappointed Sajun was. ¡°You really should stop with your pranks. You might actually be killed.¡± ¡°No way. A snake cannot be killed by a cat.¡± ¡°Cat?¡± Sajun laughed. He doesn¡¯t know. He realized it immediately and shrugged with a smirk. ¡°Well, O Myohan does resemble a cat.¡± ¡°But I wasn¡¯t talking about him¡­¡± O Shin¡¯s eyes looked like he would devour Sajun at any moment. Jagyeom shuddered. He had become quite close to Myohan and even to Sajun, but he hadn¡¯t had much of a conversation with O Shin. And he was nowhere to be seen when Myohan wasn¡¯t there. ¡°I just wanted to let him know.¡± Let him know what? Jagyeom asked with his eyes. Sajun crouched down next to him, looked into his eyes, and grinned. ¡°You know, that.¡± His long fingers pointed at his lips. Jagyeom realized what he meant by that and made a gagging sound. He could recall what he had learned during a class a while ago. ¡°That¡¯s what Plato said.¡± Sajun sighed and smacked. You enjoy pain. Jagyeom gulped down what he couldn¡¯t dare to speak out loud. If O Shin hadn¡¯t pulled Myohan away from him, either Myohan or O Shin would have killed him. Chapter 17 ¡°Um, that¡¯s¡­¡± Yuja¡¯s eyes widened. He couldn¡¯t say anything more. He covered his mouth and took a step back. Myohan put a hand on his forehead, sighing. Dangerous tension filled the room. Everyone was looking at the white rabbit in O Shin¡¯s arms. He looked sad, which wasn¡¯t like him. Then he blurted out, ¡°I wish I could just kill myself.¡± The rabbit sniffed at his chest ornament. Its long ears were cute and furry. Then Sinsul said something that broke the silence. ¡°Hey, you look really great!¡± It was festival day. They got their costumes made by using the money they had pulled together. Boys who were good with crafts made the required props, and they also bought what they could buy, like the apple and trees. Now they were all ready and had agreed to go around in their costumes for promotion before the play in the afternoon, so they first checked the princess costume, which was the most important. Long, black hair that came down to the shoulders, and huge red ribbon on the head. Myohan moaned to see O Shin wearing that fairy tale princess dress. ¡°I¡¯m so grateful that I¡¯m not the prince¡­¡± One of the boys had brought his rabbit, saying Snow White was all about animals. The princess was going to hold it for as short while before its owner would take it back. Its cute and round eyes reminded Myohan of another rabbit he was supposed to catch. He wished that rabbit could¡¯ve also been nice. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t yell. It¡¯ll stress the rabbit.¡± Well, in conclusion, O Shin looked extremely good while dressed up as a princess. It did look a little awkward as he was really tall and masculine, but it wasn¡¯t a serious problem. Yuja even gave him a thumbs-up, saying his costume was 90 out of 100. ¡°O Myohan! You should get changed too!¡± After seeing O Shin¡¯s princess costume, Myohan was ready to accept anything, so he took the prince costume from Yuja without protesting. Although O Shin¡¯s costume came with a wig and a ribbon, Myohan just had a crown, a cape, and a wooden sword. He didn¡¯t hesitate to get changed, and O Shin gave him a complicated look. ¡°Well, judging from height, O Myohan would have made a better princess.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be the prince if you wanted to now. The dress is way too long for you.¡± Sinsul kept joking around, but Myohan just told him to knock it off while he put on his cape and crown with Yuja¡¯s help. His costume suited him nicely. He tried touching the sword on his belt, and O Shin¡¯s lips curled up. ¡°You look good, prince.¡± Normally, it would have made Myohan angry, but not today. He had to try really hard not to laugh while looking at O Shin as he was even in a worse state. ¡°You look even better, you know.¡± ¡°Now, now, as you are all dressed up, go out, get around, and enjoy the festival. I want promotion, okay?¡± But Myohan would rather walk around naked than go out wearing that costume. O Shin seemed to be thinking the same, but Yuja show them no mercy. He pushed them out of the classroom and slammed the door shut right in front of their faces, yelling at them to hold hands. Everyone turned to see a prince and a princess suddenly show up in the hallway. ¡°You heard him. Should we hold hands?¡± ¡°Shut up, princess.¡± O Shin must have gotten used to it already, as he offered a hand. Of course, Myohan turned him down flatly. Getting around in costumes wasn¡¯t as bad as they thought. The whole grade knew Myohan¡¯s class was about to do a play, and as they were saying among themselves that ¡®the princess defeated the prince with a kiss¡¯, there was no reason to be more embarrassed now. He knew Yuja wanted advertising, but he also knew he could find a desolate place and get some rest instead. ¡°What the- it¡¯s him!¡± But things got worse really quickly. Since it was festival day and everyone was busy, no one was going to be at the garden. They could rest there. Myohan shouldn¡¯t have taken O Shin¡¯s opinion. ¡°But what is he wearing?¡± One, two, three, four buff guys, and a small boy in the middle of them. Myo Cheong, who had been standing there somewhat bored, frowned hard. Myohan sighed. O Shin was quite amused. ¡°It¡¯s time to draw your sword, prince.¡± He must have predicted this. Myohan thought so. He knew it was impossible, but it didn¡¯t surprise him either. Should I turn back and leave? No, that didn¡¯t sound right. Then, should I do what I did last time? No, that was an even worse idea. Those guys were not fools. Why would they fall twice to the same trick? ¡°Why? You¡¯ve come to save this mute again?¡± ¡°And why have you brought a crossdresser?¡± Myohan looked up at him. He still looked unconcerned. It was two of us then, but now there¡¯s three of us. Shouldn¡¯t it be possible? But the moment he thought so, O Shin faked a pitiful look. ¡°Are you going to make this fragile princess fight?¡± ¡°Shit.¡± Myohan instinctively said that. How could he even say such a thing with his masculine voice? Myo Cheong also frowned, having heard it too. ¡°What did you just say? Shit?¡± One of the buff guys came closer. Myo Cheong angrily stomped a foot. ¡°You really think you get to pick a fight with us after running away last time?¡± Myohan sighed. Actually, he himself could easily run away right now. And as for O Shin, well, he could take care of himself. The problem was Myo Cheong¡­ ¡®Bother, bother¡­.¡¯ Running away was no good. There was no guarantee he would never run into them again, and most of all, he didn¡¯t like them doing bad things so openly. Yes, he had run away once, but his pride didn¡¯t permit him to do it twice. Well then, there was only one option left. Huh. Myohan smirked. ¡°Each of you idiots can do nothing alone, that¡¯s why you always go around in packs. So you think you are some kind of cool gangsters?¡± The bullies frowned hard to hear the unexpected. Is he crazy? Myo Cheong¡¯s eyes widened and he stomped his feet again. He was biting his lips. But Myohan just shrugged. ¡°You see, sort like you really are the worst. You pick a quiet and weak kid, bully him, and take his money.¡± Myo Cheong shook his head hard to tell him to shut up. Now, all the buff guys were looking at Myohan. One of them laughed. ¡°Huh, what are you, a bringer of justice?¡± ¡°Well, you can do no more than tormenting a kid without any friends.¡± ¡°Hey, if you leave now, we¡¯ll let you go.¡± ¡°Hah! He says he¡¯ll let me go!¡± Myohan laughed out loud, clearly looking down on them. Their faces turned red. ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯ll be able to really punch me¡­¡± Cats have nine lives. Myohan suddenly thought of it, although it wasn¡¯t exactly right for the situation. He laughed again and said another insult. ¡°You don¡¯t actually know how to punch, do you?¡± ¡°Are you crazy or something?¡± The guy at the front grabbed him. Myo Cheong flinched and put a foot forward. Myohan thought Yuja wouldn¡¯t like it if his costume got damaged, but that wasn¡¯t going to stop him now. He slowly blinked and invited them in, ¡°Ugh,¡± he said with a deep sigh, a bored look, and a mocking gaze. ¡°Cowards.¡± With that last word, they snapped. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± A fist was swung widely. It was slow enough to dodge, and as it was a huge move, it had many flaws. But Myohan didn¡¯t dodge. Nor did he counterattack. He just kept his eyes on the guy. ¡°Oh, damn it!¡± He could hear a yell. He grinned. One fell to the ground with a huge paf! But, it wasn¡¯t Myohan. Nor was it O Shin, watching quietly from behind. The hand grabbing Myohan fell slowly. He blinked slowly. ¡°Shit! Shit!¡± Myo Cheong knocked him off in no time and went on angrily stomping on his back. The other three, who couldn¡¯t understand what was happening, looked at him in shock. Myohan just calmly brushed his costume. ¡°They say cats,¡± ¡°Have nine lives? I know.¡± Chapter 18 ¡°Aaaagh!¡± Myo Cheong screamed and pulled his hair. It seemed like he had gone mad. He grabbed the now unconscious guy with one hand by his scruff and then threw him to his friends. They flinched and looked at him with fear. He went to them, his hair in a mess. ¡°Oh, shit. Hey, you.¡± He made growling sound that was hard to believe was a rabbit¡¯s. The guys lost all their courage and started to walk backwards. ¡°You think I¡¯m mute? I can beat up any of you like this, and you think being in a group would make any difference?¡± His eyes glowered like beast¡¯s eyes, contrary to how he had kept his mouth shut with a fearful look. His eyes almost glowed red. ¡°You should have stopped it there while I was being nice to you, but you dare to keep going? Shit, do you really want to die?¡± Now anyone could have believed the four guys had been the victims. Their confidence was all gone and they were desperately trying to get away. Myo Cheong couldn¡¯t control his anger and stomped his foot once again, making the unconscious guy flinch. ¡°What are you looking at? Piss off!¡± He said so while breathing hard, but no one cared to move. His eyes were just too scary. He hardened his face and kicked the wall. ¡°If you don¡¯t leave right now, I¡¯ll do round two with whoever stays. One, two.¡± This time, they ran away without even looking back. Aaaagh! Myo Cheong screamed again and stomped. O Shin, who had been watching like it had been a movie, talked only then. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Myo Cheong turned to them, his eyes still mad. His rage was strong enough to make Myohan flinch, but it couldn¡¯t bother O Shin. He started to walk toward them, but then he collapsed. Myohan instinctively caught him and looked at his still angry face. O Shin added matter-of-factly, ¡°Rabbits have weak bones!¡± Myohan crouched down and rolled up Myo Cheong¡¯s pants. His ankle was red and swollen, just like Myohan¡¯s ankle had been after he jumped into a river. Myohan frowned. ¡°Shit, I just got out of that cast!¡± I could have won against those guys easily. Myo Cheong had said so. His perfect posture of kicking the thigh, his unbelievable speed, and his courage that didn¡¯t fade even surrounded by four guys. Myohan had carried out a plan with all of those things considered, and it had worked. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill them all! Aaaagh!¡± Well, at least to some extent. ¡°Hey, just calm down.¡± ¡°Shit, how am I supposed to calm down?¡± Oh, I¡¯ve heard this much yelling before. Myohan thought of the chittering Jagyeom. He shook his head to dismiss the thought and leaned down to carry Myo Cheong. As the rabbit had been hurt because of him, he had to take him to the sickbay. But O Shin was faster. ¡°What are you? Put me down!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± O Shin lifted up Myo Cheong as if he was luggage and started to walk. He didn¡¯t seem to find the wriggling Myo Cheong heavy at all. Myohan followed him, glad that he didn¡¯t have to carry the heavy load. ¡°Stop ignoring me!¡± ¡°You really want me to put you down?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± The rabbit somehow sounded like a squealing boar. Myohan covered an ear and fell behind. Now was really good time to turn him into a rabbit. ¡°If I drop you now, you¡¯ll break more bones.¡± ¡°You¡­!¡± ¡°If that¡¯s fine with you.¡± Myohan pitied him, which he rarely did. But he really did pity Myo Cheong. Being carried by a man dressed up as Snow White? That was something to be pitied. When they ran into Jagyeom on their way to the sickbay, he was quite shocked to see them in what they were wearing. ¡°Snow White has abducted the rabbit¡­?¡± There was no denying it. ¡°So Snow White and the prince lived happily ever after.¡± Thunderous applause. Myohan held O Shin¡¯s hand and bowed to the audience. Then he hurried down the stage. ¡°And that was class 2-1¡¯s [Snow White and the Lazy Prince].¡± Their practice of two weeks paid off during those ten minutes. The audience cheered enthusiastically, first when O Shin in his dress appeared, second when Myohan the prince appeared, and again when they kissed. They really loved it a lot more than Myohan had expected. Myohan moved his sweaty hair from his eyes and took off the crown. He wished he could get changed, but he had left his school uniform in his homeroom. He watched O Shin with envy as he took off his wig and dress. Myohan also should have thought of wearing a T-shirt and pants under his costume. But Yuja didn¡¯t care about what he was thinking and drove him to the seats, telling him to sit down. ¡°You were pretty good.¡± ¡°Of course we were good after all that practicing.¡± Jagyeom and Sajun were near the air conditioner. Myohan flopped down on the floor, drying his sweaty hair. O Shin was leaning against the wall. He looked down at Myohan. ¡°A prince shouldn¡¯t sit on the floor like that.¡± ¡°Stop sounding like Yuja.¡± Now they were really done with that stupid play. They no longer had to practice for it during lunchtime and after classes. Myohan closed his eyes and tilted his head backwards, feeling quite good. He was waiting for all the plays to end so that he would be able to go to Myo Cheong at the sickbay. Sajun smacked to see his white neck, but then he had to look away because of the fierce gaze O Shin gave him. He sat down in front of Myohan. ¡°You know, there was a scene that was really impressive to me.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°So, is what Plato said true?¡± ¡°What on earth are you talking about?¡± Myohan didn¡¯t have the energy to argue with him. He slowly opened his eyes. Sajun traced his lips with a finger. ¡°Was it fascinating¡­¡± For some reason, O Shin didn¡¯t try to stop him. Jagyeom looked like he was about to throw up to see him at it again. ¡°As the soul leaving the body?¡± Myohan narrowed his eyes. But then he laughed when he recalled something. It was what the teacher had been passionately explaining about when he was looking forward to Lee Jagyeom¡¯s revolt. The thing he had just done up on the stage with O Shin. The hint he had given him. He turned to him, hating his curled-up lips. ¡°You should have paid more attention to the lecture.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you.¡± His powerful tone made Sajun flinch, but the anger wasn¡¯t directed to the snake. O Shin asked, laughing, ¡°Well, what are you going to do?¡± ¡°You know what I¡¯m about to do.¡± Once again, Myohan had been fooled by him so many times that he was getting used to it. He didn¡¯t hesitate to stand up and started to walk. No, he ran. ¡°O Myohan, where are you going!¡± Yuja shouted out to him from behind, but Myohan didn¡¯t look back. He forgot he was dressed up as a prince, and that the plays hadn¡¯t ended yet. He ran and ran, panting. He was headed to where his already captured rabbit was, where the poor rabbit that had been caught by snare was. He opened the door. The sun was setting, and there Myo Cheong was, bored. Myohan went to him and grabbed him, making Myo Cheong¡¯s round eyes frown hard. ¡°What the- shit. What are you doing?¡± ¡°You told me to bring proof that proves you turn into a rabbit.¡± The experience of the moment when the soul leaves the body. He felt like cursing. Myohan put his other hand behind Myo Cheong¡¯s head. ¡°You said even if I figure it out, I wouldn¡¯t be able to do a thing about it.¡± Myo Cheong seemed to be in doubt. He was thinking, it can¡¯t be. Damn Plato. Damn O Shin. You told me to trust my guts? You dare to? He had no reason to hesitate, so he tilted and leaned in. ¡°Hey, wait..¡± The sun set softly outside the window. Myohan¡¯s cape fell down quietly. Myo Cheong felt something soft on his lips, and then something hot came in between them. What his eyes could see were Myohan¡¯s long eyelashes. He closed his eyes. ¡°¡­.Got you.¡± He sounded happy. Unlike shocked Myo Cheong, Myohan was smiling. ¡°At last.¡± He smiled brightly as if he was having a great time. ¡°The rabbit.¡± Plato said kissing is the experience of the moment when the soul leaves the body. What was in the smiling Myohan¡¯s hands was a snowy white rabbit. Chapter 19 ¡®Shit¡­¡¯ He had been so full of himself. There¡¯s know way he knows what makes me transform, and even if he did, there¡¯s nothing he can do about it. He thought so and didn¡¯t run. He should have known better after looking into those clear, sharp eyes. His school uniform, which was now too big for him, fell off. Myohan kept staring at him, and Myo Cheong, who was now in rabbit form, felt like crying. So he tried wriggling angrily, but then he heard something unexpected. ¡°First, let me apologize.¡± The long ears flinched. Myohan put the rabbit down on one side of the bed and straightened his costume. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about your ankle.¡± He didn¡¯t exactly sound enthusiastic about the apology, but it was enough to melt Myo Cheong¡¯s anger. Myohan brushed down his cape and lifted up the rabbit with one hand. Myo Cheong didn¡¯t try to fight. He clung onto the hand. Myohan left the sickbay in triumph, rabbit in hand. Of course, he didn¡¯t forget to take Myo Cheong¡¯s uniform. He thought the rabbit would do his best to protest, but for some reason, he stayed in his hand. He rather looked to be in a daze. ¡°¡­You really.¡± O Shin was standing outside the building. Myohan had gotten used to him showing up like that a long time ago. O Shin stared at the rabbit in his hand. Then he blurted out, ¡°¡­ Did it.¡± He didn¡¯t say what ¡®that¡¯ was. Nevertheless, Myohan knew what he meant and frowned. ¡°I thought this was what you wanted.¡± O Shin didn¡¯t seem to be rejoicing. He rather looked irritated, even after finding another one of the twelve zodiac animals. He strangely looked like he was blaming himself. Myohan looked straight at him, confused. He opened his mouth, but then he closed it again. Myohan didn¡¯t know what it was about, so he just lightly bumped on his shoulder and went past. ¡°You must have underestimated me.¡± O Shin laughed. Then he started to walk, following Myohan. Myohan continued triumphantly, ¡°But I always keep my promise.¡± He had promised to do his best. Truthfully, it wasn¡¯t like him as even he himself didn¡¯t know why he had made that promise, but still, he had promised. Whether it had been out of sympathy for O Shin, or Myohan¡¯s own whim, since he gave his word, he took it as his responsibility. O Shin stared at his back and laughed soundlessly. ¡°Just the same as before.¡± Myohan changed out of his prince costume and waited for Myo Cheong to transform back into human form. When he arrived at the stadium again, all the plays had ended. And of course Snow White and the Lazy Prince won the most votes ¡°Now we have nine more to go.¡± Boys kept telling Myohan how they had enjoyed his kissing scene as he took Sajun and Jagyeom to the taps. They kept asking how he had captured the rabbit, but he didn¡¯t answer. He just felt like he shouldn¡¯t. ¡°And I¡¯m supposed to believe that?¡± After Myohan finished explaining everything, Myo Cheong stomped his feet yet again. Then he crossed his arms and glared at Myohan. ¡°Shit, I¡¯ve never seen anyone else turn into an animal except for me! If you want to fool me, at least put more effort into it!¡± ¡°But there are two more here, right in front of your eyes.¡± ¡°Make them transform, then.¡± Myohan looked at the hose right next to him, and then to Jagyeom. Jagyeom realized what he was thinking and yelled. ¡°Why me?!¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s much easier than making it snow.¡± The answer came from O Shin. He grabbed the hose and Jagyeom took a step back, afraid. He knew Myohan might think twice about it, but O Shin wouldn¡¯t hesitate to do it. Myohan sighed. He knew why Jagyeom hated it so much. Then he made up his mind and hardened his face. ¡°Hey, rabbit.¡± ¡°I told you, don¡¯t call me that¡­¡± ¡°Do you want to turn into a rabbit in front of a crowd?¡± Jagyeom turned pale, recalling what he had heard at Myohan¡¯s home a while ago. Myo Cheong must have felt the same as he also turned deadly white and stepped back. Myohan took a step closer to him. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I want to do that to you.¡± Shit. They could almost hear Myo Cheong cursing. Myohan put a hand on his shoulder and smiled with ease, just like O Shin. Jagyeom mouthed what he was about to say. ¡°Then you should help, right?¡± Wow, so evil. Jagyeom muttered. Myohan had gone down to O Shin¡¯s level already. *** ¡°You¡¯re going to sleep?¡± It¡¯d been a long day. Myohan almost got beaten up by bullies, did a play, and caught the rabbit. Tiredness took over him the moment he entered his home. Myohan didn¡¯t say anything. O Shin, who had followed him in as if it had been his home, came. Myohan, who was lying on the sofa, felt his presence and opened his eyes. On his stomach was the kitten he had saved a while ago, fast asleep. ¡°What?¡± O Shin didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he sat in front of Myohan. Myohan didn¡¯t like the way he was looking at him, so he got up carefully so that the kitten wouldn¡¯t fall. ¡°What is it about?¡± He had been like that for a few hours. More exactly, ever since he saw Myo Cheong had transformed. He kept looking at Myohan, craving something. When Myohan waited for him to speak, he said nothing, and when Myohan kept staring at him, he looked away, pretending it was nothing. As it was in Myohan¡¯s nature to not like ambiguity, he felt like going crazy. But yet again, O Shin quietly looked at him. And then, he suddenly put a hand on Myohan¡¯s cheek. ¡°O Myohan.¡± His hand made Myohan feel ticklish. He carefully caressed his face and slowly asked, ¡°What were you going to do if you had been wrong?¡± Myohan narrowed his eyes, trying to guess what he meant by the question. He was now touching one of Myohan¡¯s ears now. ¡°What if Myo Cheong hadn¡¯t been the rabbit?¡± The man sometimes touched Myohan liked that. He caressed him as if it was only natural. Myohan couldn¡¯t understand it, but what he couldn¡¯t understand even more was himself not refusing his hand. ¡°What if the kiss hadn¡¯t turned him into a rabbit?¡± Their eyes met, O Shin¡¯s thirst more serious than ever. ¡°What would you have done?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t have been wrong.¡± It felt so strange. Talking while looking into each other¡¯s eyes wasn¡¯t awkward at all. Myohan looked down from the binding gaze. ¡°It was you who told me so.¡± When they first met, Myohan had said, ¡®I¡¯ll help you, even I can¡¯t trust you.¡¯ So, what he was saying now didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°And, even if it was wrong¡­¡± Myohan just placed his trust O Shin without even realizing it. He had accepted his words and even carried them out. He had done it only because he trusted O Shin¡¯s words to trust his own guts. Provoking Myo Cheong, picking a fight with the bullies, kissing for the first time in his life. How had all of that been possible? O Shin had lied to him only about one thing. But how could he be so sure of it? ¡°I don¡¯t give much shit to kissing.¡± The experience of the moment when the soul leaves the body? Bullshit. While Myohan kissed Myo Cheong and put his tongue in, he hadn¡¯t gotten any kind of feeling. To think about it, even Sajun had kissed him. Myohan knew himself to be quite dull, but there was no reason to take a kiss so seriously. ¡°Really?¡± O Shin wasn¡¯t smiling. Normally, he would have looked at Myohan and smiled, but now he was serious. His hand moved from Myohan¡¯s ear to the back of his head. He rubbed his hair like caressing a small animal, and then he fixed his gaze on Myohan¡¯s lips. Myohan couldn¡¯t know why, but he thought, O Shin was about to close his eyes, come closer, and their lips were about to meet. He slowly closed his eyes. O Shin whispered, ¡°I guess Plato was a liar.¡± It felt like a dream. O Shin tilted his head right where they could feel each other¡¯s breath, and their breaths actually met. Chapter 20 O Shin had a hand on Myohan¡¯s back head so that he wouldn¡¯t be able to get away, but funnily enough, he gave him enough time to refuse. He stood still with their lips touched, and then he opened Myohan¡¯s lips. His tongue tingled, like tasting sweet candy. It was their first kiss, but it felt so familiar. The hand on the back crept down Myohan¡¯s neck. O Shin put his other hand on his cheek and their lips pressed even tighter. Myohan didn¡¯t refuse. He couldn¡¯t. His hands trembled and he had to grab O Shin¡¯s shirt. He slowly tilted his head, soothing Myohan. His soft lips went away for a second and then came again. Myohan could feel tingles in his stomach. ¡°Meow.¡± The kitten had woken up. It jumped down the sofa. It yawned widely and then moved away. O Shin moved back slightly and then looked into Myohan¡¯s eyes. Myohan stayed still, almost enchanted, then frowned to hear a voice in his head. ¡®I will never forget you.¡¯ His head buzzed. Scenes he had never seen before started to flood in. ¡®Even if you can¡¯t remember me¡­¡¯ Rain was falling from the dark sky. Someone drenched wet in rain kept talking to him. Myohan couldn¡¯t remember but he couldn¡¯t let it go either. He blinked. His mind was in a mess. ¡°Don¡¯t think.¡± O Shin spoke calmly and kissed him again. He embraced Myohan and softly patted his back. Once, twice, each time his hand caressed Myohan, his memories went away. He kissed him again passionately, and Myohan let him. It didn¡¯t feel real. A softm flooding sensation washed over him. He stayed in O Shin¡¯s arms for a long time. ¡°So, our class is going to¡­¡± Myohan took a deep breath. Hot wind, humid air, and the smell of sand. He looked away following a whisk of sand dust, and then he stretched his back. His sleepy eyes blinked. ¡®So sleepy.¡¯ ¡°Are you listening?¡± ¡°No.¡± Sinsul, who had been explaining with twinkling eyes, puffed and shook Myohan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°But the sports competition¡¯s just around the corner!¡± Some days past after he got the rabbit. He had been happy to be done with the school festival, but now the sports competition was just around the corner. Myohan had to be dragged out to the schoolyard by his classmates just because they had been given permission to train during independent study time. Myohan looked around, and there were many other boys out practicing as well. The weather was hot, and it was hard to believe it¡¯d snowed only a while ago. And Sinsul¡¯s passion was as hot as the scorching sun. ¡°O Myohan, we must play soccer!¡± Myohan, who was crouching in O Shin¡¯s shadow to hide from the sunlight, gave him a sulky reply. ¡°You can¡¯t make me, and I won¡¯t.¡± Sinsul put a foot on his soccer ball and posed like a real athlete. He even pointed at Myohan with his index finger. Of course, that meant nothing to Myohan. ¡°This is a chance for our class to win first place, just like we did at the festival.¡± It was way too bothersome. It was too hot and annoying. Myohan looked down. He really wished he could go back inside, turn on the air conditioner, and take a nap. O Shin, who had been his parasol, put a hand on his head. ¡°It¡¯s hot.¡± ¡°The heat¡¯s killing me.¡± Bright light was behind O Shin because of the high sun. What an aura. Myohan muttered so and let him stroke his head. O Shin¡¯s head was huge with his thick bones, but his hands were so gentle when they touched Myohan, just like he was doing now. The day they caught the rabbit, after kissing passionately, none of them said a word even when after it was over. O Shin held Myohan carefully as if he was something precious. They each caught their breath. Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Myohan fell asleep momentarily after listening to that steady heartbeat. He was on his bed when he woke up, so he just guessed O Shin must have put him there. ¡°You¡¯re not playing soccer?¡± After that, Myohan never mentioned it. He saw no necessity to do so and he didn¡¯t want to do so. O Shin seemed to think the same thing. ¡°I don¡¯t like playing with balls.¡± O Shin shrugged at Myohan¡¯s question. His broad shoulders and balanced body looked quite athletic, but it seemed like his preference didn¡¯t match his body. ¡°Let¡¯s play soccer! Soccer!¡± Well, there was only one boy who liked playing with balls there, and it was Sinsul. He let out a deep sigh to see that none of his classmates was half as enthusiastic as he was. They had all worked under Yuja¡¯s command for the festival, but it seemed like they weren¡¯t that happy about the sport competition either. Myohan could see how sad he was, but he pretended not to and looked away. In the distance, Myo Cheong was standing with his class, quite annoyed. And there was another tall student next to him. ¡°Well, let¡¯s pick who¡¯ll do the relay race first. Five will run each race according to your class number.¡± Yuja, who couldn¡¯t stand it anymore, eventually took command. The boys, who hadn¡¯t bothered to lift a finger when Sinsul was talking, all got up. Luckily, no class was using the race track around the yard. Yuja made class numbers 1 to 5 stand at the starting line and asked Chookjae, ¡°Choi Jino will do the relay race, won¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± Myohan, who was still hiding from the sun behind O Shin, narrowed his eyes to hear that. He didn¡¯t know Choi Jino, but the name strangely sounded familiar. He had heard it before. ¡°Then class 6 will win the race. We should aim for second place.¡± Class 6. That was the rabbit¡¯s class. Myohan looked at Myo Cheong again. He suddenly recalled where he had heard the name Choi Jino. Jagyeom had told him that the boy who said Myo Cheong was being bullied was named Choi Jino. ¡°To be honest, isn¡¯t it cheating to make a real athlete participate in a high school sports festival?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s Choi Jino?¡± Myohan asked, and Sinsul looked at him with wide eyes. Then he said, tutting, ¡°You should pay more attention to others.¡± But Myohan just snorted. ¡°Tell me now if you want to stay alive.¡± ¡°¡­You know, the boy who runs around this yard during lunchtime every day.¡± Myohan didn¡¯t know. He always slept through lunchtime, so how could he know? Sinsul gave him a pathetic look, but he had to dismiss it quickly after seeing Myohan narrow his eyes. ¡°He¡¯s a pro runner. He¡¯s really fast. See, the tallest boy over there.¡± Sinsul pointed with a finger. Myohan looked in that direction and frowned to see Myo Cheong there. The student who had been with him was now getting ready, stretching his legs. He had to be Choi Jino. His legs looked really firm, probably because he was an athlete. He had been running since he was really little, and he wasgood at both long and short races. Sinsul went on saying what he knew about Jino. Myohan rarely paid attention to bothers, but he couldn¡¯t help thinking about Choi jino. His face, the movement of his muscles ¡ª they all felt familiar. Maybe it was just because Myohan had been way too into the twelve zodiac animals during the last few months, but he strangely looked like one of the twelve. ¡°Numbers 16 to 20!¡± Yuja raised his voice. O Shin grabbed Myohan¡¯s arm and made him stand up. Myohan said he was going too far. If he started doubting every student, it would never end. If Choi Jino was an animal because he was a good runner, then was Sinsul was a dog because he liked to play with balls? ¡°¡­¡± But then, something flashed through his head. It was an animal instinct he couldn¡¯t explain with words. He tried to take Sinsul¡¯s arm, his suspicion growing. ¡°Hey, Shin Seonhan!¡± However, Sinsul called someone and ran away. Myohan looked at his back as he went away, and then his empty hand was still stretched out in an awkward position. What had he meant to do after catching Sinsul? ¡°Myohan, what are you doing? Come quick.¡± Yuja called out to him again and Myohan scratched his back. O Shin smiled in secret, looking at the confused cat. Chapter 21 Myohan hadn¡¯t thought of participating in the relay race. He didn¡¯t have much enthusiasm to do something like that for his class. I should run slowly and I won¡¯t be picked. He thought so, but then he was confused to see Yuja smiling brightly. ¡°Okay, then Myohan will be the last runner.¡± Myohan had run as fast as he could because he had been distracted. He should have lingered behind, pretending he wasn¡¯t a good runner, but now it was too late. When he came back to his senses, he realized he had run faster than any of his classmates, and he was going to do the relay race with four other boys including O Shin. ¡°I thought you wouldn¡¯t want to run any race. What a surprise.¡± O Shin, who was going to be the third runner in the race, put a hand on Myohan¡¯s shoulder. Myohan dropped his head on his shoulder and sighed deeply. ¡°And whose fault is this¡­?¡± Independent study time was over when they were done deciding on who would do what sport. When lunchtime started, Myohan and O Shin went to the taps. Jagyeom, Sajun, and even Myo Cheong were waiting for them. They had been meeting there during lunchtime and after classes since the day agreed to find the twelve zodiac animals. ¡°You actually like getting attention, don¡¯t you?¡± That was what Jagyeom said after hearing that Myohan was going to be in the relay race. But Myohan had no energy to scold him, so he just ignored the question and sat down. ¡°But my class is going to win the race anyway,¡± Myo Cheong sneered. Yuja had been right. Jino was going to be in the race. ¡°Hey, rabbit.¡± ¡°Shit, how many times do I have to tell you I hate it when you call me that?¡± ¡°Are you close to Choi Jino?¡± Myo Cheong frowned hard and asked, ¡®Why do you want to know that?¡¯ Myohan just stared at him, and he blushed and looked away. ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯m closer to him than to the other kids.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this about Choi Jino?¡± That was Sajun. He put a hand around Myohan¡¯s shoulders and tried resting his head on him. Of course, Myohan didn¡¯t hesitate to grab and twist that hand, but he didn¡¯t seem to be feeling the pain. He rubbed a cheek against Myohan¡¯s hair. O Shin gave him a hard look. ¡°But those twelve zodiac animals, do they all attend this school?¡± O Shin¡¯s coldness cracked. Was it because of what Sajun was doing to Myohan, or that unexpected but sharp question? There was no telling. ¡°We¡¯ve been lucky enough to find a few in this school, but what if, say, some others are abroad?¡± Myohan could say nothing to it. Actually, he hadn¡¯t thought about it that way. He was supposed to find twelve people in the whole world, and the only hint he had was that they all turned into animals. He didn¡¯t even know what made them transform. He had been able to find three so far, but only thanks to coincidences and luck. ¡°I know I promised to cooperate, but it just sounds too¡­impossible.¡± Myohan bit his lips, feeling suddenly lost. It was impossible, unless O Shin, the only one with hints, started talking. Sajun looked at him, his head still on Myohan. He even grinned. ¡°¡­They¡¯re all¡ª¡± It was that moment when O Shin put out a hand. His somewhat uncomfortable look was gone, and he was cold as usual. He hugged Myohan and pulled him toward him. ¡°¡­in this school.¡± Sajun¡¯s hand easily let go as Myohan let O Shin make his head rest on his chest. He slowly blinked and looked into his eyes. He could see a tightly closed pair of lips above a sharp chin. He bit his lips, making his neck tremble slightly. His shoulders seemed to be shaking. He took a deep breath and then looked at Sajun. The boy frowned with his python eyes. ¡°All twelve of them.¡± Myohan had thought O Shin would tell him nothing. He had explained nothing, except for when they first met. While Myohan caught Sajun and caught Myo Cheong, he had been just watching from afar. Except for some vague hints Myohan didn¡¯t know the answer to, he had said nothing. ¡°They¡¯re all at this school¡­¡± Myohan had many things to ask. Why were they all gathered at Myohan¡¯s school? And how did he know about it? But he couldn¡¯t ask. After throwing a sharp gaze at Sajun, O Shin took Myohan out of there. Myohan didn¡¯t bother to shake off his hand. Myohan thought he could just ask when they were home after classes, but to his surprise, O Shin didn¡¯t come to his home. He disappeared, just like he had before finding the rat. The next day was different. ¡°Is he absent?¡± Myohan nodded to Jagyeom¡¯s question. O Shin wasn¡¯t at school. It had never happened since he became a student at Myohan¡¯s school. He wasn¡¯t at home, and he wasn¡¯t at school. Myohan had so many questions to ask, but no one to ask. He wished he knew O Shin¡¯s number. He didn¡¯t realize that not knowing his contact information would be such a problem. He thought of him, staring into the air. What came to his mind first was his black eyes. And then his sharp nose and soft lips. He realized O Shin was quite good-looking, although it wasn¡¯t a hard thing to know. Why had he disliked him at first? ¡®They¡¯re all in this school¡­¡¯ Anyway, now he had an important lead. The twelve zodiac animals were all in his school, which meant he could find them all by looking closely at every student. According to what he could learn from the three he had caught so far, each of them tended to resemble the animal¡¯s appearance and its habits. Myohan was no exception. Then it had to be simple. Learn about the nine remaining animals, find out who looked and acted like that, and narrow it down. It was still going to be difficult, but he now had more hope than before. ¡°So, you think Choi Jino is the horse?¡± Myo Cheong asked, not so surprised. Myohan frowned and replied after a short pause. ¡°¡­mm-hmm.¡± As all the students had gone down for lunch, no one was left in Myohan¡¯s homeroom except for Myohan and who he had called. Myo Cheong looked down the window, spotted a shadow running along the racing tracks, and muttered, ¡°He does look like a horse, but¡­¡± Myohan remembered Sinsul saying Choi Jino ran in the school yard during lunchtime, and he had been watching him for two days. He called Myo Cheong, who knew more about Jino, and the two others to spy on the potential horse. ¡°Hey, bun, is there anything else?¡± He had suspicions, but no clear proof. Well, it wasn¡¯t like a horse was an animal with distinct characteristics. There were way too many boys who looked like horses, and Myohan¡¯s conscience didn¡¯t let him be sure just because Jino was good at running. If O Shin were here, I could ask how to recognize the horse. Myohan couldn¡¯t help but think so. He surely would have given him a hint to be sure of. The animal instincts deep inside Myohan were yelling Jino was the horse, but he needed better proof. ¡°Shit, he¡¯s good at running, that¡¯s all. I¡¯ve known him for only three months.¡± ¡°Then do you know anything about other animals?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± he grunted. As he had been forced against his will to join the quest for finding the twelve, he still didn¡¯t seem so happy about it. Myohan gave up asking his opinion and rested his chin on a hand. ¡°Well, there¡¯s one thing I can think of about a horse.¡± Sajun said slyly and hugged Myohan from behind. Jagyeom shook his head at his unyielding spirit. Myohan found getting away from him too bothersome, so he just followed Jino with his gaze. Normally, O Shin would have thrown Sajun away, but as he was absent, he couldn¡¯t. With Myohan now in his arms, Sajun put his chin on his head and grinned. ¡°Stamina.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering for some time, but he¡¯s a pervert, isn¡¯t he?¡± As soon as Sajun said the word, a cynical voice asked the question. Jagyeom made a vague smile that was neither acknowledgement nor denial. He was too afraid of Sajun to say yes, and had too much of a conscience to say no. But Sajun didn¡¯t care and went on. ¡°Well, horses are known for two things. Stamina, and a huge sized you-know-what.¡± ¡°Size¡­.¡± Myohan¡¯s pupils instantly narrowed. Myo Cheong frowned and rubbed his arm to see it. He recalled how Myohan had kissed him to capture him. He glanced, hoping and thinking it couldn¡¯t be what he was thinking, but then his lips curled up. ¡°Well, it makes sense.¡± ¡°What the- what are you going to do to him?¡± Myo Cheong made a fuss and stomped his feet. Myohan chuckled and looked at the rabbit. He had to be teasing. Sajun reached out for Myohan¡¯s chin. He grabbed it and smiled, ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you do it with me first, as prac¡­ Aah!¡± Myohan threw his head backward, hitting Sajun¡¯s chin. The snake moaned in pain. Myohan snorted. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare cross the line.¡± ¡°Uuugh¡­¡± Sajun backed off. Myo Cheong gave a pathetic look to the molester who was punished for his deeds. Chapter 22 Jino was leaving the tracks now, clearly tired. Myohan closed the window and asked, not interested at all, to Sajun, who was still rubbing his chin. ¡°Then what, you have double things?¡± Male snakes had two pouch-shaped genitals, which they learned in science class. Sajun¡¯s pain didn¡¯t last long enough and he went close to Myohan again, telling him he could check if he was curious. Myohan looked in between his legs. ¡°No, I smashed one the other day, so there must be only one remaining now.¡± Sajun shuddered and stepped back, feeling somehow ashamed. The bored gaze seemed to be looking right through his pants. ¡°It wasn¡¯t broken!¡± Sajun tried to deny it, but of course, Myohan wasn¡¯t listening. ¡°But¡­¡± Jagyeom, who had been watching them, ventured to speak. Myohan, who was growling at Sajun, turned to him, feeling suddenly stupid. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is going to ever work.¡± Well, Myohan had to agree to it. They could keep watching Jino and come up with hypotheses, but that wasn¡¯t progress. Jino just kept practicing, and they were just wasting time on theirs. So what? Were they supposed to give up on Jino and go after another animal? But it was even less appealing. Myohan¡¯s gut feeling, which was scarcely wrong, was saying yes, and he needed to listen to his instincts. He narrowed his eyes. What would O Shin would have done? He would have said, ¡®Trust your gut, cat,¡¯ yet again. Maybe he would have given a hint, like he had done about the rabbit. More than anything, where on earth was he at this critical time? Thoughts kept spinning in his mind and came back to where they had started. He didn¡¯t realize when he started depending on O Shin so much. He really needed his help, even without his advice. ¡°Why is it so complicated for you?¡± Myo Cheong blurted out with a frown. He crossed his arms and stomped a foot, so he must¡¯ve really disliked what Myohan was doing. ¡°You kept dropping me into trouble when you were catching me, so why are you being so nice to Jino?¡± Myohan jumped to his feet as soon as he heard that. Myo Cheong flinched and his nose moved. ¡°Shit, you startled me¡­¡± ¡°Hey, rabbit.¡± Myohan gave him a serious look. Then he put a hand on his head. Myo Cheong¡¯s eyes widened in surprise when the hand patted his head. But Myohan just smiled. ¡°Good point.¡± He realized it after hearing what the rabbit said. He wasn¡¯t the type of person who thought before moving. O Shin was the one who gathered opinions through meetings. Myohan just acted spontaneously to solve everything. None of them had any information. Sitting around and thinking wasn¡¯t going to give them a solution. ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± Just face it. It was always the way he preferred. *** A pair of serious eyes looked at Myohan. The absorbing black eyes were similar to O Shin¡¯s, but they didn¡¯t have O Shin¡¯s ease. Jino, who was looking at Myohan, frowned. ¡°What do you think?¡± Jino looked troubled. He was on his way back inside after running on the track field as usual, but then a boy he had never seen before blocked his path. No, to be exact, he had seen him before. The student who grabbed him and dragged him to the garden was the boy who had been looking for Myo Cheong. Jino glanced to the other side of the wall. He felt like crying. He wished he could leave, but Myohan looked too serious to try it. ¡°I¡¯m just saying,¡± he said calmly. He didn¡¯t sound surprised, nor did he look suspicious. He just talked as if asking how he had been. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you turn into a horse.¡± Actually, he just said that. Getting it right would be good, or it would just make him think of him as a maniac. If O Shin had heard it, he would have laughed at the stupid cat. Jino frowned even harder. ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± Myohan narrowed his eyes at that answer. Jino glanced at Myohan, and then he went on, his frown still deep. ¡°I don¡¯t know what this is about, but continuously harassing good students like me is not going to¡­¡± ¡°You two¡­¡± Myohan grinned, ¡°¡­are just too clumsy.¡± It immediately made Jino shut up. Myohan took a step closer and asked, ¡°What makes you think I¡¯m lying?¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible for a person to turn into a horse¡­¡± ¡°Yes, and you should have said that first.¡± Myohan looked at the window on the other side of the wall. He could easily guess where Jino had just glanced too. It was a little far, but it was not for animals with good hearing. ¡°And why did you say ¡®continuously¡¯?¡± What he had been doubting gathered to form a single truth. Myo Cheong was close enough to Jino to ask him to tell him was being bullied, but he had boldly lied. It almost fooled Myohan. Almost. ¡°I never talked to you before.¡± Jino¡¯s eyes widened. At least he was more honest than the lying rabbit. ¡°You should have prepared more thoroughly to lie to someone who¡¯ve busted one of you already.¡± Myo Cheong had talked with the premise that Jino was the horse. He looked like a horse and was good at running. He even explained those things to make Myohan think he might be the horse. He sounded like cooperating. Raising opinions, deducing possibilities, and saying what he knew. ¡°I said you were ¡®one of the twelve zodiac animals,¡¯ but I never said you were the horse.¡± But while doing so, Myo Cheong had made a critical mistake of concluding Jino¡¯s true identity before Myohan confirmed his suspicions. ¡°As for the rabbit, it was kissing.¡± Myohan grabbed Jino¡¯s collar to pull him down. Jino gave up and looked away. Myohan didn¡¯t have to look back to know Myo Cheong, who had to be listening to them near the window, was feeling the same way. Myohan smiled brightly and added. ¡°So, since you are the horse, is it stamina?¡± His pupils narrowed. Jino flinched at the predator¡¯s fierce gaze and tried to shake him off. ¡°Hey, shit. That¡¯s not it!¡± A familiar voice pushed them apart. Myo Cheong came running, grabbed Myohan¡¯s arm and frowned, panting. Myohan hadn¡¯t known he would come himself, so he backed off, a little startled. Myo Cheong looked away, not knowing what to feel. ¡°Why are you so crazy about finding the twelve animals? Okay, let¡¯s say sex does transform Jino, and then what? Oh, shit, you are really out of your mind?¡± Myo Cheong looked really bewildered. He kept moving around, not knowing where to look, but his gaze eventually stopped on Myohan. He sighed deeply, and then he yelled, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t sleep around with anyone like that!¡± Silence. Myohan, who had an arm seized by the rabbit, Jino, who was shocked by what was happening, and Myo Cheong, who was still huffing and puffing, they all shut up. Myohan gave him a puzzled look. ¡°But why are you mad about it?¡± Myo Cheong blushed hard. Being busted while spying was nothing compared to worrying out loud about Myohan. It was so embarrassing. He wished he could find a rat¡¯s hole and hide inside. He backed off, but he fell only after a few steps. He could feel pain in his ankle. ¡°Cheong!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Jino caught him by his arm as he fell. Myo Cheong gritted his teeth. He had forgotten all about it, but¡ª ¡°I think you¡¯ll be wearing a cast again.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± He sprained his ankle by jumping over a gate, so of course he couldn¡¯t survive a fall from the first floor without any injuries. He had been too shocked, thinking if Myohan could kiss him without hesitation, he could do anything to Jino. He had been so worried about Jino, so he had jumped without thinking. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡­.But why had he spoken, worrying about Myohan? ¡°No shit.¡± Myohan offered to carry him, but Myo Cheong ignored him and stood on one leg. He shook free the arm Jino was holding. Myohan looked up at him, and he could see a face burning red with embarrassment. He said nothing. He didn¡¯t press the rabbit to ride on his back, and he didn¡¯t give up or get up, either. He just kept staring at Myo Cheong. In the end, he had to get onto his back. Myohan leaned forward as if to measure the weight on his back, and then he stood up. Chapter 23 ¡°Good.¡± As soon as Myohan happily said so, Myo Cheong sighed. Myohan was making an offer that wasn¡¯t really an offer to Jino with him on his back as bait. ¡°Do you want to come along?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Jino hesitated, unsure of what to say. He was worried about his friend, of course, but he was too afraid to tag along. Myohan just started to walk. ¡°He¡¯s done this much for you, so don¡¯t you think we should have a ¡®real¡¯ conversation?¡± In the end, Jino had no choice but to follow Myohan to the sickbay. On their way, he offered to carry Myo Cheong, but Myohan refused. As the rabbit was small and light, even he could carry him without any problem. The sickbay was empty. Its door had a sign that read ¡®at lunch¡¯. But the door was unlocked, so they went inside and put Myo Cheong on a bed. Jino started to rummage through cabinets. He clearly had done it before, and he knew where things were. He examined Myo Cheong¡¯s ankle and treated it. He knew what he was doing since he was a pro athlete. ¡°First. I was joking when I talked about stamina.¡± ¡°Shit, there are things you shouldn¡¯t joke about¡­¡± ¡°But what turns you into a horse?¡± he asked. He sounded calm and even bored, but his gaze was sharp. Myo Cheong let out a sigh and ruffled his hair. ¡°Just get to the point. Aren¡¯t you going to accuse me of lying?¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± Myohan shrugged. Myo Cheong looked up at him, confused. ¡°It would have been even stranger of you to help sinceI threatened you to find the twelve animals. I knew from the beginning that you weren¡¯t so enthusiastic about it.¡± Myohan wasn¡¯t angry. He didn¡¯t blame the rabbit, either. Jagyeom and Sajun had been quite unusual about it, and it was Myo Cheong who was showed the standard reaction. How many would easily agree when a complete stranger came along, blackmailed about one¡¯s secret, and demanded cooperation? Any sane person wouldn¡¯t, unless one was too scared to refuse like Jagyeom, or had a different reason to help like Sajun (getting Myohan). And Myohan had just followed his guts without any reason. ¡°It¡¯s all the better for me now that I know he¡¯s the horse. I¡¯m a total stranger, and he¡¯s your friend, even if you¡¯ve known him only for three months. So of course he was more important to you.¡± Myo Cheong seemed to be guilty. He was the one who had tried to betray, but he felt somewhat hurt to hear Myohan speak of him as a ¡®stranger¡¯. He recalled how Myohan had lunged in to save him when he was surrounded by the bullies. ¡°¡­.We¡¯ve known each other since middle school.¡± Myo Cheong started to talk, giving in. Jino didn¡¯t try to stop him. ¡°I had a girlfriend, and¡­. Shit, I didn¡¯t know that I was a rabbit then. We got swept in the mood, and I kissed her, but the next second, I was a rabbit. She was screaming, I didn¡¯t know what to do. I was about to lose my mind, but then Jino helped me.¡± Everything had been so confused, and it was Jino who saved him then. He hid the rabbit, made the girl calm down and go home, and comforted Myo Cheong by telling him he also turned into an animal. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s the horse, but I don¡¯t know what transforms him. I¡¯ve never seen him change. But it can¡¯t be sex. Shit, he¡¯s not that old!¡± ¡°¡­He¡¯s right!¡± Jino, who had said nothing till now, spoke. He turned to Myohan. ¡°Sex does not make me transform.¡± ¡°See? Choi Jino doesn¡¯t lie.¡± As Myohan had already said, he had been joking when he talked about stamina. It had been a joke to surprise the rabbit who was watching them while hiding. Myohan moaned and sighed. He couldn¡¯t be sure. What if Jino changed, like, when he touched snow like Sajun did? Then watching him for months would be useless. What would O Shin have said? He narrowed his eyes and muttered, ¡°Little lying rabbit.¡± That made Myo Cheong almost jump out of his bed. Myohan nodded with satisfaction. ¡°Then how about this?¡± After watching them for some time, he knew forcing them would only make them run away. Both Jino and Myo Cheong didn¡¯t trust him, and it would become even more complicated if they decided to run away. Then, it would be better to make them believe they could run away. ¡°Show me how you transform if my class wins the relay race.¡± Myo Cheong frowned hard at this. ¡°Hey, I just told you, he¡¯s the horse. Isn¡¯t that enough? Why are you¡­¡± ¡°But if we lose, I¡¯ll never bother you ever again, both of you.¡± Jino glanced at Myohan. He raised hands to show he wasn¡¯t up to anything and continued, ¡°No one else knows about your secret. You just have to make sure I keep it to myself.¡± But the odds were against Myohan. All the other boys were more or less equally good at racing, and Choi Jino was a pro runner. His class, Class 6, was going to win the relay race. Myohan wasn¡¯t sure if he was doing the right thing, but he knew it would make O Shin¡¯s eyes twinkle with interest. ¡°You lose nothing by refusing, you lose nothing by accepting. I¡¯m good at running, but there¡¯s no way I¡¯m faster than you, horse.¡± ¡°Hey, what are you¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you, Jino.¡± Myo Cheong tried to ask, but Myohan cut him short. The pair of light-colored eyes were looking directly at Jino. The horse¡¯s eyes flickered with unknown thoughts. It was the last thing Myohan could try. When refused, he would have to think about what to do next. But his guts were urging him on. ¡°¡­Okay.¡± He knew that Choi Jino would accept the bet. ¡°If my class loses, I¡¯ll show you how I turn into a horse.¡± The bell chimed to announce that lunchtime was over. Less than two weeks remained before the sports competitions. *** Myohan lay down on his sofa and closed his eyes. The kitten came and climbed onto his belly. It purred and rubbed its body on him. He stroked it with affection and asked, ¡°Did he come while I was gone?¡± ¡°Meow.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s a no.¡± The clever kitten replied, although it couldn¡¯t even understand the question. Myohan laughed, thinking that meow had a negative meaning. Now he was communicating with an animal that couldn¡¯t speak human language. It licked itself, and then it meowed again. O Shin was nowhere to be seen, but Myohan had gone through all that fuss to capture the horse. Since when had he been so passionate about it? He had meant to just let it go on its course, but now he even thought he was finding the twelve zodiac animals for himself. He didn¡¯t care about ceasing to turn into a cat. It didn¡¯t bother him, anyway. He just cared about¡­ ¡°Something precious¡­¡± About what O Shin had said, that he had something precious to retrieve. Myohan could almost see him saying that again. Who was supposed to give it back to him? And what was that thing? Something with great value, maybe? Or maybe it was someone? ¡°Do you know?¡± But no answer came this time. The kitten looked at him, rubbed its tail on his face, and climbed down. Then it went to a different room, waving his tail. Myohan closed his eyes again. He hadn¡¯t meant to sleep, but he fell asleep without realizing it. He hadn¡¯t got enough sleep since he went looking for Jino during lunchtime. As soon as he was asleep, he saw a familiar scene. O Shin was looking at him with sad eyes, and he was in O Shin¡¯s arms in form of a sick cat. O Shin was yelling something with rage, and another shadow was grabbing him. It started to rain. Drops of water fell on his face. Was it a dream? No, it was real. ¡°¡­.You.¡± When he opened his eyes, he saw a familiar face. Thick eyebrows, clear eyes, and masculine chin. It was the man who had been gone for days, the man who had been in Myohan¡¯s mind during those days. He must have taken a shower as water was dripping from his dark hair. ¡°I woke you up.¡± Myohan was glad to see him. He was supposed to feel so, but O Shin¡¯s presence now meant a lot to him, and he had longed for him. He wiped the water off Myohan¡¯s cheek. Before Myohan could ask where he had been, he whispered what he had said before once. ¡°I was sick.¡± Myohan could say nothing for a long time. What he had wanted to ask kept spinning around in his head. Why were you gone? Where were you? Why were you sick? Why did you come only now? None of those questions was right for what was between them. It was a feeling unfamiliar to him. Thinking of O Shin when doing anything, blaming him for going away and then showing up without a word like that, longing for him without noticing him. Since when had he started looking for him and feeling nervous when he was gone? And he felt a sense of relief to have him back. He put out a hand, and O Shin let him take his arm. ¡°You see, contrary to what most people think¡­¡± O Shin let Myohan drag him closer. He moved as Myohan wanted and smiled softly. ¡°Cats get lonely.¡± They kissed, quite naturally. O Shin carefully stroked Myohan¡¯s cheek, and Myohan pleadingly clung to him. They could hear heartbeats from their chests pressed together. Neither of them cared about the repeating sound. A huge hand patted Myohan¡¯s hair. As they did so, Myohan thought that he was still half asleep. That was why he was being so obedient. He hadn¡¯t let himself fall for the man. No, certainly not. Chapter 24 The sun was blazing. Normally, Myohan would have hidden in O Shin¡¯s shadow with much irritation, but today, he looked just fine like the other boys. His gaze was fixed on Jino who was running along the race tracks. O Shin watched with him, his chin on Myohan¡¯s head. Myohan had told only him about the bet he had made with Jino. Instead of going into details, he just summarized it and said he and the horse were now on a bet about winning the relay race. O Shin said nothing to it and just smiled. He seldom smiled only a while ago, but now he smiled at almost anything Myohan said. Anyway, he was quite optimistic about the plan. He seemed to find the fact that Myohan had wagered a bet amusing, even more than the fact that he had singlehandedly caught the horse. ¡°Today, we are going to play dodgeball with another class to practice.¡± They heard a calm voice. Myohan took his eyes off Jino and looked at Yuja. Sinsul, who was holding a dodgeball instead of his usual soccer ball, excitedly jumped up and down. He didn¡¯t forget to mention that they had to win, as it had been agreed that the losing team would buy ice cream for the winning team. Myohan didn¡¯t try to hide his dislike for the sudden dodgeball match. He had to do either soccer or dodgeball for his class, and he had chosen the latter as he would be able to rest after being hit by the ball early. But now he was really regretting his choice. ¡°Getting hit by the ball would hurt a lot.¡± That was O Shin. He had been put in the soccer team while he was absent just because he had muscles and looked athletic. ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll be okay?¡± But he didn¡¯t sound worried. Myohan nodded and snorted. ¡°I¡¯ll choose and take a weaker throw.¡± With such good reflexes, getting hit by the ball was rather hard for him. He was planning to play a little, get hit quickly when there came a weak throw, and leave the game soon. He didn¡¯t care even a bit about winning. O Shin saw what he had in mind and shrugged. ¡°But you know, you can¡¯t always get your way.¡± Myohan couldn¡¯t help feeling nervous whenever O Shin talked like that. Myohan tried to dismiss the feeling and walked onto the court. ¡°Sin Sonhan, go get him!¡± ¡°O Myohan, we can¡¯t lose!¡± Well, it turned out O Shin was right. Myohan frowned hard at all those yells. ¡°Sadol, throw! Knock him out!¡± How on earth had he ended up in this situation? Myohan wondered as he looked at a huge boy holding the ball. There were many good throwers on the opposite team, a lot more than he had expected, and he had failed to get knocked out in time. The opposite team attacked him mainly as he looked the least enthusiastic, but when they saw he was really good at not getting hit, they changed their plan and decided to ignore him until he was the last one alive. ¡°Seonhan, here!¡± Sadol yelled to his class president who was now holding the ball. Myohan gulped hard. He had been thinking so for some time, but he could throw with really great speed. Seonhan got the ball and once again threw it to Myohan. ¡°Yes, Myohan!¡± But yet again, Myohan twisted lightly to dodge it. Now he really wanted to say he would let them win the game, if only they would throw him a weak throw. But that thought went away quickly after hearing Yuja cheering on top of his voice. Should he lose now and get his classmates¡¯ blame? Or should he go on with this tiresome game? The latter¡¯s price was pain, but the former¡¯s price was being bothered even more. The ball went past him again with a whoosh. ¡°¡­O Myohan?¡± Then he heard a familiar voice. He glanced there, but then he had to duck and dodge the ball again. He had been distracted and was almost hit. It was Jagyeom who had come out to practice with his class. Myohan could see him asking O Shin, ¡®He actually likes getting attention, doesn¡¯t he?¡¯ Shit, that wasn¡¯t it. ¡°What the?¡± Now even Jino and Myo Cheong were there, watching with frowns. ¡°Seonhan, give me the ball again!¡± Seonhan raised the ball high. He laughed mischievously and it was really annoying. Myohan wasn¡¯t tired. The game wasn¡¯t enough to tire him. Moving around in a small square was simple. Still, he needed a breakthrough. Myohan sighed and backed off. He wondered for a second if he should step on the line and lose the game, but he knew Yuja would murder him for it. ¡°Catch!¡± It was good that Seonhan was speedy but not powerful. As Myohan had no other choice, he crouched in front of the strikers and then jumped up right on time. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°O Myohan, go!¡± The ball landed right into his hands. The boy who was supposed to take it looked at him with wide eyes. As Myohan had been avoiding the ball, he hadn¡¯t thought to try to catch it. Myohan stood in front of the line with the ball, hearing the loud cheers. He thought it was weird that he was the only one being attacked. As there were no throwing mistakes and now the defender had blocked and gotten the ball, running around wasn¡¯t going to end it. He should have done it much earlier. ¡°Hey, catch!¡± Myohan yelled, looking at a boy in the middle. There were a few decent throwers in his class as well, but none of them were good enough to hit Seonhan. He could see Seonhan smiling and getting ready, thinking to do what Myohan had just done. ¡°Pass!¡± Sinsul yelled at the top of his voice. Myohan bent his arm as if he was about to throw high, but then he looked at Seonhan and dropped the arm. And then, he threw it under. It wasn¡¯t hard to throw it in the right direction. It flew in a straight line and hit Seonhan¡¯s thigh. ¡°Wow, shit.¡± Myohan could hear Myo Cheong half-aweing and half-moaning. O Shin covered his mouth to laugh. Seonhan, whose hands were still high in the air to catch the ball, couldn¡¯t understand what had just happened. The ball rolled and stopped at Myohan¡¯s feet. He wiped off the sweat on his forehead and smiled, feeling quite good. ¡°We won.¡± His classmates came running. It was only a practice match, but they looked like they had just won a cup or something. Well, it had been intense enough for other classes to come and watch. And then there was that bet about ice cream. Snacks were always more than enough to make high school boys move, they were always hungry. Jagyeom went away, shaking his head and saying Myohan did enjoy attention, and Myohan pushed his classmates away as they tried to cling onto him. If there was one thing he hated more than being tired, it was being hot. When he made his way out of the crowd, he saw O Shin standing with his hands in his pocket. He looked like a tall model. Myo Cheong and Jino were standing a little far behind him. O Shin said playfully, ¡°You lying cat.¡± ¡°No, that was a fair sport technique.¡± Yes, he did say that with a straight face. Anyone who heard only that would have thought he had done his best to win. O Shin put Myohan¡¯s sweaty bangs back and glanced back. Myo Cheong was urging to leave, but Jino wouldn¡¯t move, his twinkling eyes looking at Myohan. He waved a hand to him and said hi, but it only made him run after Myo Cheong. ¡°But,¡± O Shin spoke while Myohan was still looking at Jino¡¯s back. He seemed quite sad, like a horse returning to its stable after a race. O Shin put a hand on Myohan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to win a race by fooling others.¡± He had won dodgeball, even though it had been only a practice run. O Shin¡¯s black eyes were asking a question. What are you going to do about the relay race? ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Myohan pulled his hair back with a smile. Funnily enough, looking at Choi Jino¡¯s back had given him confidence. He walked for some time without talking, but then he laughed out loud to hear O Shin¡¯s next question. ¡°Do you know why they put blinkers on horses?¡± Yes, he was thinking what Myohan was thinking. Chapter 25 Days flew by and the sports competition came. After running around at school yard and practicing every day, Sinsul¡¯s skin was now dark with tan. It was easy to notice the change as he had spent twice as much time outside. On the other hand, Myohan hadn¡¯t changed at all and his skin was just as light-colored as before, thanks to resting in O Shin¡¯s shadow when he wasn¡¯t practicing. ¡°¡­.And for the last, I hope all of you will play fair and finish every game without any injuries.¡± After the principal¡¯s boring speech finally ended, Myohan covered his ears in preparation, for he knew there would be loud cheers soon. He looked around half-heartedly, and he spotted some boys he had played dodgeball with the other day. Sajun was in Class 10 and Jagyeom was in Class 5, so Myohan could see neither of them. ¡°This is it, cat.¡± O Shin whispered to him. He stretched his back. Yes, this was it. He was going to do the relay race, and its outcome would decide whether he would get the horse or not. The sports competition finally started with dance club¡¯s cheer performance. Before lunch, they did some of the lighter games like jump rope and dodgeball. Myohan survived till the very last without meaning to, just because he really didn¡¯t want to be hit, and his class won dodgeball. His classmates kept cheering for him during entire lunchtime. After that, there was the preliminaries for soccer. Myohan¡¯s class won that too, as Sinsul, Chookjae, and all the other boys played in a frenzy. ¡°Have a popsicle!¡± Yuja and Chookjae brought a box full of popsicles. Other class presidents were also handing out sodas and popsicles to their classmates. Myohan grabbed two chocolate-flavored popsicles and handed one to O Shin. He had just returned after soccer, but he didn¡¯t look tired at all as he took the popsicle. He ripped open its package, but then he put it in Myohan¡¯s mouth instead of eating it himself. He smelled like the sand from the school yard. They were allowed to leave their spots and go around spectate ongoing matches. Most students had left the bleachers to play tug-of-war. Students who were not going to do it had also gone to cheer, but Myohan and O Shin stayed where they were and finished their popsicles. Aren¡¯t they tired at all? Myohan thought so as he stretched out his legs with the tip of popsicle bar still in his hand. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering¡­¡± He was first to speak. O Shin, who had been watching him eat his popsicle, slowly looked up a little. ¡°¡­about what you are, why you asked me and not anyone else to help find the twelve zodiac animals, and why you are not helping with it.¡± He had given much thought to such questions while O Shin was gone. He hadn¡¯t doubted O Shin¡¯s true identity till now, not to mention their relationship that he hadn¡¯t thought about at all, and what he wanted from Myohan when he pretended not to help but kept giving hints at the right moment. Moreover, why did Myohan, who was usually so cautious, him in so easily? Opening up entirely to a complete stranger had to be impossible. ¡°And I was able to conclude a few things.¡± Some boys were running around, probably excited after winning the tug-of-war. And there was also a nice-looking student among them picking up empty bottles rolling on the ground. Myohan¡¯s popsicle had melted a little, so he stuck out his tongue to lick it. O Shin was still staring at Myohan. He didn¡¯t seem to notice that his popsicle was melting and dripping. ¡°You don¡¯t want to find the twelve.¡± Myohan looked straight at him. His black, unshaking eyes looked back. He had to know everything, like who the twelve were and what made them transform. He would be able to find all of them in less than a day if he just tried a little. Nevertheless, he wasn¡¯t putting any effort to it. He just made Myohan handle everything and watched. Even when they caught Jagyeom, Myohan had been the one to spray water on him. ¡°You want to make me find them.¡± Then he could have told Myohan what he knew and wait for him to find everyone, but all he offered were a few vague hints. But he had spoken directly, just twice. ¡®This is all I can tell you.¡¯ The day they first met, and the day Sajun had raised his doubt a while ago. ¡°There¡¯s no information you can give me.¡± Why had he fallen ill? What had made him so sick that he had to be absent? Maybe it was what he had said. Myohan knew it didn¡¯t make any sense. He knew how unrealistic it was, to fall ill just because of saying something wrong, but that was the only explanation possible. Plus, he and his friends were people who turned into animals. If that was possible, anything was. After a short silence, Myohan swallowed what was left of his popsicle in a single gulp. It gave him a short brain freeze. ¡°Including your name, I suppose.¡± O Shin looked at him with surprise, but he just unconcernedly snapped his popsicle stick and threw it to the box under the bleachers. He could see his classmates coming back from far. The stick hit the box and bounced off. He stood up with a sigh, but O Shin grabbed him. ¡°Since when?¡± He looked very confused. Myohan had never seen him confused. He looked into his eyes and put a hand on his head. Then he started to stroke the hair, much like how the man liked to do so to him. ¡°Since the beginning.¡± Myohan had never called him O Shin. Not once. He realized that simple fact only then and let go of Myohan. He jumped down the bleachers, picked up the stick, and put it in the box. When he looked up, O Shin had buried his face in his huge hands. The final game of soccer took place right after the tug-of-war. Myohan¡¯s class had been triumphant so far, but then they encountered Class 2 in the finals. They were determined to make up for their loss at dodgeball, and in the end, Myohan¡¯s class lost, 1:3. O Shin had lost his focus and kept making mistakes, which was another reason for their loss. Listening to Sinsul argue with Seonhan, Class 2¡¯s president, Myohan looked around for Jagyeom. O Shin was now at his side. ¡°Lee Jagyeom!¡± Jagyeom had just finished a three-legged race and was undoing the strap. He looked up after he was called. He saw Myohan coming to him and complained. ¡°Oh, did you really have to surprise me like that?¡± Really, he was always chittering. ¡°Remember what I told you earlier?¡± Myohan helped him undo the strap and it went down. Jagyeom nodded. ¡°I know, but I don¡¯t feel really comfortable around him. Can¡¯t you make Sajun do it?¡± ¡°Do you think it would work?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Jagyeom thought of Sajun and shuddered. The teachers were sending back students to their classes¡¯ designated spaces. Myohan told Jagyeom to do his best, stood up, and looked around. As Jagyeom was in Class 5, Myo Cheong and Jino had to be nearby. Soon, he spotted Jino stretching his calves. ¡°O Myohan, you should get ready!¡± He could hear Yuja calling him. The midday heat was going away. It was time for the relay race. With the sound of a whistle, the first runners ran out. Thunderous roars went up from the bleachers. Six out of ten classes had failed to pass the preliminaries, and there were only four classes left, including Myohan¡¯s, Jino¡¯s, and Class 2. The student who had given Myohan some fierce throws was now next to him, getting ready. ¡°So you¡¯ve done enough practicing?¡± Myohan asked Jino. He looked back at him. He seemed to be eager to say something. His twinkling eyes showed more of joy than hostility, which confused Myohan. Jino didn¡¯t have any reason to be glad to see him. ¡°Yeah.¡± Contrary to his look, he gave a cold answer. Myohan shrugged, thinking it must have been his illusion, and looked at the bleachers. Sinsul, Yuja, Chookjae, and Sajun were there, but Jagyeom wasn¡¯t. The first runners came in. Second runners started and O Shin, who was Class 1¡¯s first runner, stood at the line. Myohan¡¯s class was in the lead. Jino¡¯s class¡¯s runner was right behind, but still, Class 1 had the lead. Myohan thought that wasn¡¯t good, but then O Shin took the baton and went off. He was extremely fast. Now Class 6¡¯s runner was way behind him. if he had been the last runner, Class 1 would have won fair and square. Myohan thought so. He stood next to Jino and asked, ¡°Do you know why they put blinkers on race horses?¡± Jino couldn¡¯t answer that question since Myohan took the baton and started to run. But Jino caught up with him in no time. Chapter 26 ¡°Class 1! Class 1!¡± ¡°Class 2, go!¡± ¡°You¡¯re a pro runner! Show them what you can do!¡± Myohan was extremely fast, but he was no match for Jino. He was now about to fall to second, but then he smiled to hear boys murmur among themselves. ¡°Hey, what is that?¡± ¡°What, what?¡± Students, who had been cheering each for his class, started to stir. Jino, who had been running without a problem, suddenly fell. ¡°¡­.Isn¡¯t that a rabbit?¡± Moans came from Class 6. A rabbit? What? Did you say a rabbit? Jino, who had fallen in the middle of his track, got up in surprise. He was looking at the rabbit in the middle of the yard. ¡°What¡¯s a rabbit doing there?¡± There was a fluffy rabbit, standing right there. Its white fur was more than enough to capture everyone¡¯s attention. Jino was supposed to run, but he couldn¡¯t. He just muttered in surprise. ¡°¡­.Cheong.¡± Jino quickly looked at the bleachers. Class 1, Class 2, Class 3¡­. Class 6. Class 6 was missing a person. The little boy who was supposed to be cheering for him nervously was nowhere to be seen. He recalled Myohan¡¯s confident face. He had wondered what made him so confident, since he had to be better at racing. ¡®Do you know why they put blinkers on racing horses?¡¯ He put his shaking hands on his knees. This is what he meant? He almost laughed. Now it was too late. Even if he started running again, he couldn¡¯t win. No, now the race didn¡¯t matter to him. What mattered was the rabbit that everyone was looking at. He got up to see the teachers approaching the rabbit. ¡°Myo Cheong!¡± ¡°Hey, Choi Jino! You idiot!¡± Jino was about to leave the tracks when a familiar voice yelled to him. He turned, half in a daze. ¡°Stop staring and start running, you fool!¡± ¡°Hey, just calm down, calm down.¡± It was Myo Cheong. He was in the bleachers, and he was yelling at the top of his voice. Behind him was Jagyeom, grabbing his both arms in a desperate attempt to stop him. Myo Cheong stomped a foot, frowned hard, and then screamed. ¡°Run!¡± Jino¡¯s legs didn¡¯t wait for his brain¡¯s command. They started to run. He ran without even breathing, looking at other runners much further away from him. Horses had wide eyesight. As they could see almost 360 degrees, they tended to veer off course, scared by the horses chasing them from behind. Blinkers were for protecting those huge but easily frightened animals. The referee blew his whistle again. A boy happily jumped and cheered to pass the finish line first. Even louder cheers came from his classmates. Myohan, who came in just a step behind him, laughed hollowly. Someone came to stamp a stamp on his hand that read ¡®second place¡¯. He muttered as he tried to catch his breath. Well, I failed it. ¡°Yes, In Sadol! Way to go!¡± Neither Myohan nor Jino came in first. Class 2 came running to the winner. Jino came in as third, panting. ¡°Not everything goes as you planned, and cheating will never work in a race.¡± Myohan angrily ruffled his hair after hearing that comment. He thought that he would easily win the race if he distracted Jino. He was fast and had been sure he would never lose to any ordinary student. He hadn¡¯t known the fierce dodgeball thrower was also good at running. He looked down at the ¡®second place¡¯ stamp on his hand. He had beat Jino, but hadn¡¯t won the race. He regretted making the bet about winning the race. ¡°Why is there a stuffed animal here?¡± They could see one of the teachers bringing the rabbit. It wasn¡¯t real rabbit but a stuffed animal, although it looked alive. Jino blinked. ¡°Stuffed rabbit?¡± ¡°It looks really real, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Myohan lightly bumped his shoulder, but he kept looking at the fake rabbit as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. They could hear Myo Cheong still yelling angriliy from far away. He kept using a lot of curse words on Jino¡¯s stupidity, and Jagyeom was trying his best to calm him down. Jino gave Myohan a serious look. He smiled sheepishly and shrugged. He had asked Jagyeom to make Myo Cheong leave the bleachers once the race started. O Shin, who was one of the third runners, would hide the stuffed rabbit in his gym jacket and put it in the middle of the school yard for students to notice. And while Jino hesitated, distracted by it, Myohan would win the race. The plan had been perfect, although it wasn¡¯t quite fair. ¡°You really are good at running.¡± Jino had spent some time after falling down, but he managed to cross the finishing line right after Myohan. Myohan decided he had been wrong to think O Shin would have outran him. He asked, looking up at Jino, ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He answered immediately. Jino plopped down on the ground, letting out a sigh of relief. His hands were still trembling and Myohan felt somewhat sorry. Of course, he did know he had done something really bad and awful, but he hadn¡¯t known he would be that worried. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Myohan apologized, but Jino wouldn¡¯t even look at him. Myohan scratched his head, thinking Jino was angry. At least he wasn¡¯t mean enough to turn the actual Myo Cheong into a rabbit and throw him in front of the whole school. O Shin took the stuffed rabbit from the teacher and stood next to Myohan. Myohan offered it to Jino. ¡°Here, it¡¯s a peace offering.¡± Jino took it, although he looked a bit surprised. Myo Cheong finally managed to throw Jagyeom away and ran up to kick Jino¡¯s back. ¡°What kind of a pro runner falls while running? I hope you do that again when you¡¯re in an actual race!¡± ¡°Cheong¡­¡± ¡°And why on earth did you call my name after¡­ O Shit! What is that rabbit? Is that a stuffed animal?¡± Jagyeom waved a hand from far away. He seemed to be feeling bad about failing, but he hadn¡¯t failed at all. It was just that In Sadol was way too good at running. ¡°Congratulations, bunny.¡± Myo Cheong turned to Myohan and glared at him, but even that fierce gaze wasn¡¯t enough to scare him. He just showed him the stamp on his hand. ¡°I lost.¡± It said second place, not first. Now he couldn¡¯t demand Jino to show him his horse form, and he had to keep his promise of not bothering them anymore. How was he supposed to catch the horse now? But, deciding to think of that later, he grinned, said bye, and walked away with O Shin. Myo Cheong just stared at him. ¡°¡­.But, my class lost.¡± Jino was the one to stop them. He stood up, the stuffed rabbit still in his arms, and showed them his hand. ¡°My class lost.¡± ¡°Hey, what on earth are you¡­¡± ¡°I promised to show you how I transform if my class loses.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to be lying. Myohan was a bit confused at this unexpected offer, but Jino seemed serious. *** As the animals they had found so far were all small, they hadn¡¯t thought aabout the fact that they needed a place for Jino. He couldn¡¯t transform at school; he would easily be noticed. They had no choice but to head to Myohan¡¯s home after the sports competition. Jagyeom and Sajun were with them. ¡°I should have been in the race, too.¡± Myohan hadn¡¯t seen Sajun for some time, but he clung on the second they met. He said he hadn¡¯t been in the race because he found it too bothersome, and of course Myohan gave him a sneer. O Shin twisted and pushed away his hand on Myohan¡¯s shoulder and then glared at him. But Sajun only snorted. ¡°You should be looking at him, not me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Choi Jino. He seems to be really into the cat.¡± O Shin narrowed his eyes, and Myohan kicked Sajun to punish him for the nonsense. ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you, but do you live alone?¡± Myohan nodded to Jagyeom¡¯s question. Then he opened the door and let the others in. His home was quite spacious, and as the living room was large and didn¡¯t have much of furniture, having a horse there wasn¡¯t going to be a problem. The kitten came out meowing, but then it paused and went back after seeing so many visitors. Sajun said, ¡®It¡¯s the kitten from the other day!¡¯ just to show that he and Myohan shared an important event. Chapter 27 ¡°Let me get ready.¡± Jino said so, then he started to take off his clothes. Myohan didn¡¯t know what he was doing, but then he explained he had only one school uniform. Transforming into a horse while wearing it would rip it apart. ¡°But why did he easily admit being the horse?¡± A strip show in front of five men was embarrassing enough. It was too much for Jagyeom and he asked, looking away. The answer came from Myo Cheong. ¡°Because he¡¯s a complete weirdo.¡± ¡°He¡¯s a weirdo?¡± Myohan couldn¡¯t believe him. Jino, who was now wearing nothing but his underwear, nodded with a bright smile. Then he didn¡¯t wait to take off his underwear. Myohan recalled what Sajun had said, about how horses were famous for their stamina and size, and he looked at Jino with a bit of curiosity, but he couldn¡¯t see him naked as O Shin covered his eyes from behind. Sajun whistled at the same time. ¡°I-¡± Jino opened his mouth. Myohan wriggled his way out of O Shin¡¯s hands. He didn¡¯t like being blinded. ¡°¡­don¡¯t know what makes me transform.¡± When Myohan could see again, what was in front of him was a horse. Jagyeom was surprised to see the brown, silky horse. Myohan looked at the crumpled school uniform on the floor, and then the horse, then he nodded. ¡°Just as I thought.¡± ¡°Shit, you weirdo.¡± Myo Cheong stomped his feet. He started to explain, although quite reluctantly. Jino had been wanting to befriend Myohan for some time, but he hid Jino as he couldn¡¯t trust Myohan and others, and he had been having a really hard time trying to stop him from talking to Myohan. ¡°You knew he couldn¡¯t lie from the beginning, didn¡¯t you?¡± Fierce eyes looked at Myohan. He nodded. He had his guesses since Myo Cheong said with confidence that Choi Jino couldn¡¯t lie. More accurately, he reacted too much to be called a lair rabbit. He had been lying about something, and Myohan only hadn¡¯t been sure if it was about ¡®not knowing what transformed Jino¡¯ or ¡®Jino not lying at all¡¯. ¡°I told you being his friend wouldn¡¯t work. Shit, I will soon get to tell you, ¡®I told you so!''¡± ¡°But why did he want to be my friend?¡± Myo Cheong looked back at him, looking like he really didn¡¯t know why he was asking. Then he showed him the stuffed rabbit. Jino carried it and entrusted him with it. ¡°Choi Jino likes cute things.¡± The horse who had been waving its tail this whole time, shined its eyes and put a hoof forward. O Shin grabbed Myohan¡¯s shoulder and pulled him back. He was clearly not liking the horse¡¯s twinkling eyes. Jagyeom glanced at the horse. Myohan frowned. ¡°Then, what he¡¯s been trying to tell me is¡­¡± ¡°That you¡¯re cute.¡± That answer came with a sneer. Myohan thought of Jino¡¯s twinkling eyes and how glad he had been to see him. Maybe he had been feeling what most people felt like when seeing pets. Myohan didn¡¯t know how to feel about it. So, he just asked what he couldn¡¯t understand the most. ¡°Why would he think I¡¯m cute?¡± ¡°I told you, he¡¯s a weirdo.¡± Myo Cheong still sounded cold. Then he looked away and muttered, ¡®You¡¯re more¡­..than cute.¡¯, but Myohan didn¡¯t care. He just sighed and looked at the horse. Jino¡¯s eyes were still sparkling. Myo Cheong held his rein, but after the race ended, it had been freed. Myohan looked at O Shin¡¯s hand on his shoulder, then at Sajun¡¯s playful eyes. Then he said, ¡°Let¡¯s just say you won the bet.¡± Jino jumped up high, but Myohan ignored him. Myo Cheong laughed at Jino, saying, ¡®I told you so.¡¯ Jagyeom also sighed about having two maniacs near him. Myohan had caught only four, but he was already feeling too exhausted. The classroom was quiet. Only the sound of pens writing on paper was in the air. Even the old fans sounded too noisy. Yuja must have thought so, because he turned off the fans. Thanks to the air conditioner, they didn¡¯t need the fans to stay cool. Myohan, who was wearing his school shirt and his gym suit over it, looked out the window. The sun was burning hot, and it was summer. Someone angrily put down his pencil, making a thud. Yuja¡¯s fierce eyes were immediately on him. It was Sinsul. He leafed through his schoolbook, then he fell on his desk, looking like he was about to die. He started to throw a huge tantrum. ¡°Soccer! I want to play soccer!¡± ¡°Byeon Sinsul will be cleaning the hallway today.¡± Yuja had no mercy on him. He didn¡¯t seem to pity Sinsul at all. While he wrote down Sinsul¡¯s name on the blackboard, Chookjae patted Sinsul¡¯s back. Sinsul twitched on the desk, and just before he was about to go back, breaktime began. ¡°Soccer, soccer, soccer, soccer!¡± ¡°Just study.¡± Yuja put a stop to Sinsul¡¯s rebellion again. He grabbed his books on the teacher¡¯s table and took them back to his own desk. Finals were coming. Most classes had been replaced by independent study. The classroom was so quiet and full of tension because all the boys were studying for the finals. Once again, Sinsul had no one to play soccer with, so it was understandable that he was going out of his mind. Myohan, who had been working on a math problem, placed his pen down and put his chin on a hand. Normally, he would have been sleeping soundly, but today, he was wide awake. He seemed to be thinking of something. Maybe he was studying for finals too, but not sleeping even during break time was just too strange for him. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± The question came from O Shin who was looking at Myohan. He looked at what Myohan had scribbled on his book. Ja, Chook, In, Myo, Jin, Sa, O, Mi, Shin, Yu, Sul, Hae. Four of them had been covered with ¡®x¡¯, but Sul had been circled. Myohan blinked slowly and then replied, ¡°About dogs.¡± Sinsul, who was still waving his arms madly, jumped to his feet. He went to the back of the classroom and took out his soccer ball from his locker. His schoolmates wondered what he was about to do with it, but he just held it dearly, went back to his seat, and sat down again. He was really about to cry. ¡°Dogs like to play with balls,¡± O Shin said, his eyes still on Myohan. Yes, right? Myohan thought and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Let me play soccer!¡± Myohan had started to wonder about him right after the sports competition. After catching four out of the twelve zodiac animals, rat, snake, rabbit, and horse, he couldn¡¯t help but think of Sinsul. An idea came to his mind, and it kept spinning around in his head. It started when Jagyeom blurted out thoughtlessly. ¡®I was thinking maybe with Myo Cheong, but Choi Jino is really the horse? Wow.¡¯ When asked what he was talking about, he said, ¡®Our names. Each of us has the Chinese character for the animal in the name.¡¯ Why Myohan hadn¡¯t realized it at first? Lee Jagyeom, Kim Sajun, Myo Cheong, Choi Jino. They each had a Chinese character for the animal in their name. Before he could blame himself for being too stupid to notice that simple rule, he thought of ¡®Sul¡¯, the letter for dog. ¡°Byeon Sinsul¡­¡± As far as he knew, Sinsul was the only student in his school who had ¡®Sul¡¯ in his name. Thinking of him, both his appearance and his character did remind him of a dog. It¡¯s just that he had known Sinsul for more than a year now, and he hadn¡¯t been able to doubt him. As Sinsul had been pleading to play soccer since they were freshmen, Myohan hadn¡¯t even thought of including him in his list of potential animals. ¡°Yeah? Why?¡± Sinsul heard Myohan¡¯s mutter and looked back. Myohan looked at him, and then offered him something he couldn¡¯t refuse. ¡°Do you want to play soccer?¡± ¡°Yeah!¡± Yuja looked at Myohan with great shock. Chookjae was also looking out the window to check if the sun had come up in the west today. But Sinsul was glad to hear it, so he quickly came to Myohan. Myohan thought if the boy had a tail, it wouldn¡¯t been shaking hard like a propeller. ¡°You¡¯re playing soccer, right? You asked first! There¡¯s no backing out, right?¡± Should I say I will play soccer with him if lets me see him turn into a dog? No, if I say that, I might end up playing soccer with him every day. While Myohan was wondering what to do, Yuja made a cold comment. ¡°Hey, Myohan, if you have enough will to play soccer, teach him a thing or two.¡± ¡°Yuja, don¡¯t ruin the fun!¡± ¡°Your marks are ruining our class, idiot.¡± But after speaking so harshly, Yuja handed Sinsul his notes, telling him to memorize a certain part as it would most certainly be on the test. So, was he taking care of the boy or scolding him? It was hard to know. Chapter 28 ¡°Maybe I should.¡± What Myohan muttered made Sinsul look back at him. He looked like he couldn¡¯t believe what he had just heard. Yuja felt the same. He asked Myohan if he was sick, and he said, flicking his pen, ¡°I¡¯ll teach you till the finals.¡± Chookjae got up and came to Myohan. Then he put a hand on his forehead, looking worried. O Shin glanced at him, but he was a lot more serious. ¡°Well, there¡¯s no fever.¡± ¡°Oh, stop it.¡± Myohan threw his hand away. As Chookjae normally never made a joke, he could see he had said something really crazy. He didn¡¯t like getting all that attention, so he put down his pen. No, I must have been out of my mind for a sec. Forget it. He was about to say so, but then Sinsul asked excitedly, his eyes still shining, ¡°You¡¯re going to teach me?¡± He looked much like a pet dog asking, ¡®Are you going to take me out for a walk?¡¯ Myohan let out a deep sigh. The kitten, which was lying on his leg, yawned widely. Jino, whose eyes were still twinkling, grabbed his chest and fell on his desk. Myo Cheong didn¡¯t hesitate to smack his head, but the sound made Jagyeom complain. ¡°¡­.But¡­¡± Myohan sighed once again. Sinsul, who was whimpering while nibbling the tip of his pen, whispered into his ear. ¡°What kind of group is this?¡± ¡°A group for preparing for the finals.¡± O Shin, who was reclining on the sofa, said it as if it made sense. Sinsul soon nodded and accepted it, and then he started to focus on his book. Really? You can buy that? Myohan sighed again. ¡°I must have been crazy¡­.¡± There was only one reason for such a strange group gathering at his home to study for the finals. They had run into each other. They couldn¡¯t stay at the library for long, and they¡¯d risk being seen by others anywhere else. When Myohan thought that far, he picked his own home as the right place. It was a perfect place where even huge animals, such as a horse, could stay without a problem, so it seemed to be the right place to explain about the twelve zodiac animals to Sinsul and convince him. Sinsul easily followed him, and it seemed it was going really well. ¡°So cute¡­!¡± Jino moaned and reached out. But the kitten pulled up its tail and went in deeper to Myohan¡¯s arms. It clearly didn¡¯t like Jino. Myo Cheong kicked his back hard to make him stop. When Myohan left school, he right ran into Jino who had been waiting there with excitement. He was with Myo Cheong who was really unhappy about the situation. Blushing, Jino asked Myohan to show him the cat. Myohan froze, wondering if he had found out his secret, but Myo Cheong added, ¡®You have a little kitten, right?¡¯ and he soon relaxed. Jino must have remembered seeing the kitten. Myohan didn¡¯t want to let them tag along, but then Sinsul started to talk to Jino in his unique friendly way, and in the end, they all headed to Myohan¡¯s place. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re all here to study¡­?¡± Jagyeom asked with a frown. Then, how was he here? Well, it had been another coincidence. ¡°No, I came to see the kitty.¡± ¡°Jino, please shut up.¡± Jagyeom had been wandering around as there was no empty spot in the study room, and then he ran into them at the school gate. He asked where they were going, Myohan replied they were going to study for finals, and he tagged along, hoping to get Myohan¡¯s help with math. Myohan didn¡¯t try to stop him as he was quiet unless he was spoken to, and he was going to study harder than any of them. But now, he muttered with great regret. ¡°What a mess.¡± He had been wrong. In this mood, it would be impossible to ask Sinsul about his secret. O Shin smiled and stroked his head. He had been having a headache about the mess, so he gladly closed eyes. His kitten wrapped its tail around his wrist, and then it purred and rubbed on him. ¡°But why is that pervert not here?¡± ¡°He said he will be going on a trip abroad this week.¡± Jagyeom answered Myo Cheong¡¯s question. Myohan had never heard about it. When everyone looked confused, Jagyeom sighed and explaind, ¡°He said it when we were together the last time. He even asked if you wanted anything, Myohan. He said he would get it for you.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t remember.¡± But Myohan could remember, although quite vaguely. Sajun tried to hug him once more and asked, so Myohan just thought he was saying nonsense and pushed him away. Well, it was good that Sajun wasn¡¯t here now. If he had been here, Myohan would have kicked out everyone minutes ago. Sinsul was watching the kitten rubbing on Myohan. He asked, ¡°Who¡¯s the pervert?¡± ¡°Kim Sajun.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to be able to keep up with the conversation, but Myohan lacked the will to explain who Kim Sajun was and why he was called ¡®the pervert¡¯. But then, Sinsul sighed lightly and asked back. ¡°Oh, that snake?¡± ¡°Yes, the snake.¡± O Shin immediately got up on the sofa. Myohan answered the question without much thought, but then he dropped his pen in shock. ¡°¡­.What did you just say?¡± The kitten stretched its back and came out of Myohan¡¯s arms. Then he went into a room. Sinsul was surprised to get everyone¡¯s attention. He scratched his head. ¡°Didn¡¯t you know? You guys smell?¡± Jagyeom looked like he was about to pass out, and Myo Cheong was no less than surprised. Sinsul pointed at Jagyeom, Myo Cheong, and Jino, and then he said, as if he couldn¡¯t see anything odd with it. ¡°Rat smell, rabbit smell, horse smell.¡± Then he came to Myohan to sniff at him. ¡°And cat smell.¡± None of them could say anything. They had been busted way before they could find out what Sinsul was. More than that, he could smell cat on Myohan. But since when? ¡°He keeps a cat, so of course he smells like a cat.¡± O Shin broke the silence. Sinsul exclaimed, ¡°Oh!¡± ¡®Oh!¡¯? Myohan really wanted to tackle that dumb face, but he didn¡¯t. Instead, he tried to sound out Sinsul. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve been raising it for two months.¡± Sinsul nodded. He smiled sheepishly, and he was clearly telling what he believed to be the truth. ¡°That must be it, then. You started to smell like a cat again, in, like, March.¡± Good. Myohan quietly let out a sigh of relief and looked at O Shin. He smiled to him. But his somewhat sly face made Myohan feel like he was missing something critical. He shook his head to dismiss the ominous thought and looked at Jagyeom, Myo Cheong, and Jino. They were surprised that Sinsul knew their secret, and they were not giving a second thought about what he had said about Myohan smelling like a cat. They seemed shocked and worried. ¡°Then,¡± Sinsul, who was leafing through his notes with a moan, started to speak again. ¡°That Kim Sajun has a snake,¡± Someone gulped hard. Sinsul turned and looked straight at Jagyeom. ¡°You have a rat,¡± Jagyeom couldn¡¯t know what to do. He couldn¡¯t help imagining what to do when his secret was revealed. Maybe I can tell him I have a hamster. He was clearly thinking that. Then Sinsul turned to Myo Cheong. ¡°You have a rabbit,¡± At least Myo Cheong could get along with it. Rabbit was a common pet. He managed to calm down, but only for a second. Sinsul looked at Jino and gave him a bright smile. ¡°And you have a horse!¡± Shit. No, this wasn¡¯t going to work. Myo Cheong looked down in despair. How was Jino supposed to have a horse? It wasn¡¯t like his father was a millionaire or something. Only a complete idiot would believe it. While he was desperately trying to think of something to say, Sinsul, who was still smiling, just picked up his pen. Then he started to moan and complain. ¡°Oh, Myohan, I really don¡¯t want to study.¡± Myo Cheong looked at Myohan, his eyes clearly asking, ¡®Does this kid lack a piece of his brain or something?¡¯ Well, it was all the better for them. Sinsul went on studying in quiet, and O Shin lay down again and stroked Myohan¡¯s hair. Myo Cheong seemed like he couldn¡¯t understand something, but he decided to be content that his secret was safe again. Myohan was trying to focus on O Shin¡¯s warm hand to get rid of that anxiety in his heart. Jagyeom was the one to point out the strange fact. Chapter 29 ¡°But how can you smell cat on Myohan? Just because he has a cat? That shouldn¡¯t be possible.¡± The lead at the tip of Jagyeom¡¯s mechanical pencil broke with a small snap. O Shin got up again, clearly interested. Sinsul looked down, biting his pen, and then he opened his mouth. ¡°Because I have a good sense of smell?¡± No one bought that. No, only Jino nodded. Sinsul smiled sheepishly to see the other¡¯s doubtful faces. Myo Cheong smacked innocent Jino¡¯s head hard. ¡°What? Shit, that makes no sense?¡± No one had a sense of smell good enough to smell someone¡¯s pet kitten on him. Only some animals could do that. It was similar to Myo Cheong overhearing their conversation while standing outside the sickbay. Jagyeom tried saying Sinsul¡¯s name a few times, and then he frowned. He had the best instincts among them, not counting Myohan. ¡°You¡¯re the dog, aren¡¯t you?¡± Myohan¡¯s senses had rubbed off on him, and after watching and learning from Myohan for some months, now he could put the two and two. ¡°That¡¯s why Myohan brought you here.¡± What should I do¡­. Myohan tapped on the table. He hadn¡¯t excepted any of what was happening now. Sinsul noticing their animal smell, and calling him ¡®the dog¡¯ before he could figure out what to do. But what surprised him the most was Sinsul who wasn¡¯t shocked to be called ¡®the dog¡¯. He pleadingly looked at O Shin, but he just shrugged. Sinsul glanced at Myohan and frowned sadly. ¡°I bought that you keep a horse! Shouldn¡¯t you trust me in return? You are so merciless.¡± ¡°Then you didn¡¯t think I had a horse?¡± Jino asked with a gasp. He really looked shocked. ¡°But I believed every word you said?¡± ¡°Oh, please shut up.¡± Myo Cheong finally covered Jino¡¯s mouth. Jagyeom also sighed and shook his head. Choi Jino really was a weirdo. Sinsul moaned and fell on the table. He looked up at Myohan as he hadn¡¯t said a word so far. His expression was quite¡­complicated. He guessed Sinsul might be the dog, but he hadn¡¯t known he would admit it so soon. One of the twelve zodiac animals had been right next to him all along. He had known the boy for more than a year now, so it just didn¡¯t feel like real. ¡°I told you before, I¡¯m a dog.¡± Sinsul sounded quite calm. Myohan recalled what Sinsul had said. ¡®Oh, will you just go away? You¡¯re like a crazy dog!¡¯ Myohan thought he was just too nice. He always smiled even when he was called a dog, so Myohan just concluded he didn¡¯t mind curse words. Why hadn¡¯t he noticed it before? ¡°Anyway, it would be much easier this way.¡± Myohan tried to think so. Sinsul was the dog, and he knew what they were. All for the better. ¡°Help us find the twelve zodiac animals.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± Myohan narrowed his eyes, trying to figure out what he meant by that. But Sinsul didn¡¯t seem to be lying. He really couldn¡¯t. When asked why, he tilted to one side and said, ¡°Smells are not permanent.¡± Then he tilted to the other side. ¡°A smell can be erased by a different smell. Or your asshole will always smell like shit.¡± ¡°Oh, shit. Did you have to use that as an example?¡± Myo Cheong was disgusted by the dirty example. Sinsul smiled and said he was sorry. Then he pointed at Jino. ¡°I¡¯ve seen him at school quite often, but I smelled horse on him for the first time a few days ago. And that smell has become a lot weaker.¡± He counted the days and added, ¡°It was¡­ about¡­ the next day after the sports competition?¡± Jino had transformed into a horse at Myohan¡¯s home after the sports competition. Sinsul leaned toward Jagyeom and sniffed. ¡°You¡¯re Lee Jagyeom, right? You now almost don¡¯t smell like a rat.¡± Myohan frowned. He could make only one deduction out of what Sinsul was saying. One had to transform into his animal form to smell like the animal, and that smell faded in time. Of course. Everyone got various smells in daily life. Of course, a smell couldn¡¯t last forever. Sinsul scratched his chin. ¡°Plus, I can¡¯t tell without something to compare to.¡± ¡°Something to compare to?¡± Jagyeom asked with wide eyes. O Shin, who was now sitting properly on the sofa, explained. ¡°For instance, if he has never seen a tiger, he can¡¯t know if what he¡¯s smelling is a tiger, even if it is.¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Sinsul clapped loudly at the right answer. It made Myohan wonder if it was really something to be glad about, but he didn¡¯t ask out loud. ¡°And I¡¯ve never been to a zoo. I didn¡¯t want to be tortured by all those smells.¡± That wasn¡¯t good. It meant he couldn¡¯t recognize any animal that was seen easily in their city. Jino asked, a little confused, ¡°Then how do you know a horse¡¯s smell?¡± ¡°We did horseback riding during that field trip last year. Myohan, you weren¡¯t there because you were sick.¡± Myohan thought about it and then nodded. They had gone on a field trip last year. Sinsul must have learned horse smell while he did horseback riding. Then, Jagyeom asked, ¡°Then what about the snake smell?¡± ¡°Oh, snakes sometimes show up at my grandmother¡¯s house in the countryside!¡± He smiled so innocently that it drained the energy out of Myohan. It was a lot harder and more complicated than he had expected. He thought he would be able to find the remaining seven in no time if Sinsul helped, but it wasn¡¯t going to be that easy. If Sinsul was saying the truth, he could only find animals who had transformed recently and he had to have experienced that smell before. For example, it would be just impossible for him to find the dragon. Myohan wondered if he should take him to the zoo or something. ¡°Then at least show me your dog form.¡± ¡°Oh, about that¡­ I don¡¯t want to.¡± ¡°¡­.What?¡± Sinsul pouted. Myohan frowned at the immediate refusal. Sinsul kept insisting, saying no, no, no. Then he jumped to his feet. ¡°If you want something from me, you must give something in return!¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± Myohan didn¡¯t like where this was going. He could recognize the sparkles in Sinsul¡¯s eyes. He angrily closed his book as he could guess what he was about to hear. Sinsul grabbed his wrist and looked at him with shining eyes. ¡°Play soccer with me at lunch time, every day.¡± O Shin looked at Myohan. He seemed to be wondering what his answer would be. On the other hand, Jino tried imagining ¡®Myohan playing soccer¡¯ and excitedly smiled, for a very different reason. Myo Cheong scolded him a lot of ¡®shit¡¯, of course. Myohan slapped the hand away, organized the books, and then gave Sinsul his schoolbag. ¡°Byeon Sinsul, listen carefully.¡± Sinsul nodded. He looked very excited about getting to play soccer every day, starting tomorrow. But what Myohan said next immediately made him frown sadly. ¡°Forget what happened here today.¡± ¡°¡­.Why?¡± Sinsul wailed in despair, but Myohan just ignored him. He looked at O Shin, who was trying really hard not to laugh, and then there was the confused Jagyeom who couldn¡¯t understand what he was going. Then he turned his back on Sinsul. ¡°Well, let the emergency meeting begin.¡± O Shin¡¯s effort failed and he burst into laughter. Myohan could kiss a boy to capture the rabbit, but he couldn¡¯t play soccer every day. After Sinsul left whining a lot about soccer, Jagyeom, Myo Cheong, and Jino left as well. Sinsul tried to threaten them by saying if they made him leave now, he wouldn¡¯t say a word to them until Myohan played soccer with him, but of course, no one cared. After the four left, the large living room felt so empty. Myohan forced himself to take a shower, and then he lay down on the sofa and covered his eyes with one arm. O Shin came to him. ¡°Are you going to be alright?¡± He sat down on the floor and looked at Myohan. He could see the sharp nose and red lips, but not the eyes. Myohan moaned faintly. That meant yes. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t have much thoughts.¡± Really, he wasn¡¯t getting any thoughts. He could make no guesses, and he had no will either. He even wondered if he was supposed to go after other animals first. The anxiety he felt earlier was now gone. ¡°Well, sometimes¡­¡± Myohan thought O Shin would scold him for ¡®not doing his best to help¡¯, but he just stroked Myohan¡¯s cheek. His warm hand made him feel much better. ¡°It is good to be without any thoughts.¡± The hand went down to the lips. He traced his fingers on them, and then he kissed them. Instead of resisting, Myohan lowered his arms to look at him. He blinked. ¡°Cat is, the gift from God, after all.¡± ¡°Meow.¡± The kitten was now on Myohan¡¯s foot. It wrapped its tail around his ankle and glared at O Shin, but that didn¡¯t stop him from kissing Myohan¡¯s forehead. He frowned and looked at his lips. The red lips curved gently. ¡°Maybe we should let ¡®Deus ex machina¡¯ handle it.¡± Myohan narrowed his eyes. He didn¡¯t know what O Shin was talking about. His lips curled up and he muttered, ¡°The snake¡¯s in Germany, isn¡¯t he?¡± And, to Myohan¡¯s knowledge, it had nothing to do with what they were currently discussing. Chapter 30 Sinsul was mad at Myohan for a few days. Myohan offered to help him prepare for the finals, but that didn¡¯t work. There was only one thing he wanted, and that was soccer. Of course, Myohan couldn¡¯t find out what made him transform into a dog. Eventually, he gave up, and now he was almost ignoring the dog-boy. He was about to use his lunch time on studying again, but then Yuja called him. ¡°Hey, do something about him.¡± Yes, Sinsul was mad, and he wouldn¡¯t say a word. ¡°He keeps looking at you.¡± He just kept staring at Myohan with his sad puppy eyes. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t play with me.¡± The bell rang to announce lunch time. Yuja looked at Sinsul. He had flopped over his desk after he heard Myohan¡¯s cold reply. Yuja frowned and asked, ¡°What have you done?¡± He was sure Sinsul was the one who had done something wrong, but Sinsul didn¡¯t say anything. He just looked up, thinking it wasn¡¯t fair and pouted. He looked really, really sad. What had he done after following Myohan to get his help? Yuja sighed, and then he called Myohan again. ¡°Hey, just be nice to him this once, okay? I can¡¯t endure his whining anymore.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t whining!¡± O Shin touched Myohan¡¯s hand. Myohan, who was reading his schoolbook while shaking a pen with one hand, had no choice but to look up. Sinsul was now looking at him. He clearly wanted his attention, but when Myohan actually looked at him, he looked away. Then he started to glance at him. Myohan didn¡¯t like to be bothered, but the dog-boy was somewhat cute, so he called him. ¡°Hey, Sinsul.¡± It made him almost jump out of his chair, but he said nothing. Well, it didn¡¯t matter. Myohan stretched his back and yawned. Chookjae poked Sinsul and told him to grab the chance, but he just huffed and looked away. Myohan called him again. ¡°Sinsul.¡± He looked at Myohan only then. He was clearly thinking, ¡®Maybe?¡¯ Myohan smirked. Sinsul looked away again, muttering about being fooled. Myohan chuckled and called him again. ¡°Hey, dog.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m a dog, so don¡¯t call me.¡± There were only a few students in the classroom, but Myohan was too open about it. It was good that their classmates knew how they usually were and didn¡¯t give any attention. Myohan could see he was really mad, so he stood up. ¡°Follow me out.¡± ¡°Yes, you should go out and have your butt kicked.¡± Myohan sounded like he was picking a fight, but Yuja was glad to hear it. He even waved his hand at Sinsul, telling him to shoo off quickly. O Shin was looking at Myohan now. He pressed Sinsul again. ¡°You¡¯re really not coming?¡± ¡°Unless you play soccer with me¡­¡± Myohan slowly walked to the back. Sinsul was surprised to hear a creaking sound and looked back. Myohan opened Sinsul¡¯s locker and took out his ball. Sinsul immediately jumped to his feet. His expression changed from depressed to excited in no time. O Shin laughed to see his shining eyes. Myohan walked as slowly as he could. Then he stood at the back door and looked back. Sinsul gulped hard. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Of course, the dog-boy ran out. Yuja sighed and Chookjae shook his head. When Jagyeom came to get Myohan¡¯s help with a math problem a few minutes later, he asked, ¡°What the? Where¡¯s Myohan?¡± And O Shin replied, ¡°Talking to the doggy.¡± Well, he wasn¡¯t completely wrong. Sinsul ran around excitedly. Myohan wondered how the two of them were supposed to play soccer, but there were boys from Class 2 in the schoolyard. They didn¡¯t seem to care about the finals, which were only a few days away. Even Jino, who was a pro runner, wasn¡¯t running the tracks to study inside, but to these boys, soccer was way more important than exams. Sinsul forgot all about Myohan and ran around with Sin Seonhan, trying to take the ball from him. Myohan yawned, thinking there was no need for him to come out with him after all. It was already July, and the weather was hot. And since it was noon, it felt even hotter. Myohan started to stretch a little. He wasn¡¯t going to play soccer every day, of course, but he thought just one day would be fine. That was why he had taken Sinsu outl. Leaving him alone to be mad for too long wasn¡¯t good, and he was starting to get tired of ignoring his puppy gaze. Well, now he was making Sinsul feel much better without even running around with him, so it couldn¡¯t have been better. ¡°Hey! Sinsul, where are you kicking at?¡± Myohan was wondering if he should sit down on the bleachers or go back to his classroom, as the sun was scorching. He thought he just wanted to take a nap next to O Shin, but then someone yelled. He frowned and stood up. The ball came flying, but not to him. It went to right next to him. ¡°Hey, be careful!¡± But there was an innocent student standing there. He was in his gym suit, and he was surprised to see the ball coming to him. He couldn¡¯t dodge, nor could he block it. He just froze on the spot with wide eyes. The ball was about to hit him right in his face, so Myohan put a hand in front of him. The ball hit his hand and bounced off. The boy came back to his senses and looked at him. ¡°Myohan!¡± He could see Sinsul coming to him. He watched the ball as it rolled away, and then he looked at the boy who had been almost hit. ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡± He recognized him. He had been picking up trash at the bleachers during the sports competition. He was still in a daze, his eyes still wide, but then he was startled and jumped to his feet. He was looking at Myohan¡¯s right hand which had blocked the ball for him. Sinsul came and asked, panting, ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t kick the ball in this direction just because I won¡¯t play soccer with you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± His hand felt quite sore, but Myohan just shook it and nodded. It did hurt, but not that much. It was good that his wrist hadn¡¯t snapped. Myohan pitied Sinsul¡¯s sad puppy eyes and told him he was okay. He soon came back to his usual self and asked the boy behind Myohan, ¡°What about you? Are you alright?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± he asked back in surprise. He was really pale and looked sick. Myohan wondered if the heat was making him feel ill and waved a hand in front of his face. He soon nodded and managed to murmur, ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re okay. That¡¯s good.¡± His kind eyes looked at Myohan. He looked like he wasn¡¯t capable of saying something bad. Myohan got a strange feeling and looked at his nametag, but his name had none of the twelve zodiac animals¡¯ letters. He sighed. He¡¯d been thinking about the twelve so much, and now he was linking an ordinary student to the matter. He said nothing more. Sinsul noticed Myohan¡¯s hand and whimpered. It was now red and swollen. Myohan frowned, but he put a hand on Sinsul¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m fine, just go back to the game.¡± He really looked like he wanted to. He hesitated, but Myohan told him to go again, and he ran back to the yard. Myohan decided to use the injury as an excuse to go inside, but the student stopped him. ¡°I will!¡± Sinsul was already running around and kicking the ball. Myohan looked back, and the student murmured, ¡°I will repay you for your help later.¡± Myohan hadn¡¯t done it to get something in return. He just thought it would be better to block the ball with his hand than to let the boy get hit in the face, and he wasn¡¯t cold-blooded enough to not help when he could help. His hand hadn¡¯t been hurt badly, and he had received his thank-you. It wasn¡¯t like they were going to see each other again. He opened his mouth to say it was fine, but when their eyes met, he said something completely different. ¡°¡­Okay.¡± The boy nodded and said, ¡®See you later.¡¯ Myohan looked down at his right hand, and then he started to walk again. He had this strong feeling that he was going to see that boy again. Chapter 31 When Myohan went back to his classroom, O Shin was there alone. He was in Myohan¡¯s seat, looking out the window. Myohan went to him, wondering if he was trying to spot him, but then he asked a question without looking back. ¡°Have you finished your work?¡± ¡°¡­.He¡¯s playing well on his own, so I left him to it.¡± They sounded like they were talking about their pet dog. O Shin looked at Myohan only when he was close. Then he stretched out a hand, looking quite grim. He pulled Myohan¡¯s right hand to himself. Myohan was clenching that fist as he wanted to hide his injury, but when O Shin touched it, the fist unclenched immediately. ¡°It is difficult to handle a huge dog.¡± There was a small wound on the swollen hand. The leather ball must have caused it. O Shin examined it, his tightly closed lips fiercely twitching. Myohan put a hand on his head and stroked his soft hair. ¡°Just pat the dog, it will work the best.¡± His black eyes looked at Myohan. His bangs fell forward and looked out of place, so Myohan tidied it for him. He closed his eyes, enjoying Myohan¡¯s hand, and then he leaned down to kiss his hand. It was a kiss as light as snow, not to cause any more pain in his already throbbing hand. He met Myohan¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°You know what?¡± ¡°I know less than half of what you say.¡± O Shin smiled, liking the answer, and then he put a hand on Myohan¡¯s face to trace his eye. ¡°It is said that in a cat¡¯s eyes,¡± Myohan¡¯s light colored-eyes had him within them. He looked into them, almost looking beyond that gaze, and then he pulled him toward him. ¡°There¡¯s a whole world within them.¡± Myohan didn¡¯t resist and leaned down. This time, their lips met longer than before. O Shin put in his tongue in. They forgot where they were and were absorbed in the end. He hugged Myohan¡¯s waist, almost urging him to do more. Myohan went even closer and put a hand behind O Shin¡¯s head. Their lips were slow to leave each other. O Shin bit his lower lip as if he hadn¡¯t had enough, and buried his face in Myohan¡¯s chest. ¡°I feel like I have the whole world.¡± ¡®Thanks to you.¡¯ Myohan heard a familiar voice in his head. It was O Shin¡¯s. It felt so strange. And yet, it felt so right to have such feelings for him. ¡®Thanks to you, cat, I have the entire world.¡¯ This time, his head didn¡¯t hurt. Pieces of memories seeped out through that crack, but they naturally mingled with Myohan¡¯s own memories. He caressed the man in his arms, and then he leaned down to kiss his head. He could feel him flinching. ¡®I will never give up on you.¡¯ He could almost remember, but he couldn¡¯t. The voice in his head had to be O Shin¡¯s, but he didn¡¯t know when he had said that. Myohan grabbed his shoulder, pushed him away a little, and looked down. His eyes were red now. He just couldn¡¯t take it anymore. His stomach tingled, so he leaned down slowly. His long eyelashes fluttered. They just had kissed passionately, but O Shin looked nervous as he waited for Myohan. And, the moment their lips met again, ¡°O Myohan!¡± The back door opened with a huge bang! Myohan quickly backed off and looked back, still grabbing O Shin¡¯s shoulder. ¡°How could you leave me there? Do you know how much I¡­¡± It was Sinsul. He put back his hair, which was damp with sweat, but then his eyes widened. O Shin covered his face and looked away. ¡°¡­You¡¯re fighting?¡± Myohan was holding O Shin, and he was looking away. Most of all, Myohan was emitting some fierce energy. They did look like they were in a fight. Sinsul ran to them. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t!¡± Sinsul grabbed Myohan¡¯s arm and yelled at him to calm down. Myohan, who looked dumb for a second, which wasn¡¯t like him, smirked. ¡°Myohan, this isn¡¯t you!¡± Oh, what was I doing? Myohan let go of O Shin and straightened his back. He must have been out of his mind. He forgot they were at school and was almost enchanted by him. But now, all of those memories and new feelings had gone away. He stretched his back, but Sinsul kept whimpering. ¡°Were you really going to hit him? Were you hit? Are you okay?¡± O Shin let out a deep sigh, and then he looked at Myohan between his fingers. He was stretching his back with a smile. ¡°¡­You.¡± He started to speak. Sinsul blinked and nodded. He put down his hands, looking quite irritated. ¡°Need to learn how to read the situation.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Sinsul couldn¡¯t understand what O Shin meant and made a dumb sound. O Shin shook his head and looked down with a sigh. Sinsul asked what he was talking about, as he really couldn¡¯t know. Myohan just shrugged and didn¡¯t say a word. Soon, he left the classroom to go to the sickbay. Sinsul wanted to tag along, but Myohan wouldn¡¯t let him do so. Sinsul sighed sadly to see him close the back door behind him. Now only O Shin and Sinsul were left in the room. Sinsul sat down next to him. ¡°I have a question.¡± O Shin said nothing and just returned the gaze. Sinsul smiled innocently and went closer. Then he started to sniff. ¡°I¡¯ve been sensing it for some time,¡± He sniffed O Shin for some time. He sniffed his neck, and then his head. Anyone else would have been disgusted by it, but O Shin just let him do it. ¡°What kind of animal are you?¡± It was an innocent question, and his smile was also innocent. O Shin moaned and smiled. ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m an animal?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Sinsul touched his chin and thought for a long time to find the right expression. O Shin didn¡¯t press him and waited for him to talk. However, Sinsul couldn¡¯t find the right expression, so he just scratched his head. ¡°Because¡­.all your five friends are animals? Rat, rabbit, snake¡­¡± Sinsul folded his fingers to count. O Shin nodded to tell him to continue. Sinsul hesitated for a moment, and then he smiled. ¡°You have a strange smell, it¡¯s different from anything I¡¯ve smelled before.¡± ¡°Not everyone smells the same.¡± ¡°Yes, but,¡± O Shin still looked calm. Sinsul stuck out a tongue and then smiled. ¡°But yours isn¡¯t a human smell.¡± Before he could say more, the back door was opened. Myohan came in, clearly irritated. Sinsul looked back in surprise. ¡°Huh? You¡¯ve been to the sickbay?¡± ¡°I forgot that it¡¯s lunchtime.¡± O Shin stood up. Sinsul threw his head back to look up at him. Myohan was somewhat surprised to see them together. As far as he knew, they weren¡¯t close enough to have a private conversation. But then, Sinsul had a unique way of befriending anybody. O Shin smiled, put a hand on Sinsul¡¯s shoulder, and then he turned to have Myohan at his back. ¡°I cancel what I said earlier.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Myohan asked grumpily and came closer. But O Shin kept his back to him and went on, his eyes still on Sinsul. ¡°You do know how to read the situation.¡± ¡°Huh¡­?¡± ¡°But you are wrong about one thing.¡± O Shin¡¯s calmness cracked. His black eyes looked enraged. Sinsul¡¯s eyes widened as he wondered if he had said something wrong. Then O Shin strengthened his grip. ¡°I¡¯m a human.¡± He still sounded nice, but his expression said otherwise. His eyes were fierce, as if he was about to devour the dog-boy. Sinsul froze immediately, his eyes still wide. He couldn¡¯t move, like he was prey. O Shin was grabbing with his shoulder with so much force that it hurt greatly, but he couldn¡¯t even let out a moan. Myohan couldn¡¯t see O Shin¡¯s face. He could only see Sinsul turn deadly white. He frowned. ¡°Hey, what are you doing?¡± Myohan tapped on the broad back. O Shin got rid of his dangerous face and let go. Sinsul gulped hard to see him change his expression so easily. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± And with that, O Shin went out. Sinsul massaged his shoulder as he watched him leave. Myohan glanced at the back door, and then he sat down on O Shin¡¯s chair. Sinsul was still looking at the door. ¡°Hey, dog.¡± He got no answer back. He just fell on the desk, using one arm as a pillow. He didn¡¯t want to bother to ask what it was about. As lunchtime was nearly over, boys were coming back one by one. Sinsul, who had been just sitting there with wide eyes, called Myohan. ¡°Myohan.¡± He sounded really sad. Myohan was dozing off, but he managed to open his eyes. Sinsul looked like he was about to cry. Chapter 32 ¡°What am I supposed to do?¡± ¡°About what?¡± Sinsul had asked without thinking. He had asked when no one else was around out of courtesy, and he hadn¡¯t known it would make O Shin angry. He asked because he really smelled something that was unlike anytghing he had smelled before, and it wasn¡¯t a human smell. What should I do? What am I supposed to do? He must have forgotten all about O Shin almost breaking his shoulder. He wailed again. ¡°I think I made him mad¡­.¡± Myohan blinked, and then he said unconcernedly, ¡°Well, you make Yuja mad all the time, so it¡¯s not a big deal.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not like that!¡± Sinsul yelled and jumped to his feet. He screamed, ¡®You know nothing!¡¯ But his classmates only sighed and said he was at it again. He ran to the back door. However, he couldn¡¯t run out like a girl in tragic love, as Yuja, who happened to be coming in, grabbed him angrily. ¡°Lunchtime¡¯s over, where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Well, Sinsul had much to say, but Yuja cut him short before he could begin. ¡°Sit down, now.¡± Myohan snorted. ¡°See? You made him angry yet again.¡± Sinsul thought it was unfair, but he had no way to express his feelings. He let out a sigh and fell on his desk, wailing. No one would understand what he was going through. As soon as lunchtime ended, it started to rain. O Shin didn¡¯t return until the day¡¯s classes were all over. Sinsul became more and more worried in time, and eventually, he grabbed Myohan¡¯s sleeve and clung onto him. ¡°Hey, dog, let go of me while I ask nicely.¡± ¡°But you are not asking nicely!¡± After much hassling, Sinsul was told to clean the hallway by the teacher. Yuja waved a hand at Myohan to tell him to go quickly. He must have pitied Myohan for being held by that dog-boy. The weather forecast had said nothing about rain. Of course, Myohan didn¡¯t have an umbrella. He stood at the building¡¯s gate and wondered if he should go through the rain or wait for it to stop. In the end, he just crouched down and looked up the sky to wait. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Oh, you know what I¡¯m doing.¡± The kind question came from Sajun. They hadn¡¯t seen each other for some time. He smiled and offered Myohan a hand, but he just slapped it away and got up on his own. ¡°You don¡¯t have an umbrella either?¡± Jagyeom was also there, right behind Sajun. He was holding an umbrella and wearing a raincoat. He was quite small, so he looked like a little boy in his raincoat. Myohan made fun of him with a smile. ¡°You are one thorough rodent.¡± ¡°The rainy season is about to start! I just like to be prepared!¡± You know I can¡¯t get wet. Instead of making fun of him again, Myohan nodded. Jagyeom looked at him, and at Sajun, and then he frowned. ¡°Kim Sajun doesn¡¯t have an umbrella, so I¡¯ve offered him to use mine together.¡± Three boys, one umbrella. Jagyeom was wearing a raincoat, but of course there was no way some plastic could fully protect him from such heavy rain. Sajun shrugged and put his bag in front. ¡°You two use it. I¡¯ll just go.¡± ¡°No.¡± Myohan put out his intact hand. The raindrops were weaker and smaller than before. ¡°It must be a shower.¡± It was about to stop in an hour or so. It wasn¡¯t like Myohan had any urgent business, and he could just walk in the rain. He was about to crouch down again, but Sajun put a hand around his shoulder and smiled slyly. ¡°Then maybe I should wait with you.¡± ¡°You, just go.¡± Of course, Myohan turned down his offer. He slapped his hand once more and told him to go. I can¡¯t go without you! Just go! After that quarrel went on for some time, Jagyeom spoke with a hard frown. ¡°You two idiots use this.¡± He offered them his umbrella. Myohan stared at him. ¡°But what if you¡­¡± ¡°¡­.My raincoat would be enough.¡± He said it grumpily and complained about how Myohan worried too much. Myohan couldn¡¯t take his umbrella, so Jagyeom handed it to Sajun and went out first. However, he was afraid of the falling rain and turned pale. Myohan wanted to say something, but he had to shut up as Sajun wrapped an arm around him and whispered to his ear. ¡°Come on, we shouldn¡¯t turn down the rat¡¯s kindness.¡± In the end, they all headed to Myohan¡¯s home since it was the closest. On their way there, Sajun kept an arm around Myohan¡¯s shoulder, saying the umbrella was too small. ¡°If I turn into a rat¡­¡± The rain didn¡¯t get stronger nor weaker. Jagyeom, who was walking in front with his head down, spoke. ¡°You two will carry me.¡± Sajun laughed and said he could count on him, and Myohan said he was the least trustworthy one out of the three them. Jagyeom also agreed with him by saying nothing. Thankfully, Jagyeom didn¡¯t turn into his rat form before they arrived. The bottom of his pants were a little soaked, but it wasn¡¯t enough to transform him. When they entered the building, he let out a sigh of relief, and Sajun patted him on the back. Myohan saw his shoulder wasn¡¯t wet at all and looked at Sajun with narrowed eyes. His right shoulder was completely wet. ¡°Why are you giving me such a hot gaze?¡± He smiled slyly and winked. Myohan had no choice but to invite him in. ¡°Come in.¡± O Shin had disappeared once more, but he wasn¡¯t concerned at all. He had this feeling that when he opened the door and went inside, he would be waiting for him there. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Meow.¡± And he was right. O Shin was at Myohan¡¯s home. The cat followed him out, but it soon went in again with a yawn. Sajun waved his hand at it. ¡°Hey, kitty.¡± ¡°You know it has a different name, right?¡± ¡°Every cat is a kitty.¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± Jagyeom took off his raincoat and came inside. Then he blinked to see O Shin there. ¡°You two live together.¡± ¡°No.¡± They didn¡¯t live together. It was just that he was always there. ¡°Just dry yourselves and go.¡± Jagyeom and Sajun took the liberty of sitting down the sofa. Myohan reclined on the sofa too, and O Shin came to him. He sat down near Myohan¡¯s head and started to stroke it. He smiled, liking the soft hair. ¡°Oh, right. I have something for you.¡± Sajun suddenly started taking out things. Candies, jellies, hand cream, and a huge beer cup. His school bag didn¡¯t have a single book in it. It was just full of what he had brought from his trip to Germany. Jagyeom lifted the cup to take a look, and then his eyes widened to see a box of chocolate Sajun took out last. ¡°How did you buy it?¡± ¡°I have my own ways.¡± Myohan wasn¡¯t interested. It was quite amazing so many things could come out of that small bag, but the things themselves didn¡¯t interest him. ¡°Just as I thought.¡± But O Shin took it differently. He smiled with content, and then he whispered to Myohan¡¯s ear, his eyes shining. ¡°Luck, is always with cats.¡± Sajun picked a few things and gave them to Jagyeom. They were mostly ornaments. Then he said everything else was for Myohan. Myohan opened his mouth to say he didn¡¯t want them, but O Shin spoke first. ¡°We should save the chocolates and eat them after finals.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why?¡± O Shin sorted the things, and then he stood up, his arms full of jellies, cookies, and chocolates. Then he said, ¡°Because dogs like treats.¡± *** ¡°Here are the keys, and you all should submit your wrong answer notes by next week.¡± Everyone oohed at Yuja¡¯s somewhat bored instruction. Yuja hit the table, told them he had no choice, and put the keys on the board. Myohan finished marking his test papers, put them in, and stared at Sinsul¡¯s back. He probably thought O Shin was mad at him, and he couldn¡¯t even dare to speak to him or Myohan. He did glance at them, but he couldn¡¯t find courage to say something to them. Myohan sighed. ¡°Sinsul.¡± Sinsul was looking somewhat sad as he tried to gather some boys with his soccer ball in his hand. Then, O Shin called him. ¡°Huh?¡± Sinsul startled and looked back. O Shin got his bag and headed to the back door with Myohan. ¡°We¡¯re all going to hang out at Myohan¡¯s place.¡± Sinsul¡¯s eyes widened. Myohan frowned and looked back at him. With his eyes, he asked, ¡®When did we make that decision?¡¯ But O Shin didn¡¯t care. He just looked at Sinsul. ¡°Sinsul.¡± Sinsul jumped to his feet, his eyes shining. Myohan silently laughed. Now, all O Shin had to do was say a word, and the dog-boy would jump out. O Shin smiled. Myohan went out first, thinking, ¡®I knew it¡¯. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Sinsul came running. They could hear Yuja sighing. The boy was really simple. Chapter 33 It was hard to know what O Shin was thinking. As he had never been so active before, it was difficult to understand what he was doing. The group ran into Jagyeom, Sajun, Myo Cheong and Jino, so they all headed to Myohan¡¯s home. Sinsul kept bouncing up and down excitedly. The finals were over, he now knew O Shin was not mad at him, and it was like he had nothing more to worry about. ¡°But why are you here?¡± ¡°The finals are over, we should have some fun.¡± Myohan asked as they went in, a little annoyed. He didn¡¯t like to have so many people in his home. Sajun tried to hug him as he answered, but he easily got out of his arms. The kitten came out to the living room to welcome Myohan. It rubbed its face on his legs. Jino moaned and stretched out a hand, but Myo Cheong quickly kicked his leg. The kitten just ignored Jino and jumped up to Myohan. ¡°This cat is¡­¡± Sinsul frowned and sniffed. The kitten¡¯s yellow eyes stared at him. He gulped, and then he spoke quite seriously. ¡°Super cute.¡± ¡°I know right?¡± Jino couldn¡¯t agree with him more. Myo Cheong sighed to have two weirdos in the room. The kitten left Myohan¡¯s arms, waving its tail. Jagyeom tutted. ¡°See? It hates you too, that¡¯s why it¡¯s going in.¡± Of course, Myohan couldn¡¯t care less about the question. He went into his room to take off his school uniform and wear something more comfortable. His kitten was licking itself on the bed, and it purred to see him. He gave it a pat and took off his shirt. It watched him. And when he put his hands on his pants, the door was opened and Sinsul came in. ¡°Myohan! Can we eat your snacks?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Great! I¡¯m going to have chocolate.¡± He didn¡¯t knock and Myohan was getting changed, but none of them cared about it. Myohan tried to take his pants off again, but Sinsul came back in and took out the cat. ¡°Ouch! Ouch!¡± Myohan could hear Sinsul paying for dragging the cat out. He wondered why the dog liked the kitten so much. He couldn¡¯t link the fact that he was also a cat to it. When he went out again, the boys had brought all the snacks in the pantry. Myohan wondered how they had found it all, but Sinsul said, ¡°I sniffed to find them!¡± Myohan gave him a pat as a compliment. ¡°But where¡¯s that box of chocolate?¡± Sajun looked at the pile of snacks and asked, having a jelly. Sinsul flinched, and Myohan went to the kitchen to bring it. ¡°Why did you leave this alone?¡± ¡°Chocolates are poisonous to dogs,¡± Sinsul said grimly. Myohan told him to get rid of that nonsense as he wasn¡¯t a real dog. Then he put one in Sinsul¡¯s mouth. He wanted to say he wasn¡¯t talking nonsense, but then his eyes widened. O Shin¡¯s lips curled up. ¡°You just said you wanted to have chocolate.¡± But Myohan couldn¡¯t feed him another one. All the boys looked right next to him in great shock. Myohan turned with a frown, and then he had to drop the chocolate in his hand. ¡°Germany is famous for its whisky bonbons.¡± O Shin added an explanation. He wasn¡¯t surprised at all. He showed them the chocolate box, and it said ¡®J?germeister¡¯. Myohan blinked and looked down again at a huge dog with curly fur. He couldn¡¯t say a word for some time, but then he laughed. ¡°¡­Sinsul?¡± Sinsul-dog looked at him with shame. It woofed, and then it covered its face with its front paws to whimper. Myohan grabbed his snout to stop him. ¡°Just be quiet.¡± He had to take off Sinsul¡¯s now tight school uniform first. While he undid the buttons, Sinsul kept whimpering. Everyone was quiet, but then Jino snapped out of shock and put out a shaking hand. ¡°So cute¡­!¡± He looked really happy. He buried his face in the dog¡¯s fur. Sinsul gave up fighting and just lay down with sad eyes. Myohan pitied him, so he let go of his snout and brought the chocolate box. ¡°Shit.¡± Myo Cheong blurted that out to wake everyone up. Jagyeom scolded Sajun. ¡°But you¡¯re a minor!¡± ¡°My parents did the purchase, of course.¡± J?germeister, Absolut Peach, Jack Daniels, and Jose Cuervo. Each chocolate contained a different kind of liquor. Sinsul must have refused it because he had smelled the liquors. Myohan picked up the chocolate he had dropped and bit it with his teeth. It cracked and bitter liquid seeped out. ¡°Delicious, isn¡¯t it?¡± Sajun asked with a smile. It wasn¡¯t that bad, but it wasn¡¯t right for Myohan¡¯s taste. He shook his head and Jagyeom said, ¡°I thought you made him eat it because you knew.¡± ¡°No, I really didn¡¯t¡­¡± He hadn¡¯t known at all that the chocolates contained liquor and having liquor made Sinsul become a dog. If Sajun hadn¡¯t brought that special chocolate, he never would have found out. Then he realized something and gave Sinsul a smirk. He knew liquor made him transform. It meant he must have had it before. ¡°You¡¯re a real gangster.¡± ¡°Whimper¡­¡± He was half-joking. Sinsul¡¯s parents or relatives could have him taste it while they drank. But Sinsul looked away sadly. Huh¡­ ¡°Well, then it was a complete coincidence.¡± Jagyeom said it as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. Myohan turned to O Shin. He remembered how he had said he would let ¡®Deus ex machina¡¯ handle this one. ¡°What¡¯s Deus ex machina?¡± ¡°God from the machine.¡± He put a chocolate in his mouth. He liked the bitter taste and smiled with content. ¡°It¡¯s a plot device. A god shows up in a dramatic situation to solve the problem.¡± ¡°Meow.¡± The kitten came out to the living room, but it turned back after seeing the huge dog there. O Shin continued, ¡°But this time, it was a snake, not a god.¡± Germany was famous for whiskey bonbons, and Sajun had just come back from a trip. As for the possibility of Sajun buying whiskey bonbons and Sinsul eating one of them, the chance couldn¡¯t have been smaller. Myohan couldn¡¯t know what to think. ¡°Choi Jino, stop it, will you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a dog that doesn¡¯t run away from me.¡± ¡°Of course dogs run away from your crazy enthusiasm!¡± Jino was still patting Sinsul. He must have given up completely. He just lay down and wagged his tail. Others had behaved not so naturally in their animal forms, but Sinsul was just like a real dog. Well, they say drinking too much will turn you into a dog, and here was proof of it. Sajun made a joke. It took a whole hour for Sinsul to return to his human form. While he got dressed, muttering complaints, Jino looked at the last remaining chocolate. Sinsul could see what he was thinking, so he quickly put it in Myohan¡¯s mouth. He had no choice but to chew and swallow it. He grabbed Sinsul angrily. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you.¡± ¡°But you force-fed me one first!¡± ¡°You said you wanted to eat chocolate.¡± They exchanged fierce gazes, but of course Myohan won in the end. Sinsul sadly looked away and hugged his knees. ¡°This is unfair. How could a minor buy liquor?¡± ¡°I told you, my parents did the purchase.¡± Sajun asserted his innocence once more. But Jagyeom pointed out another obvious problem. ¡°But why did you give it to Myohan as a present?¡± ¡°Actually¡­¡± Sajun smiled slyly as he pointed at the now empty chocolate box. ¡°I brought it because I wanted to see him get drunk¡­¡± His finger moved to point at Myo Cheong. ¡°But it looks like I got another boy drunk.¡± ¡°Hey, rabbit.¡± Myohan tried calling him, but he wouldn¡¯t react to it. He frowned and counted the chocolates. There had been ten chocolates in the box in total. Sinsul had one, Myohan had two, O Shin had one, so there had to be six left, but the box was empty. He went to Myo Cheong and shook his shoulder. He looked up at Myohan with hazy eyes. His eyes were usually sharp, but now they couldn¡¯t focus. His white cheeks were now red. His temperature was also a lot higher. All of these made Myohan conclude that this little rabbit had gotten drunk after eating six chocolates. Chapter 34 ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Myo Cheong sounded even angrier than usual. Myohan thought it would be best to leave him alone until the liquor wore off, but then Myo Cheong suddenly grabbed him by his collar. Jagyeom¡¯s eyes widened so much that they almost popped out. Jino quickly came over to stop him. ¡°Cheong, what are you doing?¡± The drunken rabbit was stronger than expected. Jino tried to unclench his hand, but it only made his grip tighter. Moreover, he started to shake Myohan. ¡°You! You can¡¯t be like that!¡± ¡°Cheong, you will regret this tomorrow.¡± ¡°Should we stop him with force?¡± ¡°¡­.It will break his bones.¡± Myohan thought about Sajun¡¯s suggestion, but he soon shook his head. Myo Cheong had weak bones, and if they handled him wrongly and he fell, he could be broken in a place or two. He let out a sigh and wrapped his hand around Myo Cheong¡¯s. He flinched and looked down. His round eyes got teary. ¡°It was my first kiss! You know that?¡± ¡°Cheong, your first kiss was with your ex-girlfriend¡­¡± Myo Cheong glared at Jino. He immediately shut his mouth. Myo Cheong was now about to shed tears any moment. Then he yelled, ¡°You are bad!¡± ¡°¡­.First kiss?¡± Sinsul asked with wide eyes. Everyone looked at Myohan. He frowned and let out a small sigh. Stupid rabbit. He was digging his own grave. Instead of answering the question, he grabbed Myo Cheong¡¯s shoulder. Then he spoke, stressing each word, looking straight into his eyes. ¡°If you don¡¯t let go, I¡¯ll make you change into your rabbit form.¡± It seemed to work. Myo Cheong¡¯s eyes widened, and then he frowned. ¡°Shit, do it! Do whatever you want!¡± No, it worked in the opposite way. ¡°¡­.He¡¯s even angrier now.¡± Jagyeom frowned with distaste and butted to side to get away from the mad rabbit. Myo Cheong stomped his feet, still holding Myohan, and O Shin calmly raised an opinion. ¡°Just make him transform.¡± Cold silence fell. The boys had heard enough to guess what would make Myo Cheong transform, so they watched with tension. Only O Shin and Myohan remained calm. Myohan pulled out Myo Cheong¡¯s arm, and then he leaned down without hesitation. ¡°¡­What the,¡± Their lips didn¡¯t touch. O Shin covered Myo Cheong¡¯s lips with a hand in the last second. Myohan ended up kissing his hand, and he backed off. Myo Cheong was yelling at him to take his hand off him. ¡°The one who started it shall end it.¡± ¡°¡­.What?¡± O Shin looked at Sajun. His eyes widened and he pointed at himself as if to ask, ¡®Me?¡¯ ¡°It was your chocolate that got him drunk.¡± But he had just been rejoicing about capturing the dog thanks to Sajun. He just changed his words. Sajun just sat there, blinking, but he soon made up his mind to see Myo Cheong shake Myohan once again. His face hardened. Jino put up his hands in surprise. ¡°Wait, Cheong might not¡­¡± A huge smooching sound made all of them shut up. The silence couldn¡¯t be compared to anything. Myo Cheong froze, his eyes still wide, and Jino¡¯s hands fell. Myo Cheong¡¯s hand let go of Myohan. Sajun put a hand behind Myo Cheong¡¯s as if he had done it before. Myo Cheong wouldn¡¯t even budge. Jagyeom looked away, his face now pale. He just couldn¡¯t see anymore. ¡°Huh?¡± Myo Cheong turned into a rabbit in no time. Sajun lifted him and was a bit confused. Jino must have forgotten about what he had just seen, as he was happy to see the white rabbit. Sajun tried poking it, and then lightly shaking it. Its furry body just drooped. ¡°¡­.He¡¯s unconscious.¡± ¡°Cheong!¡± Jino quickly took him. Its chest moving up and down showed it was still breathing, and Sajun shrugged in pity. ¡°It must have been quite a shock for him.¡± O Shin looked away and covered his mouth to hide his giggle. Myohan sighed and looked at the others, his face grim. ¡°Forget what you saw today.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°¡­For the rabbit.¡± In the end, O Shin couldn¡¯t stop himself from laughing out loud. Jagyeom eyed Myo Cheong with pity. Looking at Jino wailing and calling Myo Cheong¡¯s name, Sinsul muttered, ¡°I think I¡¯m at least better than him¡­¡± Myo Cheong didn¡¯t wake up even after he came back to his human form. Jino dressed him and Sajun carried him on his back, looking somewhat sorry. No, he tried to carry him. But Jino accusingly said, ¡®Are you really going to kill him?¡¯ So, he couldn¡¯t. Jino took him instead. He asked, ¡®What if he never wakes up?¡¯ But no one answered the question, as they all thought it would be much better for Myo Cheong to never wake up again. ¡°I showed you my dog form, so you¡¯re not playing soccer with me anymore, are you?¡± Even after they all left, Sinsul stayed. He kept on hassling Myohan about soccer. Myohan kicked him playfully and snorted. ¡°I used not to play soccer with you, I don¡¯t play soccer with you, I won¡¯t play soccer with you.¡± ¡°Which is exactly why you¡¯re bad.¡± Sinsul murmured and rolled around the living room. Myohan told him to attach a cleaning cloth to himself on something if he was going to keep on rolling around like that, but he just ignored him. O Shin leaned on Myohan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Play soccer with me again!¡± ¡°Again? I¡¯ve never played soccer with¡­¡± But Myohan stopped there. O Shin glanced at him. Sinsul got up and asked what it was about. ¡®It was then when you started to smell like a cat again.¡¯ He thought of O Shin¡¯s mysterious gaze. The anxiety he felt then resurfaced. He smelled like a cat again. Again. He started keeping a cat four months ago. Then Sinsul must have smelled cat on him before that, and he remembered it. ¡°What is it?¡± When? When? Myohan narrowed his eyes. When had he smelled cat? ¡°Hey, Myohan, are you okay?¡± Sinsul asked with worry. Unlike other animals, Sinsul and Myohan had been friends for a long time. They had become friends without knowing each other¡¯s secrets, and their friendship hadn¡¯t changed even after Myohan found out Sinsul was the dog. He stared at him, and then he smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± He could remember. The only day he was absent from school in his freshman year. ¡°I¡¯ll play soccer with you again.¡± Well, whatever. Sinsul was still that simple and innocent. Sinsul said, ¡°Hurray!¡± and then he started to roll again. O Shin took Myohan¡¯s hand without the dog-boy noticing. Summer vacation was coming. ¡°I¡¯ll put application form for extra classes during summer vacation, so if you need it, take it.¡± Chookjae put down a pile of paper as soon as Yuja said it. Myohan, who was dozing off yet again, perked up to hear that. O Shin, who had been giving him a warm gaze, put his bangs back for him. ¡°What is it?¡± Myohan didn¡¯t answer the question. He stood up and went to the front. Sinsul, who was still hugging his soccer ball, looked at him with wide eyes. ¡°Hey, Chookjae.¡± Chookjae, who had gotten himself a form and was reading it, nodded. Myohan yawned as he wasn¡¯t fully awake yet and asked, ¡°You¡¯re taking the extra classes, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Yuja eyed Myohan, confused. As far as he knew, Myohan wasn¡¯t interested in others enough to ask such questions, especially to Chookjae. Myohan and Chookjae were classmates, but nothing more. Myohan mostly kept to himself, and Chookjae was a quiet boy. Anyway, they weren¡¯t that close. ¡°Why, you want to do it too?¡± Yuja asked, offering Myohan a form. He was half-joking, expecting him to say, ¡°No, I¡¯m not out of my mind,¡± and return to his seat. But he didn¡¯t. He rubbed on his sore neck, took the form, and nodded. ¡°Yes, I am going to.¡± Is O Myohan crazy? Someone whispered. Sinsul dropped his ball. Yuja also looked at him with surprise, his hand still in the air. Myohan frowned. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you all.¡± ¡°Ar-are you sick or something?¡± Yuja¡¯s surprise became a shock as he slowly processed what he had just heard. Myohan had hated practicing for a 10-minute play, so of course there was no way he would choose to come to school during summer vacation. Myohan just ignored them all and looked at the form. Application Form for Summer Vacation Extra Classes. Date: 23rd of July-10th of August. Oh, does it have to be so long? He let out a sigh and said, ¡°I just want to study,¡± but of course no one bought that. He returned to his seat. ¡°Have you decided to be a diligent cat?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± As he answered O Shin¡¯s question, he fell on his desk again. O Shin¡¯s hand soon started to stroke his hair. Enjoying the soft feeling, Myohan closed his eyes. Park Chookjae. He was the only student who had ¡®Chook¡¯, the letter for cow, in his name. Chapter 35 ¡°So, you are going to take the extra classes?¡± Summer vacation was about to start in a day. The class was given free time during PE class, so Myohan and O Shin snuck back into the classroom. They could see Sinsul and other boys running around in excitement. ¡°I suppose so.¡± Just like any other student, Myohan loved vacation very much. He didn¡¯t have grand plans like reading books or studying in advance, but he was happy to be able to sleep all day long. Even though vacation was getting shorter and shorter every year as he got older, he was still happy. ¡°It is to catch the cow.¡± Myohan had decided to take summer extra classes for two simple reasons. First, Park Chookjae had ¡®Chook¡¯, the letter for cow, in his name, and second, he wouldn¡¯t be able to meet him once vacation started. It was good that Chookjae was a diligent student. He was going to take extra classes, so Myohan had a way to be with him during the vacation. ¡°Why are you being so impatient?¡± Myohan told O Shin he didn¡¯t deserve to say that, but he just smiled and touched Myohan¡¯s cheek. ¡°You can get him after you enjoy your vacation.¡± ¡°But then winter vacation will roll around soon. We don¡¯t have much time.¡± Four months had passed since O Shin came to him, asking him to find the twelve zodiac animals. From March to July, they had found five of them, and they had seven more to find. Even if Chookjae was the cow, they would still have six more to find, and Myohan wasn¡¯t sure they would be able to find them all before winter vacation. Plus, the letters for the remaining six animals were commonly used in names. He had to capture Chookjae first to be less anxious. ¡°Or what, it¡¯s actually okay to take time to find them?¡± Myohan frowned and asked. He didn¡¯t like that he was so worried and O Shin wasn¡¯t worried at all. O Shin pulled him close to kiss on his cheek. His smile was soft and calm. ¡°We must find them before this year ends.¡± Their eyes met. Myohan blinked slowly. He didn¡¯t ask why, as he was sure he wouldn¡¯t get the answer. O Shin touched his soft cheek, and then kissed his lips. ¡°We will find them all. You¡¯re the cat, luck is with you.¡± ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Myohan nodded, wondering, what if Sinsul smelled cow on him? It would let them be sure. But it didn¡¯t lead anywhere. What would happen after that? He had already guessed Chookjae was one of the twelve with his name. Park Chookjae was the cow, but that wasn¡¯t what mattered. What mattered was ¡®what turned him into a cow¡¯. ¡°Well, we will have to ask the dog first.¡± Myohan looked out the window as he said so. The ball rang and the class ended. As it was one day before summer vacation, they were allowed to go home after morning classes. They all naturally headed to Myohan¡¯s home. When he entered his home with six boys right behind him, he frowned, thinking something had gone really, really wrong. Since when had his home become their base? ¡°Oh, what happened on that day? Tell me!¡± Myo Cheong grabbed Jino. He looked around with a pleading gaze, desperately asking for help, but no one came to his aid. The kitten slowly came out, and it went to Myohan, despite the crowd. It had gotten used to them now. ¡°Cheong¡­¡± ¡°Stop calling my name and answer the question!¡± Since the next day he got drunk after eating Sajun¡¯s chocolates, he had been endlessly asking what had happened. It was because when he woke up, there was rabbit hair on his school uniform. He kept asking Jino why he had transformed. As all the others repeatedly said nothing had happened, he chose Jino as his prey. He wasn¡¯t capable of lying. ¡°Hey, I told you nothing happened.¡± Jagyeom took pity of Jino and spoke, but of course Myo Cheong didn¡¯t buy that. ¡°Okay, then Jino, tell me nothing happened. Just say it!¡± ¡°Cheong, I can¡¯t!¡± ¡°Shit! Then something did happen!¡± Jino looked like he was about to cry. His clear eyes looked so sad. He looked at Sajun, but he just scratched his head. He was okay with the truth being announced, but he knew Myo Cheong wouldn¡¯t take it the same way. So he just gave him a pat on his shoulder, muttering it was all for him. ¡°Byeon Sinsul, I have a question.¡± Myohan threw away his schoolbag, sat down on the sofa, put his cat on his lap, and then called Sinsul. The dog-boy asked as he watched the cat rub its face on Myohan, ¡°What is it?¡± O Shin sat down next to Myohan to watch Jino being tortured by Myo Cheong. His one hand was rubbing and massaging Myohan¡¯s hand. Jagyeom tried to stop Myo Cheong, but it was in vain. ¡°Can¡¯t you smell anything on Chookjae?¡± Myo Cheong was now literally sitting on Jino. Sajun grabbed him and told him to calm down. Jagyeom gave up. O Shin watched all of that as if it had been a wrestling match. ¡°Chookjae? Smell?¡± Sinsul¡¯s eyes widened. Myohan stroked the cat and was about to explain about the cow, but then he jumped to his feet, surprised to hear something suddenly. ¡°Are you really¡­¡± ¡°Nothing happened!¡± Myohan stood up so suddenly that his cat fell. It had to land on the floor. Myo Cheong was still holding on Jino with Sajun stopping him. Jagyeom was sitting next to him and Sinsul was sitting on the table. They all stared at Jino in shock. Only O Shin remained calm once more. Myohan didn¡¯t know what to think. ¡°Meow.¡± The cat rubbed a paw on its face and moved away. It was silent and its steps were heard clearly. Jino closed his eyes and shouted again. ¡°Cheong, nothing happened on that day!¡± ¡°¡­What the.¡± Myo Cheong let go of him. He quickly got up, making Myo Cheong fall backward, but as Sajun was still holding him, he didn¡¯t get hurt. A surprised voice muttered, ¡°What the?¡± Brown hair, a horse-like face, clear eyes, long neck, athletic body, and long fingers, all remained the same. Even Jino himself looked like he couldn¡¯t believe it. Sajun couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing. Myo Cheong pushed him away and went to Jino. ¡°Say it again.¡± ¡°¡­.Nothing happened on that day, Cheong. You didn¡¯t change into a rabbit.¡± ¡°Then what happened?¡± ¡°You just¡­..you just ate those chocolates, got drunk, and, and fell asleep, so I took you home.¡± Jino gulped hard and spoke. He frowned harder with each word, but he didn¡¯t change into his horse form. Myohan sat down again. Myo Cheong turned to ask them. ¡°Is he telling the truth?¡± O Shin grinned. Then he crossed his legs and said, ¡°How can the horse not tell the truth?¡± Myo Cheong still seemed like he couldn¡¯t fully believe it, but he couldn¡¯t doubt anymore. He lightly pushed Jino¡¯s chest and frowned. ¡°You should have told me sooner, then.¡± ¡°I was just too afraid of you¡­¡± No one seemed to be buying it, not even Jino. He smiled, but his hand was shaking as he patted Myo Cheong¡¯s shoulder. Myohan put his mouth right next to O Shin¡¯s ear. He worried Myo Cheong might hear them, but what was happening now was more important than that. ¡°How can the horse not tell the truth?¡± O Shin smiled to be asked the same thing he had just asked. Myohan knew he wasn¡¯t going to give him the answer as always. He sighed as he looked at Jino¡¯s eyes full of guilt. Really, it was a mystery. They hung out there for hours. They ordered pizza for lunch and joked around about Myohan voluntarily taking extra summer classes. Jagyeom looked at Myohan more than once, clearly wanting to say something, but he couldn¡¯t. When Myohan noticed the gaze and looked at him, he wasn¡¯t looking at him. ¡°Jino.¡± Jagyeom wasn¡¯t the only one who failed to say what he had to say. Myohan also failed to ask Sinsul about Chookjae as he kept trying to find out why Jino didn¡¯t change after lying. ¡°Hey, lie about something.¡± They all became tense when Myohan said that to Jino, right before they left. Jino had been moaning happily to see the cat on Myohan¡¯s lap. He smiled awkwardly. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it, and it¡¯s just not right.¡± Myo Cheong moaned. With Jino¡¯s reaction and others¡¯ looks, he could make one guess. Maybe Jino had stopped turning into a horse. That was why he remained as himself even after lying. Maybe he lied when he said nothing happened. Chapter 36 Myo Cheong crossed his arms and told Jino to hurry. ¡°Now.¡± Jino looked like he wanted to cry. He had been thinking what Myo Cheong was thinking. He had his hopes and wondered maybe he had ceased to transform, but he didn¡¯t want to check it now. He complained and said he didn¡¯t want to transform, but Myo Cheong was merciless. He pressed him a few more times, and then he came to Jino and started to undo his shirt buttons. ¡°Take off your clothes and lie, now.¡± ¡°Cheong, please don¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°Oh, come on! Shit!¡± But Myo Cheong couldn¡¯t be stopped. Jino grabbed his wrist and shook his head. Jino was most certainly a lot bigger, but he was so small in front of his anger. Myohan went to them, grabbed Myo Cheong¡¯s shoulder, and pulled him to himself. ¡°What you¡¯re doing is a crime.¡± ¡°Oh, stop it! Shit!¡± Myo Cheong found himself in Myohan¡¯s arms. He blushed hard and quickly got away. Sajun looked at them with envy. Of course, at the same time, Jagyeom let out a sigh, clearly disgusted. Myohan ruffled his hair and frowned. ¡°Now, what happened on that day doesn¡¯t matter anymore.¡± If even Jino refused to talk about it, there was something. Myo Cheong didn¡¯t want to find out either if everyone was trying so hard to hide it. He had accused Jino earlier because he didn¡¯t like being so agitated, but he didn¡¯t have enough courage to open Pandora¡¯s box. ¡°Shit, I¡¯ve known you for years now! I know you were lying!¡± ¡°Cheong¡­¡± ¡°I must see if you don¡¯t change even when you lie for real.¡± Yes, that was what mattered. Jino had lied, but he hadn¡¯t transformed. ¡°If you don¡¯t change, we might not change too.¡± They all got a bit of hope. Maybe, maybe it was happening. Maybe they were about to be freed from the cursed fate and live normal lives. Myohan let go of Myo Cheong and nodded. He was right. ¡°¡­You¡¯re right. Jino, go on.¡± Now Jino couldn¡¯t refuse anymore. Jagyeom looked at Myohan nervously. But when asked why, he just closed his mouth and shook his head. Jino had no choice, so he started to take his clothes off. Sinsul had never seen him do it before, so he was very shocked. Why is he taking off his clothes? Why aren¡¯t you stopping him? You are all crazy¡­. He wanted to yell so, but Myohan quickly covered his mouth. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t, his clothes will be ripped apart.¡± ¡°Uum! Umm!¡± Sinsul nodded, but Myohan let go of him only when he was almost out of breath. ¡°Then¡­¡± Now naked, Jino gulped hard. He still wasn¡¯t embarrassed of being naked. Myo Cheong stood in front of him with crossed arms. And because of it, Myohan didn¡¯t know why Sajun was awwing and whistling. He closed his eyes and muttered, ¡°My name is not Choi Jino¡­¡± They all looked at Jino with hope, except for O Shin and Jagyeom. O Shin had his arms wrapped around Myohan¡¯s wrist. He laughed. ¡°Shit.¡± Myo Cheong stomped his feet. He angrily kicked Jino¡¯s pile of clothes. ¡°¡­.But it worked this time,¡± Sajun muttered to himself. What was in front of them was a huge horse with a yellow-brown mane. They really didn¡¯t know why. Jino had remained as a human after lying only a few hours ago, but this time, he transformed the second he lied. So, what was the difference? ¡°How on earth could Choi Jino lie?¡± Myohan muttered as he stroked his cat. He kept thinking about it, even after other boys left. ¡°Nothing happened on that day.¡± It was a lie. ¡°Myo Cheong didn¡¯t transform into his rabbit form.¡± That was another lie. Jino had lied. As he shut his eyes and blurted it out, he must have thought he was going to transform too. But he hadn¡¯t. ¡°But the second time, he did change. Why?¡± What was the difference between the lie that transformed him and the lie that didn¡¯t transform him? Myohan even wondered if the universe had responded to Jino¡¯s desperate prayer. O Shin smiled and looked at him. He lay down on the bed. The cat climbed onto his chest and he patted it with affection. It meowed and happily went on rubbing its face on him. O Shin touched Myohan¡¯s hair and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already given you the answer.¡± The cat straightened its fur angrily. He didn¡¯t like the hand on Myohan¡¯s hair and hissed. But of course, O Shin didn¡¯t care and kissed Myohan¡¯s forehead. Myohan slowly wrapped his arms around his neck. He had gotten used to kissing him. While they were at it, the cat left the room, expressing its anger with a raised tail. O Shin went a little away and looked into Myohan¡¯s eyes. His feline eyes were moist. He liked to see his own reflection in those light-colored eyes, so he kissed him again. ¡®You don¡¯t have a name?¡¯ Another memory surfaced in Myohan¡¯s mind. His own voice asking with surprise, and a pair of black eyes looking down at him. ¡®No one¡¯s without a name.¡¯ He didn¡¯t try to refuse it. He didn¡¯t bother to recall more, and he didn¡¯t try to forget it. He just focused on the kiss and let it flow through his mind. ¡®Then maybe you can give me a name, cat.¡¯ In his memory, the person looking down at him was clearly O Shin. His handsome face, piercing eyes, his hands caressing Myohan¡¯s cheeks, and his smile. It was him. ¡®Then¡­.¡¯ But the memory couldn¡¯t go on, as the moment Myohan tried to say something with a grin, they heard a huge sound in the kitchen. Myohan jumped to his feet, but O Shin just rubbed a finger on his lips. ¡°Looks like the jealous cat has caused a mess.¡± Myohan could still feel it. The warm sunlight, the soft eyes looking down at him. It all felt like a dream, but at the same time, it felt so real, as if it had happened only yesterday. O Shin tried to stand up, but Myohan grabbed him. He looked up and blurted out, ¡°Why did you ask me to do it?¡± O Shin looked confused. He didn¡¯t know if he was talking about finding the twelve zodiac animals or something else. Myohan was somewhat satisfied to see the all-knowing man be confused for once. ¡°You know I¡¯m terrible at coming up with names. Why did you ask me?¡± O Shin laughed. He laughed for a long time, and then he put a hand on Myohan¡¯s head. ¡°Because it had to be you.¡± Myohan could feel a sudden surge of emotion. Contrary to his warm hand, O Shin¡¯s eyes were so sad. He couldn¡¯t ask any more and just closed his eyes. O Shin smiled to show it was okay. He knew what Myohan wanted to say. ¡°Later, when you remember it,¡± ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Call me by that name.¡± Myohan kissed his hand. O Shin accepted it and then opened the door. The cat was sitting right in front of the door as if nothing had happened. It must have been waiting there because the door had been closed. When Myohan stretched out a hand toward it, it quickly climbed up the bed. It wrapped its tail around Myohan¡¯s waist and purred. When he went to the kitchen with it, all the cups in the cupboard had fallen. They were all plastic, so they were all fine, but still, it was a mess. The cat just yawned, clearly liking what it had done. But Myohan didn¡¯t like extra cleaning, so he raised the cat with both hands and looked into its eyes. It slowly blinked. ¡°Don¡¯t try to play fool with me.¡± ¡°Meow.¡± But of course talking to it wasn¡¯t going to get him anywhere. It was an animal, after all. So he let it go and started to put the cups back in the cupboard. It helped him clear his mind, and he got a chance to think of Jino again. How Jagyeom kept glancing at him before he left also bothered him. He should have asked what he wanted to say so much. He couldn¡¯t help sighing. ¡°The rat seemed to know something.¡± ¡°Really?¡± O Shin shrugged. He leaned against a wall, looking at Myohan¡¯s back as he picked up the cups. Then he asked, ¡°You know what?¡± ¡°I know less than¡­¡± ¡°Half of what I say. I know.¡± Myohan said what he had said the other day. O Shin nodded and went on. Chapter 37 ¡°When Lee Jagyeom gets wet, he turns into a rat.¡± Myohan looked up, still crouching. The cat climbed onto his shoulder. It had gotten quite big, so he had to crouch even more under its weight. ¡°But¡­¡± O Shin¡¯s eyes sparkled the same way they did whenever he gave hints to Myohan. Myohan jumped to his feet to hear his next words. Amused, O Shin said, ¡°How does he take a shower?¡± Myohan hadn¡¯t wondered about that before. Jagyeom transformed into his rat form when wet, but he had to get wet to take a shower. He was so afraid of the rain that he used both his raincoat and his umbrella, so would he be able to take the risk of transforming just to take a shower? No, of course not. One mistake and he would become a rat and drown. O Shin smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve already given you the answer.¡± *** On the last day of school before summer vacation, Myohan went to school earlier than before. It was unimaginable for him as he usually failed to get to school in time because of his great love for morning slumber. He fell on his desk and tried to sort his thoughts, letting O Shin stroke his hair. His hand moved slowly to his back. ¡°Oh, hi.¡± The door was opened and Chookjae came in. He was a hard-working student and the class vice president. He came to school quite early. ¡°You, come here.¡± Chookjae blinked in confusion after he heard Myohan suddenly say that. O Shin took his hand off him and looked away, clearly uninterested. Chookjae put down his school bag, came closer, and waited for Myohan to speak. Why Jino hadn¡¯t turned into a horse and how Jagyeom could take shower both deserved Myohan¡¯s attention, but right now, there was something even more important. ¡°Do you like beef?¡± ¡°¡­.What?¡± Chookjae asked back, not seeing what was going on. No, no, this wasn¡¯t right. Myohan let out a sigh and then examined the boy¡¯s face. Did he resemble a cow? He didn¡¯t know. What were the characteristics of a cow? He didn¡¯t know that, either. Then, did he smell like a cow? ¡°Why?¡± Chookjae was really confused when Myohan suddenly started to sniff him. He almost never talked to him, but now he was asking about his taste and sniffing him. He raised an arm and sniffed to see if he smelled funny. Myohan moaned quietly. Now he wished he had been a dog. Why cats didn¡¯t have a good sense of smell like dogs? ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Chookjae hesitated for a moment, but he soon returned to his seat without saying anything. He sat down, took out a book, and started to study. Myohan thought he was way too into studying. ¡°Myohan! Why are you already here?¡± To his surprise, the third boy to enter the classroom was Sinsul. He was wearing his gym suit and was happy to see Myohan. ¡°How about morning soccer?¡± ¡°Yeah, go ahead.¡± Sinsul was sad to hear that, but he didn¡¯t stop there. He tried to ask O Shin as well, but then he saw he wasn¡¯t even looking at him. He huffed and went on and on about how he hated them all. ¡°Then¡­ Chookjae! Let¡¯s play soccer!¡± Apparently, Sinsul couldn¡¯t see him studying hard. He patted on his broad back and then dragged his arm. Chookjae was dragged out, without even thinking of resisting, and Myohan shook his head after seeing that. But then, Sinsul abruptly stopped on his way to his locker. ¡°Oh, right. About what you asked yesterday.¡± Myohan narrowed his eyes. About what he had asked yesterday? ¡°You asked if I could smell anything on Chookjae.¡± ¡°Hey, Sinsul.¡± Myohan doubted anyone, even Sinsul, would be stupid enough to bring that out right in front of Chookjae, but the dog-boy was just too innocent. He just smiled at Myohan¡¯s frown and then he said, ¡°He smells like cow! Cow! Chookjae¡¯s a cow!¡± Then, silence. ¡°¡­.What?¡± Myohan frowned as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. Chookjae was still calm. Sinsul looked a bit confused. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you were asking?¡± ¡°It is, it is, but¡­¡± ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s the cow. He smells of cow.¡± Sinsul sniffed Chookjae, just like Myohan had done only a few minutes ago, and then he nodded with confidence. Myohan looked at the two boys, trying to find out what was going on, and then he asked, ¡°And you¡¯re saying that right in front of him?¡± So far, no one had announced his secret animal identity first. Sajun did show it willingly, but only for a reason. Myohan caught Jagyeom by coincidence, he caught Myo Cheong after various tries, and he caught Jino after winning the bet. Even Sinsul hadn¡¯t joined the group willingly. But what on earth was going on now? ¡°I can¡¯t do that?¡± Sinsul asked innocently. He still didn¡¯t have a single thought. Myohan put a hand on his forehead to see Chookjae blinking in shock. So he smelled like cow. Sinsul exchanged looks with Chookjae and asked away. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°¡­.No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Myohan had been too impatient that he couldn¡¯t even think of talking to Chookjae about it. He just watched him from the back, thinking of getting proof and blackmailing him with it. But now¡­. He just sighed, suddenly feeling really tired. O Shin muttered, ¡°Piece of cake.¡± Myohan shook his head and looked at Sinsul. If he had recognized the cow smell on Chookjae, then he had transformed quite recently. ¡°What makes you become a cow?¡± Sinsul scratched his head, of course not knowing the answer. Chookjae finally opened his mouth only then. He looked down and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Sinsul smiled awkwardly. Well, he doesn¡¯t know! But at the same time, Myohan frowned even harder. ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He stood up and went to Chookjae. He flinched and looked back at him. Myohan stared into his eyes from a close distance, and then he frowned again. It wasn¡¯t like he could read minds or something, but Chookjae didn¡¯t seem to be lying. He really didn¡¯t know what made him become a cow. He added, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen myself become a cow.¡± ¡°¡­.Hey, do you know how old that smell is?¡± Sinsul sniffed Chookjae again. Chookjae stepped back a little, not liking it. ¡°It¡¯s about¡­ a couple of hours old.¡± O Shin grabbed Myohan¡¯s arm and pulled him in. Myohan had to sit down on his desk. Chookjae just nodded. ¡°What the?¡± He thought he had the cow, but it turned out he didn¡¯t. There were just too many paradoxes. Chookjae didn¡¯t know what made him transform, and yet Sinsul could smell cow on him. ¡°So you turn into a cow without knowing it?¡± Myohan asked to check. Sinsul quickly nodded instead of Chookjae. Myohan sighed and said, ¡°Then you probably think Sinsul is talking bullshit.¡± ¡°¡­I can ruminate.¡± This time, it was Myohan¡¯s turn to be surprised. Chookjae put a hand on his neck and repeated it. ¡°I can ruminate.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± O Shin hid behind Myohan and laughed. He was sneering, but Chookjae didn¡¯t care. He said he thought everyone did it and looked away. He looked somewhat embarrassed. Myohan told O Shin to stop laughing and looked at Chookjae with narrowed eyes. ¡°Even with that, how can you believe a human can turn into an animal?¡± ¡°Oh, um¡­¡± Sinsul just scratched his cheek, looking troubled. He was wondering if he should talk or not. But Myohan gave him a deadly gaze that said, ¡®Start talking unless you want to die.¡¯ Chookjae nodded, so he had to speak. ¡°Chookjae and I drank booze together!¡± ¡°What?¡± Someone exclaimed with shock and anger, but it wasn¡¯t Myohan. ¡°You two drank what?¡± Both Sinsul and Chookjae looked back at the voice. Yuja was standing there. ¡°What did you say, Byeon Sinsul? Say that again.¡± They could almost see the dark aura coming out of him. Myohan quickly looked away to show he had nothing to do with it. O Shin was also looking out the window. Yuja approached them and he grabbed Sinsul¡¯s collar in a flash. Then he glared at Myohan. ¡°Myohan.¡± ¡°I¡¯m innocent.¡± He raised his both hands to assert his innocence. Yuja turned to Chookjae and flicked a finger at him. ¡°Both of you are going to have a little talk with me.¡± Just like that, the two were dragged out. It would have been better to be caught by the teacher, but since it was Yuja, they were not coming back any time soon. After the storm, Myohan just sat there blankly, and then he tilted his head backwards. O Shin got up a little to kiss his cheek. ¡°With such boys as your classmates, you¡¯ll never be bored.¡± ¡°I wish I could be bored.¡± Chapter 38 According to what Sinsul had said, he and Chookjae drank booze together, and Chookjae got to see him turn into a dog. ¡°Another dead end¡­¡± Now Myohan was sure that Chookjae was the cow, but that didn¡¯t change anything. He had to find out what made him transform, and even Chookjae himself didn¡¯t know what it was. Myohan was supposed to be getting a severe headache, but for some reason, he didn¡¯t. Well, he had his guess. It was just that he couldn¡¯t be sure of it. That was always the problem. ¡°What was Chookjae doing two hours ago?¡± O Shin spoke to help Myohan be sure. He stretched out a hand and turned Myohan¡¯s face to make him look at him. He blinked as he answered the question. ¡°Really, it¡¯s a piece of cake.¡± His face was so close. Their lips could meet at any moment. O Shin smiled, gave him a peck, and went away. Myohan looked at the clock and went down from the desk. O Shin made him sit down on his lap, wrapped his arms around his wrist, and rubbed his face on his neck. ¡°Well, then, we have ten minutes to ourselves. What should we do?¡± The other boys were not going to come soon. As it was the last day of the semester, there was no morning independent study. No one was going to come in for ten minutes at least. Myohan could see what he meant by the question. He narrowed his eyes and stroked the back of his head, making his soft hair slip through his fingers. ¡°What an easy question.¡± Their lips met. With regards to what made Chookjae transform, how Jino had managed to stay human after lying, and how Jagyeom managed to take shower, Myohan had many things to figure out. But he decided not to care about any of it, at least for now. First, I must cancel my application for extra summer classes. That was what he thought of first. *** ¡°So¡­¡± Myohan¡¯s neat eyebrows went up. Only Sinsul was smiling and nodding to him. He crossed his arms, reclined on his sofa, and sneered. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Summer vacation homework camp!¡± Sinsul sounded even more innocent than usual. The other boys had been sitting around the table, having a meaningless conversation. (¡°Oh, Jino, stop it!¡± ¡°But Cheong, the cat is¡­¡± ¡°Will both of you just shut up?¡± ¡°Just leave them alone.¡±) They all glanced at Myohan. He looked at O Shin to ask for his opinion, but instead of saying anything, he just put his head on Myohan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°¡­.And why does it have to take place here at my home?¡± A few hours ago, after the school ended, Sinsul came to Myohan and asked the same question as usual. ¡°Do you want to play soccer?¡± Myohan got that offer three times a day. Of course, he pretended not to hear it and packed his things, and Sinsul left with sad eyes. But then he soon came back and asked a different question. And this time, Chookjae was with him. ¡°Would you do summer vacation homework with us then?¡¯ Myohan looked at him, and then at Chookjae, and he didn¡¯t refuse. He just nodded and left the classroom. But now, he felt like throwing rocks at himself that time. Of course there wasn¡¯t a place in school to do homework during summer vacation. He should have asked where they were headed. After that, Sinsul followed Myohan and started to ask everyone they met on their way (first Jagyeom, and then Sajun) to join them. And in the end, he came to Myohan and smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s go to your home now!¡± He clearly meant, ¡°We are about to do vacation homework at your place. Would you like to join us?¡± ¡°Did you just say ¡®camp?''¡± ¡°Yeah! It¡¯s summer vacation!¡± Myohan wanted to ask what on earth he was talking about, but before he could, Chookjae spoke first. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s vacation time.¡± That was a thing that was supposedto come from Sinsul¡¯s mouth, not Chookjae¡¯s. He was a hard-working student. He wasn¡¯t supposed to be so excited about homework camp/hangout night. Myohan gave him a questioning gaze, and he explained, ¡°I¡¯ve never been on a school trip, and I¡¯ve never spent a night at a friend¡¯s place.¡± ¡°His grandmother is really strict, she never lets him do such things.¡± Sinsul helped him out. Chookjae added, ¡°I¡¯ve been living with her since I was really little, and her words are like the law to me.¡± ¡°Then why is it different today?¡± ¡°She¡¯s not at home today.¡± Myohan seemed to be having complicated thoughts as he quieted the noisy boys. (¡°Ugh! The cat¡­¡± ¡°It scratched you and now you¡¯re bleeding, you idiot!¡± ¡°Hey, you guys are too noisy.¡± ¡°Just ignore them.¡±) He did so with just one sentence. ¡°Say one more word and I¡¯m going to kick you out.¡± It became quiet in less than a second. The cat escaped from Jino and jumped up to Myohan¡¯s lap. It liked the silence and sat down with a yawn. Myohan slowly looked around. They all looked back at him with wide eyes. He asked, ¡°Are you really going to spend the night here?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Sajun was the first to answer. Myohan ignored him as if it was only right. He turned to the others. Jino nodded with excitement. Myo Cheong looked away, but he also nodded. Only Jagyeom seemed to be thinking. He frowned, but he soon scratched his cheek and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t it already too late for us to go home?¡± He was right. It was already 10:56 p.m. Myohan sighed and told them to do whatever they wanted. O Shin muttered about how the cat was actually nicer than he wanted to be. ¡°Just call your parents and tell them about it, or else they will be worried.¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think they will care at all.¡± Jagyeom said so with a sneer. Then he stood up, looking away. ¡°Anyway¡­let me use the bathroom, then.¡± Myohan looked up. He suddenly recalled the question O Shin had asked him. How did Jagyeom take his shower? Jagyeom noticed his gaze. He stopped and cleared his throat, looking troubled. Myohan narrowed his eyes and put down the cat. ¡°I¡¯ll give you some clean clothes.¡± Jagyeom followed Myohan into his bedroom. He closed the door and rummaged through his closet. ¡°What you were trying to say the other day, say it now.¡± When Jino didn¡¯t turn into a horse, and when he did transform later after lying, Jagyoem had looked at Myohan as if he had something to say. Jagyeom seemed to know what he meant by ¡®the other day.¡¯ ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if I should tell you because I¡¯m not 100% sure of it¡­ But I guess it would be better to tell you.¡± Myohan had brought him to his bedroom because he was worried that Myo Cheong might hear him. In the same room, Myo Cheong would be able to hear every word they said with his rabbit hearing. Jagyeom looked like he didn¡¯t want to talk in front of the other boys, and Myohan wasn¡¯t thinking of making him talk with everyone listening. Jagyeom sighed and began to talk. ¡°In the beginning, I didn¡¯t turn into a rat.¡± What Jagyeom said first wasn¡¯t what Myohan had expected. He sat down on his bed as the story was going to be a long one. Jagyeom leaned against the door and continued. ¡°It was when I was eleven years old. It was my birthday. I had a birthday party and went into the bathroom to take a shower, but then I suddenly turned into a rat. My parents were surprised to hear a rat, so they came in, but I wasn¡¯t there. There was only a rat.¡± ¡°So you suddenly changed?¡± ¡°Yes, just like that. But then, after about 10 minutes, I transformed back.¡± Jagyeom wrapped his arms around himself and shuddered, recalling the dreadful day. He added, ¡°It¡¯s a horrible memory.¡± And then he looked down. ¡°It was 11 p.m.¡± Myohan sighed, thinking how Jagyeom had just wanted to take shower when it was almost 11. ¡°It starts at 11 p.m., but I don¡¯t know how long it lasts. I was too scared to find out. I just take shower as soon as the clock strikes 11 and dry myself.¡± He thought the other boys were the same, that they didn¡¯t transform after 11 p.m. He was sure that even Sajun and Myo Cheong were the same; they just didn¡¯t know that. But then, he saw Jino not transform before 11, and he realized he had been wrong. ¡°They were all full of hope about not turning into animals again, and I couldn¡¯t tell them. It¡¯s 11 p.m. for me, but I don¡¯t know when it is for Jino. I just kept wondering if I should tell them. I was afraid it might just disappoint them all.¡± Chapter 39 Jagyeom seemed to have thought about it for a long time. He wasn¡¯t sure if he was doing the right thing by telling Myohan. Myohan looked at his hands for some time, and then he recalled what O Shin had said about how he had already given the answer. He thought about what Jagyeom had just said and about what O Shin had said. Then he suddenly jumped to his feet. ¡°¡­.The god distributed time.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°He gave two out of the 24 hours of a day to each animal, and they have power over their time.¡± And the god took pity on the cat who didn¡¯t get any time, so he granted the power to the twelve animals. ¡°Ha.¡± He laughed. He could finally put the puzzle together. If that god had really given them power over time, then each of them got two hours a day in which they didn¡¯t change into animals. And, according to that theory, Myohan, who was the cat, held control over the twelve. ¡°I would stop transforming once I find the twelve.¡± O Shin had told him even though he wouldn¡¯t get to find out why he transformed. He would be able to put a stop to it. He laughed like crazy. And then he went to Jagyeom. The rat was frowning as he couldn¡¯t understand what Myohan was saying. He looked up at him. ¡°Jino lied at noon.¡± He started to fold his fingers one by one. Starting at 11 p.m., two hours, another two hours, and then more two hours. His lips curled up. ¡°More exactly, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.¡± ¡°How can you tell?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t turn into a rat during Ja Time, from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m.¡± Jagyeom¡¯s eyes widened after hearing about Ja Time. He muttered about the twelve animals, and then he exclaimed, just like Myohan had a minute ago. ¡°Yes, the twelve zodiac animals. But then, there must be more about time¡­¡± ¡°First, we must get more proof.¡± His theory was perfect. Jagyeom didn¡¯t turn into a rat during Ja Time, and Jino didn¡¯t turn into a horse during O Time. But two examples weren¡¯t enough. Both Jagyeom and Myohan couldn¡¯t remember clearly when Jino didn¡¯t transform, especially if it had been between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. ¡°And how are you going to do that?¡± ¡°We must test it on the other boys, excluding you and Jino.¡± Myohan started to do the math again. Now was the Ja Time of the rat, and Jagyeom wasn¡¯t going to transform even if he took a shower. Sul Time, the time of dog, had passed already, and there was the Sa Time of snake, but they couldn¡¯t make it snow. Their only option was Myo Time, the time of the rabbit. It was from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. ¡°Are you going to kiss Myo Cheong again?¡± Jagyeom asked, wishing to get no as an answer. Myohan was surprised that he knew what he was thinking, but then he recalled someone and smiled. Jagyeom frowned and backed off from that sly smile. ¡°Why are you smiling like that?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have to bother to wait till 5 in the morning.¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± The twelve zodiac animals didn¡¯t transform during the two hours each of them had. Now was Ja Time, the time of the rat. It would last from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. Myohan thought about it again and then tapped on the door. ¡°After the rat comes the cow. Ja Time is followed by Chook Time, the time of cow.¡± Chook Time. It was when Chookjae, who was now in the living room, wasn¡¯t supposed to transform. Myohan gave Jagyeom some clean clothes and went out to the living room, acting like everything was completely fine. O Shin, who was sitting on the sofa with a bored look on his face, followed him with his eyes. Myohan decided not to say anything, at least for now. Sajun, who had been sitting quietly, which he almost never did, suddenly asked, ¡°Would you like to take a shower with me?¡± Myohan gave him an irritated gaze. Myo Cheong shuddered and moved away, muttering about how crazy he was. Myohan just ignored Sajun and turned to Chookjae. He was trying to soothe Sinsul who had given up after trying to solve a math problem with his help. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to do it!¡± ¡°You¡¯re so close to getting the answer.¡± Chook Time was about an hour away. Myohan just had to make him transform before that and see if he transformed back into a human the second the clock struck 1. It was as simple as that. ¡°But how does Jagyeom take his shower?¡± Sinsul, who was whimpering while rolling on the floor, asked matter-of-factly. Myohan replied as if the question didn¡¯t mean much. ¡°Part by part, I guess.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Sinsul bought that and started rolling and whimpering again. Sajun looked at Myohan with doubt, but he just ignored his gaze. He didn¡¯t ask more and just smiled. O Shin saw that all and made Myohan sit down next to him. Then he whispered, ¡°Now do you remember the answer I gave you?¡± Myohan laughed because his voice tickled his ear. It meant yes. Myo Cheong heard it and glanced at them, but he didn¡¯t know what they were talking about. ¡°Hey,¡± Myohan yawned. He got up, rubbing his face. His cat followed his example and yawned, too. ¡°I¡¯m going to bed. Just sleep on the floor or something.¡± After that, he went into his bedroom before someone could stop him. He didn¡¯t have much of a reason for it. He just didn¡¯t feel like doing vacation homework on the first day of summer vacation, and he wasn¡¯t into staying up all night for fun, either. He was sleepy, and he decided to get some sleep. That was all. But he didn¡¯t know he was going to sleep for three hours, and his friends were all about to go to sleep on the floor of the living room. ¡°Just be easy on¡­¡± ¡°You can¡¯t do¡­. I told you¡­¡± He could hear someone muttering and his cat meowing. So noisy. He recalled muttering so while sleeping. When he finally opened his eyes, he saw a pair of black eyes. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± O Shin didn¡¯t wait to kiss him. He blinked and closed his eyes again. What time is it? Is it already morning? No, it¡¯s still dark. It¡¯s nighttime. Butwhy am I awake? ¡°¡­!¡± He was startled and got up. O Shin stroked his hair softly. He was smiling. Myohan looked around slowly. It was dark and he couldn¡¯t see a thing. He looked back at O Shin, and with a smile, he said, ¡°It¡¯s five minutes before 3 in the morning.¡± ¡°Shit.¡± Myohan muttered and quickly went out. His eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness, and he flinched to see the boys sleeping there. He had told them to sleep on the floor or something, but he hadn¡¯t known they would carry out his order like that. What he saw first was Myo Cheong. The small boy had rolled up like a ball, and he almost looked pitiful. Jino was leaning on the table, and Sajun was lying on the sofa. Sinsul was sleeping in a corner. Myohan spotted Jagyeom sleeping right next to the table and frowned. Chookjae wasn¡¯t there. He wasn¡¯t among the boys. Myohan looked at each of them again, but then he saw a door to another room that was half-open. O Shin was now behind him and hugged him from behind. ¡°You must hurry.¡± Myohan moved slowly, with him on his back. He could see someone¡¯s legs and he knew they were Chookjae¡¯s. ¡°But why is he sleeping like this?¡± There he was, sleeping in the middle of the empty room. He had entered the room without asking Myohan, but what mattered more was that he was wearing only his underwear. Myohan crouched down to take a look at him, and then he looked up at O Shin. He just shrugged. Chookjae didn¡¯t know that he changed into a cow. There were two possible explanations. He either lost consciousness when he transformed, or he transformed when he was unconscious. Myohan was thinking the latter was more probable. Then, ¡®what Chookjae had been doing two hours ago¡¯ became so simple. He either had been getting ready for school, or he had been sleeping, just like he was doing now. Chapter 40 Myohan got up to see the clock, but suddenly it felt like too much wor. So, he plopped down on the floor and counted every second by tapping with his finger. ¡°Well?¡± O Shin whispered. Myohan put a finger on his lips, lest Chookjae might wake up. He nodded. Chookjae was never allowed to do sleepovers. He had never been on a school trip. He always reeked of cow that even Sinsul could notice it. Most of all, he transformed even without knowing it himself. Myohan grinned to see a huge mammal appear in front of him. It was 3 in the morning. ¡°Well, he better not doze off at school.¡± O Shin liked Myohan¡¯s bright smile. He kissed his forehead. ¡°Cows are all hard-working. It will never happen.¡± As always, he had lacked proof. If Sinsul hadn¡¯t dragged them all here for a sleepover, if he hadn¡¯t talked about how Chookjae¡¯s grandmother never let him sleep outside home, Myohan wouldn¡¯t have been able to figure it out so easily. O Shin helped him get up and asked again. ¡°It¡¯s a piece of cake, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like riding a sleeping cow.¡± They went out and closed the door behind them as if nothing had happened. Chookjae was going to transform back in the morning when he woke up. Myohan thought he was really a great man. If sleeping had been what made him transform, he would have been becoming a cat at least a dozen times a day. But Chookjae didn¡¯t know what changed him. It meant he had never fallen asleep at school. ¡°What a great grandmother.¡± She had been hiding the fact that her grandson became a cow every night for 18 years, and Chookjae had been obeying her rules without even knowing the reason. Really, they were both great. *** Chookjae woke up earlier than anyone else, before the sun came up. He blinked to see an unfamiliar ceiling, and then he quickly got up. A blanket that he didn¡¯t recall putting over himself fell off him. He had slept in a vacant room because of his habit of wearing only underwear when going to sleep. (Well, Myohan had told them to sleep on the floor ¡®or something.¡¯) But someone must have put a blanket over him. He scratched his head, got dressed, and went out. The boys were sleeping in various positions, and Myohan and O Shin were leaning on each other on the sofa. All the other boys each had a blanket, but only those two didn¡¯t. Chookjae brought the blanket from the room and put it on them. He didn¡¯t have to ask to know who had put it on him overnight. ¡°I must go.¡± He had to go home before his grandmother returned. They were all sleeping, so they couldn¡¯t hear him, but he said his goodbye before he left. He had never done a sleepover before. His grandmother always said he had to sleep at home, so he always went home, even late at night. He studied hard for her. She had raised him on her own. Sinsul always said she was so strict, but Chookjae had never thought so, not even once. ¡°Chookjae!¡± When he went home, his grandmother came out running. But she had said she would be going somewhere. ¡°Where were you? I was so worried!¡± Chookjae smiled sheepishly. He had planned to return home before she did and not tell her about it. He had known she would never let him sleep at Myohan¡¯s place, so he wanted to do it in secret. But now, he was busted. ¡°I slept at a friend¡¯s place.¡± ¡°You slept at your friend¡¯s place?¡± His grandmother looked at him with shock. She came to him and groped his arm. He took her hands, but then he was surprised to find out they were shaking. ¡°Granny, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°You slept? At your friend¡¯s place?¡± ¡°Yes, we all slept there.¡± Chookjae took his trembling grandmother inside and brought her a cup of cold water. She took it with shaking hands, drank it, and yelled. ¡°I told you to sleep only at home!¡± Chookjae just knelt down. Yes, he hadn¡¯t told her and he deserved to be scolded. Still, he thought it wasn¡¯t a thing to be so worried about. ¡°Granny, I¡¯m already 18. You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± ¡°Your age doesn¡¯t matter!¡± ¡°But I came home safe and sound.¡± Neither of them said a word for some time. She tried to calm down, breathing heavily, and then she let out a heavy sigh. She looked at Chookjae closely. She wanted to ask something, but she couldn¡¯t. After a long time, she asked with a sigh. ¡°Nothing happened?¡± ¡°Of course nothing happened. We were just doing homework and it got late, so I slept there.¡± Chookjae butted near her, now that she wasn¡¯t so angry. She yelled at him not to come closer, but he didn¡¯t care. He took her wrinkled hand and explained. ¡°Granny, you know I sleep wearing only my underwear.¡± ¡°I do, and that¡¯s what this is about!¡± Chookjae was quiet only at school. At home, he was quite talkative. He smiled. ¡°The other boys slept in the living room, and I slept in a different room. Then a friend came in and put a blanket over me while I was sleeping.¡± ¡°While you were sleeping?¡± ¡°Yes, I found it when I woke up.¡± She shut her mouth again. She looked away, not knowing what to think. She sighed and held her grandson¡¯s hand. ¡°Just buy that friend some snacks later.¡± Chookjae nodded and smiled brightly. He knew she wasn¡¯t going to be mad anymore. ¡°I won¡¯t worry you anymore.¡± ¡°Oh, we both know you will.¡± I should buy Myohan a bag of crisps or something. Chookjae thought so, but he didn¡¯t know Myohan had already canceled his application for extra classes. He wasn¡¯t going to see Myohan during the entire summer vacation, and when they met again after that, Myohan was no longer going to talk about the twelve zodiac animals to him. Scorching sun, hot air, chirping cicadas, and trees full of green leaves. Summer had come. Now it was vacation time and Myohan had nothing to do, so he decided to take lots of naps, but¡­ ¡°Achoo!¡± Then he caught a cold. ¡°Dumb cat.¡± O Shin scolded him after seeing him sniffle. He sneezed once more. With another achoo! his red eyes became teary. O Shin wiped those tears with a tender hand. ¡°You got cold because you slept without a blanket.¡± ¡°If you are so smart, you could have put a blanket on me.¡± Myohan had a cold in the middle of summer. He had wrapped himself in clothes and blankets during winter, but he had forgotten to be careful because of the hot weather. O Shin was right. He shouldn¡¯t have slept without a blanket while the air conditioner was on. O Shin kept arguing that although he had put a blanket on Myohan, he kept kicking it away. As he had been sound asleep then, he couldn¡¯t possibly know the truth. Of course, O Shin wasn¡¯t the type of person who lied, so it had to be Myohan¡¯s fault. ¡°Achoo!¡± At any rate, he now had a cold. It was a simple kind of cold that came with a running nose and sneezing. He had no fever and his neck was fine. He didn¡¯t know if he should be grateful or angry about it. He sighed as he covered his mouth with a mask. ¡°Mr. O Myohan? Please come in.¡± When he found out his cold had gotten serious, he headed to the hospital right away. It was Sunday, so all of the local hospitals near his home were closed. Therefore, he had to go to a general hospital a little away from home. It was a little funny that he had come to such a huge hospital with a number of patient rooms upstairs, but he had no choice. He feared a severe cold more than anything. The young doctor who examined him told him some obvious things, like he shouldn¡¯t use air conditioner too much. Myohan nodded and went out after saying thank you. He felt it every time he visited a hospital, but doctors only said the obvious. It was like asking for a way to get good grades and get ¡®study hard every day¡¯ as an answer. ¡°Sneezing cat.¡± O Shin scolded him again. He seemed to be particularly sensitive today. Myohan stared at him, but he sneezed again. O Shin took care of his messy back hair by patting it down. Chapter 41 ¡°Make fun of me or take care of me. Do only one thing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just telling the truth.¡± ¡°You¡¯re making fun of me by telling the truth.¡± ¡°So you admit you¡¯re a stupid sneezer.¡± Myohan knew he wasn¡¯t going to win the argument, so he just shut his mouth and went to the reception. It was Sunday morning, but the hospital was full of people. He took a number ticket and sat down. He muttered. ¡°I must have gotten it on that day.¡± He must have gotten the flu on the day his friends all slept at his place. He had gone to sleep without a blanket. He gave blankets to all the other boys because of toe air conditioner, but he himself fell asleep on the sofa without one. He hadn¡¯t meant to sleep, but it was dark and nice and cozy, and he fell asleep without knowing it. ¡°It¡¯s a shame, the cow even put his blanket on you.¡± Myohan didn¡¯t like his dry remark, so he bumped his head on his shoulder. It ended up hurting only himself, so he frowned. Still, it was unfair that they had slept at the same place and only he had the cold. ¡°It¡¯s unfair.¡± Myohan had been awake when Chookjae put the blanket on him and said goodbye. When he was in shallow sleep, all he needed was a slight touch to wake up, so of course what Chookjae did was more than enough to wake him up. He just pretended to be asleep and went into his room only after Chookjae left, dragging his blanket behind him. O Shin asked, ¡°So you¡¯re just letting him go?¡± He hadn¡¯t been asleep at all. Achoo! He sneezed again. Myohan¡¯s number came up on the board. ¡°I¡¯m going to stay here, you do it.¡± O Shin gave him a shocked gaze and muttered about how he was now even ordering him around, but he got up to do it. Anyway, Myohan had let Chookjae go on that day. He just didn¡¯t feel like asking him to find the twelve zodiac animals that day. Moreover, when Sinsul looked for Chookjae the next day, he even lied and said Chookjae wasn¡¯t the cow. Jagyeom looked like he doubted it, but Sinsul just nodded and bought it. Maybe Myohan was a nice cat. He didn¡¯t know since when he had been so full of sympathy. ¡°Achoo!¡± But again, what was he supposed to do? Chookjae¡¯s grandmother had been carrying that burden for 18 years just for him. Myohan had no right to put a part of that burden on Chookjae¡¯s shoulders. He closed his eyes and put a hand on his forehead. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t have a fever. Now it was easier to breathe, probably thanks to what the doctor sprayed in his nose. He wished he could take his medicine and get better soon. He was sick of the flu. ¡°I¡¯m sick of it¡­¡± He slowly looked up to hear what he had just been thinking. Had he blurted it out without noticing it? No, that wasn¡¯t it. The person who was thinking the same thing as Myohan looked like he was about to die any moment. More accurately, he was expressionless, but for a very different reason. Myohan raised his eyebrows to see his dark, hollow eyes. ¡°Huh?¡± It was the student he had saved from Sinsul¡¯s soccer ball a while ago. He looked down and sighed, but then he noticed someone staring at him and looked up. His eyes widened. Myohan thought he might not recognize him, so he lowered his mask. His round eyes got even bigger. ¡°Hello again. Um¡­¡± His name was¡­ Myohan didn¡¯t know. He couldn¡¯t remember. They didn¡¯t exactly know each other, so he thought it would be fine and just nodded. The surprised student asked, ¡°¡­Are you sick?¡± He was looking at Myohan¡¯s mask. Myohan hadn¡¯t seen that question coming, so he just looked away. Well, they were at the hospital. People went there because either they were sick, had someone sick to bring, or had to see someone sick. ¡°I got a cold.¡± He just replied shortly. As far as he could remember, they weren¡¯t close enough to ask how the other was, so he didn¡¯t ask another question like, ¡®Why are you here?¡¯ The student just looked down and nodded. His drooped eyes somehow resembled those of Jagyeom and Myo Cheong. They looked like the eyes of a herbivore. Myohan shook his head to dismiss the thought. He saw O Shin coming back and got up. ¡°Well, I hope you get well soon.¡± He was a high school student sitting in front of the reception alone, so Myohan naturally thought he was sick too. But the student said nothing. He just nodded and Myohan narrowed his eyes to see it, but he didn¡¯t say more. He just thought he was being paranoid. The student didn¡¯t have any of the twelve zodiac animals¡¯ letters in his name. O Shin showed him the receipt, but he just told him to throw it away and walked away, but then he frowned to see O Shin standing there instead of following him. He stared hard at the student. Myohan wondered if he knew him, but he knew it wasn¡¯t possible. He had just transferred to their school, and there was no way he was friends with someone Myohan didn¡¯t know about. He couldn¡¯t read the thoughts in his black eyes and tried to look closer, but then someone called out a name loudly. ¡°Miho!¡± It was a woman in a patient gown. She was in a wheelchair and had two IVs, but her smile was bright and clear. Anyone would have pitied her sunken cheeks and thin arms. O Shin sighed. Myohan could see some sort of emotion on his usually emotionless face. He dragged him. ¡°What are you doing? Let¡¯s go.¡± Achoo! He sneezed again. O Shin said it was nothing and turned. He seemed to be pitying. Was he feeling bad for the woman living in a hospital at so young an age? Of course, it had nothing to do with Myohan. ¡°Sis!¡± They were about to leave like that, but then Myohan stopped. ¡°You should have stayed in your room.¡± The voice was familiar. Myohan had just been talking to that voice. He looked back and saw him grabbing the woman¡¯s wheelchair. He was now hiding his pain behind an expressionless mask. He wasn¡¯t here to see a doctor, he had come to see his sister. O Shin put an arm around Myohan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The woman smiled brightly and said it was too boring to stay in her room. The student nodded and started to push her wheelchair. Myohan walked slowly, taking one step at a time, but then he froze. ¡°Miho, what do you want to have for lunch?¡± ¡°What are you doing? Let¡¯s go.¡± O Shin said what Myohan had just said. As they walked, Myohan covered his mouth with a hand and sneezed. O Shin stroked his hair. ¡°¡­.Let¡¯s go.¡± His mild-looking face, gentle personality, and small voice reminded Myohan of one of the twelve zodiac animals. And his name didn¡¯t have any of the right letters. But thinking of it, he would have borrowed another student¡¯s gym suit. ¡°Miho¡­¡± Myohan muttered as he looked up at O Shin. He was asking for confirmation, and O Shin shrugged and smiled. Myohan could locate the ¡®interest¡¯ behind his emotionless mask and smiled with content. *** Fortunately, Myohan could get rid of his flu in no time, thanks to taking his medicine and living a few days without using the air conditioner. Of course, O Shin¡¯s great care (which came with lots of nagging) also helped. They still had one week left of summer vacation. But a week was going to be gone before they could realize it. Myohan had done nothing, but school was about to start again. He stretched his back and moaned. His cat, which was on his belly, purred and rubbed its face on it. He stroked it gently. ¡°So, what makes him become a sheep?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± O Shin came to him without making a sound and kissed his forehead. It offended the cat and it went out. Sometimes, Myohan seriously wondered if the cat was jealous of O Shin. They were all living together now so it should have gotten some affection for him, but he had never seen the two together when he wasn¡¯t around. And O Shin didn¡¯t care about the cat either. Chapter 42 ¡°Why are you thinking so hard?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°You said he owes you a favor anyway,¡± Myohan said nothing to that and turned. O Shin was right. The student had promised to repay for his help. He could just tell him he knew he was the sheep and demand to see him transform. But for some reason, he felt like the matter wasn¡¯t that simple. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because it¡¯s been going too well these days.¡± Myohan had caught both the dog and the cow without trying much. But this time, he thought it would be a lot harder. O Shin was still caressing his face, pretending to be ignorant. Myohan slowly tilted his head for a kiss, but then the doorbell rang to break the mood. O Shin frowned. Myohan didn¡¯t want to get up, so he told O Shin to go and see who it was. He moved without protesting. But he didn¡¯t come back from the door for a long time. Myohan could hear a lot of noises, so he got up, but then someone familiar came in running. ¡°Myohan! We¡¯ve come to visit!¡± It was Sinsul. He was with four other boys. Myohan had never invited them, and there were five of them. He frowned hard with irritation. O Shin came last and shrugged to show it wasn¡¯t his fault. ¡°But why is he here?¡± Jagyeom asked. O Shin wasn¡¯t supposed to be at Myohan¡¯s home, so he got suspicious when he opened the door as if it had been his home. But Myohan thought he didn¡¯t have any reason to answer that question, so he ignored it and asked calmly. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve come to see you.¡± Sajun tried to put his butt right next to Myohan, but Myohan immediately pushed him away with a foot and looked at Jino and Myo Cheong. He could see what Jino was about to say something with twinkling eyes, so he shook his head and told him not to say a word. He was here to see the cat, of course. And as for the last, Myo Cheong frowned and pointed at Sinsul. ¡°I was kidnapped by Sinsul.¡± ¡°Kidnapped? No, I brought them all so that you wouldn¡¯t be bored!¡± ¡°¡­.Bored?¡± Of course not. Jagyeom glanced at Myohan and pointed it out. He was right. Myohan was not bored at all. He had a cat, and although he didn¡¯t know why, now O Shin was with him. And he was a cat who could sleep all day long, so of course he didn¡¯t find that freedom boring. Anyway, they sat down in the living room before he could ask more. Jino kept looking for the cat, but it just wouldn¡¯t come out. It seemed to know Jino was going to bother it. They took out snacks and sodas they had brought, and Myohan had to give up. He lay down on the sofa and O Shin came to sit at his feet. ¡°Just clean it all before you go.¡± ¡°Of course. Oh, we tried to bring Chookjae too, but he couldn¡¯t come because of the extra classes.¡± ¡°Just leave him alone.¡± ¡°Oh, but it¡¯s all love and affection!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure he doesn¡¯t need it.¡± Myohan closed his eyes. He didn¡¯t find the uninvited guests too bad. They were going to have fun on their own and clean up before they left. ¡°As we are all here,¡± O Shin spoke for the first time. Sajun brought some cups from the kitchen and put them on the table. Jagyeom poured out soda and gave a cup to each person. Yes, they were ready for a party. ¡°Let¡¯s have an emergency meeting.¡± ¡°Really? Again?¡± Jagyeom frowned. He could remember how O Shin had done exactly that to catch Sajun. Myohan got up, took Sinsul¡¯s soda, and drank it. Now it was quiet. O Shin looked around and said, ¡°First, about how to capture the sheep.¡± ¡°Sheep?¡± Sajun asked and Myohan went down from the sofa. O Shin stroked his hair and Sajun looked away quietly after seeing it. ¡°But before that, there is one urgent matter.¡± Myohan had to let them know about what he had found out before they got to the sheep. Myohan checked what time it was and turned to Jino. ¡°Jino, lie about something.¡± ¡°Why¡­?¡± Jino made a sad face. He couldn¡¯t understand why it had to be him again. He gave Myohan a pleading gaze, but Myohan wouldn¡¯t change his mind. Eventually, he gave up and started to take off his shirt. ¡°Don¡¯t. You won¡¯t transform anyway.¡± ¡°Now, what kind of bullshit is that?¡± That came from Myo Cheong. Jino also couldn¡¯t believe it either. Myohan frowned and told him to do it. His charisma overwhelmed Jino and he looked down and said, ¡°¡­.Cats are not cute at all.¡± 1, 2, 3. Jino counted the seconds with closed eyes, but then his eyes snapped open. He jumped to his feet, looking down at his hands. All the boys, except for Jagyeom, were shocked to see it. Jino started to jump up and down excitedly, but then Myo Cheong kicked him with all his might. He was aiming for Jino¡¯s manhood, and he fell to the floor immediately and wailed. Myohan looked at the clock once more and started to explain. ¡°You must know the twelve zodiac animals each have time. Ja Time, Chook Time, In Time, and Myo Time.¡± ¡°Are you talking about that ancient time system they used to use?¡± ¡°Yes, Sinsul. Your dog time is Sul Time.¡± O shin looked away and laughed after hearing ¡®your dog time.¡¯ Jagyeom also muttered about it. ¡°In that time, you won¡¯t transform.¡± ¡°What?¡± This time, Myo Cheong got to his feet. He looked down at Jino¡¯s head, but then he tumbled down again. Jino got surprised and held him. ¡°Then¡­ Shit, something did happen then!¡± ¡°¡­In Sa Time, you won¡¯t become a snake even if you touch snow. In Sul Time, you won¡¯t become a dog even if you get drunk. In Ja Time, you won¡¯t become a rat even if you get wet. I¡¯ve checked.¡± Myo Cheong yelled at him not to change to the subject, but Myohan just ignored him. Sajun covered Myo Cheong¡¯s mouth and forced him to sit down. Myohan looked at him as he wriggled and spoke grimly. ¡°If you don¡¯t calm down, I¡¯ll turn you into a rabbit.¡± ¡°Agh!¡± ¡°Or I¡¯ll prove it in Myo Time.¡± Myo Cheong froze immediately. Myohan¡¯s light-colored eyes said he meant it. He bit Sajun¡¯s hand hard (Ouch!) to get back his freedom and became quiet. He knew Myohan was capable of keeping his words. He recalled how he had kissed him without any hesitation in that prince costume. He covered his mouth and shook his head with a sigh. ¡°Heh heh, then I can drink in Sul Time¡­¡± ¡°I will tell Yuja.¡± ¡°Just kidding, just kidding.¡± But Jino and Sajun weren¡¯t as enthusiastic about it, as not transforming for two hours a day wasn¡¯t going to do them much good. It wasn¡¯t a big change unless it was directly related to something essential for living, like Jagyeom said. ¡°And now, about the sheep.¡± Myohan recalled the student he had seen at the hospital. They went to the same school and as their gym suits were of same color, they were probably in the same grade. It was possible that one of the boys here knew him. ¡°I think I¡¯ve found a suspect.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know his family name, but¡­¡± He could remember his sister¡¯s voice calling him, and how he had muttered about being sick of it with hollow eyes. He shook his head to dismiss it. ¡°His sister called him Miho.¡± ¡°Oh, he¡¯s in my class.¡± Myohan was right, one of them did know him. It was Jagyeom. He smiled awkwardly after getting all the attention. ¡°We¡¯re in the same class. His name is Miho. Gu Miho.¡± ¡°His name¡¯s Gu Miho? Like the nine-tailed fox. That¡¯s one weird name.¡± ¡°What are we then?¡± Sajun¡¯s question brought silence into the room. Jagyeom and Myo Cheong frowned at the same time. Lee Jagyeom, Myo Cheong, and even Byeon Sinsul were in the room. Myo Cheong said he couldn¡¯t say such thing in front of them, but Sinsul just said, ¡°Yeah! A bunch of weird names!¡± ¡°¡­.No, I meant, ugh.¡± He must have cotton candy for a brain. Myo Cheong complained so. Myohan stopped them and nodded to Jagyeom, inviting him to tell them more. Chapter 43 ¡°Miho is always late for school. And he¡¯s often absent.¡± ¡°So he has problems.¡± ¡°But Cheong, you often leave school early too.¡± ¡°Hey, that¡¯s because I have to go to the hospital to have my leg treated!¡± ¡°But how do you know him?¡± Jagyeom pretended he couldn¡¯t hear Myo Cheong and Jino¡¯s quarrel. He knew if he took account of all of them, he was never going to hear the rest of the story. Myohan frowned and said, ¡°I saved him once from a soccer ball, and I ran into him at a hospital a few days ago.¡± ¡°Oh, is it him?¡± Sinsul asked. But Jagyeom was confused. ¡°What hospital?¡± ¡°Jino, I¡¯ve been too nice to you these days, haven¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Cheong, I was just telling the truth¡­¡± ¡°I had a cold and he was there to meet someone, so we ran into each other there.¡± O Shin went a little away. He looked at Myo Cheong and Jino with pity and muttered they were about to be scolded. ¡°Stop making excuses!¡± ¡°Cheong, please calm down.¡± Myo Cheong ended up grabbing Jino. Sajun went to them to stop Myo Cheong, and Sinsul jumped to his feet and yelled at them not to fight. Myohan raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just a rumor, but¡­¡± ¡°Hey, just calm down.¡± ¡°Jino!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t fight!¡± ¡°They say his sister is sick¡­¡± Bam!¡± ¡°¡­.a lot.¡± Jagyeom shut his mouth after that. Jino covered his mouth and hiccupped. Myo Cheong was surprised and his nose was trembling. Sajun and Sinsul also froze. Myohan gave all of them a cold gaze as he took his hand off the table. ¡°Shut up.¡± He looked at Myo Cheong, and then Jino, and then the others. His lips curled up. Sinsul shuddered to see he was satisfied. Myohan relaxed only after it got deadly quiet. ¡°Keep talking.¡± O Shin covered his mouth and laughed. According to Jagyeom, Gu Miho was often absent, had almost no friends, and he didn¡¯t think of fitting in at all. There were all kinds of rumors about him, like he had no parents and had been doing a lot of bad things since middle school because of it, and his sister was very sick and he tried hard to take good care of her. But that was all. Myohan found it hard to believe such gentle-looking boy could do bad things, so he decided to trust only half of those rumors. Jagyeom didn¡¯t seem to be believe all of that, either. The other boys stayed deadly quiet until Jagyeom and Myohan finished their conversation, but they got noisy again the second Myohan said, ¡®Now you may have fun.¡¯ They chatted, drank, ate, and rolled around, but Myohan just lay down on his sofa and didn¡¯t move. Sinsul came and poke him once to make him join them, but he gave him a fierce gaze and he had to go away whimpering. Anyway, that wasn¡¯t much information. Myohan couldn¡¯t just find the boy and tell him he knew he was the sheep. He had no solid proof. He thought it was going to be a little difficult. He looked up the characteristics of a sheep on the Internet and tried to find out which of his schoolmates had ¡®Mi¡¯ in his name. Some days passed by while he was doing it. Sinsul and other boys came to visit a couple of times, but nothing important happened. School started again soon, and he got to get his chance much sooner than he had expected. ¡°Hey, have you heard that?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You know, Gu Miho of Class 5. He beat up one of his schoolmates and got suspended.¡± ¡°Wow¡­ He¡¯s a real bully.¡± Myohan was walking down the hallway to find Jagyeom, and he could hear other boys muttering among themselves. Maybe the rumor was right and Miho had been doing bad things. Myohan thought of his eyes. Those clear eyes did lack energy, but they didn¡¯t look like he was capable of beating up someone. He had looked like he would burst into tears any second, and Myohan just couldn¡¯t forget it. ¡°Actually, the sheep is quite a fierce animal.¡± O Shin made a remark. Myohan looked down at his arm that was on his shoulder now and just nodded. O Shin smiled and added, ¡°Of course, it is normally quite gentle.¡± ¡°Gu Miho?¡± Jagyeom asked back in surprise, and it made all the boys in the classroom look at them. Some of them glared at them with anger. Jagyeom got afraid and looked away, but Myohan frowned and looked at them back. He just looked at their eyes without saying anything, and they just grumbled and looked away. ¡°He¡¯s absent today.¡± Myohan had planned to pretend to see Jagyeom and look at Miho, but his plan wasn¡¯t going to work. Miho wasn¡¯t at school. Jagyeom looked around and whispered to his ear. ¡°He got into a fight, but he got punished alone. Even I wouldn¡¯t come to school after that.¡± ¡°But why did he fight?¡± ¡°Oh, um¡­¡± Jagyeom looked a lot troubled. He looked around again and dragged Myohan out of the room. He closed the door behind him and whispered. ¡°Miho didn¡¯t start it. The other boy said really bad things to him first, but all the other boys in our class took his side.¡± Jagyeom said he couldn¡¯t say what kind of insults he had heard. Myohan couldn¡¯t guess what it was about and frowned. Soon the bell rang to announce the end of breaktime and he had to leave. The semester had just started, and Miho already had gotten into a fight. Myohan recalled the boys looking at them angrily after hearing Miho¡¯s name. So two boys got into a fight and the other boy started it, but their classmates didn¡¯t help Miho¡­ ¡°He¡¯s being bullied.¡± It was the only guess he could make. He couldn¡¯t help thinking of how painful Miho had looked, sitting on the bleachers. *** Patients were going around in gowns, caretakers were helping the patients, and nurses were rushing around in a hurry. Myohan looked around, and then he frowned. He recalled what O Shin had said just before he left home. ¡®Reckless cat.¡¯ A few days passed, and Miho was still not coming to school. Myohan worried he might be expelled for it, but there was an even more serious matter. Jagyeom kept saying he couldn¡¯t tell him more with an awkward smile, and after some more visits to Class 5 to find Miho, Myohan became the common enemy of the class. It was so different from Myohan¡¯s class, in which they were all nice to each other under Yuja¡¯s charismatic command. Myohan sighed. Anyway, so he went to the hospital where he had seen Miho and his sister. As O Shin had said, he was looking for them recklessly. He was now on the floor for female patients, but he didn¡¯t know where to go. To think about it, he knew nothing except for Gu Miho¡¯s name. ¡°If she¡¯s his sister, they must have the same family name.¡± Myohan started by looking at nametags of all the patient rooms. Gu Miho¡¯s sister¡¯s name had to start with Gu. It was a simple guess. He looked at all 4-patient and 7-patient rooms, but none of them had a patient with the family name Gu. He decided to go and see 2-patient rooms and went to the elevator to go upstairs. But when the elevator door opened with a ding, he saw a familiar face there. A white and hollow face. ¡°¡­Gu Miho?¡± It was Miho. He looked at Myohan with surprise. It was surprising that Myohan was there, and it was also surprising that he knew his name. Myohan got in the elevator. Miho was still looking at him with wide eyes. ¡°Are you visiting someone?¡± His voice was always mild and quiet. It was hard to believe he had beaten up someone enough to get suspended. Myohan just nodded and asked him. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± Miho looked down. He wondered if he should tell Myohan, but soon he said his sister was sick. Myohan just said what came first into his mind. ¡°You¡¯re a good brother.¡± Miho looked down. He looked like he was crying, but he there weren¡¯t any tears. Which was better: the hollow face from earlier, or the gloomy face? Myohan really didn¡¯t know. It took a short time for the elevators to take them two floors up, but Myohan felt like it was a really long time. That was because Miho said nothing after his remark. Plus, Miho¡¯s sad face made Myohan get some kind of strange emotion. His heart wavered. Chapter 44 ¡°Sis?¡± ¡°Miho!¡± Miho¡¯s sister had gotten even thinner. With sunken cheeks, she almost looked like a skeleton. Myohan pretended to be a nice boy and said hello. ¡°I ran into him downstairs.¡± ¡°Wow, Miho, you have a friend?¡± ¡°Sis!¡± ¡°Okay, okay. I was just joking.¡± She smiled brightly. It was so different from how Miho looked only a minute ago. That smile was too bright for a patient with an IV. Miho took up a jar and said he would go and get water. He asked Myohan if he wanted to go with him, but he said he wanted to stay there. He didn¡¯t know why, but he just felt like he should. ¡°So, what¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Myohan, O Myohan.¡± ¡°Oh, really? I didn¡¯t know Miho had such a handsome friend.¡± Once Miho left the room, her smile faded. So sick of everything. Myohan read that on her face in an instant and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Thank you for being friends with my Miho.¡± Well, Myohan didn¡¯t even know if Miho knew his name, but he decided not to point that out. It was silly that he was now visiting Miho¡¯s sister when they weren¡¯t even that close, but he swallowed that too. ¡°He¡¯s never brought a friend here before. He¡¯s always alone, so I thought he didn¡¯t have any friends. He¡¯s not all kind and the friendly type, you know.¡± Miho¡¯s sister went on, trying to sound unconcerned. Myohan looked away to hear how she thought her brother didn¡¯t have any friends, and he bit his lips to hear what came after that. ¡°I even thought Miho was being bullied for having no parents.¡± Myohan¡¯s heart hurt again. A little brother coming to visit his sick sister? In a way, it was only natural. Miho came to the hospital every day to take care of her, but he just thought it could happen if the siblings were close. But, Miho had looked so fragile and painful at the reception, and it gave Myohan some questions. ¡°He might look strong, but he isn¡¯t. So I was worried. He couldn¡¯t cry even when we lost our parents. But he must have cried more than anyone in his heart.¡± Miho¡¯s sister then realized she had gotten too personal, so she changed the topic with a smile. She asked things about school, Miho¡¯s friends, and studying. Myohan answered all of them, and he could get up only when Miho came back. ¡°Sorry, I had to go downstairs.¡± Miho¡¯s sister made the two boys leave, telling them to go and have some fun. She seemed to be a lot happier to see a friend of Miho¡¯s for the first time. Miho lost all the expression he had the second they left the room. Myohan let out a small sigh. ¡°Before, you said you promised to repay the favor.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Why did he have to be one of the twelve zodiac animals? Myohan was supposed to make him transform in front of him, but he just couldn¡¯t. So he ended up saying what came to his mind first. It would have been funny to demand him to reveal his weakness for saving him from a ball once. ¡°If you really meant that, start coming to school every day.¡± He wasn¡¯t nagging him to be a good student. It was just that if he didn¡¯t come to school, he would have to come to the hospital every time to meet him, and that was going to be a problem for his plan of making him turn into a sheep. Miho looked a little confused, but then he saw Myohan¡¯s quiet eyes, he nodded. Myohan smiled and patted his head. Miho was taller than him, but it wasn¡¯t that hard to do. ¡°And,¡± It was just a simple whim. It was strange, but he couldn¡¯t help being soft to the animal boys. Looking at Miho, Myohan added, ¡°I don¡¯t have parents, either.¡± O Shin was most certainly going to call him soft. He was going to scold him with that expressionless face, calling him a soft cat. But Myohan could say with confidence that he wasn¡¯t pitying the boy and wasn¡¯t being controlled by empathy. ¡°Wow, how could he come to school after what he did?¡± ¡°He always gets his way, didn¡¯t you know that?¡± ¡°If I were him, I would have transferred days ago.¡± As Myohan had demanded, Miho started coming to school every day for more than a week. He had promised to repay the favor, but Myohan hadn¡¯t known he would really do as he said. Anyway, that wasn¡¯t what mattered. Miho was back at school, and now he could be watched closely. Although Jagyeom had to do it instead of Myohan as he and Miho were in same class, that was still enough. ¡°Hey, he¡¯s an orphan. Maybe that¡¯s why home discipline is important.¡± But then, there were those ugly insults. ¡®Oh, please.¡¯ Jagyeom was about to go mad, quite literally. He didn¡¯t know what Myohan had done, but Miho was now coming to school without missing a day. But it was only making other boys hate him even more. Jagyeom knew Miho hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. But he also knew another fact. If he spoke for him, he was going to be the next victim of those bullies. Miho¡¯s hair was as black as how Jagyeom was feeling. Jagyeom didn¡¯t have many friends. No, he had almost no friends. He had been wounded after he started becoming a rat, and that was enough to make him put a wall around him. As he was always studying, no one bothered to approach him. But at the same time, he was a good student who got good grades, so no one bothered to bully him. But Miho was different. He bit when provoked, and he wasn¡¯t sad even when ignored. Jagyeom missed the time he had been another bystander, scolding him in his mind from time to time. But the problem was that he was the sheep. The moment he learned about it, he started to see Miho¡¯s every action as his. Maybe he was doing that because of the wounds he was still carrying. Maybe that was why he was always alone. Jagyeom had the same wound, so was it really right for him to pretend to be ignorant when he was being bullied. ¡°Hey, Miho, can you even remember your mama¡¯s face?¡± After another round of insults, the boy who had been beaten up by Miho spoke again. Miho got to his feet, ready to jump on him any moment. His face looked calm, but his eyes were not. But if he used violence again, he was going to get much worse than suspension. That was probably what the boy wanted. Jagyeom remembered how Myohan had run out without hesitation to hear Myo Cheong was being bullied. But he was not Myohan, and he knew there was no way he would show up now. ¡°¡­What the¡ª¡± That was why he thought he was hallucinating when he saw Myohan coming in. He was hoping to see him so earnestly and now he was seeing something that wasn¡¯t there. Yes, it was a mirage. ¡°Hey, Miho.¡± ¡°Myohan?¡± But Myohan was real. Jagyeom saw O Shin looking amused, leaning against the back door. He jumped to his feet in surprise. Myohan wasn¡¯t looking at Jagyeom. He glanced at him and spoke to Miho. ¡°Let¡¯s go get lunch.¡± The boys murmured among themselves. Jagyeom couldn¡¯t know what to think of with his unshaking eyes. Miho, who had raised up a fist, looked at him. And then he went to him, almost in a . Then, Myohan looked back. This time, he was looking at Jagyeom. What was he about to say? Was he thinking he was pathetic? Was he about to ask him why he had done nothing? Myohan seemed to be wondering something with a frown. And what he said to Jagyeom was nothing like he had been waiting for. ¡°What, you¡¯re about to skip lunch? Come on.¡± *** ¡°So cu¡­¡± ¡°Please, shut up. I¡¯m begging you.¡± They met not by the taps but at the vegetable gardens. It had been like the place of bullies, but now it was a no-go zone, thanks to what Myo Cheong did there the other day. Jino looked at Miho with twinkling eyes. O Shin frowned, but Miho couldn¡¯t notice it. He just grabbed Myohan¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Wow! So you¡¯re the shee¡­ Ahh!¡± Sinsul came to Miho with his innocent smile, but Myohan put a foot in front of him to make him trip. He fell with a huge sound and started to wail, but Myohan didn¡¯t care. He just sat on the boy¡¯s back and said something they had heard more than once before. Chapter 45 ¡°Well, let the emergency meeting begin.¡± ¡°Emergency meeting?¡± Sajun had been looking at Miho, wondering if he was yet another rival in love, so he was confused to hear what Myohan said. Myohan went on, without looking at Miho. ¡°First, about Gu Miho being bullied.¡± ¡°What?¡± All the boys looked at Miho. He still looked expressionless, but he bit his lips and it clearly meant he was troubled. Myo Cheong frowned hard to hear the word ¡®bullied,¡¯ remembering his own bullies. ¡°Well, anyone have a good suggestion?¡± ¡°Before that, get up! It really hurts!¡± ¡°Oh, sorry. I forgot.¡± Myohan had thought about it for hours. He had been visiting Class 5 every day to see if Miho was there for a week already. Miho came to school, and he was still constantly bullied. They said he was doing volunteer work as part of his punishment, so he did it after school and then went to his sister. At first, Myohan tried to ignore it. He didn¡¯t want to interfere with someone else¡¯s business, and he had no reason to waste time and energy on it. But¡­ ¡®Can you even remember your mama¡¯s face?¡¯ Idiot, was that it was all about? ¡°Um¡­¡± Before any of them could talk, Miho raised a hand. He looked around and asked, ¡°¡­Who are you again?¡± ¡°Byeon Sinsul, Myo Cheong, Choi Jino, Kim Sajun.¡± Myohan pointed them out one at a time and said their name. But when he reached Jagyeom, he looked at Miho instead of saying his name. Jagyeom was looking away, feeling very guilty. Myohan blurted out, ¡°Rat.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡± Jagyeom got mad for a second, but he looked away again. Myohan could see why, so he sighed lightly. Miho just said he knew him. ¡°¡­.I¡¯m not really being bullied.¡± ¡°Myo Cheong wasn¡¯t really being bullied, either.¡± ¡°Shit, what does this have to do with me?¡± Myo Cheong angrily asked and stomped a foot. Jino said he was being bullied and ended up getting a punch. Still expressionless, Miho asked again, ¡°But why do you want to help me?¡± ¡°Because he¡¯s too nice.¡± That came from O Shin. Miho had to look at his nametag because he hadn¡¯t been introduced. Myohan gave him a dirty gaze and frowned. ¡°Why would I help you?¡± Sinsul¡¯s eyes widened, asking what kind of bullshit he was talking about. Myohan¡¯s eyes shined dangerously. He coldly muttered, ¡°I just hate them.¡± That was all. It had been the same when he caught the rabbit. He wasn¡¯t exactly up to saving Myo Cheong. He just didn¡¯t like the situation and didn¡¯t like those idiots parading around like kings. He really wasn¡¯t about bringing justice. If he had been, he would have started a campaign about ending bullying months ago. ¡°It¡¯s not because I¡¯m all mighty, and it¡¯s not because I¡¯m too righteous to turn a blind eye on bullying.¡± O Shin looked at him and smirked, but he tried to ignore him. Sinsul jumped up and said, ¡°But I can¡¯t turn a blind eye!¡± Myohan looked at Miho¡¯s gentle eyes and said, ¡°It¡¯s just that it¡¯s disturbing me with what I must do.¡± He had to capture the sheep. Even if it wasn¡¯t for himself, it was his ultimate goal. And to do that, he had to free Miho first. He asked, ¡°How many kids bully you in your class?¡± ¡°Three.¡± Jagyeom answered it instead. There were three boys, including the class president. He said their names and sighed. Sinsul made a remark. ¡°Wow, our class president would kill any bullies himself.¡± He thought of Yuja, who literally controlled all of his classmates with great charisma, and shuddered. Myohan also nodded. ¡°His family is rich, and his mother is the president of the Parent-Teacher Organization. That¡¯s why all the teachers take his side. The kids are no different.¡± ¡°But he¡¯s not the only rich kid in this school.¡± Sajun shrugged and muttered to himself. Money, that shouldn¡¯t matter¡­. Myohan narrowed his eyes to hear that. He thought he was about to get a good idea, but he couldn¡¯t think more because Myo Cheong spoke. ¡°He must take care of it himself.¡± His cute face was had a huge frown now. Jino tried to stop him, but he wouldn¡¯t listen. He looked away angrily and said, ¡°Shit, I¡¯m telling you. If any one of you helps him, he will get bullied again once the help is gone.¡± Well, technically, he wasn¡¯t wrong, although it was a cruel thing to say in front of the bullied kid. Thankfully, Miho seemed not to care about it. Myohan looked at his face and called him. ¡°Miho.¡± He had really great instincts. Miho being bullied, and someone else¡¯s gym suit he had been wearing. Was the suit someone else¡¯s, or the name? ¡°That gym suit you were wearing the other day, whose was it?¡± That was a strange question, but Miho thought hard to remember when ¡®the other day¡¯ had been. Myohan gave him a hint (soccer ball) and he said, ¡°Oh, the kids keep ripping it apart when I write my name on it.¡± Myohan raised an eyebrow. His lips curled up to see small feet angrily step on the ground. Miho continued, ¡°So I just write any name so that they would think it¡¯s someone else¡¯s and leave it alone.¡± ¡°Does it happen often?¡± ¡°It¡¯s happened about three times.¡± ¡°Shit.¡± Another cussword. Myo Cheong stomped his feet and frowned even harder. He looked just like that when he beat up those buffy bullies while cursing. O Shin pulled Myohan toward him and Myohan snorted. It was then when Myo Cheong said between gritted teeth, ¡°Shit, we can just beat them up first and then think of what to do next.¡± Smart cat. That had to be what O Shin wanted to say. Myohan asked with a bright smile, ¡°Well, anyone have a good idea?¡± But they couldn¡¯t get any good ideas. Myo Cheong suggested they could beat the bullies up until they regretted their deeds, just like he had done with his own bullies, but that suggestion got dismissed because of what Miho said. ¡°That¡¯s how I got suspended.¡± He had really beaten them up and ended up getting a suspension. That hadn¡¯t been a mere rumor. If the bullies could be stopped with violence, they would have been stopped a long time ago. It was not like Myo Cheong¡¯s case. Sinsul tried to think and help, but it wasn¡¯t easy for him. He whimpered and ruffled his hair. ¡°But why are they bullying someone anyway? They¡¯re already old enough to know better.¡± ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s the reason?¡± Myo Cheong asked after he been sulky after his opinion got rejected. Myohan frowned and told him that he of all people couldn¡¯t ask that. ¡°There¡¯s no reason for being bullied.¡± ¡°Shit, I know that, but¡­ There must have been something that started it all. Something small.¡± In Myo Cheong¡¯s case, he bumped into one of the bullies by accident, and he decided to apologize for once, which he usually wouldn¡¯t have done with his quite dirty personality. That started it all. He was small and looked timid, so the bullies thought he would be easy prey and called him out. Of course, even if he had cussed at them then, it would have led to similar consequences, if not worse, but at any rate, it had been the start. Miho thought about it for a long time. When the bullying started, why it had started, and how it had continued. His expression changed for a split second, and Myohan didn¡¯t miss that. Soon he opened his mouth and said, ¡°¡­.I don¡¯t know.¡± He sounded dry. His eyes were dead without any feeling. Myohan had to swallow back a sigh. Really, he didn¡¯t allow himself to show any kind of emotion. ¡°Well, you should never hit him again. If you do it again, you¡¯ll be expelled.¡± Myohan said that quite firmly and Miho nodded. He was keeping his promise and back at school, so he was most certainly not going to use violence again. They did think of the scenario of him being beaten up, but that would only do him no good. He got punished for using violence, so the bully would be punished too if he did the same thing. They went on raising opinions, but then the bell rang. Jagyeom looked like he didn¡¯t want to go back to his class, but he had no other choice. Myohan made them leave first and stayed with O Shin. He leaned against a wall and looked up at him. His black eyes silently looked back at him. He asked. ¡°Why are you being so quiet this time?¡± O Shin usually looked at Myohan from a step away, but this time, he was being particularly ignorant. He didn¡¯t follow him to the hospital, and he was giving no hints. Myohan could be wasting time in vain, but O Shin just watched him quietly as he tried. But why? He gently traced Myohan¡¯s eyes. His fingers ran down like wiping tears that weren¡¯t there. It tickled and he frowned. O Shin dropped his head. For some reason, he seemed to be expressing pity. Chapter 46 ¡°Even after you find out what makes him become a sheep, you won¡¯t do your best to catch him.¡± Myohan twist his neat eyebrows. Instead of asking why, he grabbed O Shin¡¯s hand on his head. O Shin held his soft finger and kissed its tip. ¡°It would be better to not know.¡± ¡°But what are you going to do if I can¡¯t capture the sheep?¡± O Shin smiled faintly. But it soon faded and he shook his head. ¡°You will capture the sheep, and¡­¡± He hugged Myohan, his expression was now the same it had been when they saw Miho¡¯s sister the other day. Myohan let him embrace him and blinked, his head now buried in his chest. O Shin whispered sweetly, ¡°You¡¯ll think it would have been better not to catch him.¡± After that, Myohan thought really hard for a few days about how to free Miho and about what O Shin had said to him. He was smart and capable, but he couldn¡¯t find any clear answer to either of the two problems. It only got stranger the more he thought about it. Who told everyone Miho¡¯s parents were gone, and were boys of Class 5 really stupid enough to bully him for only that reason? No, it probably happened in the opposite sequence. They were bullying him because they didn¡¯t like Miho, and were only using the fact he was an orphan as a method. Either way, they were the worst, but they kept messing with Miho even though he didn¡¯t let them do it easily. Myohan wanted to know why. ¡°Myohan!¡± It was lunchtime, and Myohan was having a meaningless conversation with O Shin in the empty classroom. But then Jagyeom slammed open the back door. He must have been running as he was sweating. He panted and said, ¡°Miho got into another fight!¡± Myohan jumped to his feet. ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°In the garden.¡± He followed Jagyeom to the hallway, but then he frowned and turned to the end of the hallway instead of going to the stairs. Jagyeom stopped him in surprise. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Myohan took off his jacket, threw it to him, and opened the window. Jagyeom didn¡¯t know what he was doing when the situation was so urgent, but then his eyes widened. ¡°The stairs are there¡­¡± Myohan stood up the windowsill and crouched down. He looked back at Jagyeom and tutted. ¡°Take your time.¡± Jagyeom didn¡¯t have time to stop him. He jumped down. Jagyeom couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. They were on the sixth floor. Sixth floor. And yet, Myohan had jumped down to the ground without any safety equipment. Jagyeom grabbed the windowsill with trembling hands and looked down, dreading what he would see. What was he supposed to do? But then¡­ ¡°Ha.¡± Myohan was there, stretching his legs. He looked up at Jagyeom. He rubbed his eyes, and then Myohan started to run toward the garden. Maybe he was dreaming. Or hallucinating. ¡°Really, that cat just can¡¯t stand injustice.¡± He heard a sweet voice. O Shin was there, looking down the window. ¡®Cat?¡¯ Jagyeom couldn¡¯t believe it. But then, his nimble moves, feline eyes¡­. Why hadn¡¯t he noticed it sooner? It made perfect sense of everything that had happened. ¡°Well, then¡­¡± O Shin took the jacket Jagyeom was still holding and turned. ¡°Let¡¯s go and see.¡± *** ¡®Oh, d¨¦j¨¤ vu.¡¯ That was what Myohan thought as he ran at the top of his breath. That stupid vegetable garden. Maybe he should put in formal suggestion about it, like putting a guard or remodeling the place. First Myo Cheong, and now¡­ ¡°¡­.Got it, you fool?¡± As he got closer to the garden, he could hear a boy talking. But it wasn¡¯t Miho. It was that boy of Class 5 who was always insulting him. ¡°Stop ignoring me, Miho.¡± Myohan hid behind a wall to catch his breath and take a look at the situation. He thought there would be a number of them, but to his surprise, only Miho and the bully were there. He looked at his hand holding Miho¡¯s collar and sighed. It was good that Miho wasn¡¯t a rabbit like Myo Cheong. He couldn¡¯t hear him. ¡°You look is really creepy, you know that?¡± When Miho said nothing, he let him go angrily. Miho just listened to him without any expression. Bam! He kicked the wall right next to Miho. ¡°I never liked you, even in middle school.¡± In middle school? Myohan frowned. So they had known each other in middle school. He could remember a rumor about how Miho used to be a troubled kid since middle school. But Miho still wouldn¡¯t say a word, and he kicked the wall again. But that wall is innocent. Myohan sighed, thinking so. ¡°Psychopath,¡± he said. Miho still looked like an expressionless robot. He muttered, I hate you so much, and then he pushed Miho¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You look good now, after you got a friend.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°But does he know?¡± Maybe it was Myohan, since that friend had to be him. Myohan started to move, but then he stopped to hear what the bully said after that, ¡°That you didn¡¯t even blink an eye when your friend died.¡± A small crack appeared on Miho¡¯s face. It was subtle, but Myohan could see it. The bully didn¡¯t see it and went on. ¡°Your best friend died, and what did you do?¡± Miho grabbed him with anger. He had kept quiet, but now he was starting to get fierce. Myohan frowned. ¡°Well, that¡¯s Miho I know.¡± The bully was still grinning. He seemed to be enjoying Miho¡¯s reaction. ¡°You didn¡¯t come to the funeral, and when the kids cried for him, you beat them up and told them to shut up.¡± He was brutally pushed to the wall. Thud! His grin immediately faded. His lips were still smiling, but his eyes were deadly. He snorted and said, ¡°So sad, isn¡¯t it? He thought of you as his friend till his last moment.¡± Miho swung his fist. Myohan was supposed to stop him, but he didn¡¯t. He knew Miho would keep his promise, and he was right. What Miho hit wasn¡¯t the bully but the wall. He smiled and glared at Miho. ¡°You are really strange.¡± Jagyeom and O Shin were coming. Myohan put a finger on his lips to tell them to be quiet and went on listening. ¡°How could you not cry even once? Aren¡¯t you sad at all? Are you really a psychopath?¡± This time, Myohan couldn¡¯t help sighing. He moaned deeply and looked at O Shin. He didn¡¯t say anything and just looked back. In the meantime, the bully spoke again. ¡°We even went to visit your sister at the hospital. But you¡­¡± Bad feelings were always right. Myohan bit his lips. He wished he wasn¡¯t so clever. Then he wouldn¡¯t be feeling what he was feeling now. He wouldn¡¯t have found out what made Miho become a sheep only with that conversation. ¡°Oh, right. You didn¡¯t cry even when your parents died.¡± Creepy psycho. Myohan¡¯s heart ached. O Shin stared at him. I told you, it would have been better not to know. His black eyes were saying so. Shit, shit. He kept saying that. Why? Why? He got so many questions, but no one could answer them. He ruffled his hair angrily and looked at Jagyeom. He flinched to get the dangerous gaze. He took a deep breath and asked. ¡°What did he say? Has Miho hit him?¡± Jagyeom couldn¡¯t answer it immediately. He wondered if he should tell him, but he soon made up his mind and said, ¡°That he wouldn¡¯t cry even when his sister dies¡­¡± Myohan turned before he could even finish saying that. ¡°Bring everyone here.¡± He couldn¡¯t stop him. Myohan walked there fast and stood between them with his back toward Miho. He raised his hand. Before Miho could stop him, before the bully could ask who he was, he slapped his cheek. ¡°¡­!¡± Both Jagyeom and Miho were too shocked to say anything. Before the bully could hit back, Myohan grabbed his arm. With rage, he said, ¡°You¡¯re the psycho.¡± ¡°Shit, what are you?¡± ¡°What am I? But you know, you said it yourself.¡± He pointed at Miho with his chin, making him finch. He went on, pulling the arm toward him. ¡°I¡¯m his friend.¡± The bully couldn¡¯t say anything. He clenched his teeth. Then he freed his arm with force and started to speak again, ¡°Why are you always interfering? I¡¯m telling you, you should stop taking this psycho¡¯s side¡­¡± ¡°I told you,¡± Miho grabbed Myohan¡¯s sleeve to stop him, but Myohan took a step forward. His lips curled up. ¡°You¡¯re the psycho.¡± Chapter 47 Myohan didn¡¯t like any of it. The bully was laughing at Myohan¡¯s lack of emotion, but he wouldn¡¯t blink an eye even if he tortured him so. Between Miho who didn¡¯t cry for his friend¡¯s death and him who didn¡¯t feel guilty for making fun of it, who was the evil one? The answer was obvious. ¡°You just didn¡¯t like Miho from the beginning. So you started bullying him, using anything you could for it. Am I wrong?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Do you know how he used to behave?¡± ¡°And what does it have to do with you?¡± The bully frowned. Myohan went on without giving him time to counter. ¡°Whether he weeps over his friend¡¯s death or not, what does it have to do with you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± He looked dumbstruck. But Myohan didn¡¯t think he was wrong. Even if Miho was really a cold-blooded person who didn¡¯t feel sorrow when his loved ones died, it had nothing to do with the bully. It wasn¡¯t a good excuse for bullying him, and he had no right to say such insults. ¡°You can cry as much as you want. Why are you messing with him when he has nothing to do with you?¡± Tears couldn¡¯t be the only way of expressing sorrow. Myohan didn¡¯t know what Miho had been like at the time. However, after examining him for a few days, he knew that the boy had emotions and was just not good at expressing them. The bully was stupid enough not to realize even that simple fact, and Myohan sneered at him for that. ¡°Just admit you want to bully him. Don¡¯t try to justify it with stupid reasons.¡± He just wanted to bully Miho. He could bring out all kinds of reasons to justify his acts, but what he was doing was just plain wrong. Excluding Miho from their classmates, destroying his gym clothes, saying all kinds of insults¡­ Whatever he thought as he did all that didn¡¯t matter at all. ¡°You should have at least come up with a plausible reason. Why did you bring up his parents?¡± What Myohan hated the most was that he kept mentioning Miho¡¯s parents. He cursed and smiled coldly. ¡°You¡¯re making this orphan really mad.¡± ¡°What the¡­¡± ¡°You must have gotten great family discipline, right?¡± Myohan smiled and knocked the bully¡¯s cheek. He knew talking more would only tire him. He couldn¡¯t expect the bully to realize his wrongdoings and repent. He angrily raised a hand, but Myohan looked into his eyes with hardened face. ¡°What, you want to hit me?¡± ¡°You¡­!¡± But he couldn¡¯t strike Myohan. He knew what Myohan was up to. He could hear faint sounds from behind the wall, where O Shin and Jagyeom were hiding. They were muttering among themselves. ¡°You can¡¯t, can you?¡± Myohan was really good at provoking. As he had done with Myo Cheong¡¯s bullies, he well knew which expression hurt their ego and which words made them snap. As soon as he sneered again, the bully started to turn red with rage. ¡°Oh, words are all you¡¯ve got, aren¡¯t they?¡± What he said to make fun of others had to be what would humiliate him the most. Myohan shrugged and sighed, trying to sound to pitiful. ¡°I really feel bad for your parents. They must have rejoiced when you came along, not knowing what kind of scumbag you¡¯d turn out to be.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Myohan was using the same plan again of doing his best to piss the bully off so that he would hit him. It was almost the same, but there was one big difference. ¡°Oh, no, I take it back.¡± Back then, Myo Cheong had been there to knock out the bullies, but now there was no one to stop this bully. ¡°They¡¯re your parents. They must be no better than¡­¡± He didn¡¯t even get to finish the sentence. He was hit by a fist and he staggered back. Oh, shit, I bit my tongue. ¡°Hey!¡± Miho got surprised and took a step forward. Myohan was standing in front of him and he hadn¡¯t been able to stop it. He got angry, but Myohan stopped him. The metallic taste of blood spread in his mouth. He had clenched his teeth, which was good, but he ended up biting his tongue as he had been in the middle of talking. He spit out blood and grinned. It was good that the bully was so stupid. He looked down at Myohan with disgust. ¡°You think I¡¯m the one who¡¯s got words only? You¡¯re too weak and can¡¯t even punch me properly.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see what¡¯s going on here?¡± Myohan rubbed his cheek as he said that. It already felt hot and he knew it would be swollen by tomorrow. He could also expect a severe bruise. It was going to be something worth looking at. ¡°You just hit me.¡± ¡°What?¡± The bully scowled. He didn¡¯t know what Myohan was talking about. But then, he saw O Shin and Jagyeom come up behind the wall, and a few more familiar faces. Myohan smiled widely, showing his teeth. You just hit me. ¡°When there were¡­ so many eyes watching.¡± ¡°Myohan! Are you okay?¡± Sinsul quickly came. The bully stepped back. Jagyeom, O Shin, Sinsul, even Jino, Myo Cheong, and Sajun. Even Miho was surprised to see them all. ¡°Oh, shit, he¡¯s a complete maniac!¡± ¡°What should we do!¡± Myo Cheong walked up with a frown. He was ready to jump up on the bully any moment, but Jino grabbed him and looked at Myohan pleadingly. The bully looked at them, but then he fixed his gaze on Jagyeom. He had been looking away, and he sighed. ¡°¡­.Pathetic idiot.¡± ¡°Hey, Jagyeom, oh, shit, didn¡¯t you all hear what he said?¡± Wow, you really think you get to say that? Myohan said so with a smirk. The bully got even madder and pointed at his own cheek, but it looked perfectly fine now. He didn¡¯t know that and yelled, ¡°I didn¡¯t start it! You slapped me first!¡± ¡°Did I?¡± Myohan asked back innocently. He thought about it, looked back at Miho, and asked, ¡°Did I hit him?¡± The boy looked guilty. He was clearly thinking Myohan had got the punch because of him. Myohan gave him an assuring smile, and he slowly said, ¡°¡­No, I didn¡¯t see it.¡± The bully now looked like he was going crazy. He thought it was strange of Myohan to provoke him like that, but this must have been he was after. He didn¡¯t know how the boys knew each other, but they were clearly not on his side. He fumed in rage, and then he yelled, ¡°You think the teachers would believe you? My mom¡­¡± ¡°Hey, friend,¡± Sorry for interrupting, but¡­ Sajun put a hand on Myohan¡¯s shoulder as he spoke. But Myohan easily slipped away and pushed his hand. He sighed in disappointment. ¡°Your family isn¡¯t the only rich family in this school.¡± ¡°What the¡­¡± Now he could say nothing. He looked down at Myohan¡¯s now red and ugly cheek and clenched his teeth. This wasn¡¯t good. With that many witnesses, there wasn¡¯t a thing he could do. ¡°You have nothing to say, do you?¡± Myohan was still grinning. He gritted his teeth and glared at him, but Myohan didn¡¯t care at all. He licked the inside of his cheek and learned he didn¡¯t have any serious wounds. He asked, ¡°Oh, do you think it¡¯s unfair?¡± ¡°You!¡± Myohan suddenly grabbed him with both hands. He angrily looked into his eyes, but then he froze. ¡°I¡¯m asking you a question.¡± Myohan¡¯s narrow pupils were now dangerously cold. His light-colored eyes were now shimmering, ready to devour him. The bully couldn¡¯t even breathe. He staggered backward. Of course, Myohan didn¡¯t let him go. He looked so different. He was only holding his collar, but he felt like he was being strangled. Myohan slowly spoke, his look deadly enough to kill the boy at any time. ¡°You know¡­¡± ¡°Stop¡­¡± ¡°I wish I could kill you right now, right here.¡± He couldn¡¯t say nothing. His confidence was long gone and his face was turning blue. He was just so pathetic. ¡°See ya.¡± Myohan dropped him. Well, he wasn¡¯t thinking that would be the end, but he knew he had to be content with it for the day. He had to let everyone know he had been hit by him and have him punished him for that. Myo Cheong was still angry and said they had to beat them up right before he died, but Myohan just ignored him. Chapter 48 ¡°You¡¯re not coming?¡± ¡°I am.¡± O Shin, who had been watching it all with crossed arms, said so as if it was nothing wrong. Myohan looked at him with confusion. He thought he would be mad at him and call him a reckless cat, but to his surprise, he followed them without saying a word. ¡°Shit, we should have knocked out at least three of his teeth!¡± ¡°Cheong, please calm down.¡± ¡°He¡¯s so different from our class president.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure he gets punished for this.¡± ¡°¡­Is your family really that rich?¡± The boys got noisy in no time, making Myohan miss O Shin looking at the bully for the last time, his eyes gleaming coldly. Dark clouds were rolling over. *** The bully got sentenced to 10 hours of volunteer work, thanks to the trust Myohan had built at school, Jagyeom¡¯s testimony, and Sajun¡¯s influence. The punishment was too light compared to what he had done to Miho, but Myohan thought that wasn¡¯t a bad price for one punch. But he didn¡¯t come back to school. As he had pretended to be a nice student, his homeroom teacher wanted to deny his act of violence, but he continued to refuse to go to school, and the teacher had to give up eventually. Myohan, Miho, and the bully finished talking and came out from the teachers¡¯ office, but Jagyeom stayed a lot longer. They couldn¡¯t possibly know what he and the teacher talked about, but when the teacher came out later, she patted Miho¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Miho, please know that I¡¯ll always be here for you. For all of you.¡¯ When Miho looked at Jagyeom, he looked kind of embarrassed. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Hmm. Myohan nodded. He was sitting on the taps with a popsicle bar in his mouth. He then lightly jumped down. O Shin brushed the dust off his pants for him. Miho just looked at him. ¡°So, he stopped bullying you after that?¡± ¡°Oh, he¡­¡± Miho seemed to think about it. A day after Myohan and his boys got revenge on him, he came to school with his body full of big and small wounds. One of his legs was in a cast. He looked really tired, and he was startled and left the room the moment Miho¡¯s eyes met his. After that, he wouldn¡¯t even look at Miho. ¡°I heard he fell on slippery road, it rained a lot that day.¡± ¡°But then why is he avoiding you?¡± Myohan frowned and narrowed his eyes. He did give his final warning that day, but the bully had looked like he wasn¡¯t going to stop bullying Miho at all. He had been terrified, but that couldn¡¯t last long as he was supposed to forget all about it and resume his usual act. ¡°Well,¡± O Shin put a hand on Myohan¡¯s shoulder. Myohan got a huge bruise on his face after that and had to get around with a mask. Of course, now the bruise was nearly gone. ¡°I guess he had a change of heart.¡± ¡°¡­.All for the better.¡± Myohan gave him a suspicious look, but then he grinned. Whatever, it was all for the better. Miho looked away and scratched his cheek. Then he muttered, ¡°Thank you.¡± Instead of an answer, a hand gently stroked his hair. Myohan whispered to him. ¡°Let me tell you something good.¡± Miho¡¯s eyes widened. Myohan made him come closer and put his lips right on his ear. O Shin crossed his arms, but he didn¡¯t try to stop it. ¡°Listen carefully.¡± Myohan covered his mouth with a hand and whispered to Miho, slowly but clearly. Miho looked shocked. Myohan stroked his hair again. And then, he playfully bumped his shoulder and winked. ¡°Bye.¡± Miho didn¡¯t stop him. He just watched him blankly as he went away. O Shin, who followed Myohan, put an arm around his shoulders. He asked with a sweet voice, ¡°Why did you tell him?¡± ¡°Because I trust what you said.¡± The pair of light-colored eyes looked at O Shin. He just smiled. ¡°You said I would get the sheep.¡± But I wish I didn¡¯t. Myohan swallowed what he really wanted to say and stretched his back. October was near and it wasn¡¯t so hot as before. Autumn was about to come. And, Miho was absent from school for exactly one week. *** ¡°How could he not even blink an eye?¡± ¡°Tell me about it. He hasn¡¯t changed at all.¡± Miho could smell incense. He hadn¡¯t slept for days and his eyes were so dry. Everyone around him was muttering, so his head kept buzzing and spinning. He blinked and looked up at the photo in front of him. The woman in it was looking back at him with a bright smile. Was it a dream? ¡°I heard¡­.. Maybe that¡¯s true.¡± He clenched and unclenched a hand. It felt so real. When he clenched it into a tight fist, he could feel the stinging pain in his palm. ¡°I feel so sorry for him.¡± It wasn¡¯t a dream. The people all dressed in black, the room full of incense, and his sister surrounded by white flowers. Everyone looked at Miho with pity. His dry throat felt like it was sticking to itself and shrinking. He could hear some of them tutting. Every sound came divided in pieces. So young, so poor, no relatives, and nothing left, at least when his parents died. ¡°He doesn¡¯t feel anything.¡± He didn¡¯t even look down. He just knelt there like a statue. He greeted the guests, returned their bows, and sat down again, just like how he had been taught. Sometimes the guests spoke to him, but he wouldn¡¯t say a word. He knew how it looked to others by hearing what they said. ¡°How is he going to live on?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry, he¡¯s inherited enough money.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there a single person who would take him in?¡± ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you do it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that. How am I supposed to live with him?¡± He didn¡¯t have to hear more to know what would come next. The man shook his head and covered his mouth to say, ¡°He scares me too much.¡± Miho just blinked. He felt nothing. He only had one thought. Yeah, that¡¯s right. The funeral proceeded quickly. Miho had half expected the death to come, and the company took care of every procedure. He just wore what had been prepared for him, signed some documents, and waited. He just waited for all of it to end with weary eyes. He couldn¡¯t get even a wink of sleep. ¡®Oh, Miho, what should I do?¡¯ That was what his sister used to say all the time. Her disease only got worse, but she smiled as if it had been all fine in front of him. However, when he fell asleep, she stroked his hair and muttered with worries. ¡®What should I do¡­¡¯ They both knew her life of fire had been dying. She found the treatments too painful, and they weren¡¯t effective at all. When he wasn¡¯t around, she wished to die. She was losing the will to live. Miho was feeling no different. He paid his sister¡¯s bills, took care of her, and missed school. He was so sick of it all. He dreamed of her dying every night, and when he became alone, no one was left with him. No, he wished no one would be with him. ¡®I don¡¯t have any parents either.¡¯ When he saw the ball flying in his direction, he wished the blow would kill him. He didn¡¯t have time to duck, but he didn¡¯t have any energy to avoid it either. That was why he felt like someone was roughly pulling him away from the edge of death when Myohan stretched out a hand. Of course he knew he couldn¡¯t die by being hit by a ball. ¡®I¡¯m his friend.¡¯ Humans are simple animals. It is natural for us to chase hope when we see it and hope for more. The moment of looking into those shining eyes and wanting was thrilling, but it was also painful. No one was in the charnel house. It was a weekday and lunchtime, so except for the worker at the door, only Miho was there. He put out a hand slowly and it was met by hard glass. She was still smiling brightly. A flower and a nameplate. In that small urn was the woman who had taken care of him for years. Chapter 49 ¡®If you feel like crying, cry between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.¡¯ Miho shut his eyes and opened them again. They felt hot, but no tears came out. Myohan could have just told him he could cry if he wanted, but he even picked the right time for him? It was really hard to know him. ¡®You may cry during that time.¡¯ However, his voice was too kind. He even gave him permission, as if he knew why he couldn¡¯t cry. Miho closed and opened his eyes once more. He had made a promise only a while ago. Well, it had been more of a demand, but still¡­. ¡°I promised to be at school¡­¡± ¡°So you do remember.¡± He heard a familiar voice. He flinched and turned back slowly. Myohan was standing there, wearing his school uniform properly, which he never did. He was even wearing the jacket. He was leaning against a wall with his hands in his pocket. He checked time and sighed. ¡°Five minutes left, Miho.¡± Why are you here? What about school? Miho had so many questions to ask, but his voice was gone. It felt so strange. He hadn¡¯t planned on crying, but the moment he saw his face, his sight got fuzzy. Myohan pulled him in, as if he knew what he was going through. ¡°Trust me.¡± I shouldn¡¯t cry. I really shouldn¡¯t cry here. But tears were already running down and Miho couldn¡¯t stop it. Myohan pitied the drops of tears running down those soft cheeks. He embraced Miho. Miho sobbed. How many years had he been holding back tears for? Myohan thought he had been right to pretend to be ill and leave school to come here. ¡®He¡¯s going after the sheep.¡¯ That was what O Shin said he saw him leave. I wish I wouldn¡¯t catch him. That was what Myohan thought, but he didn¡¯t say that out loud. He¡¯d even been kind enough to tell him which time he couldn¡¯t transform, and he was wishing Miho would cry during that time so his visit wouldn¡¯t be in vain. However, Miho didn¡¯t cry. He was crouching hard like a sheep in front of a wolf, but he remained emotionless till the end. It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t trust Myohan; he just didn¡¯t know how to cry. Myohan couldn¡¯t even guess how lonely and sorrowful he must have been. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°I- shouldn¡¯t cry, but¡­¡± ¡°¡­.I know.¡± I know it all, so relax. 2:59. Instead of telling him to stop crying, Myohan just stroked his hair. He was wailing now. He wailed in Myohan¡¯s arms like a child. I should have come sooner. Myohan regretted it, but it was too late. The second hand slowly moved. Myohan closed his eyes and let out a sigh. The sound of sobbing faded away. He could feel fluffy fur on his cheek. Miho soon started to cry again. Baa- Baa¡­ To that sad crying, Myohan just muttered, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay.¡± Miho cried like that for a long time, letting out all of his sorrow. Now the morning and the evening were cold, it felt like the scorching sun had been a dream. It was hot when the sun was in the sky, but it was cold when the sun was gone. The season was changing, which meant it was easier than usual to catch a cold. Myohan started wearing a thin hooded jacket to be cautious. He looked at people moving around busily. Some had luggage. There were flight attendants moving in groups, and foreigners who were trying desperately to get decent help from their translator apps. He frowned and O Shin made a joke. ¡°A cat in a strange place.¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± Despite his cynical reply, it was the truth. They were at the airport for a school trip to Jeju Island. Half of all those people were Myohan¡¯s schoolmates, and he recognized more of them. ¡°Class 1! Stand in two lines!¡± Yuja yelled on top of his lungs to make the boys stand in line. However, Chookjae, who usually helped him, wasn¡¯t nowhere to be seen. He had to be taking substitute classes for the school trip at school instead of coming, probably because his grandmother wouldn¡¯t let him go. But Sinsul was there, jumping even more than usual. Myohan laughed, thinking if he put a tail on the boy¡¯s butt, it would start spinning like a propeller right away. ¡°Ha¡­¡± In the midst of organizing the boys, Yuja suddenly let out a sigh. Sinsul went to him with large eyes. ¡°Yuja! What is it? Is something troubling you?¡± ¡°Yes, you are.¡± ¡°What about me!¡± Yuja scowled at Sinsul, but he frowned again. Something was troubling him, but it seemed like it wasn¡¯t something he could tell Sinsul. On one side, Jagyeom and Miho were having a conversation. Jagyeom did most of the talking and Miho mostly nodded. On the day he finally burst into tears, Myohan stayed with him until he transformed back. And then he took him to his home before leaving. He was sad, and O Shin just hugged him without saying anything. After that, Miho never missed school. The bully no longer messed with him. That didn¡¯t make Miho mingle up with his classmates, of course, but he and Jagyeom were now friends and that was enough. ¡°Aren¡¯t you excited about this trip?¡± ¡°Not really.¡± O Shin, who was standing in line with Myohan, asked, ¡°Really?¡± He replied half-heartedly, but O Shin¡¯s eyes were still shining. Myohan looked up at him to know what he meant by the question, and he said amusedly, ¡°Well, you never know.¡± ¡°Never know what?¡± ¡°This is the last July. Maybe something unexpected is about to happen.¡± Still, Myohan wasn¡¯t interested. ¡°It¡¯s October now, you idiot.¡± The school trip was going to be in accordance with the itinerary. They would arrive on Jeju Island, eat lunch, visit some sights, unpack their bags at a hostel, and have some free time. A few boys were most likely to drink booze they smuggled in during that free time, but Myohan wasn¡¯t interested in that either. Plus, none of his roommates would have brought booze. Myohan, O Shin, Sinsul, and Yuja, among them, who would be bold enough to bring booze? Well, Sinsul was, but his physical state would forbid him to do it. ¡°Every day is just the same.¡± O Shin smiled at his whine, thinking he was cute. ¡°You¡¯ve lived for only 18 years, but you sound like you¡¯ve lived for an eternity?¡± ¡°What, do you find every day new and enjoyable?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Myohan asked back without much thought, but it made O Shin smile. He slowly raised a hand and tapped on Myohan¡¯s cheek. It tingled and he coughed. O Shin whispered sweetly, ¡°Yes, at least for now.¡± Myohan could feel his ears turning red. O Shin¡¯s voice was so sweet that he could almost taste it. He looked away, but O Shin wouldn¡¯t put down his hand until he caressed his ear. The way he treated Myohan was quite strange. Sometimes he looked at him as if he were his pet cat, but sometimes he carefully caressed him as if he were something precious. He looked at him eagerly as if he was about to disappear any moment, and he kissed him as if they were a couple. He clearly wanted Myohan and craved for him, but he wasn¡¯t exactly up to getting him. Of course, the queerest thing was Myohan himself, who kept finding him to be closer every day. He was being drawn to another man, but it just didn¡¯t feel wrong. He hated it when Sajun tried to flirt with him, but when O Shin touched him, it felt even more natural than breathing. And then there were memories with him that surfaced in his mind sometimes, but he didn¡¯t know what they were about. He had been focusing on finding the twelve zodiac animals only. ¡°¡­.Well, the trip might be fun, if it¡¯s with you.¡± Myohan looked up at O Shin and he smiled back. The trip was going to last three days. Maybe I can forget all about those animals and focus only on him during that time. That was what he thought. *** The weather forecast said it would rain, but the sky above Jeju Island was clear and blue. Myohan looked up at the high sky the moment he came out of the airport. He put his arms up and stretched his back. His entire body now felt sore, after flying in a very uncomfortable seat. O Shin eyed at how long his body stretched and muttered something about cats. ¡°Ha¡­¡± But then, they heard a deep sigh. Chapter 50 When Myohan turned, he saw Yuja with a long face. Everyone was excited about the trip and was looking around, but only Yuja looked so troubled. Myohan went behind him and poked him behind the knee. Normally he would have accused him of the prank, but this time, he just staggered and almost fell. Myohan managed to grab him in the right time, and he was a little surprised. What was wrong with Yuja? But then, he steadied himself quickly and yelled, ¡°Myohan, what do you think you were doing?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Yuja looked perfectly fine as he glared at Myohan. His previous worries were now gone and he was now just mad about the joke. Myohan sighed and Yuja soon moved on it. He started to gather his classmates. ¡°Maybe I was wrong.¡± ¡°About what?¡± Sinsul came while waving his tail, which couldn¡¯t be seen but had to be there. He looked even more excited than usual. ¡°Yuja just¡­ No, forget it.¡± ¡°What? You just sighed! What have I done?¡± Myohan opened his mouth to explain, but then he saw Sinsul¡¯s innocent eyes and shook his head, thinking the dog who was just excited to be outdoors would never be able to understand deep thought of human beings. Sinsul got mad and kept asking, ¡®What about me?¡¯ but Myohan just pushed him away. ¡°Wait.¡± Like talking to a dog, he said, ¡°I hate you!¡± Sinsul pouted and went to Yuja. Myohan could almost see him dragging his tail behind him. Yes, it had to be there. Anyway, Sinsul grabbed Yuja¡¯s sleeve and clung onto him. It¡¯s not going to work, Myohan thought, but Sinsul couldn¡¯t hear it. ¡°Yuja! When can we have lunch?¡± Yuja raised his glasses and frowned. Then he scribbled something on the paper he was holding to do a headcount. ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°¡­I hate you all.¡± In the end, Sinsul wailed about how one was ultimately alone in this cold world, and Myohan met eyes with O Shin who chuckled for a long time. However, Yuja kept looking troubled for a second while they ate Jeju¡¯s famous black pig pork for lunch. They walked the beautiful Olle Trail while they were briefed about the next day¡¯s schedule. He was still worried when they went into their room after having their bags checked. ¡°Yuja, what¡¯s the matter? You should sit down.¡± Now they had some free time before dinnertime. As they weren¡¯t kids anymore and it was the last school trip they would ever be on in high school, the teachers let them loose to some extent. Myohan said so to Yuja and he came in reluctantly. O Shin, who was sitting next to Myohan, smiled. ¡°The bathroom is really small! We won¡¯t be able to take a shower together!¡± ¡°We¡¯re not showering together.¡± In the meantime, Sinsul looked around the small room and shouted, opening the bathroom door. They scolded his idea of taking showers together, but he said it was the fun of a school trip. O Shin gave an interesting gaze, but Myohan did his best to ignore him. Yuja was now sitting in a corner to himself and sighing, and it bothered him more. ¡°What is it?¡± Myohan wasn¡¯t up to nagging him, but he thought it would be better to ask once. Yuja was startled by the question. He touched his glasses, and he sighed again for everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing, really.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Myohan lay down and turned to look at O Shin. His kind hand put back his now untidy hair. Yuja seemed to be relieved that Myohan wasn¡¯t asking more. He sighed and stood up, saying he would go and check on the other rooms. He looked a little unnatural as he left, but no one tried to stop him. As soon as he closed the door behind him, a light silence filled the room. Myohan felt O Shin¡¯s hand with closed eyes, and then he asked, ¡°Sinsul.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± The dog-boy was unpacking his things. The trip was going to last only for three days, but he had brought too much. Clothes, charger, snakes, and a deck of cards. He was really eager to get some proper fun. ¡°This is Yuja¡¯s first school trip, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes, he didn¡¯t go attend last year¡¯s field trip.¡± They had been in the same class with Yuja since last year. He had always been the class president since first grade, and last year was no different. As he wasn¡¯t there, the vice class president, whom they couldn¡¯t even remember now, took his place and led the boys. ¡°Why?¡± Maybe he had been sick, or maybe it had been for a personal reason. But why did Yuja remind him of Chookjae not coming to the trip? Sinsul¡¯s eyes widened and grinned. ¡°Well¡­¡± Myohan narrowed his eyes. That was a strange answer, much different from a number of normal answers like, ¡®He must have been sick,¡¯ or ¡®Something must have happened,¡¯ or even ¡®I dunno.¡¯ Sinsul sounded suspicious and it bothered him. He thought about asking more, but then he just closed his eyes. He found it too bothersome, and he wasn¡¯t sure Sinsul knew something. ¡°¡­.You¡¯re not asking more?¡± Sinsul butted close and asked with disappointment. He was clearly eager to be asked. Myohan rubbed his forehead on O Shin¡¯s knee without opening his eyes and said yes. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Too bothersome.¡± ¡°Come on!¡± Sinsul looked really eager now. Myohan opened his eyes and O Shin winked. Clever cat. He could read that in his eyes. Myohan asked slowly, trying to sound uninterested, ¡°Why should I ask?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re curious now.¡± Myohan sighed at the whining boy. Then he slowly got up. O Shin looked somewhat sad about it, but he just stared at Sinsul with narrowed eyes. ¡°Sinsul.¡± His eyes shined. You¡¯re asking? You¡¯re asking, aren¡¯t you? His eyes were saying so. Myohan grinned, raised a hand, and grabbed him. ¡°So you know something.¡± He gulped hard. Sinsul now felt uneasy. He looked away. Myohan slowly pulled him close and smiled. ¡°Tell me.¡± Actually, he didn¡¯t care much about Yuja and his trouble. They just happened to be in the same class, and after he made it clear he didn¡¯t want to talk about it, it would be rude of Myohan to dig into it more. But now, Sinsul was now feeding his curiosity. He knew something, something Myohan would definitely be interested about. That was why he was trying to attract his attention. Sinsul¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°Then¡­¡± Myohan cared about almost nothing, and there was only one thing he would be interested in. The twelve zodiac animals. There were five animals to catch now: tiger, dragon, monkey, rooster, and pig. Their letters were In, Jin, Shin, Yu, and Hae. ¡®Yuja¡¯s the rooster.¡¯ Myohan grinned. ¡°I won¡¯t play soccer with you.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re bad.¡± ¡°You¡¯re worse. You¡¯re using Yuja¡¯s problem to make me play soccer with you.¡± ¡°Why won¡¯t you play soccer with me?¡± ¡°There are a number of people who¡¯d do that instead of me.¡± Myohan let him go and lay down again. It would be good to hear what Sinsul knew now, but it wasn¡¯t necessary. Asking around about Yuja¡¯s secret would be wrong(although he had been doing it all the time). Plus, if it wasn¡¯t about the twelve zodiac animals, he just couldn¡¯t hear it. Myohan turned his back on Sinsul, which meant he wouldn¡¯t listen to anymore. Sinsul complained under his breath and resumed unpacking. O Shin stroked his hair again. It made him feel sleepy. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance.¡± With that mysterious offer, he fell asleep. He woke up because someone shook him. O Shin would have done it by calling him softly, but this person was just merciless. He turned slowly and frowned. ¡°Myohan, wake up! We must go to dinner.¡± He got up only when he heard a familiar voice. What he saw first was Yuja¡¯s glasses. He looked at the eyes behind them and blinked. Yuja just thought he was still half asleep and pulled at his soft cheeks. ¡°Wake up!¡± ¡°¡­ I am awake.¡± Yuja easily let him go. When he looked around, rubbing his cheeks, there was no one there. Both Sinsul and O Shin had left. Sinsul would have run to dinner, but there was no way O Shin would have left him¡­ Yuja raised his glasses and offered a hand to Myohan. ¡°Let¡¯s go, they¡¯ve all gone first.¡± Chapter 51 As Myohan took Yuja¡¯s hand to get up, he could see it was all part of O Shin¡¯s plan. The room was empty and all the teachers and students had left the building for lunch. Now he was all alone with Yuja. In other words, he now had a chance to find out if he was the rooster or not. He stretched his back as slowly as he could. Yuja scolded him and said he was late for lunch too because of him, but Myohan didn¡¯t care as long as their classmates were not waiting for them. ¡°Yuja.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t come to last year¡¯s school trip, did you?¡± Instead of saying yes, Yuja frowned and nodded. Walking with his hands in his pocket, Myohan asked again, ¡°But why did you come this time?¡± Asking why he had stayed behind last year was meaningless ¡ª Yuja could just say he had his reasons and move on. Yuja snorted. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be asking why I skipped last year¡¯s trip?¡± Myohan shrugged. Yuja was sharp. ¡°I¡¯m the class president, that¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡± Thankfully, Yuja didn¡¯t get more suspicious. He just said that and let out another heavy sigh. ¡°Chookjae¡¯s not here, so at least I should be here.¡± ¡°So you take your responsibility seriously.¡± ¡°Of course I do.¡± He wasn¡¯t saying he had just come like the others. He had come because he had no choice as Chookjae wasn¡¯t coming and he had his responsibilities. It meant he had planned not to come originally. Instead of asking why he had been reluctant to come, he asked in a slightly different way. ¡°Chookjae really wanted to be on this trip.¡± ¡°He¡¯s like a little boy that way, he likes events.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like events like this?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not exactly a fan of events, either.¡± Myohan had been so neglectful during the festival and did his least best at the sports competition, so Yuja found the question to be wrong. Myohan had to admit that point, so he just shrugged. Yuja looked at him, thinking he was being strange, and then he started to walk faster. ¡°I don¡¯t really hate school events. I like doing things with other boys.¡± ¡°Yes, you always put your best effort in everything.¡± ¡°It¡¯s partly because I¡¯m the class president, but it¡¯s just that being the leader is right for my personality.¡± Hmm. Myohan nodded. Now they could see the boys lining up for dinner. He asked, as naturally as he could, ¡°But then why do you hate school trips?¡± Yuja stopped immediately. He raised his glasses, which was a habit of his. He seemed a bit confused. ¡°You¡¯re being strange today.¡± Myohan shut his mouth, regretting saying too many things. Yuja¡¯s eyes shined with intelligence. Myohan had been dealing with dumb boys till now. He was supposed to ask casually, but he ended up doing it crudely, thinking Yuja would be easily fooled like the other boys. ¡°Since when have you been so interested in me?¡± Now he was really suspicious of Myohan. His eyes were telling him to confess what he was up to. ¡°You asked to help Sinsul with his study first.¡± Myohan could see O Shin standing among their classmates. He must have spotted Myohan as he was looking at him. He wondered what to do, but Yuja went on with a frown, ¡°And then you followed Chookjae¡¯s example and applied for extra summer classes.¡± Myohan didn¡¯t have to bother to say that he didn¡¯t really take those classes. As Yuja must have taken extra classes too, he already knew. ¡°You had like zero friends, but then you suddenly got close to the boys in other classes.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°In general, you¡¯ve been acting strange since O Shin transferred to our school.¡± Myohan had nothing to add. He was just surprised to find out how Yuja knew so much about him. He bit his lips and thought about it, but then he saw O Shin far away and smiled. Yuja¡¯s eyes widened to see the sudden smile. ¡°It makes me sad, Yuja.¡± Really, whatever Yuja said was all true. Myohan had changed after O Shin came. To be more accurate, it started a little prior to that, but that transfer student was the reason. Myohan wondered if his change had been so obvious. He tried to pull a sad expression on his face. ¡°Do you think it is wrong of me to have friends?¡± ¡°No, of course not.¡± ¡°I was just asking because I was worried about you. I didn¡¯t know you would accuse me like this.¡± Yuja looked a little startled. He hadn¡¯t expected this. Myohan he knew would just say it was momentary whim and move on, but now he really looked sad. Yuja angrily ruffled his hair. ¡°No¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to accuse you.¡± I¡¯m sorry if you were worried about me. Yuja said so, but he still looked doubtful. You were worried about me? I don¡¯t think so. He clearly wanted to say that and was just holding it back. ¡°It¡¯s just that you¡¯ve been doing things you never did before.¡± ¡°It was you who told me to do my part in the school events.¡± ¡°I¡­ Myohan¡­¡± Myohan walked away slowly. Yuja couldn¡¯t follow him. With slouched shoulders, he had to try not to laugh as he said his last line. ¡°I thought we¡¯d gotten closer by now¡­¡± He glanced back, and Yuja looked guilty. He had been wrong. Asking indirect questions like he had done with the others wasn¡¯t going to work on Yuja; he was just too clever for it. Asking serious questions and stimulating his sympathy to stir his ¡®responsibility¡¯ he had as the class president was a much better plan. ¡°¡­Hey,¡± O Shin was still staring hard at Myohan from afar. Yuja slowly walked over and bumped his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t try to fool me.¡± He sounded disgusted. When Myohan looked at Yuja, he seemed to be find him creepy instead of feeling guilty. Myohan sighed and put a hand on his shoulder with a grin. ¡°You are so clever.¡± Using empathy and stimulating responsibility wasn¡¯t a bad plan ¡ª it just wasn¡¯t right for Myohan to use it on Yuja. Yuja pushed his hand away. ¡°It must be yet another one of your whims. Worried? Wow, I almost got you.¡± If it had been Sinsul, he would have believed it. Or if it had been O Shin, whom he didn¡¯t know well yet, it could have worked. But Yuja had known Myohan for two years and already knew he wasn¡¯t the type of person who would worry about someone else and inquire about it. Yes, his sad face had almost tricked him, but then he waited there instead of going away to see how he would react to it, and that gave it away. Yuja ran to his classmates after that and told them some instructions. Myohan stretched his back and turned. Then O Shin was in front of him. He looked down at him with twinkling eyes. ¡°Well?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Yuja was the perfect class president and managed to always be at the top of their grade. Myohan had underestimated him too much. He narrowed his eyes and grinned. It hadn¡¯t gone as he had planned, but it wasn¡¯t been fruitless either. Yuja was smarter than he had expected, and he wasn¡¯t going to learn anything by talking to him and asking him questions. And there was one more thing. ¡°I used to think chickens were stupid, but I think it¡¯s time for me to get rid of that prejudice.¡± Yuja ended up not telling him why he didn¡¯t like school trips. *** After dinner, all the boys were gathered for further instructions. Drinking or smoking could get them severe punishments, but the teachers promised to turn a blind eye as long as they didn¡¯t cross the line. It was their last school trip ever, so they were granted a certain freedom. And then they were given a lot of free time. They went back to their rooms, took showers, and spread their blankets, but still the inspection was hours away. ¡°Myohan, what are you doing?¡± Sinsul asked with wide eyes, looking at Myohan lying under a duvet. O Shin was sitting while leaning against a wall. His eyes were closed. Myohan said, ¡°Can¡¯t you see? I¡¯m trying to get some sleep.¡± ¡°Sleep?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s free time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s free time, why are you sleeping?¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m sleepy.¡± ¡°But we¡¯re on a trip for fun!¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Mm-hmm.¡± ¡°You¡¯re really sleeping?¡± ¡°Yeah, be quiet.¡± ¡°No way!¡± Sinsul yelled and pounced on Myohan. Then he didn¡¯t hesitate to take off his duvet. He immediately got two glaring gazes, one from Myohan, who now didn¡¯t have a duvet, and the other from O Shin. But it didn¡¯t scare him at all, since he got such gazes all the time. He pulled Myohan¡¯s arm. Chapter 52 ¡°Let¡¯s play, let¡¯s play, let¡¯s play!¡± ¡°Let me go unless you have a death wish.¡± ¡°How can you sleep so early when we¡¯re on a trip?¡± ¡°¡­How can you be so noisy even when we¡¯re on a trip?¡± That was Yuja. He took a shower last and frowned with a towel around his neck. He said he could hear nothing but Sinsul¡¯s voice as he took shower, sat down, and then started to dry his hair with the towel. He took out a can from his bag and threw it to Sinsul. ¡°Stop bothering him and drink that.¡± Sinsul snatched the can cleanly in the air. He complained that it almost hit him, but Yuja paid him no attention. Myohan opened his eyes and saw ¡®Yuja (citron) Ade¡¯ written on the can. Yuja had given him the same thing when he was cleaning the school hallways as his punishment. ¡°You really live up to his name.¡± ¡°Just go back to sleep.¡± Myohan smiled. He had meant to sleep, but now he thought he couldn¡¯t miss such a good opportunity. He got up, thinking of pretending to hang out with Sinsul and hear Yuja out, but then Sinsul jumped to his feet with the can in his hand. ¡°It¡¯s too wrong!¡± ¡°You finally realized there¡¯s something seriously wrong with you?¡± ¡°Yuja, why are you always so cold to me?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­.Fine! I¡¯ll go and bring friends who will play with me.¡± With that, he left the room without closing the door behind him. Myohan frowned, half-sitting and half-lying. Yuja said coldly, ¡°He can just go there and play. Why is he bringing them here?¡± ¡°Tell me about it.¡± Now that Myohan¡¯s chance was gone, he lay down again. He didn¡¯t forget to retrieve his duvet. Yuja just took out a book and started to read it in silence. And as for O Shin, he stroked Myohan¡¯s hair as usual. It was so quiet that a teacher who was on patrol duty came in, looked around, and left in disappointment. Sinsul came back many minutes later. Myohan thought he could hear noises coming closer in the hallway, and he wasn¡¯t wrong. O Shin muttered, ¡°They¡¯re here.¡± At the same time, the door was opened and Sinsul came in running. But he wasn¡¯t alone. ¡°Well, let¡¯s play now!¡± What they saw first was Jayeom with a frown. Miho stood behind him and seemed very uncomfortable. Sajun gladly said hi after seeing Myohan. And then there was Myo Cheong, who seemed to find everything irritating, and Jino with his eyes still sparkling as usual. ¡°¡­What the.¡± Yuja¡¯s remark made Myohan think, ¡®Oh, d¨¦j¨¤ vu.¡¯ He had been in this situation before, more than once. ¡°This is our class¡¯s president!¡± Sinsul happily pointed at Yuja. He put down his book with an awkward smile. He wasn¡¯t the only one who felt that way. Myohan and all the boys behind Sinsul felt the same thing. Jagyeom was the first to point out Sinsul¡¯s flaw. He glanced at Myohan, looked around the room, and said as if he couldn¡¯t believe it, ¡°They haven¡¯t agreed to this, have they?¡± ¡°¡­Well, let¡¯s play!¡± Sinsul pretended not to hear the question and sat down. The room was small and only meant for four people, so now it was really crowded with nine people in it. It made them realize just how spacious Myohan¡¯s living room was. Myohan had no choice but to get up with a hard frown. He had meant to get along with Sinsul, but he hadn¡¯t thought it would get this serious. Yuja was also having trouble assessing what was happening. Sinsul had brought a bunch of boys he had never seen before saying they should all play together, so of course he didn¡¯t know how to react to it. He did see a few familiar faces, but he had talked to none of them. Yuja only knew two of them. Jino, who was a famous athlete, and Miho, who had a lot of bad rumors about him. ¡°I¡¯m so sad we aren¡¯t using the same room.¡± ¡°Shit, that pervert is at it again.¡± ¡°Just leave him alone. I don¡¯t want to even think about it.¡± ¡°What should we do? Let¡¯s play cards!¡± ¡°Cheong, please get rid of your frown.¡± ¡°¡­Hi.¡± Myohan kicked Sajun away and made Miho sit next to him. O shin was now sitting at his other side. He looked at Yuja who still didn¡¯t know what to do, and Myo Cheong and Jino were having another quarrel. He let out a sigh. Oh, whatever. ¡°Who are your roommates?¡± Myohan asked with a frown and Miho seemed like he wasn¡¯t sure if he was asking him. ¡°Jagyeom and a few other boys.¡± ¡°What about those bullies?¡± ¡°Their leader is not on the trip, and as for others, they¡¯re not in my room.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Myohan lay down again, using O Shin¡¯s leg as his pillow. Miho butted away a little so that he could get more space. For some reason, O Shin was smiling contentedly. ¡°Come on, a game of cards!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t do that. There are too many of us.¡± ¡°What about the Truth Game, then?¡± ¡°Shit, you want to play Truth Game where every word you say is true?¡± ¡°You know, my thigh is an excellent pillow too¡­¡± ¡°Shut up if you want to keep your thigh.¡± Yuja frowned harder and harder with each comment. It was like having a bunch of Sinsuls. But the most ridiculous thing was Myohan accepting the situation without a problem. He just ignored it all as if he was used to it. Yuja sighed and raised his glasses. ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± As soon as he said that, all the boys immediately shut up. They had been caring about the new face. Myohan smiled, liking the silence. ¡°But what kind of group is this?¡± ¡°Group for enjoying the first night of this trip!¡± Sinsul raised a hand and answered the question. It made O Shin laugh. He recalled what he had said once to Sinsul¡¯s question. Yuja rubbed on his forehead and snorted. ¡°Whatever.¡± Then Sajun said with a grin, ¡°We¡¯re O Myohan and The Kids.¡± ¡°You, shut up.¡± Myohan warned him coldly. Jagyeom who was the most ordinary-like of them all, explained with a sigh, ¡°It¡¯s a group that has gotten close by coincidence. Well, you don¡¯t really have to have something in common to be friends.¡± ¡°But we do have something in common¡­¡± ¡°Oh, just shut up, you idiot.¡± A small hand covered Jino¡¯s mouth. He kept making muffled noises, but Myo Cheong¡¯s hand was strong. Jino wriggled in agony and Sajun got up to stop Myo Cheong. Sinsul jumped up and down, yelling, ¡®You can¡¯t fight! You can¡¯t fight!¡¯ Yuja still couldn¡¯t understand the situation. He backed off and Myohan sighed after seeing that. He couldn¡¯t understand the situation, and furthermore, he thought they were strange. Myohan reluctantly spoke up for them. ¡°¡­They¡¯re all nice.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anyone so much like Sinsul.¡± Like Sinsul. Myohan understood every meaning in that short expression and nodded. He turned and looked at O Shin¡¯s belly. It would be better to just ignore them. O Shin saw what he was thinking and covered Myohan¡¯s ears with his huge hands. It couldn¡¯t cut off the sound completely, but it was way better than nothing. ¡°Oh, there are nine of us, so we can play soccer.¡± ¡°But we don¡¯t have a ball.¡± ¡°Shit, I think he brought it.¡± ¡°I think so too, Cheong.¡± ¡°Hey, have you really brought your ball?¡± ¡°¡­Doesn¡¯t soccer require 11 players?¡± Yuja was now watching them with interest. He had never seen such a mess and it was quite amusing. Myohan held O Shin¡¯s shirt and closed his eyes. He had had a good chance to sound out Yuja, but now it was completely gone. He tried to go to sleep, thinking he would send Sinsul out of the room tomorrow night. ¡°Pillow fight!¡± ¡°Ugh! Shit!¡± ¡°Cheong, it wasn¡¯t me!¡± With that, the air was filled with flying pillows, but none of them came toward Myohan¡¯s direction. Either they feared O Shin¡¯s fierce gaze or valued their lives. Or maybe both. ¡°Yuja, join us!¡± ¡°No!¡± After a long period of noises, it got quiet, and Myohan fell asleep. However he felt someone lifting him up to move him, putting a duvet on him, and stroking his hair for a long time. Chapter 53 When Myohan woke up to a snoring sound, it was completely dark. He blinked and he slowly started to see his surroundings. What woke him up had to be Sinsul¡¯s snoring. He narrowed his eyes and looked around. There was one ray of light coming out beneath the bathroom window. He looked out at the long arm on him. ¡°Yuja¡¯s in there.¡± Someone whispered to him. It was O Shin. Myohan shuddered at his low voice. It was just too¡­hot. ¡°Stay still.¡± His other arm crept under Myohan¡¯s head. He hugged him and caressed his cheek, leaning in close. Sinsul was snoring hard. Their lips met before Myohan could resist him. No, he didn¡¯t want to resist him. O Shin held him even tighter, putting in his tongue. His heart started to beat fast. He couldn¡¯t help noticing Sinsul¡¯s snoring and the light from the bathroom. But O Shin didn¡¯t. He stroked down Myohan¡¯s back and pulled him closer. The longer their kiss lasted, the less he got to think. Their breathing and the kiss paralyzed him. O Shin took him eagerly, and Myohan let him. They were into each other, as if they had been all alone in the dark room. *** Myohan had a dream. Himself in cat form, ill and in O Shin¡¯s arms, and someone else grabbing O Shin. What he saw first was a pair of black eyes. They felt familiar. It was O Shin. Another man tried to take Myohan away, but O Shin wouldn¡¯t let him. Under heavy clouds rolling over, he saw other shadows. ¡®He was mine from the beginning!¡¯ The man yelled, and instead of pushing O Shin away, he wrapped Myohan in his robe. Myohan, who had been shuddering, became still, and the man looked angry about it. O Shin slowly let him go. Drops of rain started to fall. ¡®You all failed to protect the cat, and¡­¡¯ The rain became heavier in no time. The world looked fuzzy to Myohan, but he managed to count the men kneeling down on the ground. There were eleven of them, and they were all trembling. Not because of the cold rain, but the man¡¯s anger. The rain was loud and Myohan couldn¡¯t hear him. The man said the name ¡®O Shin¡¯, and he held Myohan tighter. The angrier he got, the heavier the rain got. And at last, the moment he declared, light flashed in the sky. ¡®You will never become a human.¡¯ He was furious. Then came the thunder. There was the cold rain, and the man¡¯s enraged face, and then another thunder. ¡®I swear I will¡­¡¯ ¡°Both of you, wake up!¡± His eyes snapped open. He frowned. It was too bright now. ¡°Stop sleeping, we should get going.¡± ¡°I woke up minutes ago.¡± ¡°You should have woken him up, then!¡± Myohan blinked slowly. He started to see what was around him. He blinked again, and he saw two warm, black eyes. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re awake, start folding your blankets and duvets.¡± O Shin whispered sweetly, which made Yuja¡¯s comment that immediately after, rather unrealistic. Myohan looked down because his hand hurt. He realized he had been clutching O Shin¡¯s shirt and let it go. Yuja snorted. ¡°Are you a baby or something?¡± ¡°¡­Oh.¡± His voice was hoarse; he couldn¡¯t speak properly. He just moaned. He must have clung onto O Shin all night, begging him not to leave, and O Shin must have stayed with him. ¡°Stop cuddling and get up!¡± It took another yell from Yuja to clear Myohan¡¯s eyes. He got up and O Shin followed him, stretching his back. Yuja left the room, saying their cuddling had been disgusting. Myohan yawned. ¡°Hello.¡± O Shin rubbed his eyes to wipe the tears and gave him a peck. It was something only lovers would do to each other, but Myohan just accepted it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know I had sleeping habits.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± He was almost a grown-up now, so he should have found sleeping in someone else¡¯s arms embarrassing, but he didn¡¯t care about it at all. He was more embarrassed about what O Shin did to him. Well, he was used to that already, so¡­ O Shin stroked his hair, making him wish he could go back to sleep. He wrapped himself in a blanket and looked around with another yawn. He could hear someone taking a shower in the bathroom ¡ª it had to be Sinsul. ¡°See¡­¡± Myohan rubbed his face. O Shin nodded, inviting him to speak. He rubbed his eyes, yawned once more, and shook his head, all to wake up properly. ¡°I had a dream¡­¡± ¡°About me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± O Shin¡¯s playful smile faded. Myohan could see his own reflection in his black eyes. He even frowned slightly. ¡°You called someone else O Shin.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°And that O Shin took¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t finish the sentence. O Shin¡¯s eyes flashed dangerously for a split second. But when Myohan blinked and looked at him again, he looked normal. He narrowed his eyes. Was he hallucinating now? ¡°He took me away.¡± ¡°Really?¡± O Shin stroked the back of his head, tidying his hair that was now a bird¡¯s nest. He playfully bumped foreheads with Myohan. Myohan blinked and asked the question he¡¯d been wondering for some time. ¡°Who¡¯s O Shin?¡± ¡°O Shin? That¡¯s his name!¡± The bathroom door was opened so suddenly. Sinsul came out with a heated fog behind him. He had a towel on his head. He smiled and plopped down in the middle of the room. Myohan looked at him. ¡°What kind of question is that? It¡¯s like me asking you who O Myohan is!¡± Myohan scowled and O Shin laughed. Sinsul looked confused and asked if he was wrong. Damn Sinsul, you always disturb us at a critical moment. Myohan thought so, let out a sigh, and got up. He knew O Shin wouldn¡¯t answer his question, so he was going to take a shower instead of wasting time. ¡°Let me tell you.¡± But O Shin surprised him. He grabbed Myohan and pulled him down. He whispered, ¡°First, O Shin isn¡¯t a human.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°And he¡¯s really close.¡± Then he went into the bathroom before Myohan could stop him. Myohan frowned and sat down, not happy about losing his chance to shower. ¡°Wow, you really shouldn¡¯t whisper amongst yourselves when I¡¯m right here.¡± Sinsul complained as he dried his hair, but it really didn¡¯t reach Myohan. What O Shin said and what the man in his dream said buzzed around in his head. You will never be a human. O Shin¡¯s not a human. He wished he could call it a stupid dream and move on, but it had been so real and he couldn¡¯t. And what did those memories he sometimes got have to do with O Shin? How did he know about Myohan and his memories? He couldn¡¯t help wondering. *** Their itinerary was so obvious. They visited some famous tourist spots on Jeju Island, had lunch, and then got to ride horses. The boys started saying that an athlete tried to talk to a horse and ended up getting beaten by his friend. Myohan didn¡¯t have to ask to know who it was, so he just decided not to care about it. ¡°Yuja, are you sick or something?¡± And Yuja still didn¡¯t look good. Now he had black eye bags under his eyes, which made him look even gloomier. Myohan remembered him being in the bathroom last night and grabbed him with a frown. ¡°Do you have a stomachache?¡± ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± Yuja nodded awkwardly instead of saying no. It looked suspicious, but Myohan couldn¡¯t keep his doubts when he admitted that he was sick. But thinking about it, Yuja had stayed in the bathroom for a long time until Myohan fell asleep again. ¡°Tell me if it hurts a lot.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, thank you.¡± This time, Myohan was really worried. They were on a trip, and getting sick on a trip was not good. Yuja could see it, so he just patted Myohan¡¯s shoulder. It meant he was fine. Myohan could hear him mutter, ¡®It¡¯s been done already¡­¡¯ But he didn¡¯t care much as the host for the evening¡¯s event grabbed his mic. ¡°Well, let us get started!¡± With thunderous roar, the boys started to show their talents. Some of them got into groups for a K-pop dance, and a few tried telling corny jokes. Myohan just looked at them without any thought, but he couldn¡¯t help bursting into laughter when someone with a long wig came up the stage. It was Sin Seonhan, class president of Class 2. He turned to show his luxurious blond hair and blew them a kiss. Then he held hands with his classmate Sadeol and started to do a sexy dance. O Shin laughed and muttered, ¡°What an interesting combo.¡± ¡°That¡¯s crazy.¡± Myohan was right. They were crazy and what they were doing was definitely crazy. Everyone laughed hard their seductive moves. Of course they won the talent show. Chapter 54 ¡°And now, class presidents, please come up!¡± Yuja cursed under his breath and he didn¡¯t try to hide his detest as he went up the stage. The host made them introduce themselves and demanded that they entertain their audience, but Yuja just stood there with crossed arms and did nothing. He was persistent that way. Sin Seonhan won another award, the Greatest Star of The Night. He came up with what he had worn for the talent show, did everything he hadn¡¯t had time to do earlier, and went down only after making the host himself laugh. He looked so confident, like he was walking down a red carpet. ¡°Of course, he¡¯s Sinsul¡¯s friend.¡± Myohan couldn¡¯t agree more with Yuja¡¯s comment. He¡¯d been wondering how Seonhan could be so bold, but it turned out he was just like Sinsul. Sinsul couldn¡¯t even guess what they were talking about and was having the most fun, sitting in front. ¡°This time, the most good-looking fellow of each class! But not the class presidents again!¡± Seonhan jumped to his feet and then sat down again after hearing what the host added. He got lots of boos, but he didn¡¯t care. ¡°Who will go out?¡± ¡°Myohan?¡± Yuja raised his glasses and pointed at Myohan, making his face harden immediately. Their classmates started to say, ¡®Yes, O Myohan would,¡¯ but then they saw the deadly look on his face and turned, saying, ¡®¡­never go up, of course.¡¯ ¡°Oh, you came up first! What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Kim Sajun.¡± Look at him, he went up himself! They heard a familiar voice. It was Myo Cheong¡¯s. Jino was not far away, desperately trying to get him to lower his voice. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s time to use our secret weapon.¡± Jino, who was pushed up to the stage by Myo Cheong, and Miho, who didn¡¯t really want to be there. Yuja looked at them all and grinned. ¡°Oh, look! This one¡¯s really good-looking!¡± Soon someone went up the stage from Class 1. Myohan managed not to laugh at the host, but then someone yelled, ¡°Class 1¡¯s Snow White!¡± and he had to cover his mouth. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± It was O Shin. He looked like his mouth was full of shit. Yuja told him to be the handsome guy as he had done the princess without a problem, and no one dared to stop him. He eyed Myohan, looking troubled, but he immediately got up when Myohan told him to hurry. He did warn Myohan, ¡®You¡¯ll pay for this later, cat.¡¯ But Myohan wasn¡¯t scared at all. ¡°I am¡­¡± And to their surprise, he won the round without doing anything at all. He just dryly said one sentence. ¡°Class 1¡¯s Snow White.¡± ¡°Way to go, Princess,¡± Jagyeom said that when he ran into him on their way to their rooms. Miho, who was hiding quietly behind him, looked at O Shin with admiration. O Shin looked really, really displeased about it, but he said nothing to them. He just pushed Myohan¡¯s head as he snickered. ¡°What? You should have called yourself a self-made princess.¡± ¡°You should be grateful that I didn¡¯t call for my prince.¡± Still, ¡®Class 1¡¯s Snow White¡¯ thing had been too funny, especially since he said it seriously as if he were reading a book out loud. Myohan had to grab his belly again when he recalled how much it had confused the host. Really, he felt like he had laughed a month¡¯s worth of laughs in just one day. On their way, boys kept making comments when they saw them. (¡°Cheong, look. It¡¯s Snow White.¡± ¡°Shit, that¡¯s disgusting. Shut up.¡± ¡°It was nice to see you again, Snow White.¡±) So by the time they got to their room, O Shin looked really angry, more so he knew it was something to be embarrassed about and couldn¡¯t scold them for it. ¡°Oh, Snow White!¡± That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t hesitate to throw a bag of chips in Sinsul¡¯s face when he opened the door. He had gotten it as a prize for winning the handsome guy round. Sinsul easily caught it, but he complained. ¡°Why are you mad at only me?¡± ¡°You did it last, and that makes you the worst.¡± Yuja tutted and took the chips from Sinsul. And then he threw it back to O Shin. ¡°It isn¡¯t right for a princess to throw food like that.¡± Ha! Myohan laughed again. O Shin still looked irritated, but now even that was funny. Thankfully, the Snow White thing ended there. They all instinctively knew saying one more word could actually get them killed. They took turns taking showers and spread out their blankets, but then Sinsul started to pull Myohan¡¯s duvet again. ¡°Don¡¯t go to sleep, let¡¯s play!¡± ¡°Play what?¡± Myohan just let him take the duvet and got another one. He wrapped himself in it so that it wouldn¡¯t be taken from him again. O Shin poked him and called him a sausage roll, but he couldn¡¯t feel anything because of the thick duvet. Sinsul thought for a long time and suggested card game and soccer (yes, he really had brought his ball), but Myohan said no to both. Eventually, Yuja, who was reading again, told him to be quiet. He got to his feet and looked like he was ready to run out, so Myohan warned him. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare bring the kids again.¡± ¡°¡­But why?¡± Sinsul almost looked like he was about to cry. You are so predictable. Thinking so, Myohan snorted and turned. ¡°Just think about it!¡± However, Sinsul just wouldn¡¯t get tired. He rolled Myohan on the floor to make him look at him. ¡°It¡¯s the second night of our trip!¡± ¡°You said the first night was important yesterday.¡± ¡°We should gather around and hear ghost stories!¡± ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as ghosts.¡± ¡°We should have snacks!¡± ¡°They all belong to the princess.¡± ¡°And we should drink soda!¡± ¡°Go to someone else¡¯s room and do it.¡± ¡°But I like our room!¡± ¡°Then keep our room¡¯s rules.¡± ¡°But I want to play!¡± ¡°Oh, whatever.¡± Myohan put out an arm and pushed Sinsul¡¯s face away. He didn¡¯t like being too close to it. At the same time, O Shin rolled him again to make it so that he would only look at him. Myohan just closed his eyes. ¡°Myohan¡­¡± Sinsul called him again when he was almost asleep. O Shin, who was stroking his still little wet hair, glanced at him. He tried to speak carefully. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t this be Miho¡¯s first time being on a trip with friends?¡± Myohan blinked. Yuja also put down his book and listened to Sinsul. Myohan looked at O Shin¡¯s eyes and replied, ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°And he must have some uncomfortable boys in his room¡­.¡± ¡°He¡¯s got Jagyeom.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± O Shin smiled, although none of them knew what it meant. Myohan frowned to see his lips curl up. ¡°He needs to get closer to his own classmates.¡± ¡°What kind of person is he?¡± Yuja asked as he took off his glasses. He tried cleaning them with his sleeve. ¡°There are really bad rumors about him. I don¡¯t believe them, of course, but I know at least he did beat up someone lately. You got hit the other day because of him, didn¡¯t you?¡± Myohan moaned and wondered what to say. He freed himself from his duvet and got up. He frowned and ruffled his hair angrily. O Shin just shrugged and turned. A heavy sigh came out between Myohan¡¯s lips. ¡°¡­Just Miho only.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Sinsul immediately ran out, but of course he wasn¡¯t going to bring just Miho only. He was definitely going to bring all the five. The cat and his empathy. O Shin muttered so, but only Myohan heard him. He looked at Yuja and explained. ¡°His parents are gone, and he just lost his sister too.¡± ¡°So you feel for him?¡± ¡°No.¡± He looked like he meant it. Yuja frowned, a bit confused. ¡°It just bothers me.¡± Then he lay down again, covering himself with the duvet. Feel for him? No way. He muttered, and Yuja laughed. Then he put his book back into his bag. Yuja lightly kicked him, and said coldly, ¡°You¡¯re worried about him.¡± That was why he hadn¡¯t believed Myohan was worried about him. O Myohan he knew wasn¡¯t someone who worried about others, and even if he ever did, he would never realize that was worrying. Yuja scratched his back and went into the bathroom, telling them to at least put the duvets away before the boys came. Chapter 55 O Shin¡¯s hand stroked Myohan¡¯s hair. He combed up the soft hair and then leaned forward to kiss his forehead. The kiss was as light as a feather. Myohan slowly blinked. ¡°The cat is loved by everyone for many reasons.¡± O Shin kissed lightly again and again, as if he wanted to leave a mark on him. His lips went away only when they heard noises from the hallway. At the same time, the door was burst open. ¡°I brought them all!¡± Just as Myohan had expected, Sinsul brought all the five. They were each carrying a snack and a soda. They piled up the duvets in a corner for more space. Now Sinsul was finally getting the second school trip night of his dreams. Even Yuja joined them. Jino proposed playing the Truth Game, but that suggestion was vetoed immediately. Sinsul¡¯s suggestion of playing cards also vanished in the air. ¡°When the host asked for handsome ones earlier, you went up just because you wanted to, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Oh, Shit. See, Jino? Jagyeom¡¯s saying the same thing I said.¡± ¡°But Cheong, it is impolite to say such a thing out loud.¡± ¡°¡­.You all are being impolite now.¡± ¡°Actually, I thought Miho wouldn¡¯t go up!¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to, but¡­¡± ¡°Our princess beat you all, anyway!¡± They poured out soda and drank, even having toasts as if it had been booze. Myohan sighed and shook his head. For Sinsul to stay as a boy, what they were drinking had no alcohol, but for some reason, they were all so excited. ¡°Hey, I heard them say there would be no inspection today.¡± ¡°Oh shit, that pervert¡¯s looking at Myohan again as he speaks.¡± ¡°But I heard that too.¡± ¡°If Miho heard it, why didn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Cheong, we heard it earlier from our classmates.¡± ¡°Yuja, is it real?¡± ¡°Probably.¡± Myohan had moved away from the crowd and was now lying on the floor again. O Shin asked if he was sleepy and put a duvet on him. ¡°This is our last school trip, so they¡¯re planning to let us loose a little.¡± ¡°Wow, great! Then we can all sleep here together!¡± ¡°¡­Can we?¡± ¡°Hey, there are nine of us. We can¡¯t sleep together in this small room.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with it, as long as I get to sleep next to Myohan¡­¡± ¡°Cheong! You can¡¯t kill!¡± ¡°Shit, don¡¯t stop me! I¡¯m going to put an end to that once and for all!¡± The noises and excited cries went far away. They became buzzing sounds, and they disappeared when O Shin covered Myohan¡¯s eyes with his huge hands, more so as those voices were now so familiar to him. They ate and drank and chatted for a long time even after Myohan went to sleep. Sajun almost got killed by Myo Cheong, and Jagyeom almost went back to his room, sick of all that. Miho saw Myohan was sleeping and tried to make them be quiet, but he ended up being held by Sinsul and had to play a game of cards with him. O Shin stayed at Myohan¡¯s side through all of that, and they eventually fell asleep in that room. *** ¡°¡­So please come up!¡± Bang, bang. Myohan could hear the repeated sound. He was tossing and turning while sleeping as he had trouble breathing, and then he realized his body was being held captive by someone and opened his eyes. ¡°Yuja, please. It¡¯s really urgent,¡± someone whispered. The banging was Sinsul knocking on the bathroom door. Myohan, who was now stuck between a wall and O Shin, frowned and got up. He could see the boys sleeping behind O Shin. ¡°They¡¯re all sleeping. Yuja-¡± Sinsul was now almost crying. So they all ended up sleeping together. Myohan frowned to find that out. He got up slowly and went to the bathroom door. ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Aagh!¡± Sinsul sank to the floor, surprised to see him in darkness. He complained, but Myohan just ignored him. He pointed at the door and asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t Yuja in there?¡± ¡°Huh? Oh, um¡­¡± Myohan had heard him call Yuja, but he looked away instead of saying yes. He looked suspicious, so Myohan knocked on the bathroom door! ¡°Yuja, Sinsul has to pee, now.¡± ¡°No!¡± At the same time, Sinsul quickly stood between him and the door. Myohan looked at him, silently asking what he was doing. Sinsul avoided his gaze, bit his lips, and shook his head. ¡°Yuja¡¯s not in there.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Who¡¯s in there, then?¡± ¡°No one! There¡¯s no one in there!¡± ¡°Then why aren¡¯t you going in?¡± Myohan frowned and turned the knob. It was knocked, but then he heard fluttering sounds from the inside. ¡°¡­.Yuja?¡± Sinsul now looked very sad. Myohan put an ear on the door to hear better, and then he turned the knob again. Another fluttering sound. He tried again, but this time, no sound came. However, it only made Myohan sure of it. He looked at Sinsul, who was now on the floor, and then back at the locked door. He narrowed his eyes. ¡°Yuja¡¯s in there.¡± Yuja¡¯s worry he had been looking for all this time was right behind that door. What was he supposed to do? Wait for him to open the door and come out? Or should he open it himself and go in? As for the former, he didn¡¯t know how long it would take for Yuja to come out, and as for the latter, it was going to require some force and taking care of the aftermath. ¡°¡­Oh, what should I do?¡± Sinsul buried his face in his hands. To think about it, Sinsul had been knocking on the door way before Myohan got up. He knocked on the door again. ¡°Yuja, no matter what you look like now, I¡¯ll forget it, so please open the door for Sinsul.¡± ¡°He¡¯s about to go in his pants.¡± Myohan added that as a joke, but it wasn¡¯t a joke to Sinsul. He couldn¡¯t deny it and hugged his legs, making him look pitiful enough. But no sound came from the bathroom. Now Myohan was impressed by Yuja¡¯s stubbornness. He had to have realized Myohan knew what he was by now, but he was still insisting. ¡°Do you think he¡¯s not opening the door on purpose?¡± Myohan wondered if Yuja was really that selfish, but then he heard a voice behind him. Both Sinsul and him jumped up in surprise. ¡°He¡¯s not that cold-blooded.¡± It was O Shin, who had been sleeping only a minute ago. Myohan put a hand on his heart to make it calm down, and O Shin seemed to think it was cute. Sinsul muttered he had almost gone in his pants. Myohan frowned and whispered, ¡°Don¡¯t sneak up on me like that.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to say that!¡± He tried to speak quietly, but Sinsul wasn¡¯t exactly helping him. He quickly put a hand on his face and told him to be quiet lest the other boys would wake up, but then they heard another voice. ¡°What are you doing there?¡± Well, there we go. Damn it. Miho looked around and rubbed his eyes, not sure of what was going on. Then he stood up and came to them, but the problem was it was too dark and the boys were sleeping scattered on the floor. ¡°Ouch!¡± Sajun suffered first. Miho stepped on his foot. Miho quickly removed it, but Sajun grabbed the foot and moaned in pain. ¡°What, what?¡± ¡°Oh, shit¡­ Who¡¯s talking?¡± After that, it was so simple. The scream surprised Jagyeom and he got up. Even Myo Cheong got up too. He muttered all kinds of curses, still drunk with sleep, and then he looked at the mess around him and scowled. ¡°What the hell is this?¡± It all happened in less than half a minute. ¡°Shit.¡± What had happened couldn¡¯t be undone. Myohan sighed at the series of events that happened so quickly. He could have opened the bathroom door in silence, let Sinsul use the toilet, and have a genuine conversation with Yuja. He hadn¡¯t wanted to wake everyone up, and he most certainly hadn¡¯t wanted Myo Cheong, who was still half asleep, come and get ready in front of the door. ¡°If you can¡¯t open the door, you can break it.¡± He raised a leg and hit the locked door before anyone could stop him. The bang! sound even woke up Jino, which Myohan hadn¡¯t wanted at all. Chapter 56 ¡°Oh¡­¡± After the lock was broken, there came a long silence. Myo Cheong sank to the floor, frowning in pain. Jino, who had just woken up, was trying to figure out what was going on. Sinsul was still nervously shifting his feet, and he ran into the bathroom the moment Myohan gestured for him to. While he relieved himself, Myohan had to hold the door so that it wouldn¡¯t open. After that, Jino was the first to say something. He rubbed his eyes, yawned widely, and then he lay down again. ¡°¡­I must be still dreaming.¡± They heard the sound of Sinsul flushing the toilet and the fluttering of wings. And then Sinsul screamed. When the door was finally opened, they saw Sinsul wearing an awkward smile and a bird that was a half-chick and half-rooster. It had to be molting as only half of its feathers were white. Sinsul smiled awkwardly and tried to close the door. They could see the bird drop its head. ¡°I¡¯m asking, knowing I can¡¯t be sane now¡­.¡± Sajun, who was still grabbing his foot, asked. He was looking at clothes on the bathroom floor and a pair of familiar glasses. ¡°Um, is your class president¡­¡± He didn¡¯t have to finish his question. The rooster looked at his phone and looked down. At the same time, he transformed back into a boy. Sajun stopped, blinked, and then smiled. ¡°¡­Oh, I see.¡± ¡°Sinsul, I am going to kill you one day.¡± Yuja¡¯s threat sounded deadly, even though he was naked. He looked at the boys watching him and picked up his clothes. ¡°Close the door, now.¡± Myohan did as he said without saying anything. He held it again so that it wouldn¡¯t open. He looked at Sinsul who now seemed to be feeling guilty. ¡°Sinsul.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± The broken door, Yuja¡¯s deadly look, and the boys who were sleepy and in shock at the same time. Myohan looked at Myo Cheong¡¯s ankle, which was now swollen again, and then he smiled brightly. ¡°Let¡¯s have a little chat, shall we?¡± It was five in the morning, and it all happened just because Sinsul drank too much soda before he went to sleep. *** ¡°So you¡¯re a rat, you¡¯re a snake, you¡¯re a rabbit, you¡¯re a horse, and you¡¯re a sheep?¡± Everyone nodded to Yuja¡¯s question. He scowled and let out a sigh. ¡°Is this a school or a zoo?¡± He said he became a rooster every day at 4 in the morning. He found that out coincidentally, and he thought it would be okay if he hid in the bathroom for an hour or so. He had been sure as he had Myohan and dumb Sinsul as his roommates, but¡­ He gazed at Sinsul. ¡°Yuja, I¡­¡± ¡°Shut up, dog.¡± Sinsul drooped and looked at a wall. He whimpered, but no one cared. I tried to keep your secret! I was worried about you! Why don¡¯t you see that? He kept whining until Myohan said something that stopped it immediately. ¡°And he got busted because of you.¡± They could almost see his puppy ears and tail which weren¡¯t even there. Miho pitied the sad dog-boy and said it was his fault of stepping on Sajun¡¯s foot and waking everyone up. ¡°I couldn¡¯t open the door as a chicken. If you really knew it, you should have gone out and used the bathroom in another room or something.¡± Sinsul tried to regain his brightness, but Yuja scolded him again and it made him sad. ¡°But I was in too much of a hurry.¡± After Yuja came out wearing his clothes again, he calmly explained what had happened, and he could fully believe what Myohan said. Of course, he had his doubts at first, and there was a little event to convince him (Myohan got to his feet and grabbed Myo Cheong) but it went well. ¡°Cheong, is your ankle okay?¡± ¡°Shit, you¡¯re asking because you don¡¯t know?¡± ¡°You have to be fine. Your ankle can heal itself, but that door can¡¯t.¡± The problem was the door¡¯s lock. Jagyeom was right. It wasn¡¯t going to fix itself. Jino had treated Myo Cheong¡¯s ankle with Yuja¡¯s first aid kit, but of course none of them had a tool kit. They sat around, not even daring to turn on the light. They looked at each other. What should we do? I don¡¯t know. What do we do? I said I don¡¯t know. You broke it, you should take responsibility. Shut up before I break you. ¡°First, those who don¡¯t belong in this room, go back.¡± Yuja let out a heavy sigh and stood up. All the other boys stared at him, confused. ¡°We can¡¯t tell the teachers someone who doesn¡¯t belong in this room broke it.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m the class president. I don¡¯t want to get scolded for not keeping you in line, so go, now.¡± Even after that, no one got up. He had no choice but to sigh and put the knob back in its hole. ¡°We can say it was a bit broken and came out when we tried to open it early in the morning.¡± ¡°Yuja, you are so smart!¡± ¡°But I¡¯m going to say you did it.¡± ¡°Why me?¡± ¡°Because among the four of us, you are the only one who would do such a thing.¡± Jagyeom stood up slowly. Yuja was right. The others glanced at each other, and then they stood up when Myohan told them to go. Before they left, Miho whispered to Jagyeom that Yuja was really different from their class president. ¡°So quiet.¡± After they all went out, the room suddenly felt so spacious. It almost felt like a dream that they had stayed there together all night. Yuja said they had to get at least an hour of sleep and turned off the bathroom light. Sinsul, who was responsible for all this, was already snoring in a corner. But then Yuja sat down near Myohan¡¯s head. ¡°You see, I think you would never bother to do something that requires so much time and energy.¡± O Shin, who was lying next to Myohan, glanced at him. Yuja asked, ¡°Is it for the princess?¡± Myohan narrowed his eyes and looked up. Yuja shrugged. ¡°There¡¯s no way you would think of doing something that requires that much work like finding the twelve zodiac animals, so I think he¡¯s the leader and you¡¯re his accomplice.¡± He was surprisingly right. No one had pointed out that before. Yuja took the silence as acknowledgement and went under a duvet, taking off his glasses. O Shin took Myohan¡¯s hand. ¡°So even O Myohan gets into a relationship.¡± Myohan didn¡¯t get surprised easily, but that was enough to make him flinch. He opened his mouth to deny it, but then he shut it again to feel the warmth on his hand. ¡°Really, he must be something.¡± O Shin held his hand even tighter. It made Myohan feel ticklish. ¡®A relationship?¡¯ Now, if he thought about it, that was true. O Shin kissed him, and he showed his affection as well. ¡°¡­Yeah.¡± They were in a relationship ¡ª it was just that he hadn¡¯t realized it till now. ¡°He is something,¡± Myohan whispered. O Shin took his hand and kissed it. Myohan felt it and closed his eyes. Now he knew he¡¯d been tamed. He had thought it was only a spray, but now he was wet with that rain. He went to sleep, holding O Shin¡¯s hand. Well, what else he could do? The trip had come to its end, and the love that had bloomed wasn¡¯t going to wither. The sun was coming up. A cold breeze blew in through the open window. Myohan, who was working on his workbook while fiddling with a pen, rubbed his cold nose. Now the heat had vanquished. The sky was clear and high, and it didn¡¯t have a single cloud. The breeze now smelled of autumn. The leaves were soon going to change color. Myohan marked down his answer and closed the window. If the cherry blossoms came with midterm exams, autumn leaves also fell with midterm exams. They felt like they had done a test only a few days ago, but the summer vacation was long gone, and the school trip had ended a week ago. Now, what was waiting for them was the exams that were only a few weeks away. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m sorry to interrupt your break time, but may I get your attention?¡± The moment the bell rang, Yuja went to the front. Chookjae shook the sleeping Sinsul to wake him up. He must have thrown away his obligations as a student a long time ago, as he had been sleeping soundly. Chapter 57 Yuja raised his glasses once more. ¡°You know, we won prize money during the festival.¡± Snow White and the Lazy Prince. Their play had won first place. All the teachers loved it. It already had been five months after that. It naturally led Myohan think of, ¡®I¡¯m Class 1¡¯s Snow White.¡¯, and he looked at O Shin, trying not to laugh. He looked back at him, his chin on his hand. ¡°Why don¡¯t we go and eat meat after the midterm?¡± ¡°Oh, great!¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± All the boys who were tired after studying for the exams for days were glad to hear it. Even Sinsul, who had been sleeping, said ¡®Meat is great!¡¯ and clapped. Yuja made sure none of them objected his idea and looked at Myohan at last. Myohan looked somewhat bored, but he nodded to show he was fine with it. Yuja smiled with contentment. ¡°Let¡¯s go together on the last day of exams, as long as none of you has any plans on that day. I¡¯ll choose a place.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± ¡°Yuja, please make sure you choose a good place.¡± ¡°As there are many of us, it would be better to go to a buffet, right?¡± Then Yuja started to calculate the number of boys and the amount of money they would need. They had just enough money to go to a cheap meat buffet. Each of them had to pay just a little more for it. However, neither the money reward nor the meat buffet was of any interest to Myohan. He stabbed his workbook with his pen, and then he glanced at O Shin. His black eyes were full of affection. He asked with a warm smile, ¡°Why?¡± Myohan just looked down instead of saying anything. 7 months. During that time, the man had become a part of his life. Now he was completely used to his warm eyes and loving hands. Since when had he been looking at Myohan like that? He tried to recall, but he couldn¡¯t guess. Maybe O Shin had been looking at him the same way all along. Myohan knew nothing about it. How he knew him, the meaning behind his deadline, what his name was, how old he was, and where he lived. What he did know about him was much deeper than those. Like how he looked at him, and how warm his lips were. He always looked at Myohan and knew what he was thinking. He even knew about Myohan¡¯s mysterious memories, which even Myohan himself didn¡¯t know about. ¡°Four to go.¡± O Shin smiled. They had managed to find eight out of the twelve zodiac animals, but there were still four more to find: tiger, dragon, monkey, and pig. Their letters were common, and they had no more suspects. ¡°So we¡¯ve found almost all of them.¡± He looked unconcerned. He seemed to believe Myohan would be able to find the rest of them before the deadline. The thing was, even Myohan himself was sure he could do it. ¡°Myohan.¡± Myohan was almost lost in his thoughts, but then he heard his name and looked up. Yuja was right in front of him now. He pointed at Sinsul, who was already back to sleep, and spoke. ¡°We¡¯re going to study for the exams today.¡± *** ¡°You can find X, right here. So you first differentiate this, and then¡­¡± A calm voice filled the wide living room. One pen moved fast on the white paper. Yuja filled a page of his notebook with equations and looked up. ¡°You got it?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Only two nodded. Miho, who had been listening in silence, and Jagyeom, who was writing equations down in his own notebook. Yuja looked at the other two with blank eyes and looked down again. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll explain again.¡± Myohan, who was reading an English text, muttered to himself. ¡°So he¡¯s going to explain it five more times, at least.¡± He had accepted Yuja¡¯s demand without protest. He knew Sinsul was going to bring the boys anywhere. At least Yuja leading the study group would be quieter. And he had been right when the group of five, Myohan, O Shin, Yuja, Chookjae, and Sinsul, arrived at his place. It had become a group of ten. ¡®Today, we are going to do math.¡¯ Yuja took out one workbook after another as soon as they arrived, without giving the others time to chat. Math 1 and Math 2. He saw Sinsul¡¯s eyes die out at the sight of the word math. He nodded and put back Math 2. Sinsul was terrible at math. ¡°Do you get it now?¡± ¡°¡­¡± But only two of them got it again. Sinsul and Myo Cheong were still in a daze. However, Yuja didn¡¯t give up. He chose a little easier problem and started to explain it. It was an extremely simple equation. Sinsul was first to send out a distress call. He pleadingly looked at Myohan, who was studying another subject, but it changed nothing. Myohan just said, ¡°You¡¯re in 11th grade, you should be able to do it.¡± ¡°¡­You can do it.¡± Jino, who was watching the cat resting on the sofa, tried to cheer him up a little. Yuja was now teaching four boys: Sinsul, who made him think of doing this, Myo Cheong, whose grades were dangersouly low, Jagyeom, who was good at other subject but not so good at math, and Miho, whose eyes were full of curiosity now. Jino was not among them as he was an athlete and didn¡¯t have to do well on school tests. He let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Do you get it?¡± ¡°Yuja, don¡¯t you think it would be better for me to just give up on these?¡± ¡°¡­Shit, I don¡¯t remember learning any of these things.¡± Sinsul and Myo Cheong were still lost. Jagyeom, who got it perfectly, shook his head. Miho also nodded carefully. ¡°I admire you for not getting it even with that perfect explanation.¡± ¡°Um, I got it too.¡± ¡°¡­You and Sinsul will do it again. Just watch what I do, okay?¡± Sajun, who was always among the top 10 students of their grade, smiled and looked at them. He seemed to find Myo Cheong, who usually had temper issues, quiet. Myohan finished reading his English text and poked at Chookjae who was right next to him. ¡°How do I solve this problem?¡± ¡°Oh, you see¡­.¡± Chookjae started to explain quietly. This is just what Myohan had wanted. No craziness and everybody focusing on their studies like they were supposed to. O Shin looked at the back of Myohan¡¯s round head and laughed. The cat was diligent, no matter what he or the others said. ¡°Ahhh! Shit, I can¡¯t get it!¡± ¡°There goes Myo Cheong¡¯s patience.¡± ¡°Cheong, please calm down.¡± ¡°Yuja, I can¡¯t do it. You go first.¡± ¡°¡­You two are not doing it on purpose, are you?¡± ¡°But I could get it¡­.¡± After some time, Myo Cheong gave up first. He angrily messed his hair, lay back, and started to roll on the floor. Actually, he had tried. Normally, he wouldn¡¯t have taken a look at his schoolbook, but even he couldn¡¯t be bad to Yuja as he was spending his own precious time for their good. Yuja looked at Myo Cheong and Sinsul behind his glasses. He looked at the clock. About an hour and half had passed. He had been speaking all the time and now his neck felt sore. He took off his glasses and massaged his eyes. ¡°Let us take a break then.¡± ¡°Yuja, you must be tired.¡± ¡°Myohan, how did you teach Sinsul last time?¡± ¡°I really didn¡¯t¡­.¡± Myohan frowned as he closed his book. Last time, Sinsul got mad and went home, so they really didn¡¯t get to do much studying. Plus, he wasn¡¯t capable of explaining thoroughly like Yuja in first place. ¡°Just do one subject per day and then do the workbooks, it will raise your grades significantly.¡± ¡°Hey, shit, thank you, but why aren¡¯t you studying?¡± Yuja raised his eyebrows as if he was confused by Myo Cheong¡¯s question. Sajun answered it for him instead. ¡°We don¡¯t really have to study for school exams. We just go through some subjects that require memorizing, and then we just let our usual skill do the thing.¡± That sucked, but Yuja, Chookjae, and even Myohan nodded. Jagyeom frowned a bit, but even he couldn¡¯t deny it. Actually, he got quite good grades too, except in math. Chapter 58 ¡°Just get some rest, okay?¡± After saying that, Yuja opened another notebook and started writing in it. He was trying to find a way to make it even easier for Myo Cheong and Sinsul to understand. He was more enthusiastic than most teachers. Jagyeom and Miho were impressed, and Jino said, ¡°Cheong, please don¡¯t die¡­¡± Sinsul, who was rolling around, eventually bumped his head on the table leg and whimpered. ¡°But is Chookjae one of the twelve animals too?¡± The disorder stopped immediately at that question. It surprised Yuja and he frowned. Chookjae just looked at Myohan. ¡°What twelve animals?¡± He sounded bored. He said nothing more and pushed his workbook toward Chookjae again. ¡°I can¡¯t do this one, either.¡± ¡°¡­Um, this one¡¯s no different than the last one.¡± O Shin got up, stroked Myohan¡¯s hair once, and went into a room. The cat, which had been on the sofa all the time, stretched its back and followed him. Jino tried to stop it, but it was already gone. The boys were trying to figure out what was going on, but Yuja just snorted and went back to work. That was all. The silence was broken only when Sinsul yelled, ¡°I¡¯m hungry!¡± They were suspicious, but none of them confronted Myohan. ¡°The cat¡¯s gone¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°Are we studying here again tomorrow?¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine for me.¡± ¡°Shit, you¡¯re saying that because this is Myohan¡¯s place.¡± ¡°How about soccer instead of studying?¡± ¡°After the exams are over.¡± O Shin left the noises and went into a room. He smiled as he looked down at the cat that had followed him. Its yellow eyes looked straight at him. He said, ¡°See? That¡¯s why I can¡¯t help liking him.¡± The cat moved its tail gently, and then it rubbed a paw on his face. ¡°Meow-¡± It sounded like it was somewhat unhappy about it. *** The school was now deadly quiet. It was because the exams were near, but also because the National University Entrance Exam was getting close. Most classes were turned into independent study times, and the teachers didn¡¯t even come to the classroom. Myohan studied, got some sleep during break time, and watched Sinsul get scolded by Yuja. But now, he was standing in the cafeteria. He always skipped lunch because he found it too bothering, but today he was there, and there was only one reason for that. ¡°You¡¯re a teenager and a student. You need your lunch.¡± Yuja the class president made him do it. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to go down.¡± ¡°You skip lunch just because you don¡¯t want to go down?¡± ¡°There¡¯s only one thing that matters more than lunch, and that¡¯s soccer.¡± Myohan had meant to stay in his classroom with O Shin as he did every day. He wasn¡¯t hungry, and he found standing in line to get lunch too much work. It was then when Yuja, who was seeing if Sinsul had done the math assignment he had given him, asked, ¡®You¡¯re not going for lunch?¡¯ Sinsul answered that question instead. ¡®Myohan doesn¡¯t eat lunch, you know.¡¯ ¡°I don¡¯t want to stand in line.¡± Yuja frowned. He clearly thought it was absurd. Chookjae, who was standing next to him, also shook his head. ¡°But O Shin¡¯s not eating at well because of you.¡± O Shin, who was looking around the cafeteria, smiled, probably because of the name ¡®O Shin.¡¯ Myohan just shrugged. Yuja wasn¡¯t wrong. He had been skipping lunch every day ever since he came to their school. ¡°You¡¯ve been skipping lunch because of me?¡± Myohan never thought he was the reason, but O Shin just wrapped an arm around his shoulder without saying anything. ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t like today¡¯s menu.¡± As it was quite late, there were only a few students at the cafeteria. Myohan got his food and sat down, but then he saw a group of boys enter. He looked up, and then he narrowed his eyes to see not one but two familiar faces among them. ¡°Well, Sadeol, there isn¡¯t a thing you can eat today.¡± It was the class president and vice class president of Class 2. Myohan could almost see a golden wig on Seonhan¡¯s head. ¡°Why?¡± Sinsul asked to see Myohan staring somewhere instead of eating. He shook his head and said it was nothing, but then they saw Sinsul. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Sinsul. Sinsul!¡± Seonhan left his friends and came to them. ¡°Huh? Why are you eating so late?¡± ¡°We had a game of soccer, of course!¡± Myohan looked away, completely uninterested. His tray was full of things kids loved, things made of meat. But they weren¡¯t really appealing to him. He poked his rice with a chopstick, and O Shin glanced at him. Both Yuja and Chookjae weren¡¯t interested in Seonhan. Yuja just ate his lunch, looking at his small vocabulary notecards with his eyes. ¡°I want to play soccer too!¡± ¡°Then you should. How about lunchtime tomorrow?!¡± ¡°That would be¡­¡± ¡°Sinsul.¡± Yuja calmly called his name and his shoulders drooped. He knew what Yuja meant by that. He said sadly, ¡°No, I must study.¡± ¡°Are you kidding? You don¡¯t study.¡± ¡°I do now. Yuja¡¯s teaching me these days.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s really nice of you.¡± ¡°Just bring your lunch!¡± ¡°Sadeol said he would do it for me.¡± Two Sinsuls talking to each other. That was how Myohan defined their conversation. They didn¡¯t look like each other, their voices were different, but they were both energetic in a similar way. Seonhan smiled playfully and sat down next to Sinsul, opposite Myohan. He giggled about how there were exactly two empty spots there. Yuja was almost finished, but Myohan wasn¡¯t eating at all. O Shin was no different. Myohan had no appetite, so he put down his spoon and looked up to say that he would leave first. ¡°Yuja, I think I will¡­.¡± ¡°Oh! It¡¯s you!¡± But Seonhan clapped before he could finish his sentence. O Shin frowned. Myohan frowned too, as he didn¡¯t know what Seonhan was talking about. Seonhan stood up, put his face right in front of Myohan¡¯s, and looked. ¡°I wasn¡¯t certain since you kept looking down, but it is you!¡± ¡°Huh? What? What is it?¡± Seonhan smiled. He grinned as he sat down again. ¡°He made my class lose in dodgeball!¡± During the sports competition in May, Class 1 had won over Class 2. Myohan nodded, thinking it was odd of him to still remember him, and then he tried to get up, but Seonhan spoke again. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to talk to you. It¡¯s O Myohan, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you know me? I¡¯m Sin Seonhan! Your name is as strange as mine.¡± ¡°I know, you¡¯re Sinsul¡¯s friend.¡± ¡°Sinsul¡¯s friend? No, we¡¯re rivals.¡± ¡°What? But I thought we were friends!¡± It didn¡¯t feel good. Myohan had thought Seonhan was just like Sinsul, but now he could see there was more to him than that. He couldn¡¯t exactly describe what he was feeling, but he didn¡¯t feel talking to him more. Getting to know him was going to be even worse than being Sinsul¡¯s friend, so he turned and looked at O Shin. He was just quietly looking at Myohan. He didn¡¯t look like he wanted to eat more. ¡°If you¡¯re finished, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°What? Myohan, you¡¯re finished?¡± Yuja sounded like he really didn¡¯t like Myohan¡¯s still full tray. ¡°I don¡¯t have any appetite.¡± He stood up, holding his tray. Seonhan¡¯s eyes widened and he stretched out a hand. ¡°Huh? Wait! Don¡¯t leave now!¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t bother him.¡± ¡°But I want to be his friend.¡± Sinsul tried to stop Seonhan, but it didn¡¯t work. He grabbed Myohan¡¯s thin waist and tried to pull him, but then O Shin slapped his hand away. ¡°Ouch!¡± Myohan didn¡¯t even have time to put down his tray. Seonhan¡¯s hand was pushed away with too much force. He was surprised. ¡°Seonhan! Why did you sit here? There are too many of us!¡± Thankfully, things didn¡¯t get awkward, thanks to Sadeol who came with two trays. He put them down, frowning. Myohan looked up. ¡°We¡¯re finished, so you can sit here.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯re¡­¡± But then, Myohan flinched and stopped. Their eyes met. ¡°Thank you.¡± Sadeol smiled brightly. His eyes were as light-colored as Myohan¡¯s, and they looked down on him. ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Chills crept up his back. It felt similar to when he had seen Sajun through the windows a few months ago. The predator¡¯s eyes that held him captive, his curiously narrow pupils, and sense of danger that almost strangled his neck. The moment their eyes met, Myohan was seized. Then one thought came to him. ¡®I¡¯m about to be eaten.¡¯ He was about to be eaten, devoured in a single bite. His cool eyes under the thick eyebrows and curled up lips ¡ª they all felt so familiar. Chapter 59 ¡°You¡­¡± Myohan wasn¡¯t the only one who felt it. The moment their eyes met, Sadeol¡¯s face hardened. He narrowed his eyes. They looked into each other¡¯s eyes for a long time until the other boys looked at them and O Shin grabbed Myohan¡¯s arm. ¡°Myohan.¡± It made him snap out of it. He took a deep breath and shook his head, but his neck still felt cold. ¡°¡­Bye.¡± Sadeol opened his mouth, but he couldn¡¯t say anything. Myohan turned before he could speak. ¡°See you in the classroom.¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re really going? See you later, Myohan!¡± Myohan walked away, trying to look fine. Seonhan called out to him, but he ignored it. He put down his tray, left the cafeteria, and walked away. He walked each step with confidence. He wobbled and fell only when they were at the vegetable garden. O Shin didn¡¯t stop him from heading there instead of going back to their classroom. He just stood in front of him and crouched down. His dark eyes silently looked at Myohan. ¡°¡­Hey.¡± Myohan called him, but he still said nothing. He could almost see Sadeol¡¯s eyes again, so he blinked hard to dismiss the image. His long eyelashes fluttered. O Shin smiled, probably thinking it was cute. He steadied his breath. His heart was still beating like crazy. He stretched out a hand, and O Shin hugged him. He embraced him like holding a small animal, and he started patting his back. His huge hand stroked down the small back. Myohan held his shirt eagerly. Ba-dump, ba-dump. It wasn¡¯t Myohan¡¯s. It was O Shin¡¯s heartbeat. Myohan¡¯s heart started to calm down only then. Now he could breathe properly. He put his head on O Shin¡¯s shoulder and asked, ¡°He¡¯s the one, isn¡¯t he?¡± Still, O Shin wouldn¡¯t say anything. Myohan went a little away, and he could see his smile. He smiled with affection as if he were looking at a child. Myohan frowned. O Shin rubbed his pale face and spoke tenderly. ¡°Scared cat.¡± He was teasing, but Myohan couldn¡¯t deny it. The fear he had felt was impossible to deny. O Shin¡¯s hand went up to his eyes. They had been dull, but they were slowly regaining their usual sharpness. Myohan thought of Sadeol¡¯s eyes again. They were the same with his own eyes, but yet, they were quite different. They were bigger, more fierce, and more¡­.predator-like. He thought of all the twelve zodiac animals and let out a sigh. Yes, he had won the relay race. O Shin hugged him again. Myohan didn¡¯t fight it and let him. He didn¡¯t care how it would look. He just needed warmth. Of course he was scared. ¡°He¡¯s too much of a beast.¡± In Sadeol. He had to be a member of the feline family, just like Myohan. *** The tiger (Panthera Tigris) is a mammal species that belongs to the genus Panthera. It has horizontal stripes on its back and hunts with its strong jaw and claws. Despite being a member of the feline family, it is fond of water, and¡­ ¡°The only carnivore.¡± A carnivore that ate everything from mammals like deer to reptiles. Myohan sighed at O Shin¡¯s remark and closed his book. To defeat your enemy, know him first. After being overwhelmed by the tiger¡¯s power, he started to do some background research first. He went to the library and found an encyclopedia of animals, looked up the tiger, but the thing was, the tiger was an animal that really didn¡¯t have any weaknesses. ¡°Maybe I should use the snake as bait.¡± That was what he said after some thought. Well, Sadeol wasn¡¯t really going to eat Sajun probably, so he could just throw him in front of the tiger first and then think of what to do next. O Shin looked at him and stroked the back of his head, thinking he was so cute. The feeling of his soft hair was never bad. ¡°Soft cat fur.¡± He muttered so as he kissed Myohan. The smooch! sound was clear and loud. ¡°It¡¯s not a bad idea.¡± Sadeol¡¯s eyes clearly reflected those of a predator. Myohan didn¡¯t know why he hadn¡¯t been able to realize it sooner. The moment their eyes met, he instinctively knew he was the stronger one. And Sadeol seemed to have felt something on Myohan as well. ¡°Maybe I should go back and check¡­¡± But to meet Sadeol, he had to meet Seonhan as well. He shook his head as it didn¡¯t feel good. Seonhan hadn¡¯t been lying when he said he wanted to be close to Myohan, but his deep instincts were yelling at him not to be close to him. ¡°What changes him?¡± He knew he wasn¡¯t going to get the answer. And he was right. O Shin just grinned, put a hand behind his head, and didn¡¯t hesitate to pull it close and kiss him on his lips. Myohan blinked slowly to feel their lips meet. He could see O Shin¡¯s closed eyes from up close. The lips parted, only to meet again the moment Myohan closed his eyes. O Shin tilted his head and caressed his ear. The library was quiet and belonged only to them. The sunlight coming through windows still felt warm. The hand went down to his cheek. It rubbed on it, went down to his neck, and then behind, down to his back. He patted it a few times. He went away and looked into his eyes. ¡°Are you anxious?¡± The voice was gentle. O gently rubbed Myohan¡¯s now red lips. He kissed them lightly at last and smiled. ¡°We still have time.¡± ¡°¡­Not really.¡± One of his hands was still on Myohan¡¯s hand. Myohan let out a sigh. Sometimes, O Shin just saw through too much. His fear that had frozen him, the bad feeling he instinctively got, and the anxiety that he produced were easily seen through. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time.¡± After October, they had only two months till winter vacation. It was going to be hard to find the zodiac animals during the vacation. What would happen if they failed to find the twelve in two months? Myohan didn¡¯t know what kind of consequences awaited them, but he knew he couldn¡¯t let it happen. He had accomplished this much relying only on his gut feeling, and it was telling him to hurry. ¡°I¡­¡± O Shin spoke. His black, mysterious eyes wavered with unknown thoughts. What kind of feeling was behind that abyss? Myohan wondered. ¡°¡­will never forget you.¡± Another headache. Another sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu engulfed him. ¡®Even if you can¡¯t remember me.¡¯ He kept hearing a voice that had to be O Shin¡¯s. He could hear the sound of rain. Damp rain and someone wet who kept caressing his face. O Shin looking at him sadly as if he was about to disappear. ¡°So relax.¡± But now, he was just gently stroking Myohan¡¯s hair. The sky couldn¡¯t have been bluer. Was it his imagination, or did O Shin¡¯s gentle smile resemble the clear sky? ¡°What happens if we can¡¯t find them all in time?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll wait?¡± Myohan really couldn¡¯t understand. O Shin was answering to his every question, but it did him no good as he couldn¡¯t understand any of his answers. O Shin just smiled and said what he said once to him. ¡°Wait for many, many years, until the twelve and you gather at one place.¡± When they first met, Myohan just scowled and said speaking in cool riddles wasn¡¯t going to make him help. He had dismissed it as nonsense at the time, but now, it somehow pierced his heart. O Shin cupped a hand under his chin, kissed his eyelid, and spoke again. ¡°I¡¯ll just wait.¡± And he sounded sadder than ever. *** ¡°Eat more than last time.¡± Really, the cafeteria was always full of noise. Myohan nodded to Yuja¡¯s order and looked around. Sinsul grabbed Chookjae¡¯s arm and excitedly chatted. ¡°Let¡¯s play soccer after we eat!¡± ¡°Sinsul.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Of course, he was soon disappointed. Yuja was telling Myohan to eat more, but he didn¡¯t have any appetite. O Shin felt no different. He had come to the cafeteria for one purpose, and that wasn¡¯t for having lunch. ¡°Sinsul!¡± Someone came to them. ¡°Wow, hey, Myohan! Still looking good today!¡± Seonhan said hello to them and O Shin put an arm around Myohan¡¯s shoulder as a warning. Myohan said hi too and looked behind Seonhan. As usual, Sadeol was with him. He grinned to see Myohan. ¡°Hi!¡± Thick eyebrows and huge eyes, and light-colored irises that looked straight at him. It gave him the chills again, but not as much as last time. At least he could say hi. Myohan looked down and nodded. O Shin laughed under his breath. Chapter 60 ¡°And then, Sadeol turned like this and kicked the ball!¡± The seven naturally ended up sitting together, but the problem was that Seonhan was much more talkative than expected. He said he wanted to be Myohan¡¯s friend, but he just kept chatting excitedly. He didn¡¯t even eat. Myohan had thought Sadeol would be equally talkative, but to his surprise, he ate in silence mostly and made a comment from time to time. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s really crazy!¡± ¡°It¡¯s great, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah! Oh, I wish I could play soccer.¡± ¡°You should, then.¡± ¡°No, the exams are near, I should be studying.¡± ¡°Really? You think you get to say that?¡± Myohan couldn¡¯t exactly join their conversation, but talking to Sadeol in private was going to be even weirder. But then, Seonhan moved his chopsticks to Sadeol¡¯s tray as if it was only right. Then he started to move all the meat onto his own tray. What was even funnier was that Sadeol let him do that. He let Seonhan take all the meat. He did look sad about it, but it quickly went away and he started to eat his vegetables. ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± Seonhan noticed Myohan¡¯s gaze and asked with a smile. Myohan looked at his own tray. O Shin was looking at him, his eyes sparkling for a spilt second. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just, you¡¯re eating his meat.¡± ¡°Oh, you mean Sadeol¡¯s meat?¡± ¡°Wow, you¡¯re taking his meat again? That¡¯s just too evil.¡± ¡°You want some?¡± Sinsul really thought it was harsh, but Seonhan didn¡¯t care. He asked Myohan if he wanted some, so he just shook his head. What was already on his tray was too much for him, so of course he didn¡¯t need more. Seonhan looked disappointed about the refusal. He had a mouthful of meat. It was for a second, but Sadeol looked at him envy. Seonhan chewed and swallowed what was in his mouth in no time and asked, ¡°You¡¯re not thinking I¡¯m forcefully taking his meat, right?¡± Of course that was what Myohan was wondering. ¡°Well¡­¡± However, he didn¡¯t really care much about it, so he just faltered, but Seonhan said he wasn¡¯t that bad and looked like he was about to cry. Sadeol had to explain. ¡°I can¡¯t eat meat.¡± Myohan looked at him. He added with a playful smile, ¡°I¡¯m vegan.¡± Myohan felt like he had gotten hit with a blow to his head. He recalled what he had read about the tiger in the library. It could eat almost all animals, even reptiles. A vegetarian tiger? That was impossible. Of course, he knew Sadeol couldn¡¯t be 100% like a real tiger, but the gap was just too huge for him to understand. ¡°Why?¡± Myohan asked back and it made Yuja look up from his vocabulary cards. It was weird that Myohan was caring about someone else. He knew everyone was now looking at him, but he kept his eyes on Sadeol. He was still smiling. ¡°I just am!¡± That was a short answer. At the same time, Myohan narrowed his eyes. When he glanced at O Shin, he seemed to think that it was interesting. ¡°That¡¯s too bad.¡± Myohan¡¯s interest soon disappeared and he ended it with that remark. He could see Sadeol smiling. But only his lips were smiling, his eyes were not. He must have felt something in that remark, as he wouldn¡¯t take his eyes off Myohan. His eyes were wavering dangerously, but Myohan pretended to be ignorant of it and raised his spoon. ¡°It¡¯s not bad, it¡¯s his own choice!¡± Sadeol looked away only when Seonhan patted his shoulder with a laugh. The strangling gaze was gone and Myohan secretly let out a sigh of relief. It was good that they were seated. If he had been standing, he would have fallen again. ¡°I know.¡± Myohan just grinned. Seonhan looked at him, gaping, and O Shin angrily put down his spoon. Yuja frowned at the sound. ¡°Hey, what do you think¡­¡± ¡°Yuja, I¡¯m finished, I¡¯ll go first.¡± Myohan stood up, although his tray still had more than half of the food. Yuja opened his mouth to nag him once more, but then he shut his mouth to see Myohan¡¯s relaxed face. He stood up with O Shin. ¡°You¡¯re leaving early again?¡± Seonhan looked sad bout it, but he didn¡¯t try to grab Myohan again, probably because of O Shin. Before Myohan walked away, he turned to Sadeol. ¡°See you later.¡± As he had accomplished what he had come for, there was no reason to stay there longer. Sadeol said nothing back, but Myohan walked away. There was a huge difference between not doing something and not being able to do something. Not having meat as a vegetarian and not being able to eat meat¡ªthere was a difference between them. He said, ¡®That¡¯s too bad,¡¯ as a way to sound him out, and Sadeol reacted to it. His gaze hardened coldly as if his weakness had just been revealed. Well, maybe Myohan was taking it too far. Maybe he was just a vegan and had sent that gaze because he didn¡¯t like Myohan¡¯s pitiful gaze. However, the tiger was a carnivore. Sinsul was so crazy about soccer because he was the dog. Then, how big was the possibility of the tiger hating meat? ¡°Do you think it would be okay to provoke the tiger?¡± Myohan blinked slowly to the question. There was another reason that made him be sure of what made Sadeol become a tiger. O Shin¡¯s gaze. That feeling in those dark eyes. ¡°So the cat is a beast as well¡­.¡± His eyes were full of interest¡ªthey were saying it was the answer, and there was no reason to ignore it. Myohan grinned and stretched his back. ¡°So how should I make him eat meat¡­.¡± *** The exams came closer every day, and thanks to studying together every day, Sinsul and Myo Cheong slowly started to get Yuja¡¯s explanation. He taught by starting with the basics and explaining quickly but clearly. Jagyeom even said he would make a great teacher with awe. Of course, Yuja just coldly said, ¡°I¡¯m going to medical school.¡± Instead of going down to the cafeteria, Myohan went back and forth in front of Class 2 to see how Sadeol was doing. He didn¡¯t forget to check the menu every day in case something unexpected happened. Sadeol was gloomy when there was a lot of meat on the menu, and when there was no meat on the menu, he looked a lot happier. To think about it, he had complained so when they ran into each other at the cafeteria. ¡®Oh, I don¡¯t like today¡¯s menu.¡¯ And that day¡¯s menu had been full of meat. At any rate, lunchtime became his and O Shin¡¯s time alone again. He studied for the exams quietly, and O Shin looked at him from his side, from his curved nose to his red lips. He wrapped his head with a hand and pulled it close. ¡°¡­What.¡± And he kissed him way before Myohan could say anything. Warm sunlight fell through the windows. O Shin poked Myohan¡¯s cheek, which was now glowing in sunlight, and smiled. Myohan opened his eyes. ¡°Do you have time for this?¡± The light-colored eyes glittered in the sunlight. They were always as clear as glass beads. Instead of answering the question, Myohan tilted his head. Their lips met again and they could hear their breaths. Their lips soon parted, but they remained stuck together. Myohan could see O Shin¡¯s soft eyelashes. He frowned because the fingers on his cheek tickled. ¡°I think you¡¯re the one who enjoys this time the most.¡± ¡°Mmm.¡± O Shin smiled. He really couldn¡¯t deny it. Watching Myohan relax like a cat having a nap, and kissing him to make him purr and lean on him, he enjoyed it all. The time belonged to them only, without any disturbers. He could be a part of Myohan¡¯s daily life during that time, so he liked it. Actually, Myohan didn¡¯t hate that time either. It felt even sweeter after getting stressed out by Seonhan and Sadeol at the cafeteria. It was the only time he could recharge for the day¡¯s exhausting schedule, and he didn¡¯t want to abandon it. Being impatient wasn¡¯t going to help, anyway. ¡°So we¡¯re going to a meat buffet on Wednesday.¡± Alone in the room, they had meaningless conversations and affectionate touches. Today¡¯s topic was the meat buffet they would be going after the exams, but it wasn¡¯t important at all. ¡°Doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯re looking forward to it.¡± O Shin stroked his hair gently and then kissed his cheek. Myohan didn¡¯t really enjoy eating. Having something delicious did make him feel good, but he wasn¡¯t enthusiastic enough to look for something delicious, and most of all, he didn¡¯t even like meat. Chapter 61 ¡°Well¡­.¡± Myohan closed his book. He turned to look at O Shin. He smiled. When he had that look on his face, it made Myohan get a strange feeling ¡ª it was quite hard to look into his eyes. He blinked. O Shin muttered, ¡®Cat kiss.¡¯ And then he rubbed Myohan¡¯s eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t even eat lunch, so of course a visit to a meat buffet isn¡¯t appealing to me¡­¡± Someone opened the back door before he could finish saying it. They looked back at the bang! sound, and there was a tall boy standing there. ¡°Myohan, come out.¡± It was Sadeol¡ªhe looked dead serious. Wind blew past between them. the vegetable garden was again empty. They stood and stared at each other, just like Miho and the bully. Sadeol had brought him there. When O Shin tried to follow them, he made him stay behind, saying they needed to have a private conversation. Myohan frowned, trying not to look into those predator-like eyes under the thick eyebrows. Was he about to punch him? Tomorrow was the weekend, and exams were going to start on Monday. He had planned not to run into Sadeol until then, but he came to him first. Myohan really didn¡¯t know what he wanted from him; it wasn¡¯t Seonhan who was always saying he wanted to become Myohan¡¯s friend. Plus, Sadeol now looked deadly and threatening. ¡°What do you want to say?¡± In the end, he spoke first. he didn¡¯t want to endure that heavy silence anymore. Sadeol cleared his throat, which made Myohan relax at least a little. ¡°You come to my class to look at me, don¡¯t you?¡± Myohan was impressed, although he tried not to show it. So he hadn¡¯t been hallucinating when he thought their eyes had met. He had moved subtly so no one else would have been able to notice it, but Sadeol was really a beast. ¡°Yes,¡± he said matter-of-factly. He was going to say he just did it when asked why. But thankfully, Sadeol didn¡¯t ask why. He just muttered, ¡®I knew it,¡¯ and nodded. Myohan could see him clench both fists. He frowned. ¡°Sinsul said you never eat lunch at school. Is that right?¡± Myohan didn¡¯t know why that dog-boy was talking about him to others, but he didn¡¯t show it and nodded. Sadeol asked why this time. ¡°Why?¡± Myohan tilted his head and met Sadeol¡¯s gaze. It wasn¡¯t as terrifying as before. He must have gotten used to it. Sadeol couldn¡¯t be accuse him for being at the cafeteria the other day when he never ate lunch. He narrowed his eyes and countered unconcernedly. ¡°¡­What does it have to do with you?¡± Sadeol mustn¡¯t have seen it coming, as his eyes widened. He looked startled, although only for a second. He was nervous. Then he grabbed both of Myohan¡¯s shoulders. His hands were thick and heavy. ¡°I know it.¡± Myohan had too many guesses to ask what he knew. He bit his lips and looked back. Maybe Sadeol had found out about the scheme he had been planning. His eyes were really close. ¡°There can be only one reason for you to watch me like that. Be honest.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Myohan decided to play innocent. Sadeol narrowed his eyes. His grip got stronger. Myohan clenched his fist and tried to stay calm, although he couldn¡¯t help thinking he was about to be devoured. Even if Sadeol could transform into a tiger, they were both humans now. Plus, they were both felids. He told himself there was no need to be afraid. After some time, when Myohan thought he was drowning in Sadeol¡¯s intense gaze, he sighed. And then he said with pity, ¡°Okay, I understand. I wouldn¡¯t be able to talk about it easily.¡± About what? Before Myohan could ask that, Sadeol held Myohan¡¯s shoulders even tighter. He frowned, but then a pair of sad eyes looked at him. ¡°So sad.¡± Wait, sad eyes? ¡°¡­Sad.¡± ¡°Yes, that must be it. I know it all.¡± Sadeol put his face right in front of Myohan¡¯s. He backed off in surprise and pushed his hands away. Sadeol hesitated, but then he nodded and took a step back. He opened and showed his hands. ¡°Relax, I¡¯m not trying to threaten you. Yes, I must tell you what I am first.¡± Myohan didn¡¯t know what was going on. He was usually quick to assess the situation, but what Sadeol was doing was just too strange. However, Sadeol didn¡¯t notice his confusion and went on. ¡°Remember what I said about me being a vegetarian?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°And you said it¡¯s too bad for me.¡± Myohan frowned instead of nodding. He really wanted to ask, ¡®What about it?¡¯ Sadeol nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it. Something hasn¡¯t been right ever since our eyes met.¡± His light-colored eyes flashed. Myohan got a bad feeling and had to swallow a moan. Myohan realized Sadeol was the tiger the moment their eyes met. The instincts he had as a felid told him. It meant it was probable that Sadeol had realized what he was too. ¡°I saw it all, you eating at the cafeteria and walking by to glance at me. Then I realized what you are.¡± Of course. It couldn¡¯t have been worse. No, no. Sadeol knowing he was a cat couldn¡¯t matter that much. ¡°You are so interested in me because¡­.¡± Dozens of thoughts swirled in Myohan¡¯s mind. But then Sadeol held his hands. His hands looked so weak in those thick, strong hands. ¡®Well, I guess I have no choice.¡¯ Myohan gave up and sighed. He had to be honest and ask him to show how he transformed. Yes, that was the best thing he could do now. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m¡­¡± However, he couldn¡¯t say he was a cat, as Sadeol¡¯s eyes sparkled and he said, ¡°You¡¯re a tiger too!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Myohan gaped and froze. Sadeol¡¯s eyes were still sparkling too much. His deadly force was long gone now. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so surprised.¡± He spoke kindly and Myohan slowly closed his mouth. Well, he was surprised¡­ No, more accurately, he was confused. Not knowing what was going on in his mind, Sadeol smiled happily and pointed at himself. ¡°I¡¯m a tiger too.¡± ¡°¡­Oh.¡± Myohan had to nod to that. Sadeol must have taken it as acknowledgment as his eyes got teary he and put his forehead on their hands. ¡°I knew it. No wonder you have such great reflexes.¡± ¡­It was because he was a cat, more so because he didn¡¯t like being hit by dodgeballs. ¡°And you¡¯re the first person to run as fast as me.¡± As fast as? But in the race, he ran right past Myohan and left him in the dust. ¡°And I felt this thrill when our eyes met, so I was wondering¡­¡± It must have been the thrill of a predator of spotting a prey. ¡°Then I was certain when you wouldn¡¯t eat your lunch at all.¡± He just had no appetite, that was all. ¡°And most of all, when you were talking to that tall friend of yours in your classroom.¡± Myohan tried to pull his hand out, but then he realized he couldn¡¯t and swallowed a sigh. Sadeol looked straight at him. Myohan got a funny thought that Sadeol was like a mixture of Sinsul and Jino. ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t eat meat even when you go to a meat buffet.¡± Myohan nodded, inviting him to go on. Actually, it was getting quite funny. ¡°It made me realize you can¡¯t eat meat, either.¡± Everything fell into place, and it was quite hard to deny. Sadeol had never seen anyone become an animal, so the easiest guess he could make about the thing he had felt on Myohan was that he was a tiger too. In a way, it was only natural. ¡°We¡¯re alike, Myohan.¡± Myohan wondered what to do, but Sadeol was already giving him a trusty gaze. This wasn¡¯t easy. Myohan just couldn¡¯t blow the hope in those tiger eyes away as he was still holding his hands. ¡°¡­Yes, we¡¯re alike.¡± In the end, he grinned. He felt bad about lying, but he couldn¡¯t blow such a good opportunity away. Sadeol nodded. He seemed to be so happy about finally meeting someone who was like him. ¡°Oh, I know what you must be going through. You want to eat meat, but you can¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but¡­¡± Myohan gathered his thoughts. How to lure the boy into eating meat, and how to safely get away once he became a tiger, and how not to be blamed by him once he found out the truth. Sadeol¡¯s eyes widened. Myohan went on. ¡°I can eat meat.¡± ¡°What? Really?¡± ¡°You can eat meat, too. of course.¡± Sadeol gaped. His bulged eyes were about to come out. Myohan pulled out his hands and shook it lightly. ¡°I know a way.¡± ¡°How? Who?¡± Myohan moaned instead of saying it. Sadeol was anxious. Myohan pretended to think about it, and then he nodded. ¡°Well, we¡¯re alike, so¡­¡± Then he asked with a grin. ¡°Do you want to know?¡± Chapter 62 ¡°Do you really think it would be okay to trick the tiger?¡± When Myohan went home, the first thing he did was adjust the clock. He took down the clock in his living room, adjusted it, put it back, and shrugged. What about phones¡­ ¡°I told him only the truth.¡± O Shin smiled. He grabbed Myohan as he went down from his chair and put him safely on the floor. He was being too overprotective, as Myohan could survive a fall from the sixth floor. The cat came out, waving its tail, and it rubbed its face on Myohan¡¯s leg. He crouched down to give it a pat, and it meowed. It had been some time since he last took it in. It had gotten quite heavy. Then Sinsul, who was lying on the sofa, asked, ¡°Wow, Sadeol¡¯s the tiger? But I couldn¡¯t smell a thing on him!¡± ¡°Well, it must have been some time since he last had any meat.¡± As usual, they all headed to Myohan¡¯s place together after school. Yuja said they needed to put in their best effort before the exams, and no one dared to object to it. Well, it wasn¡¯t bad for Myohan. He needed as much allies as possible. Chookjae had gone home, saying his grandmother was waiting and he couldn¡¯t stay for the night. ¡°But what if he doesn¡¯t come?¡± After a few hours, long after Yuja finished teaching his pupils and started working on math problems, Jagyeom asked as he started to feel sleepy. Myohan had briefed them about his plan, but he couldn¡¯t help doubting if Sadeol would really believe him. But contrary to his worry, Myohan was also completely sure of it. ¡°Have you ever seen Sinsul say no to soccer?¡± At the same time, someone rang the doorbell. All the boys looked at Myohan at the same time. O Shin glanced at the clock and muttered to himself. ¡°About time.¡± Sadeol was really excited as he entered. He smiled sheepishly and explained why he had come late. ¡°Sorry, my parents wouldn¡¯t let me do a sleepover, so¡­¡± Sadeol was surprised as he went into the living room. Myohan had told him to come to his place if he wanted to know how he could eat meat, but he hadn¡¯t expected so many people to be there. He spotted Sinsul among the unfamiliar faces and waved a hand to him. ¡°Sinsul! Why are you here!¡± ¡°Sadeol, I heard you¡¯re the tiger!¡± Sinsul said with an innocent smile. ¡®Idiot,¡¯ Myo Cheong muttered. Sadeol¡¯s face darkened immediately and he turned to Myohan. ¡°¡­What.¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s the tiger.¡± But to everyone¡¯s surprise, Myohan seemed really relaxed. He had expected it would happen when he told Sinsul that Sadeol was the tiger. He looked at Sadeol with a grin and pointed at the other boys one by one. ¡°Sinsul¡¯s the dog, he¡¯s the rabbit, the horse, the snake, the rooster, the sheep, the rat.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°They all turn into animals just like you.¡± He sounded way too unconcerned. Sadeol looked like he couldn¡¯t believe it, of course. Myohan took his arm, brought him in, and sat down near the table. The cat came down from the sofa and sat on his lap. ¡°Just sit down. I¡¯ll explain.¡± Sadeol didn¡¯t say a word while he explained. He nodded when Myohan talked about the twelve zodiac animals, and he frowned to find out what made them transform were all different. But when Myohan started to talk about Ja Time, Chook Time, and In Time, he bit his lips and frowned. ¡°He¡¯s not buying it, is he?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Sajun whispered to Miho and Miho nodded. Yuja raised his glasses and muttered, ¡°Who would buy it when he¡¯s talking so halfheartedly?¡± Myo Cheong heard them and glanced at them, buy Myohan didn¡¯t mind about that and pointed at the clock. It was a little past 2 a.m. ¡°So you can eat meat from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m. without turning into a tiger.¡± He finished, but Sadeol still wouldn¡¯t say anything. His eyes were full of doubt and Myohan¡¯s lips curled up to see that. ¡°So let¡¯s eat meat after 3 a.m. We have to wait only a little.¡± ¡°¡­Myohan.¡± His light-colored eyes were now wavering. His pupils were narrow now, and the cat got up from Myohan¡¯s lap. Myohan looked at it, wondering if it was afraid, but it was hitting the floor with its tail and glaring at Sadeol. ¡°You¡¯re making fun of me, aren¡¯t you?¡± Sadeol spoke angrily. His rage made Jagyeom flinch although he was quite far away. Sadeol went on, ¡°I thought we were alike and could be friends, and you bring in the other boys to make fun of me?¡± ¡°Sadeol.¡± ¡°You lie, and¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who said you wanted to know how to eat meat.¡± His voice was cold. Jino shifted nervously with wide eyes. Myohan was usually laid-back, but now he sounded quite deadly. He looked at Sadeol with a serious expression. ¡°So I¡¯m telling you how, and you think you get to doubt me?¡± ¡°But you¡¯re talking nonsense. They all turn into animals? Into other animals, not tigers like you and me?¡± Sadeol growled. Sinsul opened his mouth at the part ¡®tigers like you and me,¡¯ but Yuja quickly poked him. Myohan glared back at him. The other boys were to suffer in their tension. ¡°¡­If you can¡¯t believe me, fine.¡± Myohan looked at Jagyeom, who was about to faint, and he sighed. He looked away, looking a little hurt. ¡°You said we were alike¡­¡± O Shin looked away and swallowed a laugh as Myohan was clearly pulling an act. The other boys couldn¡¯t see it, but he could. Myo Cheong muttered in surprise, ¡°He must have gone crazy.¡± ¡°Cheong, you¡¯re talking too loudly.¡± Sadeol¡¯s fierce anger faded. He looked at Myohan. He thought they were the same, and Myohan¡¯s hurt look was making him guilty? Why do I feel guilty when I¡¯m the one who got fooled? He clenched his fist and talked calmer than before. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you without seeing¡­¡± ¡°So you¡¯ll believe it when you see.¡± Myohan¡¯s eyes shined. The cat frowned. Myohan looked straight into Sadeol¡¯s eyes. His eyes were almost transparent, and they were ready to devour Sadeol. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll believe everything I say.¡± Sadeol flinched at his overwhelming force. O Shin smiled. Well, the cat is a beast too. ¡°¡­Promise.¡± Myohan stretched out a hand as soon as he spoke. It happened in a second. Before Myo Cheong, who had been worried since the ¡®You¡¯ll believe when you see,¡¯ part, could open his mouth, and before O Shin, who was sitting a little further, angrily got up¡ª ¡°Meow-¡± The cat sounded somewhat irritated. It looked at the kissing lips and walked away. Myohan grabbed Myo Cheong¡¯s head, kissed him, and put his tongue in as he closed his eyes. ¡°Cheong¡­¡± Jino said with tears. Miho and Yuja, who had never seen this before, gaped in shock. Myohan fished out a furry rabbit out of the falling clothes and looked at Sadeol. ¡°Can you believe it now?¡± The rabbit covered its face with its paws. Its drooping ears were saying, ¡®Shit, why does it always have to be me?¡¯ Sadeol couldn¡¯t say a word for a long time. Myo Cheong wriggled in Myohan¡¯s hand, and he eventually kicked his wrist and ran away. Jino went after him, but he ended up getting rabbit-punched and sadly gave up. Yuja was the first to speak. ¡°That¡¯s crazy.¡± It broke the silence, but it was just right for describing what just had happened. Miho glanced at Myohan, but he ignored them all and said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat meat.¡± Sadeol had promised to believe. He couldn¡¯t insist any further. He just nodded. It was late, but the country¡¯s famous food delivery system was still at work. Sinsul barked for fried chicken, but Myohan ignored him, took others¡¯ opinions, and ordered pork Bossam. In the meantime, rabbit Myo Cheong became the star of the night. Jino managed to coax him into sitting on the sofa. He angrily stomped his feet. Miho had to cover his mouth, as it looked so cute, but he knew saying so would offend him. ¡°So he¡¯s always the one who suffers,¡± Jagyeom said. Myohan felt somewhat guilty, so he tried to pat Myo Cheong and made excuses. ¡°Well, he¡¯s small and easy.¡± Myo Cheong¡¯s nose quivered and he glared at Myohan. His white paw pushed his hand away. It clearly meant he couldn¡¯t touch him. Rabbits could give dozens of punches in one second, so he had to be grateful that he wasn¡¯t hit. Chapter 63 ¡°But Cheong has his human rights¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one¡¯s who¡¯s most delighted now.¡± Jino tried to speak out for Myo Cheong, but Yuja cut him short. He was right. Jino was now clearly excited. He wanted to put rabbit Myo Cheong on his lap, but he wasn¡¯t trying as he knew it wouldn¡¯t work. Myo Cheong sighed, lay down on the sofa, and closed his eyes. ¡°Sleep in the room.¡± Myohan gathered his clothes and raised him up. Myo Cheong didn¡¯t look like he liked it, but he didn¡¯t resist either. It was time to sleep, and since he would transform back into his human form in about an hour, sleeping on a bed until morning wasn¡¯t the same as going to bed. Myohan put the rabbit on his bed (which kept twitching as if he didn¡¯t like it) and came out. O Shin was leaning against a wall, waiting for him. He looked at Myohan. He was clearly dissatisfied about something. Myohan could see what it was, so he frowned. They said nothing for a long time. Myohan thought he would call him a cat and mock him, but he just kept his mouth shut and stared. Myohan wanted to say something, but then he realized Myo Cheong might hear them, so he stretched out a hand instead. ¡°Good boy.¡± Then he stroked O Shin¡¯s hair. He raised his eyebrows, but he let him do it. He even leaned down a little so that Myohan could do it more easily. Myohan went down to his ears and his cheeks, and then he put both hands behind his back and kissed him. O Shin¡¯s eyes calmed down slowly. ¡°¡­The cat is an animal that is hard to train,¡± he said. He looked down, not liking that the kiss was so short, and touched Myohan¡¯s soft lips. ¡°But it can follow its master in less than two days.¡± He sounded like he couldn¡¯t help it. He looked sad, as if he had no choice but to let Myohan get his way. Still, his eyes were full of affection, so Myohan kissed his finger and smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t recall training you.¡± Needless to say, he wasn¡¯t his master and he wasn¡¯t a cat. O Shin smiled even more warmly. He usually smiled only with his lips, but now, he had a huge smile plastered all over his face. ¡°Myohan! The food¡¯s here!¡± They didn¡¯t know how long they stayed in front of the bedroom door. Sinsul called out to them. O Shin gave him a peck at last and headed to the living room. ¡®I should stop turning Myo Cheong into a rabbit.¡¯ Myohan thought so. They put away all their books and put pork Bossam on the table. Sadeol¡¯s eyes twinkled. Jino asked if they should wake up Myo Cheong, but most of them thought he wouldn¡¯t be able to eat meat anyway as he was still a rabbit. Poor Myo Cheong. Someone muttered so. ¡°I really won¡¯t change into a tiger?¡± ¡°Yes, from 3 a.m. to 5 a.m.¡± Sadeol asked again to check. Myohan assured him and pointed at the clock. It was a little before 3. ¡°Wow, it looks delicious!¡± ¡°But Yuja, you eat fried chicken?¡± ¡°¡­What nonsense are you talking about? Of course I do.¡± Sajun suddenly got curious and asked if Yuja ate chicken. Yuja rolled his eyes. Myohan looked away as he could remember asking a similar question to Chookjae. Well, it did sound wrong. Jagyeom muttered so under his breath. ¡°But¡­¡± Myohan asked as he eyed at the meat. Sadeol couldn¡¯t take his eyes off it, so he just nodded. ¡°Can¡¯t you just eat in tiger form if you want to eat meat so badly?¡± He was checking the last thing. He wondered about it when Sinsul said he never smelled anything funny on Sadeol. Turning into a tiger didn¡¯t stop him from eating meat. He had come to Myohan¡¯s place so late in the night just to eat meat, so he could just have eaten meat and dealt with the consequences. He could eat at home and no one would see him. Plus, it took only about an hour for him to change back. ¡°Huh? Oh, yeah, but¡­¡± Sadeol grinned, showing his teeth. ¡°My family is just too scared of it.¡± Myohan sighed. ¡°After seeing them get scared to death¡­.¡± Sadeol explained sadly and poked the meat with his chopstick. ¡°I thought everything would be fine if only I refrained from eating meat.¡± ¡°Oh, I know how that feels.¡± ¡°Ugh, it¡¯s the contrary for me. Everyone gets so big when I transform, I¡¯m the one who gets scared to death.¡± Myohan glanced at Miho, remembering how hollow and sickly he had looked in the hospital. He also recalled Jagyeom¡¯s fear he¡¯d shown the moment his secret was revealed. He looked at the clock, feeling something hard forming in his chest. The hour hand was pointing at exactly 3. ¡°¡­.It¡¯s 3.¡± ¡°Yes! Let¡¯s eat!¡± O Shin, who was sitting on the sofa with crossed legs, gave Myohan a gaze, but its meaning was hard to decipher. Myohan looked way, sighed, and rubbed his forehead with a frown. In the meantime, Sadeol excitedly put a piece of meat in his mouth. And a second later, Jagyeom exclaimed, ¡°¡­Wow.¡± Even Sinsul, who had started eating already, was looking right next to Myohan with wide eyes. Myohan really couldn¡¯t find the courage to look at Sadeol, so he turned slowly. He caught a glimpse of light brown fur. Sajun muttered to himself, quite confused, ¡°But it is 3 o¡¯clock¡­¡± Jagyeom was shocked to see the giant tiger. He gulped. The tiger looked very uncomfortable in his tiny clothes. He slowly turned to Myohan, his eyes piercingly cold. His pupils shrank, and he was ready to jump on him. I knew it, he lied. He stood up slowly. His clothes would have been ripped apart if Sadeol hadn¡¯t been a huge boy. He angrily raised a paw, but Myohan slowly blinked and put a hand on it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He sounded like he meant it. He frowned and looked away, which wasn¡¯t like him. Tic. The minute hand moved. Myohan blinked again, and he could see Sadeol back in his human form. ¡°¡­.What the.¡± He looked down at himself and muttered. He looked at his hands. They were human hands. Yuja looked at his phone which was just a little away from him and snorted. ¡®He must have adjusted the clock.¡¯ Myohan had worked on the clock as soon as they arrived. Yuja thought he was changing its battery or something, but he must have set it to go a little faster. Meanwhile, Sadeol got up and turned around. Then he yelled in surprise. ¡°¡­You weren¡¯t lying?!¡± He felt something going wrong the second he ate a piece of meat. He could feel himself turning into a tiger as usual, and what he then saw were two massive paws. ¡®I was fooled.¡¯ He glared at Myohan, thinking so, but then he changed back into normal. ¡°What just happened?¡± This had been Myohan¡¯s plan all along. He needed to see Sadeol transform, and he wanted to eat meat, so he found a way to achieve both of them by making the clock go a little faster. It was good that Sadeol never checked his phone. ¡°The clock must have been fast.¡± Sadeol hesitated, not knowing what was going on, and O Shin smiled and explained to him. Myohan frowned and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Wow! Yes!¡± Sadeol immediately sat down again and got to work. He ate two, three pieces of meat at once, and Sinsul also started to eat. He soon forgot he had just transformed and ate happily. Myohan had complicated feelings after seeing him like that. *** ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too na?ve?¡± The exams were finally over. Sinsul got the best scores he had ever gotten in his life, so he happily jumped up and down. Yuja also felt quite good about it. O Shin whispered so as they stood at the school gate with their classmates to go to the meat buffet. Myohan frowned and he explained, ¡°You still feel bad about tricking the tiger.¡± ¡°Not really.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± But O Shin didn¡¯t seem to believe him. ¡°Friend!¡± Sadeol came running to them from across the schoolyard. Ever since he had meat at Myohan¡¯s home the other day, he started calling him his friend and was always happy to see him. Seonhan was a little behind him, yelling at him to go slower. Chapter 64 Sadeol went right up to Myohan and gave him a pitiful gaze. ¡°I heard you¡¯re going to the meat buffet. It must be hard not to have any¡­. Think of me when it gets too hard¡­. The craving gets worse when you¡¯re hungry you know¡­ Oh, I should have had meat at 3 last night!¡± He kept talking and O Shin smiled with amusement. In the end, Myohan let out a sigh and spoke. ¡°Sadeol.¡± Sadeol blinked and let him whisper into his ear. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you a secret¡­ I¡¯m not a tiger.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Sadeol¡¯s eyes widened. He blinked. Before he could gape stupidly, Myohan smiled brightly. ¡°Bye, I have to go to eat meat.¡± Sadeol didn¡¯t have the time to stop him. Myohan gave him a pat and went to his classmates. But Sadeol stood there until he couldn¡¯t see him anymore. Then, what Myohan had said before went through his mind. ¡®Yes, we¡¯re alike.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m sorry, but I can eat meat.¡¯ Myohan never admitted that he was a tiger. He just never said no to what Sadeol said. He gaped at the shock. He had trusted him wholly, but he wasn¡¯t a tiger? ¡°Sadeol! Since when have you gotten so close to Myohan!¡± He shuddered at the betrayal, but then he thought again. Myohan may not be a tiger, but he had found him a way to eat meat. ¡®Yes, I must think about it again.¡¯ ¡°Sadeol?¡± Seonhan said something, but he wasn¡¯t listening. Sadeol nodded. Light-colored eyes like his and nimble moves, then maybe¡­ ¡°¡­.He¡¯s a panther.¡± As Myohan ate meat at the meat buffet, he couldn¡¯t know Sadeol was making another wrong guess and would continue to call him a friend. November was coming. The classroom was almost empty again at lunchtime. Only O Shin, Myohan, and Sinsul who was having a stomach ache were still there. Sinsul must have eaten something wrong as he kept going to the restroom and was now sleeping. He wasn¡¯t even playing soccer, so it was probably very serious. Myohan had found nine of the twelve zodiac animals, with the tiger as the last one. He only had three more to go: dragon, monkey, and pig. Their letters were Jin, Shin, and Hae. He scribbled them down, gave it some thought, and drew an X on the word Jin. O Shin asked. ¡°What about the dragon?¡± ¡°He¡¯ll be the last.¡± Myohan turned to look into his eyes. His eyes were full of sleep. He went back to the note and explained, ¡°He won¡¯t be able to transform in my apartment.¡± O Shin mimicked Myohan and put his head on a hand. Myohan thought again, but then he put down his pen and stretched his back. He opened a window to let fresh air in, but then the cold winter breeze blew in. He quickly changed his mind and shut it again. It was the perfect weather for getting a cold. Only three. It was less than one-third of what he had already found. He felt like he really would be able to find all of them before winter vacation started, except for the dragon. ¡°What does the dragon look like?¡± All the other animals were real, but the dragon wasn¡¯t. It was a mythical animal that only appeared in legends. He couldn¡¯t even guess what it looked like. ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say it would be the last?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just curious.¡± O shin seemed to think he was cute again. He smiled and stroked his hair. Myohan¡¯s soft hair went through his fingers. Myohan looked away, thinking he wasn¡¯t about to get an answer, but then he looked up again as he started to talk. ¡°Camel¡¯s head, deer¡¯s antler.¡± He sounded like he was reciting a poem. He was still smiling. ¡°Cow¡¯s ears.¡± ¡®Rabbit¡¯s eyes, pig¡¯s nose.¡¯ Myohan suddenly heard a voice in his head, but it wasn¡¯t O Shin¡¯s. He then said exactly that. ¡°Snake¡¯s neck, fish¡¯s scale.¡± ¡°¡­.Falcon¡¯s claw, tiger¡¯s hand?¡± O Shin¡¯s hand stroked his hair again, almost as a compliment. His dark eyes were saying that it was the answer. But once the memories started to come out, they didn¡¯t stop. He recalled the dragon having long fur near its mouth and frowned. The voice in his head said, ¡®He¡¯s my old friend.¡¯ An image went through his mind: O Shin stroking his hair with a smile and a dragon coiling on the ground. It opened its eyes to look at Myohan with its dark eyes. His fingers got the tingles. He could almost touch it. ¡°Is that enough for an answer?¡± Myohan looked into his eyes and shut his mouth. The voice died out the moment he asked. He could hear nothing more. O Shin grinned, satisfied with his own answer. ¡°¡­A valid answer, it¡¯s not like him.¡± But Myohan didn¡¯t admit it. He just put a hand on O Shin¡¯s face. He rubbed the soft cheek once and snorted. O Shin winked and put his lips on the tip of his finger. Then he kissed it. He was about to playfully bite it, but then Sinsul, who had been sleeping, jumped to his feet with a huge sound, making them both look. Myohan asked with irritation, ¡°Why are you suddenly throwing a tantrum? Just go back to sleep.¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t stand this anymore!¡± Sinsul yelled, rummaged through his bag to take out something, and then marched to Myohan. Myohan blinked and looked up to him. He looked at O Shin, then Myohan, and he pointed to the back door. He looked grave and determined. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the school store.¡± The school store was full of people. Of course, lunch wasn¡¯t enough for those teenage boys. They were all growing and hungry, and the store was way too small for all of them. ¡°But what about your stomach ache?¡± ¡°Forget it, I¡¯m so hungry that I can¡¯t even sleep.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t sleep because you¡¯ve been sleeping since the first class.¡± After saying he hadn¡¯t eaten a thing since he woke up, Sinsul took them to the school store. He looked like he would die in the morning, but he must have been feeling better as he was holding some money. No, maybe his hunger was even stronger than the stomach ache. Myohan had been a little tense to see his grave look, so he frowned and scolded the dog-boy. ¡°What if you get sick again?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine!¡± Sinsul chose some snacks for him. There was no way he could eat all of them, but he kept choosing. Myohan told him to put down some of them, but he wouldn¡¯t listen. With an armful of snacks, he smiled. ¡°See? He¡¯s buying even more than I am!¡± When Myohan turned to where he was pointing at, there was a boy buying a lot of snacks. He wasn¡¯t taller or bigger than Myohan, but he had quite chubby cheeks. He must have heard Sinsul, as he was flinching and hurrying to pay. Myohan scowled at Sinsul and moved to the door. He regretted not waiting outside. ¡°Hey! Get your change!¡± Myohan looked back, although he knew the lady wasn¡¯t talking to him. The boy fell back in surprise, dropping all the snacks. ¡°Get your change!¡± ¡°Oh¡­.¡± He hesitated and looked at the snacks and the shop lady. Myohan could see his chubby cheeks. He felt a little bad for him, so he crouched down to take and offer him one of the snacks. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°You-you can have it!¡± Myohan tried to ask if he was okay, but he jumped to his feet, gathered up the rest of his snacks, and ran out. Myohan didn¡¯t know what to think of it. ¡°Myohan! Are you okay?¡± Sinsul paid for his own snacks and helped him get up. He asked what snack he was holding up, but then Myohan spotted something shiny. It was a nametag. It probably belonged to the student with chubby cheeks. It was shining because it had a clothespin on it. He picked it up and frowned. It was white, like his own nametag, which meant they were in the same grade. ¡°Oh, I think I¡¯m about to drop all these!¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re holding them fine.¡± Myohan went to the counter with the nametag. He could hear Sinsul complaining, but he just ignored him. Sinsul soon went out as kind of revenge. He was showing that he too could abandon Myohan and go. Of course, Myohan didn¡¯t care about that at all. Chapter 65 ¡°I¡¯ll bring him the change.¡± ¡°Huh? You¡¯re friends with that boy?¡± The school store lady seemed a little suspicious. She was wondering if Myohan was trying to take the money for himself. Myohan nodded and tried his best reassuring smile. ¡°Yes, I am his friend.¡± 2-1, O Myohan. Myohan had to show his student ID to get the change. He went out with a few coins and the nametag. O Shin was waiting for them. He had his arms crossed and was staring at something. Myohan walked to him fast and opened his palm. O Shin tilted his hands to see the coins. ¡°For me?¡± ¡°No, not the money.¡± He must have been joking, as he said nothing more and looked at the nametag. Then he smiled. A small twinkle appeared in his black eyes. It made Myohan know he had been right again. He closed his palm. ¡°It¡¯s him, isn¡¯t he?¡± O Shin just shrugged. It meant he couldn¡¯t tell him. ¡°He was afraid of me.¡± An armful of snacks and chubby cheeks. The boy had run away as soon as Myohan offered him a hand. Myohan regretted not seeing his face, but it was too late. O Shin heard what he muttered and said, ¡°People think dogs have a good sense of smell.¡± Then he pointed at where Sinsul was, trying to protect his snacks from Seonhan. Sadeol was with them, watching and laughing, and then he saw Myohan and waved a hand happily. Myohan just nodded to him and turned back to O Shin. ¡°But in fact, the greatest sense of smell belongs to another kind of animal.¡± O Shin pointed at the other side, at the boy¡¯s back. He was walking away fast, and he was gone after a second. Myohan narrowed his eyes. When he caught Sinsul, he had told him he could smell animal scents on the animal boys. If O Shin was right and there was an animal that could smell even better than dogs, then he must have sensed their smells too. Myohan almost wanted to laugh. The boy had not hurried to pay because he was ashamed of buying too much. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± While they were waiting for Sinsul to return, Jagyeom, Miho and Sajun came out from the cafeteria. Jayeom asked with surprise as soon as he spotted Myohan. Miho looked quite full. Myohan stroked his hair (which made Sajun jealous and O Shin frown), and pointed at Sinsul with his chin. Seonhan had succeeded in taking his snack, and he was angrily jumping up and down. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Miho asked, pointing at what was in Myohan¡¯s hand. Myohan showed it to him. Sajun looked at it and said, ¡°Huh, that¡¯s the name of that gochujang brand.¡± The white nametag said ¡®Hae Chandeul.¡¯ *** Myohan visited all the classrooms, which he hadn¡¯t done since he caught the rabbit. Of course he excluded his own homeroom, Class 2. He also didn¡¯t go to Class 2, Class 5, Class 6, and Class 10, as his animal friends were in those classrooms and they didn¡¯t recognize Chandeul. He eventually found out he was in Class 8. Before he went to find him, he headed to the school store. He bought a pastry and the shop lady recognized him. She asked if he had given the money back, and he replied with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m going right now.¡± The nametag was in his right hand, and in his left hand was the pastry he had just bought. The coins were in his pocket. Standing at the back door of Class 8, he tried to put on his best uninterested look, determined not to lose his target right in front of his eyes again. ¡°Is Hae Chandeul here?¡± He was planning to ask one of his classmates to give the things to him later if he wasn¡¯t there. What he had to do at the moment was to let Chandeul know he didn¡¯t have to be afraid of him. ¡°Chandeul? Someone¡¯s looking for you!¡± Thankfully, Chandeul was there. He was sitting in a corner and cowering. He flinched as he got up. Myohan saw his face for the first time just then. He looked quite mild. His eyes made him look like he was smiling, which exactly matched the animal Myohan had in mind. Myohan eyed at his pink cheeks, then he offered a hand. Chandeul flinched and looked up at him. They were of similar height. ¡°You dropped this the other day at the store.¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Myohan placed the nametag on a hand that was as pink as his cheek. He was thin, but his hands were chubby, which proved he had to be the pig. Still, he¡¯s thin for a pig. Myohan thought so. ¡°And this is the change you forgot to take.¡± ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± He gave him the coins. Chandeul¡¯s eyes widened, but then he blinked and nodded. Myohan smiled to hear a thank you. At least he was braver than the rabbit. ¡°And this is¡­¡± Myohan¡¯s visit had one purpose. Getting the boy to know him. ¡°For the snack you gave me then.¡± Preferably as a good person. It was a simple algorithm. Taming an animal required feeding, and any animal would think of the person who gave it tasty things as a good person. Plus, pigs were known for their lust for food, so it had to work. ¡°Um¡­¡± Chandeul was really afraid of Myohan and had run away from him, even though they had never met and had never talked. It was because he thought getting to know him would make bad things happen to him, and Myohan had to make him think otherwise. Of course, he wasn¡¯t expecting Chandeul to think of him as a nice person just because he was giving him a pastry. But maybe it could make him lower his guard at least a little. Thankfully, he was right. Chandeul looked at him with surprise, but he wasn¡¯t worried or scared. ¡®I didn¡¯t see this coming.¡¯ His eyes were saying so. The bell rang to sound the end of breaktime. As Chandeul took the pastry, Myohan smiled to him, hoping to look just nice enough. ¡°Bye, then.¡± That was all. Myohan went back to his homeroom, without asking Chandeul about anything. Chandeul didn¡¯t try to stop him, either. ¡°You fed him?¡± O Shin, who had been waiting for him, smiled. Myohan nodded as he sat down and took out his schoolbook for the next class. He had carried out step one. Since Chandeul¡¯s guard had been lowered, he was going to be near him and find a chance to cross over his fence. ¡°Feeding is not a bad way to tame an animal.¡± O Shin got nearer and whispered. ¡°But it won¡¯t work this time.¡± Myohan blinked. He couldn¡¯t catch the pig by taming it with food. O Shin was clearly giving him a hint, but he couldn¡¯t know what he meant by that. He just opened his book and looked down as the teacher came in. *** The school store was crowded again. Myohan went there every day, even though he didn¡¯t even eat lunch. It was to capture his new target. ¡°You guys really don¡¯t need to be here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m always happy to be with¡­¡± ¡°Shut your mouth, now.¡± ¡°Cheong, please.¡± At first, he was alone, but then the other boys started to join him one by one, and currently there were eight of them. Sinsul went to buy their snacks after losing a game of rock paper scissors; Myohan sat down on a bench and yawned. He took out a hand to wipe a tear, but then he shook his head as a cold breeze blew past. It was too cold to snooze under the sunlight. ¡°You might catch a cold.¡± O Shin said as he did the buttons of Myohan¡¯s coat for him. It was November, but it was way too cold. The temperature was dropping rapidly. As Myohan was particularly weak to the cold, he crouched and frowned. ¡°I¡¯m about to freeze to death.¡± ¡°Do you want me to warm you up?¡± ¡°Oh, go and kill yourself.¡± Myo Cheong didn¡¯t hesitate to cuss at what Sajun said. Jino wasn¡¯t feeling the cold and was wearing only his gym suit. He even sweated as he tried to stop Myo Cheong. Jagyeom was crouching exactly like Myohan. He angrily muttered to himself. ¡°Why is it so cold at this time of year?¡± ¡°But I¡¯m fine.¡± Miho was quite strong against the cold. Maybe it was because of his thick sheep fur. Myohan thought so as he grabbed his red nose. His clear cheeks were also red at the moment. Chapter 66 After going to the school store every day, Myohan found out that Chandeul went there every day after having lunch. For the first few days, they nodded to each other when their eyes met; Myohan was currently able to get close enough to him to ask what he was buying. The problem was that Chandeul¡¯s eyes still showed fear as he looked at Myohan. ¡°He¡¯s here.¡± Sinsul ran into Seonhan on his way back with snacks. Sadeol spotted Myohan from afar and jumped up and down happily. Sajun said a few more stupid things and got almost killed by Myo Cheong. Chandeul came out of the cafeteria only after all of them had left. Myohan stood up, looking at his still chubby face. Jagyeom asked with wide eyes. ¡°He¡¯s the pig?¡± Myo Cheong scowled before Myohan could say anything. He wasn¡¯t happy about being outside on such a cold day. He shuddered and stomped a foot. ¡°Hey, shit, he¡¯s too thin. There¡¯s no way he¡¯s the pig.¡± ¡°Cheong, you must get rid of your prejudice that all pigs are fat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s more of a fact than a prejudice.¡± As Miho glanced at Myo Cheong glaring angrily at Sajun, he muttered, ¡°But he does look like a pig.¡± Myohan heard all of their complaints. He snorted and said, ¡°If he gets scared and runs away, I¡¯ll make all of you pay for it.¡± He headed to the store before anyone could stop him. Sinsul yelled, ¡°Myohan! But I also bought you a snack!¡± Still, Myohan told him he didn¡¯t need it. It was quite hot inside the store. He undid his coat buttons and sat down in a corner. Chandeul came in soon afterwards. He looked a little excited. He just had had his lunch, but his eyes shined as he looked at the snacks. Myohan got himself a pile of snacks, paid for them, and moved towards Chandeul. ¡°Oh!¡± Anyone could have seen that he was doing it on purpose. Myohan bumped into him while he was distracted by the snacks and dropped a pastry. Chandeul didn¡¯t notice what he was doing, as he was facing away from him. ¡°Oh, hi again.¡± Myohan said hi, as if their meeting again was nothing but a coincidence. Chandeul looked at him with wide eyes. He quickly picked up Myohan¡¯s pastry and offered it to him. But Myohan looked down at his arms full of snacks, looking troubled, then he grinned. ¡°You have it.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± After that he quickly walked out, before Chandeul could stop him. Then he dropped what was in his hand. When he was outside again, he gave the snacks to Seonhan and Sinsul who were still arguing. Seonhan took all the snacks and looked at Myohan with twinkling eyes. ¡°Wow, Myohan, are you giving these to me?¡± ¡°But I bought your snack too!¡± Myohan nodded, narrowed his eyes, and looked back at the school store. Chandeul was picking up what he had dropped, still holding the pastry. ¡°Stop taking Sinsul¡¯s snacks, eat these.¡± ¡°Friend¡­!¡± Myohan sounded as if he didn¡¯t care at all, but Sadeol was really touched by his gift. Myohan hadn¡¯t asked about it, but Sadeol was probably misunderstanding about something. Well, he had told him he wasn¡¯t a tiger, so he thought it would be fine. He didn¡¯t bother to point it out, so he went back to the bench. Miho, who was looking at the shuddering Jagyeom with pity, looked up. ¡°What did you do?¡± ¡°Nothing much.¡± ¡°Can we please go inside? The cold¡¯s killing me now.¡± Myohan couldn¡¯t agree more with Myo Cheong. O Shin stood up and wrapped an arm around Myohan¡¯s shoulder. He was wearing nothing more than his school uniform, despite the cold. Myohan really couldn¡¯t figure out how he managed it. Before he went inside, he looked back, and he could see Chandeul looking around the place. He saw Myohan and his friends, but Myohan pretended not to notice his gaze and walked away. Chandeul was clearly wondering if he should call out to him, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to approach the group. ¡°Setting up a trap is always basic.¡± Myohan took off his coat the moment they were inside. Then he pointed at his chest. The thing that was supposed to be on his neat vest was nowhere to be seen. He grinned as he looked at those confused eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve cast a bait.¡± ¡°Your nametag?¡± Jagyeom asked with wide eyes. He was always the most clever of the lot. Myohan smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not going to the store anymore.¡± He had seen Chandeul pick up his nametag and how he was looking for him to give it back. He had finally done all he needed to do. He had cast a bait, so he just had to wait for the boy to bite it. O Shin muttered under his breath, ¡°Sly cat.¡± But Myohan just shrugged innocently. If becoming a familiar face couldn¡¯t make him lower his guard more, he needed to take stronger measures. Of course, Chandeul could just ask someone else to return the nametag, but Myohan decided to trust his gut. He was going to get proof of him being a pig, no matter what, once he approached him. ¡°Now I¡¯m really curious.¡± He stretched his back. Most of all, there was something he really wanted to know. ¡°Why is he so afraid of me?¡± It had been a long time since he turned into a cat. Chandeul couldn¡¯t be afraid of him just because he smelled like a cat. I will make sure he doesn¡¯t get to run away once he comes. He smiled cunningly, just like O Shin said. *** Chandeul didn¡¯t go to find Myohan. Or, more accurately, Myohan avoided him. He was always around so that Chandeul wouldn¡¯t give up his hope, but he never gave him a chance to return the nametag. Thankfully, Chandeul didn¡¯t ask anyone else to return it, and he was constantly eating something. ¡°It¡¯ll be our turn next year,¡± Jagyeom muttered sadly, as Jino¡¯s smartphone said something about ¡®the coldest University Entrance Exam ever.¡¯ ¡°We still have a year left,¡± Sajun said unconcernedly. Myo Cheong smirked and said, ¡°You¡¯re so positive, sunshine.¡± That day, the University Entrance Exam would be held. As Myohan¡¯s school was one of the test sites, they were given a day off from school and were currently resting at Myohan¡¯s place. Yuja and Chookjae weren¡¯t there, since they had to hand out chocolates and hot packs to their seniors who would take the exam. They were probably at the school gate right then. ¡°Has that Chandeul seen you?¡± ¡°That gochujang friend?¡± Sinsul asked, his mouth full of tangerine. Myohan covered his mouth and told him to eat and then talk. He shook his head. ¡°He will come.¡± He wasn¡¯t worried it might never happen. Chandeul was trying to return his nametag, and it was him who was not letting him do that. Myohan was just not ready; to get the pig, hold him so that he wouldn¡¯t run away, and make him confess everything. ¡°Hey, snake.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± He kept thinking that getting evidence and threatening him with it would be the best. He had felt at least a little guilty when he threatened Jagyeom, but at the moment, the idea felt only right and natural. ¡°That video you took¡­.¡± But actually, it wasn¡¯t exactly his taste. Then he suddenly remembered how Sajun had threatened him and looked at him. Back then, he hadn¡¯t imagined he would be hanging out with that snake at his home. ¡°Show it to me.¡± Sajun tilted his head. It had happened so long ago and he would be unable to know what video he was talking about. Then he realized something and exclaimed. He stretched out a hand, touched Myohan¡¯s cheek and grinned. ¡°I was lying.¡± Myohan¡¯s eyes turned furious immediately. O Shin slapped the hand away, but Sajun still looked relaxed. ¡°Of course I couldn¡¯t film that short moment. I was lying to provoke you.¡± ¡°Crazy bastard,¡± Myohan cursed. He frowned, having found out he had been fooled, but then he couldn¡¯t believe he had never doubted it. The other boys couldn¡¯t know what they were talking about. He could hear Sinsul whisper, ¡°Wow, he looks really evil.¡± ¡°Plus, taking a video without your agreement would have been a crime.¡± ¡°What video?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure that pervert¡¯s done something weird.¡± That time, Jino didn¡¯t try to stop Myo Cheong. He just nodded quietly. Myohan just waved a hand and said they didn¡¯t need to know, as he didn¡¯t want to bother explaining all that. His cat came out from one of the rooms, waving its tail gently. Chapter 67 ¡°But I have a question.¡± The boys were complaining about filling their stomachs with fruit, right after eating more than half the box of tangerines Sajun had brought. Myohan, who was chewing a piece of tangerine O Shin had given him, turned to the wide-eyed Miho. ¡°Why are you all helping him find the twelve zodiac animals?¡± ¡°They aren¡¯t exactly helping,¡± Myohan couldn¡¯t help muttering so. He got a number of fierce gazes in return, but he really meant it and the boys couldn¡¯t argue with him. Well, they weren¡¯t helping at all. That was a fact. Myohan¡¯s cat struggled to climb onto his lap and sat down. ¡°Of course it¡¯s because I had a crush on¡­¡± ¡°Cheong, you can¡¯t throw fruit at him!¡± ¡°Let me go!¡± Sajun, who said something first, grinned and raised both his hands in surrender as Myo Cheong picked up another tangerine angrily. Jagyeom tutted and rubbed his chin. At first, he had been forced to help, but at the moment he couldn¡¯t even remember that. ¡°He threatened me with something¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t, don¡¯t feel like that, rat.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me that!¡± Myohan chuckled as he helped himself with another tangerine. O Shin peeled another one and placed it in front of him. ¡°Turning into a rabbit once was enough¡­ Shit, I hate it,¡± Myo Cheong said with a frown. Then he recalled the unhappy event and sadly buried his face in his hands. They could almost see his rabbit ears drooping. Jino patted his shoulder, but then he ended up getting a blow after saying, ¡°But you¡¯re cute when you turn into¡­¡± ¡°As for me!¡± Sinsul, who had been listening quietly, raised a hand with shining eyes. He looked excited, like a child about to do a show-and-tell, so Myohan cut him short. ¡°I¡¯m not playing soccer with you.¡± ¡°Oh, but why?¡± ¡°Somebody, please play soccer with him.¡± ¡°Jagyeom, how about¡­?¡± ¡°No.¡± After being rejected twice, Sinsul became sad. Then he crouched down in a corner and started murmuring about how everyone was ultimately alone. Myohan gave him no attention, of course, and looked straight at Miho. He seemed dazed by those meaningless answers. ¡°Then why are you with me?¡± He didn¡¯t ask why he was helping with finding the twelve zodiac animals. Miho blinked, and then he looked away. ¡°I¡­¡± Myohan could see why he was asking. He was wondering why everyone was there. He felt out of place as he was there without any solid reason. Jagyeom saw his hesitation and let out a small sigh. ¡°There¡¯s no reason for helping¡­¡± ¡°I told you, none of you is of any help.¡± ¡°¡­Hanging out together.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Jagyeom gave Myohan a hard gaze, but he just looked back. Jagyeom frowned. Sajun grinned and agreed with Jagyeom. ¡°People are always befriending complete strangers, and it was even easier for us to be close as we have one thing in common; we¡¯re all animals.¡± It made sense, which wasn¡¯t like him. Even Myo Cheong nodded to that. His blushing cheeks indicated he was feeling embarrassed. Sinsul, who had regained his cheerfulness in no time, went and placed an arm around Miho¡¯s shoulders. ¡°That¡¯s why you¡¯re going to play soccer with me!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why? What does it have to do with that?¡± ¡°Miho and I are friends, which means we have to play soccer together!¡± ¡°And what about Miho¡¯s opinion?¡± Myohan snorted. Sinsul gave Miho his wide puppy eyes, begging him to say they were friends. Miho blinked, but then he smiled. It was a shy smile he had never shown them before. ¡°Yes, we¡¯re friends.¡± The cat curled up on Myohan¡¯s lap and closed its eyes. O Shin smiled as he looked at it. They left only after having dinner together. After they were gone, saying they would meet again at school the day after, emptiness took their place. The wide living room was way too big for Myohan to use alone. ¡°You look lonely.¡± O Shin went to him from behind and hugged him. Myohan liked the warmth, so he looked up at him. The cat approached them and tried rubbing its face on Myohan¡¯s leg. He spoke calmly, ¡°Being lonely means feeling alone after being together.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve always been alone, so I¡¯m not lonely.¡± He sounded dry. The cat meowed. O Shin turned Myohan, stroked his hair, and kissed him. His lips went away after a short kiss, giving a soft warmth. He spoke gently as he looked at Myohan with affectionate eyes. ¡°Since when have you been alone?¡± ¡°Since the beginning.¡± Myohan knew that answer made no sense, but it was the best he would get. ¡°I¡¯ve been living alone since the beginning.¡± He had been always alone, for as long as he could remember. He had never felt human warmth, having no one to rely on when he was only a child who needed to be protected. Why? Since when? He didn¡¯t know. Someone kept sending him money, so he just lived on. ¡°The cat is loved by everyone,¡± O Shin said. His eyes looked even more mysterious than usual. ¡°Even god loves the cat.¡± The cat looked up at him, blinking. O Shins eyed at it, and then he leaned down, holding Myohan¡¯s head with both hands. ¡°And that greed makes the cat suffer.¡± ¡°Meow¡ª¡± Their lips met slowly and parted slowly. ¡°But what the cat really wants is love from the person he chose.¡± ¡®What you really want,¡¯ Myohan¡¯s head started to buzz. Another memory was coming out. The cat hit the floor with its tail and then growled at O Shin. Myohan heard an unfamiliar voice in his head. ¡®Must be affection from the person you chose.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t O Shin. It was kinder, nobler, and softer. Another image formed in his mind. A man was lying on a grassy riverbank and speaking to him. He stretched out a hand to stroke Myohan¡¯s cheek. He could see his face behind a thin fabric that covered it. ¡®But that¡¯s not me.¡¯ He had never seen that face before, but it felt so familiar. He recognized his delicate features and the way he looked at him with love. Myohan frowned. At the same time, O Shin covered his eyes with his huge hand and looked down at the cat. Myohan¡¯s mind went dark the moment his eyes were covered. He soon passed out. ¡°Meow¡ª¡± O Shin easily took him and carried him in his arms after he collapsed. He looked down at the cat again. It was still looking at him, its yellow eyes dangerously persistent. It watched him kiss Myohan¡¯s forehead, and then it got up. O Shin turned to Myohan again. ¡°This time,¡± He spoke to the cat and it stopped, its angry pupils narrowing in an instant. Without looking back, O Shin said sadly, ¡°Have mercy on me.¡± *** Myohan had a familiar dream. He didn¡¯t recognize the forest he was in, but he knew where to go. He also knew it was a dream, but he couldn¡¯t wake up. He just walked, as if he was running away. He could see he was a little boy. Then he stopped at some point. There was a large lake in front of him, and the sky above it was clear and blue. At the lake¡¯s other side, a familiar man was looking at him. He approached Myohan, embraced his small body, and spoke kindly, ¡®It will be okay now.¡¯ He was gentle. Myohan couldn¡¯t see his face as it was covered with a thin fabric, but he could tell his eyes were warm as he looked at him. He placed a hand on Myohan¡¯s forehead and spoke, ¡®I will protect you.¡¯ Myohan could feel himself getting smaller. His arms and legs shortened. When he stretched out a hand, he saw a furry paw. The man picked him up and slowly caressed him. ¡®You have¡­¡¯ Wind blew. It made the fabric and the man¡¯s hair flutter. Myohan blinked as he looked up at him. The man¡¯s face was smiling. ¡®Such mysterious eyes.¡¯ ¡°Myohan!¡± It snapped him out of his thoughts. Myohan turned to look at who was calling him. Yuja raised his glasses and pointed at the back door with irritation. ¡°Someone wants to see you!¡± Yuja was standing in front of him. The classroom was full of boys as usual, and O Shin was quietly staring at him. Myohan looked around, but none of it felt real. He looked down at his own palm for a long time, until Yuja asked, ¡°Are you sick or something?¡± Chapter 68 ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± Came blurting out of his mouth before he could think about it. O Shin¡¯s eyes narrowed. He looked down and muttered, ¡°You¡¯re not fine.¡± Myohan had been like that ever since he woke up in the morning. His face was a blank, and then he looked sad. O Shin stroked his hair and touched his hand, but he just looked out the window and wouldn¡¯t even budge. ¡°¡­Who¡¯s looking for me?¡± Myohan pretended not to have heard O Shin¡¯s remark and stood up. Yuja pointed at the back door. O shin let him go without saying anything else. It was Chandeul. In his daze, Myohan had forgotten to hide from him. He had to try not to laugh after seeing Chandeul¡¯s still pink cheeks and a lollipop in his mouth. He was eating something again. ¡°You wanted to see me?¡± ¡°Oh, I just wanted to return this to you¡­¡± What Chandeul offered to Myohan was his nametag, of course. Myohan looked down at it, and he took it with a grin. ¡°Hey, wait.¡± Chandeul was walking away fast, but then he froze when he heard Myohan calling out to him. Myohan saw the fear that flashed in his eyes for a second and narrowed his eyes. But then, he grinned as if it was all fine. ¡°I¡¯m going to the store, come with me.¡± Myohan thought he would say no, but to his surprise, Chandeul followed him. The store was mostly empty as lunchtime was about to end. The shop lady recognized Myohan. He said hi, bought a few pastries, went out, and offered one to Chandeul. He was just throwing away his lollipop stick. He waved his hand. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine, really.¡± ¡°Take it, I bought it for you.¡± He hesitated, but soon he thanked him and took it. He looked calm, but his eyes made him look as if he was always smiling. ¡°You must like eating snacks.¡± ¡°Oh, um¡­¡± That wasn¡¯t exactly an acknowledgement. He went to the school store every day to buy snacks, and he was always eating something, but he didn¡¯t say yes to the question. Was he embarrassed of eating too much? No, his mouth wasn¡¯t smiling at all. You won¡¯t be able to tame him with food. Myohan recalled what O Shin had said to him and frowned. ¡°Um¡­¡± This time, Chandeul was first to say something. He spoke in the middle of the stairs, and he looked at Myohan, hesitating. The bell rang to announce lunchtime was over, but Myohan didn¡¯t hurry. He just stood there and waited for Chandeul to speak. He looked down and opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m telling you this because you don¡¯t seem like a bad kid¡­¡± Myohan¡¯s eyes sparkled. He was sure Chandeul was about to say something important. Maybe he was about to find out why the boy was so scared of him. ¡°You know, That tall kid you¡¯re always with¡­¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Chandeul couldn¡¯t say more. He kept opening and closing his mouth, which showed how much he was hesitating. Myohan didn¡¯t push him and waited. Chandeul sighed, made up his mind, and said, ¡°You¡¯d better distance yourself from him.¡± Myohan hadn¡¯t seen that coming. He blinked. Chandeul added, ¡°I can¡¯t explain, but I have this really good gut.¡± ¡°What you said is really rude if it comes without an explanation.¡± ¡°Oh, um¡­¡± The classes must have started as it was deadly quiet. Their voices rang through the hallway. Myohan looked at Chandeul, then out the window, and asked, ¡°Do you really have to take your next class?¡± *** Myohan went to the vegetable garden. It was really cold out there, but it was the only place where they could have a conversation without being caught by the teachers. Myohan was often late for school and often slept through classes, but that was his first time missing a class. ¡°Well, explain.¡± He crouched down and looked up at Chandeul. The wind was really cold. He regretted not bringing out his coat, but it was too late. ¡°I get this¡­ vibe.¡± ¡°Vibe?¡± ¡°My grandmother was a mudang, so I grew up seeing a lot of supernatural things.¡± Chandeul started to talk only after a long time, and what he said was not what Myohan had expected at all. It wasn¡¯t about him being a pig, and it wasn¡¯t about the twelve zodiac animals. Myohan nodded, inviting him to go on. ¡°So I can know certain things when I see a person. But your friend¡­¡± He scratched his cheek. He was still hesitating, but he was feeling more confident since Myohan was listening. He met eyes with him and said firmly for the first time, ¡°He doesn¡¯t smell like a human.¡± His eyes looked sharp. Myohan blinked, and then he slowly looked up. The sky had been cloudy since morning. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you also saying I smell like a cat?¡± ¡°¡­You do smell like a cat.¡± Chandeul was pointing at a strand of cat fur on Myohan¡¯s cat. Myohan flinched for a second, but he regained his smile. ¡°Let me ask you one thing.¡± Chandeul wasn¡¯t afraid as he talked about O Shin. He remained calm even when he said he didn¡¯t smell like a human. But he flinched when he met eyes with Myohan, which meant Myohan was the one who scared him. ¡°Why are you afraid of me?¡± Chandeul was clearly startled by the question. He backed off with wide eyes. Myohan just shrugged instead of trying to hold him. Chandeul grabbed the pastry in his pocket tightly and sighed. ¡°Don¡¯t be offended, but¡­¡± ¡°You should have said that earlier.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Before you told me to distance myself from him.¡± Chandeul realized his mistake and rubbed on his cheek. The cold was making his cheeks even redder. He looked away and said, ¡°¡­You¡¯re not a child of Grandmother Samsin.¡± ¡°Grandmother Samsin?¡± ¡°Your fate, you shouldn¡¯t have lived more than 11 years.¡± 11 years? It strangely sounded familiar. He had heard some kind of change had happened to him at that age, but he couldn¡¯t recall more. Chandeul nervously glanced at him. ¡°I think you¡¯re a good person, but I¡¯m afraid of what¡¯s behind you.¡± He was flinching, so he probably meant it. Myohan looked back, even though he knew Chandeul wasn¡¯t talking about what was literally behind him. Then he stood up and brushed the dust off his pants. He looked somewhat dissatisfied. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯ve made you feel¡­¡± ¡°Hey, pig.¡± Myohan took a step forward. ¡°Is that all you¡¯ve got to say to me? I should be careful because he doesn¡¯t smell like a human?¡± Chandeul slowly nodded. Looking at his confused, wide eyes, Myohan placed a hand on his shoulder. Then he said with pity. ¡°I thought you were going to say you¡¯re the pig.¡± ¡°¡­How did you?¡± ¡°Why are you pretending not to know?¡± Chandeul tried to back off, and he would have, if Myohan¡¯s hand hadn¡¯t been holding him. Myohan smiled and looked into his eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve smelled each and every boy around me.¡± He had said O Shin didn¡¯t ¡®smell¡¯ like a human, which meant he had smelled all of them. He had probably smelled all the animals near Myohan, just like Sinsul did. ¡°Why do you think they¡¯re all with me?¡± It was similar to how Sadeol had thought Myohan was a tiger. Chandeul smelled only the twelve zodiac animals, so he must have thought Myohan smelled like a cat just because he had a pet cat. As he had just pointed at the cat fur on his pants, he didn¡¯t know Myohan was the tiger. ¡°I¡¯m collecting the twelve zodiac animals.¡± He was offended in no time, by what Chandeul said about O Shin when he knew nothing about him. ¡°Rat, cow, tiger, rabbit, snake, horse, sheep, rooster, and dog.¡± If Chandeul¡¯s fear wasn¡¯t due to a trauma he had about transforming into an animal, Myohan had no reason to care about it. ¡°And with you, I¡¯ll just have to find two more.¡± Myohan grinned. He was tired of waiting. ¡°¡­Why are you collecting them?¡± ¡°Why?¡± That wasn¡¯t Myohan. The familiar voice startled him and he turned, forgetting what he had meant to say. ¡°You said I don¡¯t smell like a human.¡± It was O Shin. He went close to them, wearing only his school uniform, with Myohan¡¯s coat in his hand. Raindrops started to fall one by one from the cloudy sky. *mudang: shaman *Grandmother Samsin: a deity that is believed to bless mothers with babies. No child can be conceived and born without her help. Chapter 69 ¡°What are you¡­¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be outside in such weather, you¡¯ll catch cold.¡± O Shin ignored Myohan¡¯s question. He grabbed his arm and pulled him close. Then he placed Myohan¡¯s coat around his shoulders. His eyes dangerously wavered as he looked at Chandeul. The rain became heavy in no time. They couldn¡¯t stay there. Myohan wanted to say they should go in, but O Shin took off his jacket and to cover his head. Then he hugged him, so that the rain wouldn¡¯t get to him. ¡°You¡¯re right, I don¡¯t smell like a human.¡± Myohan tried to get out of his embrace, but he couldn¡¯t. That was why he couldn¡¯t see O Shin looking at Chandeul with cold eyes, making him freeze right on the spot. ¡°I should gather all of you and become a human.¡± The rain didn¡¯t stop. Chandeul just stood in the rain, his gaze fixed on O Shin¡¯s face. Then he apologized. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± He still looked terrified, but he didn¡¯t try to look away. He took a deep breath and talked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I talked without knowing anything about you. It was wrong of me.¡± He sounded like he meant it. Myohan sighed in O Shin¡¯s arms. O Shin said nothing, but his gaze became less fierce. The rain started to get weaker. Myohan could hear his heart beating. He could feel his anger fading. He sighed again and got out of his arms. It had been less than a minute, but both O Shin and Chandeul were completely wet at the moment. Myohan pulled O Shin¡¯s arm after he checked the rain had turned into a spray. ¡°We should go in now.¡± He gave him back the wet jacket, but he didn¡¯t put it on as it was of no use to him anyway. For a short second, Myohan was worried more about him than his own coldness. Of course, O Shin looked completely fine. Only Chandeul looked deadly pale as he sneezed. ¡°I can¡¯t go back to my classroom like this¡­¡± He looked troubled as they went back into the building. O Shin couldn¡¯t go back either, as they were both completely wet. Only Myohan looked fine. O Shin moved a bit away and shook the water off his hair with one hand. ¡°Go in now and bring my gym suit to the toilets during breaktime.¡± ¡°Should I go in now? In the middle of class?¡± Those black eyes looked at Myohan. They were clearly saying, ¡®Well, you¡¯re the only one who can.¡¯ Myohan had no choice but to sigh and wave a hand to Chandeul. ¡°¡­You go to the toilet too, I¡¯ll bring your gym suit from Class 8.¡± Funnily, he could think of a number of excuses for being late. He could say he had a stomachache, or that he had to take O Shin to the sickbay since he was ill. The two were left alone. Chandeul, glanced at O Shin and scratched his cheek. He didn¡¯t know how much he had heard, but he really thought he had made a huge mistake. He had talked behind his back, after all. He worried O Shin might still be feeling offended, but to his surprise, he looked just fine. ¡°Um¡­¡± Any emotion that had been on O Shin¡¯s face disappeared the moment Myohan left. There was no trace of his anger. Chandeul was secretly relieved to see that. ¡°What you just said, is it true?¡± He didn¡¯t have to exactly say what he was asking about. O Shin understood it, and he knew why Chandeul was asking. He snorted and pulled back his hair, making drops of water fall from it. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know.¡± That was all. He started to walk away slowly, with the wet jacket in one hand. Chandeul stared at his back, but then he saw something fall from the jacket and took a step forward. It was a nametag. He picked it up, wondering why nametags were all suddenly trying to escape, and he saw the name O Shin. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off it for a long time. And, what he muttered after that was enough to make O Shin stop right on the spot. ¡°This isn¡¯t your name.¡± *** Everyone looked at Chandeul. He found all that attention a little too much, so he smiled sheepishly. His eyes usually looked like smiling, but they were even more curved than usual at the moment. With eyes full of curiosity, Sinsul went close to him and sniffed. Then he tilted his head. ¡°You don¡¯t smell like a pig.¡± ¡°¡­He¡¯s too thin, he can¡¯t be the pig.¡± ¡°Cheong, I told you it¡¯s your prejudice.¡± Chandeul was still smiling awkwardly. Jagyeom approached Myohan and whispered. ¡°How did you lure him in?¡± ¡°You lured the pig in? For what, for pork barbecue?¡± Sajun overheard them and joked. Of course, even Miho gave him a scolding gaze. Myohan scowled at Sajun, since even Miho was thinking he was way too crazy. ¡®Maybe he does know more than we thought.¡¯ That was what O Shin said on that day, after he changed into his gym suit. Myohan couldn¡¯t know what kind of conversation they had had while he was in class. In just a few days, Chandeul went to see Myohan and offered to show how he transformed into a pig. But O Shin wouldn¡¯t let him. ¡®Later.¡¯ He kept saying later and dragged Myohan away from him. Myohan asked why, but he wouldn¡¯t say. He just kept his mouth shut, with that mysterious smile on his face. He called Chandeul only when it was halfway through December. That was why they were all once again in Myohan¡¯s living room. ¡°What makes you become a pig?¡± Yuja, who had been quietly reading a book, put it down. At the same time, they all looked at Chandeul. ¡°Oh, you see¡­¡± ¡°When he starves.¡± Myohan, who was lying on the sofa, spoke. The cat was on his chest and it opened its eyes. ¡°When you¡¯re hungry, or starving, you change when you eat nothing for more than a certain time.¡± ¡°Wow, really? Is he right?¡± Sinsul looked at Chandeul with excitement. He looked surprised for a moment, but then he nodded. Myohan just turned to one side, as if he had known it all along. ¡°He¡¯s a really scary bastard.¡± Myo Cheong muttered to himself, shuddering. ¡°How did you know that?¡± ¡°I just did.¡± ¡°So clever, that¡¯s charming.¡± ¡°Oh, shit.¡± ¡°Cheong, please don¡¯t.¡± ¡°He likes being hated, doesn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°Huh, now even Miho thinks so.¡± There hadn¡¯t been a specific event that made Myohan realize. He simply realized it the moment the pig had food cravings. He bought snacks the second he was out of the cafeteria and was constantly eating something, but he didn¡¯t answer a thing when asked if he liked snacks. And he should have gained some weight after eating so much, but his weight was only average. ¡°More accurately, I change when I¡¯m hungry. That¡¯s why I always eat something so that I don¡¯t feel hungry, but I haven¡¯t had anything after lunch today.¡± That let Myohan know that he was eating as little as he could, just enough not to feel hunger. The cat, which had been licking itself under the sofa, looked at Chandeul with its yellow eyes. He looked back at it, but then he flinched and looked away. It gave him the creeps, although just for a second. Myohan spotted it and narrowed his eyes. Then he called Chandeul. ¡°Hey, piggy.¡± But Jagyeom replied to him instead. ¡°First chatterer, and now piggy?¡± ¡°Piggy¡¯s somewhat cute.¡± ¡°Stop it, Jino.¡± ¡°Then call me puppy!¡± ¡°Sinsul, sit.¡± The boys got noisy in a second, but Myohan simply ignored them and went down from the sofa. O Shin tidied his tangled back hair. ¡°Talk to me about that Grandmother Samsin thing.¡± ¡°Oh, about that¡­ You¡¯re sure you want to know?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, go on.¡± Myohan had decided not to care about it, but he couldn¡¯t help it. Chandeul had said he shouldn¡¯t have lived more than 11 years, and it kept bothering him. ¡°Grandmother Samsin?¡± Jino¡¯s eyes widened. Yuja, who finally closed his book and took off his glasses, explained as he massaged his eyes, ¡°You know, parents offer her some tteok made of red bean and sorghum, wishing for their little children¡¯s health.¡± ¡°Yeah, my mom made tteok for me!¡± ¡°My family did that, too. My mom commissioned it to a company that specializes in it.¡± ¡°¡­Crazy bourgeois.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a company for that?¡± Myohan saw Miho¡¯s face darken at the word ¡®mom¡¯, and he hit the table hard. ¡°There was a mosquito.¡± Of course, they were all confused; how could there be a mosquito in December? O Shin looked doubtful too, but he just ignored their gazes. Chapter 70 ¡°Well, it¡¯s all superstition¡­¡± ¡°But you said your grandmother was a mudang.¡± ¡°Apart from that, I don¡¯t really like that kind of shamanism.¡± Chandeul looked like he was sick of it, despite having claimed he had certain vibes. Sajun tried to explain it with logic. ¡°It¡¯s similar to how the son of a fried chicken place family wouldn¡¯t like fried chicken so much.¡± ¡°Grandmother Samsin is the deity who protects children. You know, kids don¡¯t get hurt easily even when they fall from high places, until they¡¯re 11. They say it¡¯s all thanks to Grandmother Samsin¡¯s protection. That¡¯s why they give offerings to her until the child turns 11.¡± ¡°11¡­¡± Myohan couldn¡¯t recall when he had heard about it. He frowned, but then Jagyeom gave answer to his question. He moaned deeply and said, ¡°¡­That¡¯s when I started changing into a rat.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Myohan could then remember what Jagyeom had said. He had started changing into a rat around his 11th birthday. ¡°Oh, right. I didn¡¯t transform even when I was a baby, even if I cried.¡± ¡°I was 11? 12? When I first became a snake. My family took a trip to Sapporo, Japan. It snowed back then.¡± ¡°I first transformed when I lied about not peeing on my blanket.¡± ¡°¡­Jino, you peed on your blanket when you were 11?¡± ¡°Cheong, I really couldn¡¯t help it.¡± They all started to talk about it. The cat got up, rubbed its face on Myohan¡¯s back, and left the living room. It went into one of the rooms. Myohan watched its tail as it went away, but then he realized something and looked at Yuja. ¡°You started as a chick?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Jino¡¯s eyes sparkled when he heard that. He must have been imagining a little chick with yellow fur, as he looked so happy. Of course, Myo Cheong slapped the back of his head and told him to snap out of it. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re not a child of Grandmother Samsin. I would have to know the date and time of your birth to find out more, but according to your fate, you should have died as a child.¡± Chandeul hesitated as he spoke, but he got to the end of it. Myohan turned to look at O Shin. He had been looking at the back of Myohan¡¯s head. He smiled, just like he always did when he met eyes with Myohan. ¡°Then what? Myohan¡¯s a ghost?¡± Yuja asked halfheartedly, and Chandeul quickly waved his hands, saying he couldn¡¯t be a ghost as he was alive. He moaned and frowned, and then he came up with a different kind of possibility. ¡°Maybe it wasn¡¯t Grandmother Samsin but another¡­¡± ¡°Another?¡± That was the end. Chandeul rubbed on his belly with a troubled look, and then his stomach growled so loudly that everyone could hear it. Next second, Chandeul disappeared. It was silent. In place of Chandeul there were his clothes and a little piggy. Now I wonder why he¡¯s so small. Myohan thought so. ¡°Another what? I¡¯m curious.¡± ¡°Let it go, pigs can¡¯t talk.¡± ¡°Aagh!¡± Sinsul pulled his hair, but there was no one to give him the answer. There was only a mini pig looking down in a pile of clothes. The winter became colder really fast. After roping Chandeul in, the finals were right in front of them. Again, they studied at Myohan¡¯g place. Myohan was able to get even better grades, thanks to Yuja¡¯s teaching, but he folded his test papers without taking a proper look at them. They were full of circles, after all. ¡®Even if I give you both the sun and the moon?¡¯ He recalled the voice he had heard in his dream the night before. The sun and the moon were up in the sky. How could anyone give them to someone? O Shin asked, turning to where Myohan was looking. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± He said so as he got up with his bag. There was nothing but clear sky where he had been gazing. O Shin got up with him. They could feel the cold the moment they stepped out of the building. They had said it would be a warm winter, but apparently, the weather forecast was wrong again. It was below zero, and their clothes weren¡¯t enough to keep them warm. Myohan looked up at the sky as his breath became a fog. ¡°Myohan, wait for me!¡± They were about to cross the school yard and leave, but then Jagyeom called out to them. He was with all the current familiar faces, including Chandeul. Myohan had hoped it would be a quiet day, but it looked like it wasn¡¯t going to be an exceptional day to his then crowded and noisy life. Myohan scowled, but he waited for them to get there. O Shin thought it was cute. The cat was too nice, after all. ¡°Shit, it¡¯s really cold today. Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Cheong, that¡¯s my scarf.¡± ¡°¡­You can¡¯t take your friend¡¯s scarf.¡± ¡°It¡¯s going to snow today, will you be okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, as long as it doesn¡¯t touch my bare skin.¡± Myo Cheong kept cussing, stomping and frowning. Around his neck was a grey scarf that probably belonged to Jino. Miho worriedly looked at Jino¡¯s bare neck, so Myohan patted him and told him not to worry. He coughed again. Chandeul, who was eating a candy, tilted his head. ¡°Are you sick?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just cold.¡± Myohan had thought Jagyeom was the most quick-witted of the boys, but Chandeul was even better. He could feel his face heating up, so he pulled up his scarf to his mouth. O Shin placed a hand on his forehead. ¡°No fever, that¡¯s good.¡± Myohan had been feeling worse and worse since the day Chandeul got scared by O Shin. It was probably because he got out in the rain. It wasn¡¯t as if a part of him was particularly wrong, but he knew he would get extremely sick if he wasn¡¯t careful. That was why O Shin was making sure he wore more than enough clothes when heading to school. He was also checking his temperature regularly. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of you if you get sick.¡± Again, Sajun did his usual gig to Myohan, but he didn¡¯t get the usual reaction. Myohan just blinked and smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± He wondered if someone had ever taken care of him. He was always trying so hard because there was no one to take care of him, but maybe getting sick wasn¡¯t that bad if he had someone. ¡°¡­I think he¡¯s really, really sick.¡± ¡°Hey, are you okay? You haven¡¯t gone mad, right?¡± Of course, what he got in return made him kick Sajun¡¯s thigh. ¡°Will you take care of me if I get sick?¡± Myohan asked O Shin on their way home. Despite the weather, he was wearing only a thin coat over his school uniform. His dark eyes looked at Myohan. His clear, beady eyes had hopes. ¡°I will get sick and suffer instead of you.¡± ¡°Stop it! Are you filming a melodrama or something? Seriously, what is wrong with you?¡± Myo Cheong angrily complained from behind. As the others couldn¡¯t hear the conversation, they just asked themselves what he was talking about. Myohan could see O Shin scowl, so he had to swallow a laugh. Snow started to fall when they arrived at Myohan¡¯s home. Snowflakes fell one by one, but they didn¡¯t get thicker. They just fluttered in the wind like cherry blossom flowers. ¡°Let¡¯s have fried chicken delivered!¡± ¡°Do as you want.¡± Myohan¡¯s apartment had become a sort of base for them. They settled down in their favorite spots. Myohan went into his room to get changed. His cat tried to follow him, but he handed it to the shiny-eyed Jino. The monkey and the dragon. Only two more to go, but he had so little time. The semester would be over in a week, and the year would end in ten days. He undid his necktie and frowned. There was an even bigger problem; that strange dream he kept having. ¡®I am¡­¡¯ The man sounded lonely as he talked to Myohan. He gently stroked his hair and said sadly. ¡®Extremely lonely.¡¯ When he woke up in the morning after having that dream, his cat and O Shin were always looking at him, O Shin looking quite annoyed. When he went to the living room, trying to look fine, what he saw first was Myo Cheong and Sinsul kneeling down. He got close to see what it was about. Yuja was holding their test papers. His sharp eyes behind the glasses started to through those papers that had both circles and X¡¯s. Myohan concluded the scene as ¡®elementary school kids showing their report cards to their parents.¡¯ Chapter 71 ¡°¡­Good, you¡¯ve done well.¡± ¡°I know! I¡¯ve never gotten such great grades before!¡± ¡°Oh, I was afraid you might not like them.¡± Yuja¡¯s lips curled up in contentment only after some time. He was complimenting, but for some reason, Chookjae, who was watching the test papers over his shoulder, shut his mouth and went away quietly. ¡°But¡­¡± Yuja was still smiling. Myohan got to his back and took a glance at the test papers. He sighed. What Yuja was looking at was question No.1, which was always the easiest question, but Sinsul had failed to get it right. ¡°Why is there an X here?¡± ¡°Oh, I made a mistake¡­¡± ¡°A mistake?¡± Chookjae pulled Myohan¡¯s arm. It clearly meant he¡¯d better back off before he was caught in the rage, so he didn¡¯t resist. O Shin grinned while on the sofa. ¡°Making a mistake is even worse than not knowing, you idiot!¡± ¡°Jagyeom, look, I also got better grades than last time.¡± ¡°Really? Let me see. Oh, yes, you¡¯ve done great.¡± ¡°Yuja, Yuja, forgive me!¡± ¡°Hey, hey, shit, stop!¡± ¡°Cheong, please don¡¯t hide behind me.¡± ¡°How about you, pig friend? How are your grades?¡± ¡°¡­You know what they say, kids born in the pig year will always manage to make a living no matter what.¡± Myohan sat down on the sofa, crossed his legs, and rested his head on O Shin¡¯s shoulder. Chookjae was sitting on the floor and leaning against the sofa, watching the chaos unfold. He knew trying to stop them wouldn¡¯t work, the best thing he could do was to wait for Yuja¡¯s rage to fade. Yuja kept scolding Sinsul and Myo Cheong. He said they couldn¡¯t make such mistakes at the University Entrance Exam and getting one question wrong could make a huge difference. The two didn¡¯t dare to argue with him and just cowered in fear. Myohan shook his head to see them turn pale and grey. He thought Yuja would feel quite thirsty after yelling like that. Chookjae must have thought the same thing, as he got up to bring some water. Myohan advised him, ¡°There¡¯s a huge water jug in the cupboard.¡± Yuja was going to need at least a bucket of water. He tilted his head, his legs still crossed. He had been having dreams every night, probably because his weak fever had been going on for a few days. His dreams were mostly similar to one another. He saw that man, talked to that man, or heard that man¡¯s voice. ¡°You seem to be having a lot of thoughts.¡± A gentle hand caressed his cheek. The large hand went to his forehead to check if he had a fever. Myohan frowned and nodded. The cat freed itself from Jino and quickly found its way to his lap. ¡°Do you really think I would be able to find them all?¡± When he glanced at Myo Cheong, he was still busy being scolded by Yuja. He didn¡¯t seem to hear their conversation as all he could hear was Yuja¡¯s nagging. O Shin looked at the cat, and then at Myohan, and he smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The cat glared at him as it rubbed its face on Myohan¡¯s belly. Myohan picked it up and looked into its eyes. Its yellow eyes blinked slowly. ¡°The moon and the sun¡­¡± He muttered what he had heard in his dream. O Shin¡¯s smile faded. ¡°Let me tell you something.¡± The cat¡¯s long tail moved gently in the air. Myohan tickled its chin, making it purr softly. O Shin was still serious. ¡°Time isn¡¯t the only thing god presented.¡± ¡°Meow¡ª.¡± ¡°In that perspective, the cat got lucky.¡± The cat¡¯s eyes flashed fiercely for a second. Myohan stroked its back to soothe it. It calmed down in no time and yawned lazily in his arms. Myohan laughed and kissed its head. Then he replied to O Shin. ¡°You¡¯re pretending to be unconcerned¡­¡± He asked if he thought he would be able to find them all, but he received a different answer in return. No doubt it had to be helpful, but that couldn¡¯t be O Shin¡¯s real answer. Myohan narrowed his eyes and smiled. O Shin couldn¡¯t say yes to his question, and it meant he was nervous, too. That was why he asked again, his eyes on the cat and his question to O Shin. ¡°We¡¯ll be able to get the monkey, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The cat¡¯s tail stood up angrily, but it didn¡¯t try to free itself from Myohan¡¯s hands. It seemed to like the gentle stroking. From head to neck, to its back, and then to its tail. It purred each time his thin fingers touched it. After stroking it for a long time, Yuja finally raised his glasses and said. ¡°¡­Never make such stupid mistake again, okay?¡± Myohan put down the cat and stretched his back. ¡°You¡¯re done nagging at them?¡± ¡°Shit, I got to think I will never make a mistake again.¡± ¡°I got to think Yuja would never give up on me.¡± ¡°Just drink some water.¡± ¡°Just drink water.¡± You fools. He wanted to add that, but he didn¡¯t. ¡°Did Chookjae go to a well to get water or something?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m here.¡± Chookjae came with two jugs full of water. Myohan looked back, at the same time. ¡°Yay! I want water too!¡± Sinsul jumped to his feet and took a huge step forward, and O Shin stretched out a leg, his face still expressionless. ¡°Ugh!¡± Sinsul stumbled upon his leg and swayed. Myohan quickly turned, but it only led to even worse consequences. Sinsul fell on Chookjae, then the water jugs left his hands and fell to the floor. The problem was that their lids weren¡¯t completely sealed, and Jagyeom was sitting where the water was spilled. ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± O Shin apologized. He had clearly done it on purpose, but he didn¡¯t seem to feel bad about it at all. Jagyeom was of course soaked, so Myohan frowned and put a hand on his forehead. He immediately thought of the worst scenario. Water splashing on Jagyeom, him turning into a rat, and everything he had hidden from Chookjae about the twelve zodiac animals being revealed. He had seen Sinsul become a dog, but that was different. Jagyeom was about to show Chookjae his rat form against his will, and that was not good. ¡°Shit.¡± Myo Cheong cursed. Jagyeom must have transformed. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Myohan had no choice but to speak after Chookjae apologized with confusion in his voice. He turned to take care of Jagyeom. ¡°Chookjae, I can explain¡­¡± But he couldn¡¯t finish the sentence, as what he saw was a wet ¡®person¡¯. His hair was dirty brown, just like rat fur, but it wasn¡¯t rat fur. His eyes were wide with shock, but they weren¡¯t rat eyes. The water jugs on the floor and the water still spreading on the floor, they were all real, but so was Jagyeom looking at his fingers. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Sajun made a dumb sound. He smiled awkwardly. He looked at the clock, and then at Myohan. Jagyeom was also too shocked to say anything. He blinked as water got into his eyes. Then he jumped to his feet. ¡°Shit.¡± He cursed, which he almost never did. Chookjae flinched and looked down sadly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°No, no. That¡¯s not it.¡± He was soaking wet, but he hadn¡¯t transformed. Still, they couldn¡¯t say that to Chookjae. He knew nothing. Sinsul, who had caused all that, gaped and pointed at Jagyeom. ¡°But you become a rat when you¡­¡± Thwack! Yuja threw one of the plastic jugs at him. It hit him right on his head and he whimpered, unable to say more. Yuja looked around and concluded the situation. ¡°First, clean up this mess.¡± They took care of it right away. Sinsul¡¯s order of fried chicken arrived, and they rapidly cleaned up the mess like a group of trained rangers. Myohan only had to give some fresh clothes and a towel to a wet Jagyeom. ¡°What happened?¡± The living room was quiet after they all went back. It felt so vacant after the twelve of them became the two of them. ¡°You tripped him on purpose, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°No, I just have long legs.¡± O Shin shrugged to show his innocence, but Myohan had seen him stretch out a leg the moment Sinsul got up. Maybe he was taking it a bit too far, but he was sure he had even foreseen Myohan would twist, making Jagyeom get the water instead. Myohan watched in silence as his cat waved its tail. But then he abruptly jumped to his feet. ¡®Even if I give you both the moon and the sun?¡¯ He heard that voice again. Chapter 72 ¡°What are you doing?¡± Myohan went through the calendar in a frenzy. December, November, October, September. And then to March. He laughed. ¡°The day Chandeul became a pig.¡± His finger pointed at a smaller number written right next to Dec. 16th; Nov. 3rd. ¡°The day Jino transformed.¡± Apr. 31st written next to Jun. 22nd. ¡°When we were on the school trip.¡± September 16th to the 18th. And on the next square, what was written next to Sep. 19th was Aug. 1st. ¡®This is the last day of July, something unexpected might happen.¡¯ Myohan had dismissed it as nonsense as it had been October, but just then¡­ He asked to be sure. ¡°What month is this?¡± December. That was what most people would answer when asked that question. But O Shin didn¡¯t. He grinned, glanced at the cat, and said, ¡°It¡¯s November.¡± All the pieces fell into place. What O Shin had said about him being the lucky cat, and about time wasn¡¯t the only thing the god had given out as a gift. Time wasn¡¯t the only thing the twelve zodiac animals had. The sun and the moon. It must have been what Jagyeom tried to say when they were talking about Ja Time. And right then, it was the 11th month of the Lunar Calendar year. ¡°¡­The Month of the Rat.¡± It was the Ja Month, in which Jagyeom didn¡¯t become a rat. ¡°Ha¡­¡± It all had been a coincidence. It wasn¡¯t the 5th month when he caught Jino, and he had been able to catch Yuja only a day before the Month of the Rooster started. And the Month of the Snake had been so near when he got Sajun. He fell on the sofa. O Shin went to him. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve realized something, so let me make you a proposal.¡± ¡°What?¡± He caressed Myohan¡¯s cheek, his hand so careful as if it were touching something delicate. It went up to his neck, and then to his ear. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you who the monkey is.¡± Myohan¡¯s eyes widened. The cat rubbed on its face with a paw. O Shin continued with a faint smile. ¡°So find me the dragon while I¡¯m gone.¡± *** The snow wouldn¡¯t stop, even after it filled the entire school yard. Sajun was absent due to sickness, but his friends all knew he wasn¡¯t sick at all. ¡°Let¡¯s go to Sajun¡¯s today!¡± ¡°Sinsul, have you finished making your wrong answer notes?¡± ¡°Hey, we don¡¯t know what Myohan will have to suffer if we take him to that pervert¡¯s place.¡± ¡°We should be worrying about Sajun being killed by Myohan after he does his thing.¡± ¡°I¡¯m with Jagyeom on that.¡± ¡°But Cheong, isn¡¯t he sick?¡± ¡°¡­You really bought that?¡± Myohan was again wearing layers of clothes. He pulled his scarf to right under his eyes. He placed a hand on his forehead, but his glove was too thick and he couldn¡¯t feel his temperature. He looked down at his hands and feet, and then he told his friends. ¡°I think I¡¯ll pass.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Sinsul asked with a sad face. Myohan frowned and pointed at two boys far away. ¡°I have something to do.¡± O Shin was gone when he woke up in the morning. He didn¡¯t show up while he got ready and went to school, and he wasn¡¯t at school either. He was nowhere to be seen after school was over. The wind was too cold and Myohan crouched down as he walked. The snow on the ground was going to freeze and turn slippery in a few days, which he didn¡¯t like as he hated falling. The two boys he had pointed at were Sadeol and Seonhan. They were having a snowball fight, and they were both happy to see Myohan. ¡°Hi, Myohan!¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?!¡± They probably couldn¡¯t feel the cold as their hands were bare and red. As Myohan was extremely weak to cold, he couldn¡¯t even imagine doing that. ¡°We should have a talk.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m always willing to have a talk with my friends!¡± ¡°No.¡± Sadeol got up, but Myohan took a hand out of his pocket and pointed at Seonhan. He pointed at himself with wide eyes. ¡°Me?¡± School was already over, and they weren¡¯t close enough to go to a caf¨¦ together. Myohan had no choice but to take him to the bridge behind school, where he had found his cat. It was a good place with no one to hear them. Of course, it was quite cold there. ¡°Why do you want to talk to me?¡± ¡°Nothing much.¡± Myohan wasn¡¯t feeling that good. He kept shuddering and he got to think he¡¯d better go to a warm place and get some rest. He covered his ears with both hands and frowned. His ears felt like they were about to fall out from the cold. ¡°You know, don¡¯t you? About what I am.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Seonhan looked at him with a smile. Myohan still had a bad feeling about being with him, but he tried to ignore it and sound confident. ¡°Don¡¯t play fool with me. I know that you know.¡± ¡®Well, isn¡¯t that a nice offer?¡¯ O Shin had asked about it the night before. He would tell him who the monkey was if he agreed to find the dragon while he was gone. Although he didn¡¯t say more; Myohan knew he would disappear again after giving him the information, only to come back a few days later and say he had been sick. Still, he looked fine as he made the offer. ¡®You have nothing to lose.¡¯ ¡°Heh, what makes you think so?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been interested in me ever since you saw me.¡± Myohan wanted to laugh, but he managed not to. Between O Shin¡¯s serious eyes and the cat watching them and waving its tail, he had to make a choice. ¡°There can be only one reason for that.¡± Seonhan smiled. Myohan didn¡¯t like that smile. He pulled down his scarf a little and breathed. Frosty breath came out from his mouth. ¡°Wow, Myohan, you¡¯re really smart.¡± I knew it. Myohan swallowed a sigh and looked away. ¡®No, I don¡¯t like that offer.¡¯ O Shin looked surprised for a second to hear that. The cat lost all interest in their conversation and walked away. Myohan gently grabbed his hand, grinned, and kissed him. ¡®It¡¯s a genuine offer, but I don¡¯t like it.¡¯ O Shin¡¯s black eyes were full of questions. Why? Why? Still grinning, Myohan whispered to him. ¡®I¡¯m sure I can get both of you.¡¯ ¡°How did you know? That I know what you are?¡± ¡°I just did.¡± At first, it was just a feeling of unrest. Interest and curiosity toward him, with shining but somehow ominous eyes. When had he felt that before? On whom had he felt it before? ¡°With my gut.¡± He had felt that instinctive unpleasant feeling before; in April full of cherry blossom flowers, while he was cleaning the library. Snake-like beady eyes that looked at Myohan from across the window. What Myohan felt as he looked at Seonhan was similar to what he felt when Sajun tried to flirt with him. ¡°You should give part of that gut feeling to Sadeol. He thinks you¡¯re a panther!¡± Myohan really didn¡¯t want to acknowledge that feeling. That was why he put it deep under his mind and didn¡¯t take it out. At the time, he was really being stressed by Sajun, and he was sure Seonhan¡¯s curiosity was as big as Sajun¡¯s, if not bigger. Even then, as he was approaching Myohan, his eyes were shining way too much. ¡®What? Panther?¡¯ Myohan scowled as he thought of the too-naive Sadeol. He told him he wasn¡¯t a tiger, and he ended up thinking he was a panther? Idiot. Myohan asked with a frown, ¡°Does he know what you are?¡± ¡°Huh? No, he¡¯s an idiot, he doesn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Myohan smiled. Seonhan gaped to see that pretty smile, but then Myohan took a step forward and grabbed his arm. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know what you are?¡± He asked again, his smile still on his face. Seonhan couldn¡¯t take his eyes off that smile, on the face blushing in the cold. Myohan¡¯s twinkling eyes dazed him. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m telling you. But Myohan, you¡¯re really¡­¡± ¡°What are you?¡± What? Seonhan stopped and frowned. Myohan liked that his grin disappeared. He narrowed his eyes. ¡°What are you?¡± He was angry, although only a little. O Shin had said he believed that he would never forget such sadness, but he was eventually feeling nervous. He said cats actually got lonely often, but that didn¡¯t stop him from saying he would leave Myohan again. ¡°Answer me. What are you?¡± That was why he had said no. He didn¡¯t want to know what would happen if he failed to find all the twelve in time, because it wouldn¡¯t matter if he succeeded. He was sure he could succeed. Chapter 73 ¡°You¡¯re really smart, Myohan.¡± But then, O Shin was gone again. ¡°You already know, but you¡¯re still asking, right? Wow, you are no ordinary person.¡± Without a trace, as if he had never come. ¡°And your appearance, you must be¡­¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Myohan didn¡¯t want to feel like that. He didn¡¯t want the feelings he had gotten so used to abandon him like that. He was shuddering in the cold. His eyesight became fuzzy. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling that well right now.¡± His head started to ache. Pieces of memories that had been coming out through that small crack suddenly flooded out. O Shin¡¯s voice. Someone else¡¯s voice he didn¡¯t recognize. Faces he knew and faces he didn¡¯t know, and among them, was himself, in the form of a cat. ¡®And you, who have committed the worst crime¡­¡¯ He could then hear the voice clearly through the rain. He remembered the people cowering in fear in front of the man. He held Myohan close to himself so he wouldn¡¯t get wet, and O Shin couldn¡¯t stop him. ¡®Your punishment will be¡­¡¯ Myohan¡¯s eyes flashed. His instincts took over. He pulled the confused Seonhan, held him in his arms so that he wouldn¡¯t be able to run away, and then he threw him off the bridge, just like he had done when he saved his cat. ¡°Aaah!¡± Seonhan screamed. Oh, it¡¯s going to be quite cold this time, he thought so as they fell. Seonhan became lighter in his arms, and he raised him high so that he wouldn¡¯t get wet. The thin layer of ice on the river cracked immediately under his weight. He fell with a splash and stood up, breathing heavily. Seonhan¡¯s clothes fell a second later. ¡°¡­See?¡± He could feel his body temperature rising. He had not felt well before he dived into icy river, so of course it got even worse. He smiled, feeling feverish. ¡°I told you I would get them all.¡± The world went dark. The last thing he saw before he fainted was a monkey, clutching his arm and shuddering. *** The boy ran as fast as he could. He ran and ran, until he tripped over a vine. He ran as if there was someone chasing him. Then he stopped in front of a wide lake. It reflected the blue sky and was even bluer. It shimmered beautifully. The boy forgot he had been running and approached the lake. He felt thirsty the moment he saw it. It¡¯s a clear lake, it would be okay for me to drink it. He thought so and was about to dip his hands into it. ¡°Do you know what kind of place this lake is?¡± When he looked up, he saw a man with long hair. His hair was white and his clothes fluttered in the wind, but none of it felt real. ¡°Judging from your confused look, I guess you don¡¯t know.¡± The man approached the boy. He walked slowly around the lake, but then he turned and headed to the water. ¡°You, child,¡± He walked easily on water. Little drops of water splashed with his every step. ¡°Are destined to die young.¡± The man was then in front of the boy. He leaned down to look into his eyes. The boy¡¯s eyes sparkled in the sunlight. The man slowly stretched out a hand to those clear, transparent eyes. The boy flinched, and he soothed him. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to hurt you.¡± He placed a hand on the boy¡¯s forehead for a long time. There was a thin veil in front of his face, so that boy couldn¡¯t tell if his eyes were open and what kind of expression was on that face. Then, the man picked him up. The small body flinched in surprise due to being held up in the air. The man asked. ¡°Do you want to live?¡± The boy realized why he had been running only then. He also realized what had been chasing him so fearsomely. His small hand grabbed the man¡¯s arm. He smiled pleasantly to feel that little warmth. The boy asked. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Can you do that?¡± ¡°Huh¡­¡± The man laughed and put the boy down. He looked up at him with doubt. He showed his right hand and explained. ¡°I am the god of five things.¡± ¡°¡­God?¡± ¡°Yes, god.¡± He sounded so confident that the boy couldn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Existence, death, life, time,¡± He folded his fingers one by one. As he said ¡®time¡¯, he waved his other hand, making the trees dancing in the wind stop at once. He liked the awed look on the boy¡¯s face. He nodded and waved his hand again, letting the wind go its way. ¡°And memory.¡± His finger touched the boy¡¯s forehead. At the same time, a memory he had never had before flowed in. It was the image of a huge and vicious-looking beast. The man laughed after seeing the boy¡¯s eyes widen. ¡°Isn¡¯t he grand? He¡¯s an old friend of mine.¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± ¡°Well, anyway.¡± The boy looked up at the man, not sure what to think of it. He put a hand on his soft cheek and said in a low voice. ¡°I asked you if you want to live.¡± He could feel his heart beat fast. The white hair tickled his cheek and went away. ¡°If you say you do, I will let you live.¡± The boy blinked. His heart started to beat even faster. His voice was so tempting. And the offer itself was tempting, the boy couldn¡¯t refuse it. He gulped hard and asked again. ¡°¡­Why?¡± ¡°Because,¡± The man who introduced himself as a god spoke with a solitary tone, stroking the doubtful boy¡¯s hair. ¡°I am extremely lonely.¡± The boy bit his lips, hesitating. He couldn¡¯t make up his mind immediately. The man didn¡¯t press him. He waited. ¡°¡­Okay.¡± In the end, what came out of the boy¡¯s mouth was an acknowledgement. He wanted to live. That was the simplest wish he had been hoping for so earnestly. He eagerly held the man¡¯s sleeve and took a step forward. ¡°I want to live.¡± His eyes were still sparkling in the sunlight. The man liked his light brown eyes and soft hair a lot. So he opened his arms, and soon the boy was in his embrace. ¡°Okay.¡± It was the first time the boy felt any warmth. The man was warm and kind to him. He slowly patted his back. ¡°It¡¯s okay now.¡± He lifted the boy with one arm without a problem. He hugged his delicate body and placed a hand on his forehead. ¡°I will protect you.¡± The boy didn¡¯t have many years left. How such a beautiful boy had ended up with such a wretched fate, he couldn¡¯t know, but freeing him from that destiny was so easy to him. The man smiled and thought, yes, a cat would fit you well. ¡°Until you turn 11.¡± The boy became a cat in a snap. A small, furry cat. ¡°When you¡¯re free from your human fate, I will return your original form.¡± Wind blew. The strong wind removed the veil and showed the man¡¯s face. He was beautiful. Yellow eyes shined under his eyelashes. ¡°You have such¡­¡± Wind kept blowing. His white hair flew in the wind, and that image was engraved in the boy¡¯s mind. His sun-like eyes, his beautiful face, and his calm voice that came out of his red lips. The god who was about to grant him a new life smiled brightly. ¡°Mysterious eyes.¡± It was the moment the boy got his name, O Myohan. *** ¡°Is this really¡­.?¡± ¡°How can this be¡­?¡± ¡°¡­ shit.¡± He heard murmurs. He turned with irritation. Someone stroked his body to soothe him. Someone else got a slap in the back. Myohan opened his eyes only because he heard a familiar voice close by. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare wake him up.¡± The calm voice warned, and all became silent immediately. Of course, Myohan was already awake. He saw a familiar ceiling when he opened his eyes, but it felt strangely high. He blinked, but then he heard Jino moan. ¡°Is he awake?¡± Myohan looked around, not sure what was going on. He looked at the ceiling, looked at the boys looking down at him, and then turned to O Shin. When he looked down at himself, hoping it wasn¡¯t what he was thinking, he could see what he had dreaded was happening. ¡°Meow¡ª.¡± His cat approached and rubbed against him. Jino ended up falling back at the cute scene. The cat was even bigger than Myohan. Shit, he thought so as he got up. O Shin looked just fine, despite him having been gone all along. He looked somewhat mad as he picked up Myohan. *Omyohan is a Korean word for mysterious. Chapter 74 ¡°You¡¯re asking what this is about.¡± He had been gone. Myohan had been looking for him everywhere, but he didn¡¯t leave a single trace. And now, here he was, asking as if everything was fine. He picked up cat Myohan and met his gaze. His twitching lips indicated he was mad, but his eyes couldn¡¯t have been gentler. ¡°I saw a crazy cat jump into an icy river in this cold weather, so I just brought him in.¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong. It had been an act of madness; he could have died, him and monkey Seonhan. ¡°Reckless cat.¡± Despite all of that, Myohan was mad. If he hadn¡¯t been in his cat form, he would have cursed. He would have cursed wonderfully. I said no, I refused your offer, and you had no reason to disappear. He wanted to say so many things. He had to say so many things. But what O Shin whispered to him shortly after was enough to melt all of his anger. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± His hand caressed Myohan, soothing him and making him think, whatever. He had returned, and he was looking at Myohan at the moment. Myohan just rubbed his face on his hand as it stroked him. O Shin let out a deep sigh. But then, someone called Myohan¡¯s name. ¡°Myohan.¡± Oh, no. He looked around. He saw one, two, three, four¡­ eight familiar faces. Seonhan was among them. Myohan wished he could sigh as Seonhan called him again gravely. It was then time for him to deal with the consequences. Yell at me, curse me, do whatever you want to do, he thought and braced himself, but then Seonhan¡¯s eyes sparkled and he said, ¡°I¡¯ve fallen for you!¡± ¡°Shit.¡± Myo Cheong spoke for Myohan. At the same time, O Shin scowled. But Seonhan wasn¡¯t done yet. ¡°Your power! Your determination! Your passion!¡± ¡°He¡¯s just like Sajun. Throw him out.¡± ¡°Cheong, you can¡¯t throw out a person.¡± ¡°Seonhan! Myohan¡¯s going to play soccer with me!¡± ¡°No, he¡¯s not.¡± Myohan had forgotten the murmurs he¡¯d heard first. Jino took a deep breath to see his small cat ears perk up. He was a yellowish-brown cat, but his paws and belly were white. He looked so cute that even Myo Cheong was awestruck. ¡°So Myohan becomes a cat when he catches a cold?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know he was a cat¡­¡± ¡°Well, the cat isn¡¯t one of the twelve zodiac animals.¡± Since he had turned into a cat, their chatting was too loud for him. He tried covering his ears with his front paws, but then he changed his mind and gave O Shin a pleading gaze. He had been looking to see if he¡¯d been wounded. He said, ¡°He says you¡¯re too loud.¡± ¡°¡­Says who?¡± ¡°Myohan.¡± A bunch of confused gazes looked at Myohan. He waved his tail contentedly. I wish he would tell them what makes me change. The moment he thought so, O Shin added, as if he could read his mind, ¡°Myohan becomes a cat when he gets a fever.¡± ¡°¡­He must have gotten a fever when we were freshmen.¡± O Shin knew why Myohan was so afraid of the cold and wouldn¡¯t stand in the sunlight in summer. Myohan snorted to hear what Sinsul muttered to himself. Then, he stretched out his legs and closed his eyes. ¡°¡­Then, how does he go to the hospital when he gets sick?¡± ¡°He can¡¯t go.¡± O Shin sounded firm. The boys couldn¡¯t say anything else. Cat Myohan was so small that O Shin could put him in his hands. He must have felt so lonely, in that wide apartment. Only then did they realize why he smiled when they offered to take care of him if he got sick. ¡°Get some more sleep.¡± O Shin whispered and Myohan closed his eyes. He had been feeling drowsy. Little cats should get lots of sleep. With that remark, he fell into a deep sleep again. As soon as they saw he was sleeping, they lowered their voices, determined not to wake up the little kitten ever again. Yuja was the first to speak. ¡°No wonder Sinsul and Seonhan are always fighting, the dog and the monkey are known enemies.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know there were so many of us.¡± Seonhan smiled. He had known Myohan was a feline as he had known Sadeol for a long time. Plus, Myohan did resemble a cat. But Seonhan was unaware that he knew he was the monkey. He had been so surprised when he grabbed him and jumped off that bridge. ¡°So, what makes you become a monkey?¡± ¡°Hmm, you¡¯re the rat, right?¡± ¡°No, Jagyeom¡¯s the rat. I¡¯m the dog, Jino¡¯s the horse, Yuja¡¯s the rooster, and they are the sheep, pig, and rabbit!¡± ¡°Shit, what kind of animal farm is this?¡± Myohan had jumped off the bridge as if he didn¡¯t care about Seonhan¡¯s safety at all, but then he raised him high so that he wouldn¡¯t get wet. He clung to his arm and shuddered, but when Myohan grinned then fainted, he thought that would be his end. He couldn¡¯t swim in his monkey form, and there was no one around. ¡°I change when I fall from high places.¡± So he closed his eyes and waited for the cold water to engulf him. He also worried about Myohan too, but he didn¡¯t fall in the water. He just opened his eyes in surprise, as someone grabbed him by his neck and pulled him up. ¡°¡­What were you thinking?¡± O Shin threw the monkey on the ground and held up Myohan. His clothes were then soaked, but he didn¡¯t seem to find him that heavy. He took him out of the river and hugged him. At that moment, Myohan¡¯s clothes fell, leaving only a small kitten in his hands. ¡°What kind of animal are you?¡± Seonhan asked, recalling how cold and angry he had looked. O Shin slowly took his eyes off Myohan. Before Chandeul could stop Seonhan, he said, ¡°I¡¯m a human.¡± He stroked Myohan and looked down at the cat at his feet. It looked just like Myohan, except for its yellow eyes. It gave him a fierce gaze then it climbed up the sofa to lick Myohan¡¯s face. O Shin looked down and muttered under his breath. ¡°I¡¯m a human.¡± The yellow eyes looked at O Shin, but the cat said nothing, of course. *** After that day, the boy stayed with the god as a cat. He was called Myohan, and all he had to do was to take naps and enjoy the sunlight. One day, someone went to see the god and demanded to take Myohan, but he just smiled and said, ¡°He¡¯s mine now.¡± Anyway, he managed to go through ten years like that, and the god returned him to his human form as promised. Standing on two legs for the first time in years, he stretched his back like a cat. The god revealed his face when he was with the boy. He looked at him with warm eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking¡­¡± ¡°About what?¡± His hand was as warm as his eyes while he caressed Myohan. Myohan looked up at him with his still sparkling eyes and said with a grin, ¡°You are the god(shin) of five(o) things. So, I think I should call you O Shin.¡± The god smiled warmly. It was a beautiful smile that would have awed anyone. He held up Myohan again. The boy had grown up in the meantime, but that wasn¡¯t a problem for him. ¡°O Shin¡­¡± He said it softly, like a confession of love. He looked into Myohan¡¯s eyes and muttered, ¡°It sounds like a human¡¯s name.¡± For a second, Myohan was nervous. Maybe he was about to get scolded for giving a human name to the noble god. He was worried. But the god just put his forehead on the boy¡¯s forehead and smiled. ¡°I like it, a lot.¡± O Shin was generous with everything Myohan did. He looked at the boy with gentle eyes, and always replied when he called him O Shin. He stayed at his side at night so that he wouldn¡¯t have nightmares. When he got sick even a little, he held him in his arms and wouldn¡¯t let him go, more so as he turned into a cat every time he got sick, probably as an aftereffect of being a cat for ten years. Chapter 75 Myohan was once again wandering the forest in his cat form since he still had a fever. The god, O Shin, seemed to be quite busy. He kept yelling at his eleven subjects. Myohan knew he would leave his work and come if he found out he was sick, so he had to hide his illness and wander around. It was only possible because he immediately got to feel well when he transformed into a cat. He didn¡¯t think he was lost. He found out the entire area belonged to O Shin, and only other powerful gods and mortals owned by him could enter. That was why he was startled the moment he got out of a bush. ¡°Huh?¡± Myohan had never seen him before. The man had black hair and black eyes. He was watching leaves floating down a river. Then, he saw Myohan and frowned. ¡°It¡¯s a cat.¡± Myohan was afraid, although he couldn¡¯t know why. He couldn¡¯t run, however. He was overwhelmed by the darkness in those black eyes. He froze there, and the man approached him. ¡°¡­What the¡­¡± He was quite good-looking. He had pale-white skin, a sharp nose, and cold, hard lips. He couldn¡¯t be compared to O Shin, of course, but still, he was handsome. Still frowning, he crouched down. ¡°You¡¯re a person.¡± Myohan flinched again. The man smiled at him and picked him up. ¡°Are you lost?¡± There was a small kitten reflected in those eyes. Instead of saying something, Myohan just shook his head. But the man didn¡¯t put him down. ¡°Then, are you running away from the god?¡± ¡°Meow¡ª.¡± The thing he couldn¡¯t get used to the most was the meowing sound that came out of his mouth whenever he tried to say something. He wanted to explain, but he could do nothing more than meow. The man smiled when he saw Myohan wave his tail. And then he laughed confidently; with dignity, like O Shin did. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to him.¡± Myohan relaxed in his hands. He had no reason not to go back, and it was even better if he didn¡¯t have to walk all the way there. The man started to walk, with the kitten in one hand. But he only took one step. ¡°I¡¯ve brought your cat.¡± O Shin looked down with a frown. His face was angry, but it disappeared the moment he saw Myohan. ¡°Why¡­¡± He looked at the man, then at Myohan, and then waved a hand to his subject to dismiss them. ¡°You must be sick.¡± Myohan could lie down comfortably only when he was in O Shin¡¯s hands. He rubbed his face on him to show affection. He asked sadly, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you come to me?¡± Myohan blinked. The god¡¯s eyes were full of love as he looked down at him. He almost looked as if he were crying. Then he stroked his body and rubbed a finger across his cheek. Myohan just closed his eyes, not refusing the loving hand. He wrapped him in the lower ends of his clothes. ¡°Thank you for bringing him to me.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± The man examined them. He looked like he found watching O Shin¡¯s change of expression amusing. He rubbed his chin and grinned. ¡°Bringing a lost good to its owner isn¡¯t that hard.¡± Myohan began to wonder about the man only then. He had entered the forest where almost no one could walk into, just to watch a river. He could move to a distant place in a second. He wasn¡¯t afraid of O Shin. Was he a god, too? Myohan looked at O Shin. He noticed his questioning gaze and smiled. ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°A subject.¡± O Shin stopped. His yellow eyes looked at the man, but the man just shrugged and pointed at himself. ¡°I¡¯m a subject too.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± This time, O Shin was the one to smile mysteriously. He narrowed his eyes, with Myohan still in his arms then he smiled brightly and nodded. His eyes sparkled with amusement. ¡°Yes, you are my subject.¡± Anyone could have seen the two were lying, and Myohan was especially clever. He yawned and closed his eyes, cataloging the man as someone he didn¡¯t have to know. ¡°Well, as we¡¯re all here.¡± O Shin¡¯s lips touched Myohan¡¯s forehead, making him become a boy again. The god waved a hand and Myohan found himself dressed in fresh clothes. ¡°I¡¯ll distribute time to you.¡± The eleven subjects came again. Myohan recalled how O Shin had made all the trees stop at once while dancing in the wind, so many years ago. ¡°I will give each of you two out of 24 hours.¡± The yellow eyes looked at the men on their knees then he stopped while looking at them. ¡°But there are 13 of you¡­¡± The man looked bored as if he wasn¡¯t interested at all. He just watched O Shin do his thing with his arms crossed. Myohan thought he should at least try to look like a subject. ¡°I don¡¯t need time,¡± Myohan said. The man¡¯s eyes sparkled as he looked at him. Myohan yawned and stretched his back. His body felt sore after recovering from sickness. ¡°I¡¯m not your subject, after all.¡± ¡°Even if I give you both the sun and the moon?¡± He didn¡¯t hesitate to nod. He wasn¡¯t interested in getting time. He was grateful that he was alive and didn¡¯t want a bothersome job. Plus, he wasn¡¯t the god¡¯s subject. ¡°Then¡­¡± O Shin smiled as if he had known the boy would say that. He looked at him with affection. ¡°To you, I will give the power to control all of my subjects.¡± ¡°Including me?¡± The man asked, clearly not liking it. The god smiled playfully; he lifted Myohan¡¯s chin, kissed his cheek, and looked at the man. ¡°Let me ask¡­¡± This time, Myohan couldn¡¯t dare to say he didn¡¯t need it. The man still looked irritated about it, and his wavering eyes were deadly. But the god looked at them and said, ¡°You can¡¯t not like¡­¡± The man frowned, but the god didn¡¯t mind. He just went on teasingly. ¡°Being managed by another human, when you¡¯re a human yourself, right?¡± *** To jump to the conclusion, O Shin gave Myohan control over the twelve. Well, the job didn¡¯t require much. He listened to coward Ja¡¯s advice, woke up Chook as he was almost always sleeping, talked to scary In, and tried to soothe Myo and his bad mouth. He made Sa, who hated the cold, do his job, verified the truth out of many lies that O said, and made Mi, who cried every day, stop crying. At least it was fine with a smart Yu and the mild Hae. Drunkard Sul and trickster Sin were the problematic ones. Well, actually, none of the subjects were easy to deal with. They all hated Myohan. They were jealous of him as he was loved by the god and often bullied him. When he fell ill and became a cat, they said he was half-animal. They seemed to think it was wrong that he was the favored one when they had been serving the god for so many years. But the one with black eyes was an exception. The only exception. ¡°You¡¯re putting up with it well.¡± The man was always an onlooker. When Myohan was fooled by O and wandered in the forest, when Sin tricked him and locked him up in a cave, when Hae took his food, he was just watching all of that from afar. ¡°Putting up with what?¡± ¡°Your anger. You are very patient, for a human.¡± His eyes seemed to be wondering when Myohan would finally snap. ¡°You can tell on them, the god will take care of it for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not mad.¡± However, Myohan was not going to give him what he wanted. He didn¡¯t feel bad about it; he wasn¡¯t thinking of letting out his anger on the gods, and he wasn¡¯t going to tell the god about it. It would be foolish, and the god was already busy enough. ¡°It¡¯s only right for them to do it.¡± Myohan didn¡¯t deserve to be mad. At least he thought so. He was still alive only because the god had helped him, and the subjects were just doing their job. They were working diligently (actually, not that diligently), and Myohan could understand how they were feeling about him. ¡°Although it¡¯s a little bothersome¡­¡± He was just a little bothered because his days weren¡¯t as peaceful as they used to be, but that was all. He said so and stretched his back. The man looked at him and said, ¡°Funny.¡± That was all. He went away without saying more, and the days that followed weren¡¯t that much different. Chapter 76 But then one day, Ja fell into a river while trying to stop Sul and Shin from fighting. The river wasn¡¯t that deep, but Ja was the smallest of them. It was deep enough to kill him. ¡°Oh, what should I do?¡± Mi cried, but none of them went to save him. The weather was extremely cold, and watching Ja struggling in the water frightened them. The river wasn¡¯t deep, but they couldn¡¯t go in, even though they knew it was likely that Ja would die. ¡°¡­Hey, hey! Stop!¡± The moment Ja went underwater, Myohan threw himself into the water. Yu, who was standing on the riverbank, was shocked to see that. The man was also surprised as he watched from a tree. Myohan¡¯s face came up from the icy water. He swam to Ja, grabbed him, and took him to the riverbank. In, who was the strongest, stretched out a hand. Myohan got out only after he saw In grab Ja. ¡°Cough, cough¡ª¡± Ja kept panting after he was saved. While Sin and Sul apologized to him, Myohan wiped the water off his face and moved toward the forest. He was the one who had saved the day, but no one tried to stop him. He sat down only when he was far enough not to hear them. He frowned as he tried to dry his hair. His clothes were all wet and the wind was too cold. ¡°Oh, too cold.¡± Achoo! He sneezed. He started to shudder. He thought he might get a cold. What should I say if the god asks why I¡¯m ill? He wondered so, but then, someone placed a coat on him. ¡°Is the cat¡­¡±Myohan thought it was the god. He was the only one who would come after him and put a coat around him. But then, the man with black eyes crouched in front of him. ¡°A selfless animal?¡± He blinked. The man used his sleeve to wipe the water off Myohan¡¯s face, but his hand wasn¡¯t that kind. He was just curious. Myohan frowned. ¡°First of all, I¡¯m not a cat.¡± He turned into a cat when he got sick, but that didn¡¯t make him a cat. He didn¡¯t want to be thought of as an animal. He was a human being with a soul and reason. ¡°And I¡¯m not that selfless.¡± But the man didn¡¯t seem to believe that. Myohan was saying he wasn¡¯t selfless, but he had just thrown himself into icy water to save a man who didn¡¯t like him. He narrowed his eyes, and Myohan sighed and shook his head. It made drops of water splatter on the man, but he didn¡¯t care. ¡°Other humans have greed,¡± He said. Myohan wasn¡¯t interested at all as he looked at him. ¡°They have jealousy and selfishness. But, you don¡¯t seem to be like that.¡± ¡°You sound as if you weren¡¯t a human.¡± The man shut his mouth. Myohan said, matter-of-factly, ¡°The god has given me the power to control his subjects.¡± ¡°And you weren¡¯t happy about it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s kind of a promise.¡± A pair of wet, sparkling eyes looked up at the man. His curiosity morphed into something a little different. ¡°You must have underestimated me too much, but,¡± It was interest. The moment his curiosity became interest for Myohan, he grinned and said, ¡°I keep my promises.¡± He hadn¡¯t been able to say no to his god. He had been given no time to consider it then he had the duty to keep the twelve in line, which meant it was his duty to make sure nothing bad happened to them. He hadn¡¯t wanted it, but it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°Funny.¡± The man said the same thing he had said a while ago. Myohan turned, but then the man added one more thing. ¡°So, you¡¯re a kind cat.¡± After that day, the man remained close to Myohan for some reason. When he was in trouble because Chook wouldn¡¯t wake up, he woke him up in his stead. When Sul bothered him while drunk, he helped him out. When Yu made an announcement at four in the morning, he went to wake up Myohan, and when he ran into the god, he said he had found himself an interesting thing and smiled. ¡°Nothing has happened?¡± They were alone for the first time in many days. The man was nowhere to be seen. The god stroked Myohan¡¯s hair kindly. He removed his veil and revealed his face. He kissed Myohan¡¯s face. Myohan blinked and nodded. ¡°Aren¡¯t the subjects being bad to you?¡± His gaze was kind, but somehow his yellow eyes were full of rage. Myohan rubbed his eyes, not sure if he was seeing right, but it didn¡¯t change. He said, ¡°No, they¡¯re helping me well.¡± He wasn¡¯t lying, although only one of them was helping him. ¡°I see.¡± He smiled beautifully and pulled Myohan close to rub his cheek on his soft hair. Good, he believes me, Myohan thought, but then the god said, ¡°If you say so¡­¡± Myohan instinctively knew the god had just given him a chance to rely on him. He had refused his offer, and O Shin was hurt by his refusal. He could see that. ¡°Do you remember my friend, the one I showed you once before?¡± However, he pretended to be ignorant. As he had told the man, he wasn¡¯t going to tell on the subjects to the god. ¡°Today, I will show him to you.¡± As they walked, the god explained about his friend. He didn¡¯t let go of Myohan¡¯s hair and stroked it. ¡°He has a camel¡¯s head, a deer¡¯s antlers,¡± His voice sounded pleasant in the wind. He spoke kindly and softly, which soothed Myohan¡¯s heart that had been hurt by the subjects. He was explaining about the fierce-looking beast he had shown Myohan when they first met, but Myohan wanted to hear more. ¡°Cow¡¯s ears, rabbit¡¯s eyes, pig¡¯s nose¡­¡± They walked for a long time. The god could have taken them there in an instant, but he seemed to enjoy walking with Myohan. Myohan liked it too, so he smiled. ¡°Snake¡¯s neck, fish¡¯s scale¡­¡± They soon saw a familiar place. It was the lake where Myohan had met the god; the lake that reflected the clear sky and was full of shimmering beauty. ¡°Falcon¡¯s claws, tiger¡¯s paws¡­¡± There was a huge beast in front of the lake. It was enormous. It was coiled up and had its eyes closed, but as it sensed their presence, it started to get up. The moment its black eyes looked at Myohan, he froze. ¡°And wonderful long hair around his mouth.¡± O Shin smiled as he put an arm around the boy¡¯s shoulders. He seemed to think his surprised expression was cute. The mighty power in those black eyes made a thrill run up from his feet. ¡°He¡¯s an old friend of mine.¡± His soft hand stroked Myohan¡¯s head. The enormous beast was still looking at Myohan with its black eyes. The god pointed at it and smiled confidently. He seemed to be genuinely proud of his friend. Then he asked Myohan, ¡°Isn¡¯t he grand?¡± He had asked that, once before. At the time, Myohan hadn¡¯t been able to say anything, but at the time, looking into the beast¡¯s scaly body and bored eyes, he slowly nodded. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± He would never be able to forget that thrill. The scene of the beast moving slowly as it looked at Myohan with familiar eyes. He couldn¡¯t even hear the god¡¯s proud voice. That was the first time Myohan saw the dragon with his two eyes. The sensation lingered longer than he had expected. Myohan even got lost in daydreams as he took care of the subjects¡¯ mischief. After a few days, he asked the god to see him again, but he just kissed him and said, ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know if he would approve.¡± Then one day, it snowed. It snowed a lot, but Myohan was wandering in the forest, fooled by O once again. The man told him O was lying, but he knew that already. He was just pretending to be ignorant, as he knew that being fooled would be better. ¡°You¡¯ve come to nag me again?¡± O had said that Sa would be in the northeast part of the forest, but Myohan found him in the east part of the forest. Well, he hadn¡¯t been lying completely. ¡°The god would be mad if you neglected your duties.¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± Sa sneered and shrugged. He hated the cold, so what was he doing outside in the snow? Myohan went to him and he got up, shaking the snow off his head. Myohan tried once again. ¡°You¡¯ll catch a cold if you stay here.¡± Chapter 77 ¡°Do you know what I think of you?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Sa looked at Myohan with surprise. Myohan looked up at the snow falling from the sky. ¡°You hate me.¡± Sa¡¯s snake-like eyes twitched. His thin lips twitched as well. Myohan sounded like being hated didn¡¯t bother him at all. He wasn¡¯t sad, and he wasn¡¯t mad. Sa didn¡¯t like it. He frowned. ¡°¡­Well, I have nothing more to say if you think like that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to bother you either, so just do your job.¡± Myohan turned after saying that; he knew that, although Sa was always neglecting his duty, he got back in line after he visited. He walked away on the white snow, leaving footmarks, but then he had to stop after being called. ¡°Cat, I have something to say to you.¡± They weren¡¯t close enough to have a conversation. Not at all. They had nothing in common either. Sa could see that Myohan was confused, but he grinned and boldly said, ¡°You¡¯re right, I¡¯ve got to do my job, but could you wait for me here?¡± Snowflakes fell slowly. Myohan looked at one of them as it fell on Sa¡¯s head. Then, he smiled and sat down on the snow. He crossed his arm and said, ¡°Okay.¡± Sa hesitated then he snorted and moved away. He was planning to leave Myohan in the forest and not come back, of course. It was to make Myohan suffer, and he knew that. Telling him to wait without saying when he would come back made his intent obvious. Nevertheless, he fell for it. He wasn¡¯t childish enough to go down to Sa¡¯s level. He said he would wait, and Sa pushed it even further. He said mockingly, ¡°Will you promise to wait for me?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Sa thought Myohan would return in a few minutes. He was sure he was just pretending to be bold. But Myohan said yes without any change of expression. Then he smiled in the snow. ¡°I promise.¡± With that, Sa left. He didn¡¯t even look back. The world was now all white. The sky, the trees, and the ground Myohan was sitting on was all white. Sa didn¡¯t come back, of course. Myohan¡¯s temperature dropped. Snow piled up on his head, and night fell. He didn¡¯t move. He just waited for Sa who would never come. His mind was failing when he saw a glimpse of someone¡¯s shadow among the bushes. The snow stopped. Someone picked up his cold body and started to carry him away. As his consciousness drifted away, he could hear the man whisper, ¡®Reckless cat.¡¯ It was the moment the man¡¯s interest became affection. Myohan felt comfortable like a baby in a cradle because of the man¡¯s breath, his whispering, and his warmth. He could tell it wasn¡¯t his god, but he grabbed his sleeve and clung to him anyway. He woke up by the lake. Someone¡¯s hair tickled his cheek, and a hand was stroking his hair. When he managed to lift his heavy eyelids, he saw a pair of yellow eyes looking down at him. ¡°You¡¯ve woken up.¡± The god¡¯s white hair flew in the wind. It was similar to the snowy world he had seen just before he passed out. Myohan looked at the god only after he realized the sunlight was warm. The god smiled and kissed his forehead. ¡°You have something to say to me, don¡¯t you?¡± He spoke kindly. His eyes had mixed feelings as he looked at Myohan. Deep affection, love, sadness, grief, worry, and some anger. Myohan read all of it and said as if nothing was wrong, ¡°The weather was good.¡± The god was still smiling. He touched the boy¡¯s soft cheek as he waited for him to continue. Myohan went on, feeling pain in his heart. ¡°So I went out in the snow and fell asleep there.¡± Disappointment filled the yellow eyes. Still, the god smiled. He looked down at Myohan with affection and kissed his forehead once. Then, he put on his veil. He covered his face with it, just like he did when he was with his subjects. ¡°What you really want¡­¡± Myohan couldn¡¯t not see what kind of expression was on his face. He couldn¡¯t tell if the god was smiling, crying, or angry. He knew only two things. One, his face had looked hurt before he covered it. ¡°Must be love from the person you¡¯ve chosen¡­¡± And two, despite it, his voice was still kind. Myohan could get a glimpse of his face through the thin veil. ¡°But that¡¯s not me.¡± He was supposed to say no. He was supposed to say what he wanted was the god¡¯s affection, not anyone else¡¯s. However, he was unable to say anything. The god hugged him for the last time and whispered; sadly, as if he were about to disappear right in his arms. ¡°What should I do¡­?¡± After that day, the god didn¡¯t show his face to Myohan. He hid it with his thin veil and kept his distance from the boy. He was still generous when it came to everything Myohan did, but he wouldn¡¯t show everything of himself as before. He acted like he wanted to distance himself from him. And Myohan got strangely close with the man. He was trying to soothe the crying Mi again. The god must have taken some measures, as the subjects were no longer bullying him. But that didn¡¯t bring them any closer. ¡°Stop crying.¡± Myohan patted Mi¡¯s shoulder slowly. Mi sobbed as if he had just lost his family, but he soon started to calm down. When he finally stopped, he muttered a thank-you and left. It was the first thank-you Myohan had ever gotten. ¡°You¡¯re there, aren¡¯t you?¡± Myohan spoke upward as he stretched his back. No answer came back, but he yawned and asked anyway, ¡°I have a question.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± The reply came from behind him. He turned around and saw the man with black eyes. He always pretended like he wasn¡¯t there, even though he was always there. Myohan sighed. ¡°Name.¡± The man looked down at him, raising his silky eyebrows. Myohan¡¯s clear eyes looked up at him and asked, ¡°What is your name?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have one.¡± The answer was too light. It didn¡¯t sound like lying, and he wasn¡¯t a man who would lie. Myohan was a bit surprised. He asked again, ¡°You don¡¯t have a name?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have such a thing.¡± He sounded as if he couldn¡¯t care less about it. ¡°How can anyone not have a name?¡± He glanced at Myohan. Then he smiled and touched Myohan¡¯s cheek. ¡°You can give me a name then, cat.¡± ¡°How can I give you a name?¡± Myohan snorted. He wasn¡¯t good at giving names. He made it clear, but the man kept his smile. ¡°You gave the god his name.¡± ¡°Well, then¡­¡± The man¡¯s eyes looked somewhat familiar. They reminded him of something a little more overwhelming and enormous. Myohan grinned. As he thought of it, the man really resembled it. ¡°Jin.¡± ¡°¡­.Jin?¡± The man looked surprised. It was the first time he showed any kind of expression. Myohan liked it. He smiled and raised a finger, pointing at him. It made the man smile. ¡°Yes, Jin, the word for dragon. It fits you. So your name should be Jin¡­¡± That was the moment the affection became love. *** Myohan felt so drowsy. He couldn¡¯t tell if he was still dreaming. He tossed and turned, twitching. His hands and feet felt normal. I¡¯ve changed back. The moment he thought so, someone stroked his hair. ¡°Is it like a monkey catching the moon?¡± He spoke calmly. He stroked Myohan¡¯s hair, his cheek then his neck. He placed his forehead on Myohan¡¯s and went on. ¡°Is it like a monkey trying to catch the moon reflected on a lake and drowning to death?¡± He didn¡¯t seem to know Myohan was awake. He usually sounded so relaxed, but at the moment he spoke with pain. ¡°Am I being equally reckless, trying to get you?¡± Myohan couldn¡¯t move his body after sleeping for so long. He wanted to open his eyes and call his lover, but he couldn¡¯t. That was why he couldn¡¯t get him as he kissed him once more and stood up to leave. ¡°Myohan, ¡± He managed to speak only when the man turned his back on him. He whispered. ¡°I can wait again. So please, wake up.¡± Chapter 78 ¡°Hey.¡± Myohan felt a lot of pain in his neck. The voice that came out was too low and hoarse. The man¡¯s eyes widened as if he couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. Myohan stretched out a hand to grab him and he slowly got up. ¡°What did I tell you?¡± He gulped hard. Every muscle of his was screaming, but he endured the pain and got up. Thank god, I¡¯ve transformed back, he thought. ¡°I¡¯m terrible at coming up with names.¡± The man held Myohan¡¯s arm with a shaking hand. Myohan cleared his throat and looked up to meet eyes with him. No way. No way. His black eyes said. Myohan grinned. He winked as he combed back his sweat-slick hair. ¡°Hey, Jin.¡± ¡°¡­.How?¡± Myohan looked at him in contentment. He liked that crack in his expressionless face. Then he opened his mouth to say what his lover had been waiting for so long. ¡°Jin Shi Huang.¡± He closed his eyes and buried his face in Myohan¡¯s hand. Myohan placed his other hand in his soft hair and laughed. ¡°See?¡± Their lips met. Shihuang kissed him repeatedly and hugged him tightly. He was grateful that Myohan had woken up and happy that he now knew who he was. He still loved him, even after all these years. Feeling all that, Myohan said, ¡°I told you I¡¯d get them all.¡± Boredom. Tedium. Ennui. No word was enough to describe the days. He had nothing he wanted to do, nothing he wanted to achieve, and nothing he wanted to have. He didn¡¯t even know when he had been existing in that space and how he had been born. The dragon just laid down in a coil and looked down at his own reflection on the lake. He had collected rain for years to make the glittering lake. ¡°It¡¯s a wonderful lake.¡± Then, he got a visitor. The man with long hair complimented the dragon¡¯s lake and spoke to him softly. ¡°And you are even more wonderful.¡± His camel head was mysterious; his deer antlers were beautiful; his snake-like neck was admirable, and his fish scales were like masterpieces. The man kept complimenting the dragon with awe. He didn¡¯t sound like he was flattering the dragon, but it wasn¡¯t enough to grab the dragon¡¯s attention, either. ¡°You¡¯re bored, having to live for all eternity, aren¡¯t you?¡± The dragon was only interested in the man when he said that. ¡°I am an immortal as well.¡± The dragon¡¯s black eyes looked at the man. The man removed his veil and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve been quite lonely.¡± The moment the dragon saw his face, he could tell he was no mortal. Power, boredom, and strength that were very much like his own were in his face. He¡¯s not a human, he thought then the man offered a hand. ¡°Would you be my friend?¡± It was quite an impulsive decision. The man was right; the dragon was extremely bored and every day he had to live was without any amusement, so he made a ridiculous demand, partly to mock that confident man. ¡°Only if you¡¯ll make a human.¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened as the dragon¡¯s loud voice made the land tremble. Then he smiled, his yellow eyes twinkling. He put a hand on the dragon¡¯s tiger-like paw and looked up. ¡°Is that what you really want?¡± He wasn¡¯t waiting for an answer, and the dragon wasn¡¯t thinking of giving him one. The man nodded to himself and smiled. The dragon tried to get up, not knowing what he was about to do then he felt himself becoming smaller. His antlers and tail disappeared. His hands got smaller. His scales turned into skin. He widened his eyes, looking down at his palm then he saw his reflection on the lake. He turned to the man in shock. ¡°I am the god of five things.¡± ¡°God?¡± ¡°And you must be the dragon who controls the weather.¡± With his black hair, black eyes, straight arms, and legs, he looked like a human. The moment he became a ¡®man¡¯ for the first time in his eternal life, the god made an offer. ¡°I will make you a human. But, in return, will you be my friend?¡± The dragon didn¡¯t hesitate to take the god¡¯s hand. ¡°I will be your friend. I will give you everything I have, this lake and the forest.¡± The god smiled contentedly to hear that. It was the moment the two immortals became friends. *** The god had one condition. The dragon had to spend a century with him. Although he was a man only in shape at the moment, he promised to make him a real man after a hundred years. He hadn¡¯t been lying when he said he was lonely. The man also didn¡¯t hate being the god¡¯s friend. The god brought in subjects, one by one, and named them after his favorite animals: the rat, cow, tiger, rabbit, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. Watching them was the man¡¯s only entertainment. ¡°I can¡¯t see why you like them so much; they¡¯re terrible at their jobs.¡± In his eyes, the subjects were bad. They failed to do their work and were constantly scolded by the god. Even worse, they didn¡¯t hesitate to speak ill of each other to stand out. ¡°They¡¯re greedy, jealous, and selfish.¡± In spite of all that, the god genuinely cared about them. He pointed out their flaws, but he couldn¡¯t throw them away. He just yelled at them and confessed to the dragon how sad he was about it. It was his only way of dealing with his anger. ¡°Humans are beautiful because they¡¯re flawed.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know what beauty is, then,¡± the man remarked. The god asked, ¡°But you want to become a human, too. Don¡¯t you?¡± The man looked into his yellow eyes. Then, he snorted and looked away. Pretending to be ignorant while knowing everything was the god¡¯s favorite thing. ¡°I,¡± the dragon looked up at the clear sky. He hadn¡¯t brought rain for a while, watching the subjects. He stretched his hand and looked at his own five fingers. ¡°I was just bored with eternity.¡± He was partly lying. He envied humans, as they lived limited lives and had relationships with each other. Still, he didn¡¯t want to get their selfishness and ugliness. He looked bored again, and the god advised him. ¡°To understand humans, you must love one of them first.¡± The god stopped going to visit a little after that. The dragon felt someone approaching his lake, so he hid. The god brought the boy who had dared to enter. ¡®That boy can¡¯t be different from the others.¡¯ He thought and didn¡¯t care. But then¡­ ¡°Jin Shi Huang, with the character ¡®Jin¡¯ for dragon.¡± He looked into those sparkling eyes. They were light brown and sparkled beautifully in the sunlight. His soft cheek, his lively lips, and his not-matured-yet appearance: everything about the cat made him fall for him immediately. ¡°How is that?¡± Myohan smiled. The man, who was now Jin Shihuang, stroked his hair, ¡°It¡¯s a name that sounds as if I should found a great nation.¡± ¡°So you like it? Good.¡± Why the god loved humans and loved Myohan the most, and everything the dragon hadn¡¯t been able to understand, then made perfect sense thanks to Myohan. The cat with mysterious eyes was in his heart from then on, and he couldn¡¯t let him go, even though he knew the boy belonged to the god. ¡°The boy needs me,¡± O Shin often said. At first, it had been curiosity. The god had always liked humans, but who was the boy he talked about with such affection in his eyes? Who was it that made the god always go to him, leaving all his subjects behind? ¡°I made you a human, and I let the child live on.¡± It didn¡¯t take long for that curiosity to become interest then affection then love. The boredom of the boy who had lived for only about a decade looked different even to the ancient dragon. Everything he did out of his great indifference was charming, and it was marvelous to see how he always kept his promises, despite his hatred for bothersome things. ¡°I¡¯m the only one who can do all that.¡± O Shin realized Shihuang¡¯s feelings in no time. But he trusted the dragon would never betray him, so he gave him careful warnings again and again. ¡°¡­I know.¡± Shihuang also knew it. Although Myohan was called a half-animal, he was a human. It was within O Shin¡¯s power to save human lives. As for himself, he was nothing more than a beast who couldn¡¯t even stay in human form without the god¡¯s help. Those facts kept torturing his last bit of conscience. Chapter 79 Chapter 79: Chapter 79 However, it didn¡¯t go as Shihuang wanted. He had pretended to be O Shin¡¯s subject and a human out of impulsive interest, and that was the problem. He wished he had never gotten to know Myohan then the boy had given him a name. Myohan didn¡¯t even know he was the dragon but used the character ¡®Jin¡¯ in his name, which impressed him as well. He should have ignored the boy. He should have left him alone back when he was feeling guilty about wanting what belonged to his old friend, the god, and causing heavy snow to fall due to his gloom. He took him up and brought him to the god as he had no way to take care of him. Still, he secretly started to want to become a real man. ¡°Do you know the whole world is within a cat¡¯s eyes?¡± Shihuang had never heard that before, but he believed it. The whole world was really in those light-colored eyes. ¡°I have the whole world now.¡± The god lost his relaxed smile. He sounded a bit sad. Shihuang looked up at the cloudy sky. It was as gloomy as how he was feeling. ¡°Surely you wouldn¡¯t take it away from me.¡± He had complicated feelings. Of course, his head understood it, but his mind kept saying otherwise. He felt guilty about taking what was the god¡¯s, but at the same time, he wanted to tell himself that the god had eleven other subjects and would be fine. He only became greedier and greedier. The god was constantly busy, and Shihuang got to spend more and more time with Myohan. The god knew his subjects were tormenting Myohan, but he never helped unless Myohan asked for it. It was Shihuang who helped him on the day he went into the water to save Ja, and it was he who scared the subjects after Myohan almost died in the snow. ¡°It¡¯s so bothersome.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s so bothersome, you can quit.¡± ¡°Easier said than done.¡± Myohan opened up to Shihuang in time. He complained about his job in front of him, although he never did it in front of the god, and even showed his true feelings sometimes. They didn¡¯t talk much, but Shihuang could fully understand that Myohan started to look at him differently. ¡°Myohan.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± It didn¡¯t take long for their feelings for each other to grow. One night, under the starry sky, Myohan didn¡¯t push him away as he leaned in for a kiss. The kiss was warm, and Myohan¡¯s eyes were full of love as they looked at him. That was why he went to the god and said a little boldly, ¡°I¡¯ve come to understand humans.¡± Despite his hatred for human greed and selfishness, Shihuang was doing something even worse. He knew how O Shin had saved and raised Myohan. He knew how much he cared about him, but still, he wanted him. He hated that ugly aspect of humans the most, but he ended up taking it. ¡°So, my old friend¡­¡± He thought the god would be angry. He was generous, but surely even he would get angry. He thought he would cancel his promise to make him a man. ¡°You¡¯ve finally learned to love a human.¡± However, the god wasn¡¯t mad. He just smiled and looked away, his face hidden by a veil. His sad voice made even Shihuang feel a little bad. Still looking away, the god warned, ¡°If you fail to protect him, I will take him away from you.¡± Shihuang had known him for so many years. He could tell O Shin wasn¡¯t mad. He had foreseen the coming of this day and braced himself for it. He must have known, even when he warned Shihuang. ¡°So, protect him.¡± His faint voice disappeared with the wind. He was being generous to his old friend. When he wasn¡¯t feeling good, the sky became cloudy. When dark clouds gathered in his heart and he was feeling depressed, the sky cried instead of him. But Shihuang didn¡¯t like causing rain. Getting rain alone in that lonely forest made him feel like he was all alone in the world. ¡°Stupid cat.¡± But then, he had someone precious, someone he had to protect. He felt like he had the whole world. Even if that world belonged to his old friend, since he had gotten his permission, nothing could stop him. He felt joy as he looked at Myohan¡¯s face. He felt thrilled when he held him in his arms. His heart swelled with love and affection as he looked into those pretty eyes. ¡°You know they¡¯re lying, why are you letting them get their way?¡± He was happy, but at the same time, he felt uneasy. As much as he was delighted to own that smile, that face, and those eyes, he feared the fact that he might lose them at any moment. ¡°It would be better to let them trick me. They¡¯ll be quiet for a while after that.¡± Myohan had changed into a cat the day before. In said he wanted to eat meat, so he went into the forest knowing there were no boars there. He ended up falling in a pit that Shin had dug there and was left alone in it all night. When Shihuang went to find him, he had already turned into a cat and was casually rubbing a paw on his face. ¡°They¡¯re like children, you know.¡± He had to wait for a long time for Myohan to turn back. Waiting gave birth to nervousness, and it, in turn, gave birth to anxiety. What if he never changed back? What if he stayed sick? ¡°You know what?¡± A human lifeline was much different from his, and Myohan¡¯s life was even shorter. He was still alive thanks to O Shin, but he could disappear the moment the god took his eyes off him. On the contrary, Shihuang couldn¡¯t die even if he wanted, not before his promised deadline. ¡°The cat is loved by everyone.¡± He felt like the world was crumbling under his feet the moment he saw Myohan as a cat. Just like he had on the day he found him in the snow; the only thing he could do was to take him to the god. ¡°I keep telling you,¡± Myohan looked down, enjoying the hand patting his head. He looked like he would purr at any moment. ¡°I¡¯m not a cat.¡± ¡®But you look like a cat.¡¯ Shihuang didn¡¯t say that out loud. He just kissed Myohan¡¯s head. Did he resemble a cat because he had been a cat? Or had the god made him a cat because he resembled a cat? Either way, Myohan was a cat, especially when he stretched his back and yawned with sleep in his eyes. ¡°And I¡¯m not loved by everyone.¡± He didn¡¯t seem to know how loved he was. He had even said, ¡®You hate me,¡¯ when Sa asked if he knew what he thought of him. Myohan thought the subjects were jealous of him as he was their god¡¯s favorite. ¡°Well¡­¡± It might have been like that at first. The subjects had been serving O Shin for many years. On the other hand, Myohan had just shown up one day. Of course, they would hate that a newcomer became their boss. The subjects did torment him and excluded him. Myohan knew it as well. ¡°Stupid cat.¡± However, that didn¡¯t last very long. Anyone who knew him and had talked to him couldn¡¯t hate him. The subjects had all looked impressed when he dived in and saved Ja without hesitation. They wanted to talk to him, but they suppressed the urge as they were embarrassed because of what they had done to him. Shihuang was sure they all liked him. That was why he hated them even more. Their foolishness when trying to express their affection for Myohan in such a crude way angered him, and he found it ugly that they were trying so hard to get Myohan¡¯s attention. Each of them harassed him just because the others harassed him. They all knew it was wrong, but none of them dared to speak up and say it was wrong. They were all fools. That was how Shihuang defined them. ¡°You¡¯re going back?¡± After enjoying Shihuang¡¯s hand for a long time, Myohan got up. Shihuang sighed, unhappy about the hair leaving his hand. Myohan nodded and grinned, muttering that he had rested too much. He had always allowed the subjects to get their way. He didn¡¯t argue even when he knew O was lying and didn¡¯t respond even when Myo called him a half-animal. When Hae tried to take Myohan¡¯s fair portion of food by force, he just smiled and let him take it. Shihuang tried to put a stop to it, but it didn¡¯t matter. Chapter 80 Chapter 80: Chapter 80 ¡°I just can¡¯t understand human selfishness.¡± To Shihuang, it looked as if Myohan thought he had no reason to live. He didn¡¯t seem to notice Shihuang watching from afar with worries. Maybe it was only in his eyes, but Myohan was small and weak. He could be broken anytime. Still, he kept leaving Shihuang and returning to the subjects. It even made him wonder if it was some kind of bond they had as humans. He got jealous. ¡°Sometimes¡­¡± Myohan looked into his eyes. What he said after that made Shihuang¡¯s face darken. ¡°You speak as if you weren¡¯t a human.¡± Myohan had impressive guts and never failed to find Shihuang¡¯s weakness. It came up at important moments and hit the dragon¡¯s weak spot, but Myohan didn¡¯t even realize it. ¡°What if,¡± Shihuang wasn¡¯t a human. He had arms and legs like Myohan, but it was O Shin¡¯s blessing, not his true form. Although the god called his true form beautiful, he didn¡¯t like it. It was the form of a huge beast. He didn¡¯t want to show it and didn¡¯t want to see it himself. ¡°What if I¡¯m not a human?¡± While he felt like he owned the entire world, in a corner of his mind, he couldn¡¯t help wondering. ¡®What if I weren¡¯t in this form? What if I were still that enormous beast? If I were a beast incapable of hugging him and kissing him, would this little cat still love me? Would the thing between us now have started at all?¡¯ Shihuang had asked out of sudden impulse, as he had complicated feelings and could see dark clouds rolling in. Thankfully, Myohan didn¡¯t think much of it, ¡°Why are you asking that? If you¡¯re not a human, you¡¯re not a human. That¡¯s all.¡± Shihuang had always wanted to be a person. He wanted to live a life with an end, interact with others, and perceive new feelings. He had kept wondering what kind of feelings he would have gotten to learn during all those years he spent alone. But of course, he had never wanted it so earnestly before. He wanted to live the same life as Myohan. Imagining he would one day leave his side, he felt as if he would be losing the whole word. At the same time, he felt guilty about taking O Shin¡¯s world. ¡°You kind cat.¡± ¡®What can I do if this lovely creature leaves me? The god told me to protect him, but what if I can¡¯t?¡¯ He hated himself for asking such things after taking his friend¡¯s world, so he was always tormented. ¡®I told you to protect him.¡¯ And O Shin clearly knew how he was feeling. On a bright night, Shihuang glared at the dark clouds rolling over in quiet. The god appeared next to his old friend. ¡®The dragon I asked to be friends with was not like this.¡¯ Only he could save Myohan and make Shihuang a man. Shihuang wanted to become a man if he couldn¡¯t become a god. And if he couldn¡¯t become a human, he wished to die with Myohan. The more he wanted him, the more anxious he became. All these feelings were too new to the immortal; he couldn¡¯t handle it. ¡°I¡¯m going somewhere, it¡¯ll take some time.¡± Plus, he was a little mad at Myohan leaving again and again, even though he kept telling him not to go. ¡°Go where?¡± He knew the cat was actually an animal that easily became lonely. Myohan was not a real cat, but he was no different. Myohan couldn¡¯t stop him as he smiled bitterly and disappeared. He went back to his lake. He went back to his dragon form though he didn¡¯t want to. O Shin sometimes asked him to show that magnificent form, and he was sometimes too busy to let him keep his human form. He almost never willed himself to regain his true form, as the only thing he could do with that enormous body was to curl into a coil and sleep. ¡°I didn¡¯t bother to give you a human form¡­¡± He must have slept for a long time. The sky was full of dark clouds. He heard a familiar voice, so he narrowed his eyes and looked straight ahead. ¡°So that you could just come back here.¡± O Shin was standing in the lake. He came slowly, making little splashes. In his arms was Myohan as a cat, sleeping soundly. Shihuang looked at them as they got close, but then he closed his eyes again. Once more, Myohan had fallen for their trap, even though he knew everything. ¡°What are you going to do if I don¡¯t make you a human ever again?¡± ¡°You must think I¡¯m pathetic.¡± He knew well how childish he was being. He knew how hilarious it was to complain to the friend who had given up his world for him. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re so pathetic that it¡¯s cute.¡± The god was relaxed, contrary to how Shihuang was feeling. ¡®Maybe I¡¯m not the right person for Myohan.¡¯ That thought choked him. Neither of them said anything for a long time. The wind kept blowing, making trees dance. The god spoke first a little while later. ¡°I¡¯ve given you a chance.¡± He came slowly and spoke a little coldly. Myohan turned in his sleep. ¡°I¡¯ve given you my world.¡± Shihuang had to open his eyes; despite the god¡¯s confidence, he sounded quite lonely and sad. The god saw his eyes and looked up to the sky. ¡°But you¡¯re complaining.¡± The sky was currently full of dark clouds. Shihuang couldn¡¯t control it. Watching Myohan in his cat form made something hot come up in his chest. The boy just looked so comfortable. ¡°So disappointing.¡± He couldn¡¯t protect Myohan. He couldn¡¯t hug the cat and caress him to make him a human again. He closed his eyes and turned. Raindrops started to fall. ¡°It will be too late by the time you regret it.¡± The god didn¡¯t give him his human form back. It made him realize their friendship was over, but there was nothing he could do. He couldn¡¯t stop the god. He couldn¡¯t take Myohan from him. He stayed up all night in the rain. The rain felt cold and lonely. He couldn¡¯t see the sky because of the clouds, as dark and thick as his gloom, but he could feel the world getting brighter. The sun had to be coming up. He woke up only because he noticed changes in his body. It felt similar to the day O Shin placed a hand on his paw, so many years ago. His antlers disappeared. He became smaller. His claws were replaced by fingernails. His tail was gone. The moment he noticed the lake looked too big at the moment, he realized what was happening. ¡°What the,¡± he saw human hands in front of his eyes. Below him were human legs. He took a step forward and frowned. ¡®What the¨C what¡¯s going on?¡¯ As he headed to where the subjects and Myohan were, he tried to make guesses. Maybe the god had helped him in secret. Maybe he just became a human after staying in human form for so long, just like how Myohan kept becoming a cat. The former was unlikely and the latter was just impossible. Then¡­ ¡®I will give each of you two out of 24 hours of the day.¡¯ It was just a little after sunrise, the time O Shin had named Jin Time. He became sure of it in no time. Maybe he could do anything he wanted at that time. ¡°So let¡¯s just do as I say, okay?¡± He heard Shin¡¯s voice first. The subjects were standing in a circle. Mi spoke nervously. ¡°But then¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. He¡¯s going to turn into a cat, right?¡± ¡°But what if he drowns and dies?¡± ¡°I told you, it¡¯ll be fine.¡± Myohan wasn¡¯t among the eleven. Shihuang narrowed his eyes and glared at them as he heard the word cat. He was able to tell they were talking about Myohan. ¡°Whatever. Do what you want. I¡¯ll just go and have something to drink.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be quiet, either.¡± ¡°Then, just keep quiet at 4 o¡¯clock.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re really going to do it?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re so unhappy about it, you can save him after he falls into the water.¡± Shihuang had a bad feeling. They were clearly plotting an evil scheme. He didn¡¯t listen anymore. He turned. What they were up to couldn¡¯t be much different from what they had done so far, so he could simply go to Myohan and warn him to be careful. ¡°¡­But he wouldn¡¯t listen to him, of course.¡± Chapter 81 Chapter 81: Chapter 81 ¡®Stupid cat.¡¯ Shihuang knew where Myohan was. He must have gone to find Sa, listening to O¡¯s lies, not knowing he was with the other subjects. He was right. He found Myohan in the woods. He was lying on a rock with his eyes closed, not even thinking of getting out of the misty rain. He looked so fragile, as if he were about to disappear at any moment. Shihuang went to him. He didn¡¯t make a sound, but Myohan asked him, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you would be gone for a while?¡± Seeing those delicate eyes open was always marvelous. His eyes were even more beautiful than the lake Shihuang had spent years working to make. They looked at him. Realizing he had almost chosen not to see those eyes ever again, Shihuang confessed. ¡°I missed you.¡± He couldn¡¯t protect Myohan. He couldn¡¯t do what the god could do. But then, he thought all those worries were useless. Why did he have to be so agitated when that precious life was in front of him? ¡°¡­So?¡± Myohan looked a little sulky. He blinked. Shihuang held him in his arms, forgetting he had come to warn him. He stroked him and rubbed his face in his hair. The rain stopped immediately. ¡°The subjects.¡± He had to tell him what he heard. He knew Myohan wouldn¡¯t care, but at least it would be better than not being warned in advance. However, he couldn¡¯t say more. As he opened his mouth, his hands started to ache and tingle. He had made the effort to walk all the way, and his two hours were about to end. ¡°What?¡± Myohan turned when he heard nothing more for some time, but Shihuang wasn¡¯t there anymore. *** ¡°Shit.¡± Shihuang quickly returned to his lake and cursed. He looked down at his falcon claws. Then the dragon coiled up and lay down. Again, he had to wait for his time to come. Time went so slowly. It became dark and the bright moon came up. He watched all of it. Anxiety made him impatient. ¡°What were you thinking!¡± When he went to Myohan as soon as his time started, he heard the god¡¯s angry voice. He saw a group of people gathered together. ¡°What¡­¡± Shihuang frowned and went to see them. The eleven subjects were kneeling and cowering, and a cat was in the god¡¯s arms. His heart started to beat fast. ¡°What were you thinking, doing such a thing?¡± Myohan had turned into a cat many times before, but the god had never been so enraged about it. Fear started to rise up in Shihuang¡¯s heart. ¡°I said you would regret it.¡± The god wasn¡¯t looking at him, but his words were directed at him. His yellow eyes turned to him with great anger. ¡°I told you to protect him.¡± It came with no warning. His most precious thing had been taken from him at the most unexpected moment. The god stared at Shihuang as he approached. He placed his free hand on his forehead. ¡°I was generous to you,¡± O lying, Myohan wandering in the forest because of it, In and Sul drinking and eating together, Hae getting all of Myohan¡¯s food. ¡°For the last time.¡± Yu turning a blind eye to the rising sun, Chook leisurely snoring next to him. Lastly, Myohan standing at the edge of a cliff and looking down, and Shin tripping him. ¡°You¡­¡± Rage rose. In his mind, he could see Myohan falling into a river. Ja and Sa were watching it with agony a little away. ¡°I told you I would take him away if you failed to protect him.¡± ¡®This time, I¡¯ll cut him down to size.¡¯ Shihuang tumbled. He had not listened to the rest of their plot, thinking it was unimportant. How dare you? With that foolish jealousy? How could you? The subjects started to tremble. Dark clouds rolled in. The god spoke with rage. ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to be mad.¡± ¡°I¨C¡± ¡°No!¡± His hands shook. His mind turned white. He wanted to kill the subjects. It was the only thing he could think of, but the god¡¯s firm voice came again. ¡°I¡¯ve given you enough chances.¡± He couldn¡¯t breathe. The god had told him to protect him. He had endured everything. He had given Shihuang his world and a last chance to become a human. He had gotten to be the closest to Myohan and to hold him. It was Shihuang himself who had kicked it all away. ¡°So I will take him back.¡± His heart sank. If he hadn¡¯t ignored the subjects¡¯ talking. No, if he hadn¡¯t returned to his lake after he turned back into his dragon form. If only he hadn¡¯t been so afraid and run away before that. His depression blinded him. He failed to realize what mattered the most. So he failed in everything. ¡°I¡­¡± He held the god¡¯s arm. He really meant it when he said he would take the boy back. He had to say something to stop him, but no words came out of his mouth. Myohan pretending to be a fool and letting them trick him, and himself who failed to protect him: both were so stupid and pathetic. ¡°He was mine in the first place!¡± O Shin endured everything. He gave everything, but what he got in return was horrible. He yelled, but he didn¡¯t push Shihuang¡¯s arm away. Shihuang let him go because he wrapped Myohan in the lower part of his robe. He looked so comfortable in that white cloth, beyond comparison with his own weak and pathetic self. The sky wept for him. ¡°As you all failed to protect my cat¡­.¡± He forgot how to breathe. He couldn¡¯t grab the god nor take Myohan away from him. Would it have been different if he had been a god? No, would it have been different if he were a human? Would it have been different if he had realized both his weakness and actions were foolish? ¡°You will become half animals.¡± Myo shuddered, fearing what he had often said was at the moment coming out of the god¡¯s mouth. ¡°It will be a brand that will never be removed.¡± The god spoke, without any mercy. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to use that evil tongue for love.¡± ¡°And how dare you weep in front of me?¡± His angry eyes turned to Mi. ¡°You will never be able to cry again.¡± With that as the start, he started to glare at his subjects one by one. ¡°You weren¡¯t grateful after being saved from the water, so you will fear water forever.¡± ¡°O Shin¨C¡± ¡°Do not call me by that name.¡± He wouldn¡¯t even look at Shihuang. Myohan slowly turned in his arms. ¡°As you left my cat in the snow, you don¡¯t deserve to enjoy snow. And as you were too weak to overcome your laziness, you don¡¯t deserve to sleep in comfort.¡± The rain became heavy and fell down as if it wanted to impale them. The god¡¯s cold voice kept hitting the dragon¡¯s heart. ¡°As you couldn¡¯t even announce the time, you will never be able to forget time.¡± The god spoke slowly, but even he couldn¡¯t control his emotions then. He clenched his teeth and closed his eyes to suppress his anger, but he couldn¡¯t. ¡°And you two who indulged in drink and meat beyond reason!¡± He eventually yelled, enraged at everyone who had messed with his precious cat. ¡°You who always lie, and you who made my cat starve!¡± They should have stopped when they had a chance, when the god was turning a blind eye because of his love for them, when Myohan was enduring it alone instead of telling him. ¡°And as for you, who committed the greatest sin,¡± the foolish always ended up trapping themselves. They couldn¡¯t know how much they should be grateful for what had been given to them, and they ended up making the worst choice. Shin felt the god¡¯s gaze turn to him and trembled in fear. The burden of the greatest sin pressed him mercilessly, ¡°As punishment, you will not die even if you fall, you will have to feel all of it.¡± The god spoke between gritted teeth. It was more fearsome than yelling. ¡°And you,¡± The god turned to Shihuang. ¡®It¡¯s all over.¡¯ The sky thundered. The sorrow in his heart came flowing out. He cried. The god spoke firmly to his weeping friend. ¡°Will never be able to become a human.¡± The sky kept weeping. Every time it thundered, Myohan shuddered in the god¡¯s arms. For the first time, he thought raindrops hurt. The rain broke his every bone and muscle, he couldn¡¯t even raise a finger. ¡°You will never be able to meet him again.¡± Chapter 82 Chapter 82: Chapter 82 Boom! The sky roared again. Shihuang stretched out a hand. ¡°I will¡­¡± He would never be able to see Myohan. He would never be able to look into those clear eyes, never hug that small body, never kiss those soft lips, never caress his soft hair. The god looked at him coldly. ¡°You will do what?¡± He had so many things to say. We will meet again. Next time, I will protect you. I will. ¡°What has already been done can¡¯t be undone.¡± But the god was merciless. The generosity he had shown Shihuang had completely disappeared. ¡°You don¡¯t have any power to protect him.¡± ¡°O Shin, I¡­.¡± ¡°If I give this child to you,¡± Myohan opened his eyes a little in his hand. His faint gaze passed the subjects and went to Shihuang. The god¡¯s held him with his hand. ¡°Will you save him?¡± Shihuang couldn¡¯t say he would. Myohan¡¯s lifeline had ended a long time ago. He could die the second he got out of the god¡¯s sight. ¡®What if I take him? If I take him away from O Shin¡¯s hand now, would I be able to save him?¡¯ But the god didn¡¯t wait for an answer. He turned his back on him. His cold voice came through the rain. ¡°Jin time is ending.¡± Shihuang eventually fell. He knelt down on damp soil. Rain and tears mixed and ran down his cheeks. He breathed hard. He crouched to beg with clenched fists. The god still wouldn¡¯t look away. ¡°If I can¡¯t save him in this life, I will save him in the next life.¡± That was his only chance at the moment. He knew if he let Myohan go, he would spend eternity regretting it. ¡°If I can¡¯t save him the next life, then in the next life.¡± Making one mistake was enough. Doing what couldn¡¯t be undone and agonizing about it once was enough. ¡°I don¡¯t care if I never become a man.¡± Giving up without even trying once was enough. ¡°Please, give me a chance.¡± His eyesight became fuzzy. The god was right, his time was ending. He wouldn¡¯t be able to hold Myohan in his arms after he returned to his original form. He wasn¡¯t sure he would be able to see him in the next Jin Time. ¡°A chance¡­¡± The god spoke. He turned slowly. He approached Shihuang, walking on the ground wet with rain. ¡°So you again say what you would regret again and again.¡± The god leaned down and handed the cat to him. He took him with shaking hands and looked up, his face now dirty and soaked by the rain. The god still looked clean, despite the rain. His yellow eyes held sorrow. ¡°In the next life, he won¡¯t remember you.¡± Myohan was so weak in his cat form. He was so small and fragile. Shihuang had never hated rain so much. He put him in his arms so that the rain wouldn¡¯t get to him. The god spoke a little softly. ¡°Won¡¯t you regret your choice?¡± ¡°With you,¡± Shihuang looked down to Myohan. He was still warm. He kissed him and muttered sadly. ¡°With you, my cat, I have the entire world.¡± The god just watched. The fire of the boy¡¯s life was weak. It had to be his power that was making that dying candle still burn. Shihuang kept talking. ¡°I will never give you up.¡± Again, he promised, ¡°I will never forget you.¡± Myohan opened his eyes slowly. His clear eyes looked up at Shihuang. The god looked away and covered his face with his veil. ¡°Even if you can¡¯t remember me¡­¡± Myohan couldn¡¯t say anything. He didn¡¯t seem to notice he was in Shihuang¡¯s arms. And as life finally left him, Shihuang leaned down, putting his forehead on the ground. Tears kept running down from his eyes. The rain from the sky got even heavier. ¡°Why¡­¡± The god muttered. His voice was quiet in the rain, but Shihuang could hear him clearly. ¡°¡­am I the villain?¡± ¡®Since when did it go wrong? Since when? No, even if it was wrong from the beginning, I can start again.¡¯ He looked down, still clinging onto that thin strand of hope. The god showed him mercy for the last time. ¡°I will give you a chance.¡± Shihuang looked up slowly. He couldn¡¯t see the god¡¯s face, as it was covered. He went on. ¡°If you wait for countless years and find the cat,¡± He was ready to do it repeatedly, as many times as it would require, again, again, and again. ¡°If the cat sees those who tormented him be punished.¡± The dragon was immortal. The god was saying he would regret his promise, but he didn¡¯t care if he came to regret it, ¡°And if he remembers you.¡± At the moment, Myohan was cold in his arms. The thin lifeline that the god had managed to lengthen till then had finally come to its end. ¡°Then I will give you another chance.¡± The god was calm. He wasn¡¯t enraged as before, but he wasn¡¯t merciful either. He spoke dryly. He wouldn¡¯t look at Shihuang. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to say anything to him.¡± The rain started to grow weaker. It still kept falling, but not as fiercely as before. ¡°You will have to stay at his side, as an onlooker.¡± Again, he would have to watch without doing anything. That was what the god was saying. Just watch him from afar and do nothing. ¡°Would it be fine?¡± ¡°I will,¡± He had no time to hesitate. His dark eyes wavered. He gritted his teeth as he held the cat tightly. ¡°To get him back. I will.¡± Perhaps he was being selfish. Perhaps he was excluding Myohan¡¯s own opinion and thinking of his own wishes only. Still, he couldn¡¯t let go. What he had gotten from him, what he had felt because of him, he had to show them to him and be forgiven. ¡°I see.¡± He was punishing himself, for seeing everything and not doing anything. The god smiled. It wasn¡¯t right for the situation, but Shihuang didn¡¯t bother to point it out. ¡°I guess¡­¡± His voice scattered in the air and vanished. It wept sorrowfully in the rain. ¡°We are both helplessly selfish.¡± *** After Shihuang finished telling his story, Myohan just blinked. The hand that combed back his damp hair, the lips that kissed him softly, the black eyes that looked at him, they were all so unrealistic. His cat was then near the bed. It sat down and looked at them. ¡°So,¡± His throat was still dry after a long sleep. Shihuang gave him a cup of water. He took a sip and asked, looking at the cat. ¡°How many times have you come to me?¡± Shihuang hugged him. He enjoyed the warmth and placed his chin on his head. ¡°Countless times.¡± He had gotten countless chances and countless partings. He followed Myohan¡¯s trace, found him, was grateful that he was alive, but then he had to feel the world crumbling down. ¡°Two hours a day, one month a year, one year out of twelve years.¡± He could talk to Myohan only at limited times. He approached him when he was old enough to understand what he was saying and he could be in his human form. But Myohan could never remember him. ¡®What kind of animal are you?¡¯ Myohan had actually known. On the day he saved Miho from that soccer ball, he went back to his classroom after he realized it was lunchtime. ¡®You don¡¯t smell like a human.¡¯ Standing at the door, he had heard everything. He just thought of it as another nonsense from Sinsul, but when Chandeul said it again, ¡°When you and the others are all alive.¡± He realized. It just naturally came to his mind. He had never heard of it, but he could know. He sounded so desperate as he asked him to find the dragon, and it made him sure. His deadline of February of the next year was the last month of the year in the lunar Calendar, the last month of the Dragon Year. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment.¡± Myohan closed his eyes and listened to him. At the moment he could feel the form of emotion he felt every time he saw him. He also could see why he felt so responsible for the twelve for no apparent reason. He left Shihuang¡¯s view slowly and turned. Chapter 83 Chapter 83: Chapter 83 ¡°So,¡± Myohan was currently looking down at his cat. He had always had some suspicions. Sinsul frowned when he smelled the cat. Its eyes sometimes looked like it could look through everything. It resembled Myohan¡¯s cat form so much. ¡°My lord O Shin,¡± That was why he never gave it a name. He couldn¡¯t call him by a different name, not even once. ¡°Meow¡ª.¡± The cat blinked its yellow eyes and gently moved its tail. Shihuang looked at Myohan with shaking hands. He cleared his throat and smiled. He asked the god who had always been watching him, ¡°Have you waited for this moment?¡± Time stopped. Myohan realized it was because Shihuang¡¯s face froze with his mouth open. The cat took a step forward and spoke. ¡°Well¡­¡± His long, white hair flowed down. Everything had stopped, and only the god and Myohan were moving in the world. O Shin smiled as he caressed Myohan¡¯s soft cheek. It was the smile he had been seeing in his dreams. ¡°What do you think?¡± His hand was so warm that it made him want to cry. The long fingers touched his cheek, then his ear, and the back of his head. Each time his hand gently moved, Myohan¡¯s body felt better and lighter. He looked away. ¡°I think,¡± It was a stupid idea. Of course, he knew. He recalled what Chandeul had said. ¡®Maybe some other¡­¡¯ ¡°You¡¯ve been waiting.¡± Gathering all eleven was hard. The god had been watching him close by, and making Shihuang¡¯s plan go wrong couldn¡¯t have been easier for him. ¡°Really¡­¡± However, the god didn¡¯t do it. Since Myohan was alive, the eleven were with him, and Shihuang had finally finished his quest. The god just smiled and spoke softly, ¡°I cannot hide anything from you.¡± His yellow eyes were full of sorrow. But to Myohan, all of that felt too unrealistic. He had lived 18 years of ordinary life, and what he could remember was all in pieces. He wasn¡¯t even sure he could call them memories. O Shin stroked his hair for a long time, feeling his small cat, the one he hadn¡¯t been able to touch in ages. He talked again only after Myohan stared at him intently for a long time. His delicate lips curved to a smile. ¡°You wish to tell me something, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°First,¡± The god was saying he couldn¡¯t hide anything from Myohan, but the truth was the opposite. He always knew what Myohan was thinking. He looked away, feeling embarrassed. ¡°You¡¯re not that different.¡± ¡°In what way?¡± He had wanted to point that out the whole time he listened to the story. The god was enraged by his subjects¡¯ actions and blamed Shihuang, but paradoxically, he was no different. ¡°You know, not putting a stop to it is also a form of wrongdoing.¡± That was the thing that made Jagyeom feel guilty when Miho was being bullied. Not joining the bullies didn¡¯t make him innocent. Pretending to be ignorant and doing nothing other than just watching was equally wrong. The god smiled. ¡°So, did you feel betrayed by me?¡± ¡°No.¡± Myohan smiled. He hadn¡¯t asked for help. Therefore he had no reason to feel betrayed. It meant he hadn¡¯t expected O Shin¡¯s help. The god looked down, but Myohan didn¡¯t care. He just went on talking. ¡°Giving punishment and forgiving them is what I should have done.¡± In a way, O Shin didn¡¯t have any right to punish them and decide whether or not to take Myohan away from Shihuang. They had reached a conclusion without taking Myohan¡¯s own opinion into account, and he was a little irritated about it. ¡°No one had the right to do that other than me.¡± ¡°I gave you a new life.¡± ¡°So I took care of the twelve for you.¡± His light-brown eyes looked at O Shin. They were as clear as glass beads. It was the only part of him that hadn¡¯t changed after being reborn dozens of times. ¡°And as a consequence, we are all here.¡± Myohan pointed at Shihuang. He was as frozen as a statue and it was almost funny. The god noticed affection in his gaze. He smiled and kissed Myohan¡¯s forehead. ¡°I have feelings as well.¡± He had always been laid-back, but there were moments he became anxious. The moment the gaze that always looked at him turned to someone else, the moment the boy he had thought as his and his only started to leave him. ¡°Anyone would be enraged when one¡¯s beloved child is taken away.¡± ¡®Taken.¡¯ That word couldn¡¯t be easily defined. Myohan didn¡¯t belong to anyone in the first place, so Shihuang hadn¡¯t exactly ¡®taken¡¯ Myohan away. The god understood what he was thinking. He sadly smiled and leaned down. ¡°I punished them partly because of my selfishness.¡± He had been angry as well. He pretended to be kind and generous, but his feeling of betrayal blinded him. Humans were beautiful because they were immature, but he himself couldn¡¯t be like that. What Myohan was saying was all correct. So the god looked into his eyes and smiled. ¡°Making you live on was my way of atoning.¡± His punishment couldn¡¯t affect the twelve during the first ten years of their lives, as they were under Grandmother Samshin¡¯s protection. In return, O Shin helped Myohan get past that age. He protected the little boy, just like he had done in their past. ¡°But, in the end, it was also selfish of me.¡± Memories flooded in. Myohan lost his parents in an accident. The god made him into a cat to save him. He returned him to his human form again on his eleventh birthday. He made sure he had everything he needed for living. He was always near him. And he had still had a lingering attachment to the boy when he looked at him and him only before Shihuang found him. It was an endless toil. Looking at those clear eyes, the god thought he didn¡¯t want to give him to Shihuang. He hoped and hoped his boy would come back to him after days of loneliness. ¡°I made you lonely.¡± That was why Myohan couldn¡¯t even have a choice between dying little and living a lonely life. ¡°It was out of my selfishness, all of it.¡± O Shin was truly regretting it. He had said to Shihuang he would regret, but then he was regretting what he had done more than anyone. Myohan looked at him. ¡°Will you forgive me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re asking a funny question.¡± He recalled the oldest memory he had, the choice he had made on the day he met the god by the lake. ¡°The answer is obvious.¡± He would surely say the same thing if the same situation happened again. He would say he wanted to live and stay with him as a cat. He would refuse the offer of time and let the subjects be mean to him. The consequences would have been the same even if Shihuang had succeeded in warning him. ¡°My boy¡­¡± The god smiled brightly. He was finally free of his burden. He got up and asked another question. ¡°Do you like the punishments I¡¯ve given them?¡± Myohan thought of Jagyeom first. He became afraid when he was called a rat. His raincoat and umbrella led him to think of Sajun. He wouldn¡¯t even come out of his home when it snowed. Myo Cheong had become a rabbit many times. Jino was just too innocent. When he got to think of Sinsul always asking him to play soccer, he couldn¡¯t help smiling. ¡°Well¡­¡± He wanted to console Chookjae¡¯s grandmother who had been carrying his burden in his stead for almost a decade. And Miho who couldn¡¯t even cry for himself with his mild eyes. And Yuja who couldn¡¯t even go on a school trip without worrying sick. And Sadeol who drooled as he looked at meat. And Chandeul who had to keep eating candy. ¡°I think it¡¯s been enough.¡± He still could feel the chill he had felt the moment Shin made him fall off the cliff. He must have gotten a bad feeling the moment he saw Seonhan, not because he was like Sajun, but because his unconscious instinct remembered it. Well, it didn¡¯t matter anymore. ¡°They¡¯re different people, aren¡¯t they?¡± The god looked amused. ¡°Guilt by association has been gone from this country for a long time.¡± The boys were not O Shin¡¯s subjects. They didn¡¯t remember tormenting Myohan. They had never been mean to him. And just like they were different people at the moment, Myohan was not the same person anymore. ¡°It¡¯s kind of embarrassing to say this myself, but I¡¯m quite cool, so¡­¡± ¡°Really¡­¡± His eyes were warm with affection, just like they had been when he looked at Myohan. He raised his head with both hands and placed his forehead on the boy¡¯s. He could closely look into the little world he had given up. ¡°How am I supposed to not love you?¡± The cat was loved by everyone. Myohan had denied it, but then he couldn¡¯t. He smiled and raised his arms. For the first time, he hugged the god first and patted his back slowly. Chapter 84 Chapter 84: Chapter 84 ¡°So you should forgive them as well now.¡± Myohan was imitating what had comforted him the most. He spoke softly with warmth. ¡°The time you had promised to fulfill his wish¡­¡± He had promised to make the dragon into a human if he became his friend for a hundred years. Myohan hadn¡¯t seen every day of the god¡¯s life, but the god had seen his everyday. Keeping promises was the only thing they had in common. ¡°It has passed already.¡± In Myohan¡¯s arms, O Shin breathed faintly and whispered. ¡°Okay.¡± His shoulder felt wet. The sky always cried instead of Shihuang, but there was no one to cry for the god. Myohan embraced him even tighter. His small voice tickled his ear. ¡°I suppose¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t insist on being selfish and childish when his old friend was becoming a better man. He smiled hollowly and Myohan hugged him again. He got to realize something. Although the god never said anything about it, he realize why he transformed into a cat. The god didn¡¯t bother to explain, and he pretended not to notice it. ¡°And you can forgive me as well.¡± He became a cat when he got a fever. When he had been ill, he became a small cat and was all alone in that large apartment. O Shin had said he had made him lonely, and he hadn¡¯t been talking just about making him grow up without his parents. Myohan had been punished as well. ¡°I am sorry.¡± The god abandoned his pride and apologized. It melted all the grief in Myohan¡¯s heart. He wasn¡¯t mad. The god had given him life and protected him. Being a cat sometimes wasn¡¯t a bad price for it. ¡°But¡­¡± However, he wasn¡¯t done yet. The god slowly got out of his arms. Myohan looked down, thinking of his eleven friends. He knew he didn¡¯t have to make it a condition. The god would grant his demand anyway. Still, he smiled. ¡°I have one thing to ask you.¡± Time started to flow again after the god kissed Myohan¡¯s hand and vanished. He stared at the air wondering if he had the right choice. ¡°Myohan.¡± But his anxiety disappeared the moment he looked at Shihuang¡¯s eyes. They were still black. Myohan looked at him and grinned. Shihuang frowned to see that sudden smile, but then his eyes widened. ¡°Congratulations.¡± What he had felt the moment he saw that enormous beast, the fear he had felt from those black eyes, that thrill was gone now. His overwhelming energy and ancient power were now gone. Myohan took his hand and smile. ¡°You¡¯re not a dragon anymore.¡± ¡°How¡­¡± He looked like he wanted to ask, like where the god had gone, how he was a human now, and why Myohan now looked free of burdens. But Shihuang didn¡¯t ask. He just pulled his lover in and repeatedly kissed him. Soon their kiss turned passionate. Myohan couldn¡¯t even imagine what he must have been through. How long he had looked for him, how much he must have regretted, how he had kept it all to himself. But there was one thing he could remember: he had promised to wait, and he kept it. They didn¡¯t go to sleep until it was late at night. They didn¡¯t talk much, but in one moment, Myohan asked a question and Shihuang answered it with a smile. ¡°Have you retrieved your precious thing?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He sounded satisfied. ¡°I¡¯ve gotten it back.¡± *** It was still cold in March. The sky was still icy blue with lingering winter. He didn¡¯t take off his thick coat even when he was inside. He looked back as the back door was opened with a huge bang. ¡°Myohan! We¡¯re in the same class!¡± It was Sinsul. It was the first day of their senior year, and he sounded too energetic. He brought his soccer ball even though his schoolbag wasn¡¯t with him. The first thing to do was to put his ball in a locker. They hadn¡¯t been assigned lockers yet, but he put it in one anyway. ¡°Yuja¡¯s in this class as well.¡± They were all in the same class again. Yuja was in Class 1 as he was the top of their grade. Only Chookjae, who had gotten the second-highest grades last year, was in Class 2. ¡°How can we be in the same class for three years in a row?¡± Myohan muttered to himself. Sinsul chuckled and sat down in front of him. ¡°Yuja¡¯s not the class president anymore.¡± ¡°He will be soon.¡± Yuja was going to be the class president again. That was obvious, and even Sinsul couldn¡¯t say otherwise. Then, he pointed out the window with wide eyes. ¡°Wow, look at him!¡± Someone was running on the racing track. It could be only one man. Myohan nodded without interest. ¡°That¡¯s Choi Jino, right? Wow, he¡¯s really hard-working.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re playing soccer every day too.¡± ¡°I do it for fun, but he¡¯s a pro runner.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly why he has to train even harder.¡± Yuja came in after about ten minutes. Jino was dragged inside by another student who had to be Myo Cheong. Yuja came with Chookjae and said goodbye to him. Then, he frowned and sighed to see Sinsul and Myohan. ¡°Really? We¡¯re in the same class for three years in a row?¡± ¡°I was wondering about that too,¡± Myohan said as he got up. Sinsul tried to follow him, but then Yuja stopped him and scolded him for trying to follow Myohan to the toilet. Myohan wondered how he knew he was on his way to the toilet. The hallway was full of boys. They were partly excited about finally becoming seniors and partly worried about getting admitted into universities this year. Myohan saw two familiar faces among them. ¡°Oh, shit, why were you running so early in the morning?¡± ¡°But Cheong, I really have to train really hard from now¡­¡± ¡°Not that much, you idiot!¡± They passed Myohan. He met eyes with Jino for a split second, but Myo Cheong mercilessly dragged him away. Jino kept looking back at Myohan. He could guess what he was thinking with those sparkling eyes. ¡°Sadeol! Seonhan! I told you not to run in hallways!¡± ¡°Oh, miss! Please have mercy on us!¡± Someone ran into him a minute later. As he had been in a daze staring Jino and Myo Cheong walking away, he tumbled and fell. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Are you okay?¡± But Sadeol grabbed him before he could fall to the floor. His light-colored eyes flashed. Seonhan looked at Myohan in worry. ¡°Sorry! Are you okay? Are you hurt?¡± Myohan wanted to laugh. He found it so hilarious that he had been intimidated by him. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He hadn¡¯t fallen, and he wasn¡¯t feeling any pain. Then, he went into the toilet before the two could stop him. ¡°So¡­¡± Was it a series of coincidences? He recognized the two standing inside. They looked like two mild plant-eating animals frolicking together. ¡°I¡¯m glad he¡¯s not in your class.¡± He didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop, but their conversation found its way to his ears as he washed his hands. Miho¡¯s sister had come to him in his dream. He cried so much after he got up and his eyes swelled up. Jagyeom promised to go to her resting place together later. After that, Myohan turned and left. ¡®I want to ask you one thing¡­¡¯ What he had said to the god a few months ago. He still wasn¡¯t sure about it, but he suppressed his doubt and forced himself to speak. ¡®The boys, could you make it like it never happened?¡¯ ¡®With their memories?¡¯ ¡®Yes, like they¡¯ve always been normal.¡¯ ¡®Maybe I was wrong.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t help feeling a little sad and lonely, but he had already made his decision. When the god asked if he would be fine with it, he just smiled, although his eyes said otherwise. ¡®I pity them.¡¯ Did he feel bad for them? No. The boys had been punished instead of the subjects, and it was the price they had to pay. ¡®No friends, no lovers, no families.¡¯ However, he didn¡¯t want them to be thrown out by their families or lose friends. Sometimes, seeing them having fun together made him feel pity for them. Yuja had said he was worried about them, but actually, he couldn¡¯t know yet. There was only one thing he knew: the punishment was just too harsh for them to endure. Chapter 85 Chapter 85: Chapter 85 When Myohan opened the bathroom door, someone was standing right in front of him. He looked up and saw Sajun with wide eyes. ¡°Um¡­¡± ¡®What kind of day is this?¡¯ Myohan thought as he looked away. Sajun didn¡¯t seem to be thinking of stepping aside, although he was blocking the path. Myohan could see Jagyeom glancing at him behind Sajun. He spoke coldly, ¡°Move.¡± ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± Thankfully Sajun let him pass without saying much. Then he grabbed Myohan before he could move away. ¡°Hey¡­¡± Sunlight came through the windows. He looked into light-colored eyes that sparkled in sunlight and asked. ¡°Haven¡¯t we met before?¡± Myohan smiled. He dried his hands on his pants and pretended to look uninterested, but Sajun couldn¡¯t forget that smile that lasted less than a second. ¡°Well¡­¡± That was all. Myohan went past him, and he couldn¡¯t stop him. He tilted his hand, but then he just shrugged and moved along. ¡°Clever cat.¡± Haven¡¯t we met before? That was an old pick-up line. He laughed before he went back into his homeroom. His pretty eyes had some bit of disappointment. ¡®So I¡¯ve met everyone but the pig.¡¯ ¡°Well, I¡¯m not going to see him until we graduate.¡¯ What was so scary about him living more than eleven years? He regretted not calling him a whining piggy. When he went back to his homeroom, most of his new classmates were there. He sat down, put his head on a hand, and looked out the window. ¡®But you will be lonely.¡¯ The god had been worried about him. He had seen Myohan standing all alone in his apartment after his friends went home. ¡®No, you are the one who will be lonely.¡¯ He had lost his subjects, his beloved boy, and his old friend. What had he had left? He was the real lonely one. O Shin looked surprised a little. Then he smiled sadly and stroked Myohan¡¯s hair. When he did it, Myohan felt like he was that little boy in front of the lake again. ¡®You¡¯ve been living with me as a cat.¡¯ That was why he couldn¡¯t love him. He would say yes when asked if he loved him, but it wasn¡¯t that kind of love. The god was important to him, but he didn¡¯t love O Shin the way he loved his cat. ¡®Why don¡¯t you stay with me?¡¯ ¡®I can¡¯t do that.¡¯ The god said playfully. ¡®I¡¯m ashamed of pretending to be your cat.¡¯ But he didn¡¯t look ashamed at all. ¡®You¡¯re not sad about it?¡¯ ¡®Well¡­¡¯ He had to admit it had been pleasant. He had lived without interacting with anyone, and he had had the noisiest days of his life. It had been bothersome but enjoyable, unwelcome but funny. ¡®This place is going to feel bigger.¡¯ He tried to sound like he was fine with it, but he couldn¡¯t help feeling bad about it. The god kissed his hand. He didn¡¯t say more, other than promising to grant Myohan¡¯s wish, if that was his choice. ¡®Thank you for everything.¡¯ What did the god say to his final farewell? ¡®I¡¯ve never thought of you as bad, O Shin.¡¯ Oh, yes. ¡®I¡­¡¯ He smiled, relieved of his burden, but he couldn¡¯t look into his eyes. He embraced Myohan again and couldn¡¯t leave for a long time. ¡®Cared about you, a lot.¡¯ It was the first time Myohan heard his voice shake. While he was lost in thoughts, the front door was opened and their new homeroom teacher came in. Myohan smiled to see a boy who came in after her. He thought the school uniform looked good on him. The tall boy looked around then fixed his gaze on Myohan. The moment he saw his black eyes, he felt a thrill. Those eyes looked directly at him, and it was satisfying. ¡°Wow, Myohan, he¡¯s really good-looking.¡± He couldn¡¯t hear what Sinsul whispered to him. The teacher introduced herself to her new class and the boys muttered among themselves about the new face. ¡°And this is a transfer student who will be joining us¡­¡± Myohan couldn¡¯t help laughing at that point. Everyone looked at him at the sound. Sinsul said he was acting strange and tried waving a hand in front of his eyes to see if he was sane, but then the new student also covered his mouth. ¡®You can¡¯t laugh along with me, you idiot,¡¯ He thought as he shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± He had met a maniac a year ago. He made him be late for school. He caught a rat near the taps and caught a snake at the library. He caught other animals as well. At the sickbay, at his own home, at a charnel house, in a bathroom, and at the bridge near his school, but he had let all of them go. ¡°Having a transfer student on the first day of senior year doesn¡¯t happen very often, but I guess that¡¯s what happening today.¡± He had no regrets. He was a bit sad, but no regrets. ¡°Nice to meet you all.¡± Myohan smiled. He knew the name he was about to hear, how much he had been waiting for this moment, how eagerly he wanted Myohan. ¡°I¡¯m Jin Shihuang.¡± It was the moment he came to Myohan as a man. Later¡­ His suspicions started at the smallest event. He saw him in the bathroom while he was talking to Miho. He had strangely light-colored hair. They had never talked as far as he knew, but he almost said, ¡°You¡¯re not late today,¡± to him. He made him feel thrilled the moment their eyes met. He knew his name. O Myohan of Class 1 of the seniors. He was almost always late for school and spent most of his time sleeping, but somehow he managed to get good grades. His smooth skin and feline eyes looked quite unrealistic, so he drew some attention, even though it was an all-boys school. And he got even more famous after he started to hang around with the handsome transfer student. ¡°Myohan! Let¡¯s play soccer!¡± But of course, he and Jagyeom didn¡¯t know each other. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to.¡± That bored voice sounded familiar. So was the way he pushed the boy with the soccer ball away. Jagyeom went past him, but then he looked back. Even his light-colored hair was familiar. And as he looked back, he saw a pair of clear, light-colored eyes¡­ ¡°¡­Eyes?¡± ¡®Our eyes just met, right?¡¯ Really, it wasn¡¯t unimportant, but it was strange. They didn¡¯t know each other, but they kept looking at each other at the same moment. They ran into each other at least twice a day and almost always looked back. It made no sense. They¡¯d never talked to each other. But wait, ¡®We¡¯ve never talked to each other?¡¯ Yes, that was the part that bothered him. He hadn¡¯t even said hello to him, but for some reason, every time he saw him, he felt like talking to him and scolding the crazy soccer fan near him for his insistence. ¡°Oh, Myohan! Play soccer with me!¡± ¡®Hey, dog, just do it by yourself, don¡¯t bother me.¡¯ Jagyeom knew what Myohan would say to the demand. Was it because he was going mad? But a second, ago that bored voice said so. ¡°Hey, dog,¡± Jagyeom turned. Myohan pushed Sinsul away and said exactly the same thing. ¡°Just do it by yourself, don¡¯t bother me.¡± It was late when he got home. He stopped by at the library to read a book, but then he felt like he had been with someone in that desolate library and ended up spending hours trying to figure out who it had been. ¡°Oh, Jagyeom, have you had dinner?¡± ¡°No, but I¡¯m not hungry.¡± His mother asked him with affection, but he just went up to his room. His family¡¯s kindness was also strange to him. No, more accurately, it was strange that he was feeling it was strange. They were his family. Of course, they were nice to him and took care of him, but somehow it felt like it was the first time it was happening. He didn¡¯t hate it, of course. He just wasn¡¯t used to it. He lay down on his bed without taking off his school uniform. Then, he fell asleep without realizing it. When he woke up again, it was already after midnight. He jumped to his feet. ¡°I must take a shower¡­¡± He always took his shower by 11 p.m. no matter what. It was already past midnight, but it was fine. He had been told it would be fine before one in the morning. He got fresh clothes, went to the bathroom on tiptoe so that he wouldn¡¯t wake up his family, and turned on the water. But then, he stopped. Water ran down and wet his hair. ¡®¡­Who?¡¯ Who had told him he could take shower before one in the morning? That he could get wet during that time. No, wait, why couldn¡¯t he get wet? Thoughts spun in his mind. He came up with one question after another, but he got no answers. As he took his shower, he kept flinching every time he touched water. He had no trauma about water. He had never drowned. He had never gone to play in water, so that was impossible. ¡®Play in water?¡¯ He got another question. His family went on a trip every summer, mostly to the beach, but he always stayed behind. ¡®Why do I never go with them?¡¯ Of course, he got no answer. Chapter 86 Chapter 86: Chapter 86 The next day, after classes, Jagyeom ran into a cat in the school yard. The cat with yellow eyes went around his feet a few times and walked away. He followed it though he didn¡¯t know why. ¡°Meow.¡± The cat headed to the taps where they washed mops. He heard it meowing, but when he turned the corner, it was nowhere to be seen. ¡°This reminds me of that time.¡± Myohan and the transfer student were there. Jagyeom could only see the face of the new boy, but the other one¡¯s light-brown hair let him know it was Myohan. The new boy smiled. He glanced at Jagyeom and picked up a hose. ¡°You know, what I did with this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare.¡± Myohan warned him. Jagyeom took a step back, but then he was surprised to see a thick grin appear on the new boy¡¯s face and his hand turned on the tap without any hesitation. ¡°Hey, Shihuang!¡± Next moment, Myohan was completely soaked with water. He yelled. Jagyeom went to them and tried to speak to Myohan, but then¡­ ¡°I¡¯m getting my revenge.¡± He spoke with a dark expression and jumped onto the taps. Jagyeom got no time to back off. Still grinning, the new boy turned, the hose in Myohan¡¯s hand aimed right at him. But the new boy grabbed him as he turned. ¡°Oh¡­¡± A ray of water spewed out from the hose onto Jagyeom. Myohan¡¯s eyes widened to see him get soaked. The new boy turned off the tap and stroked Myohan¡¯s wet hair. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t douse someone you don¡¯t know with water like that.¡± Myohan looked startled, that someone else had ended up getting wet instead. He was all frozen with fear. ¡°¡­Are you okay?¡± His head started to ache. Strangely familiar memories started to flood in. Himself standing right where he was now with a mop. A gush of water coming right at him, and his clothes getting too big for him in less than a second, and someone fishing him out of those clothes. ¡°Um, I didn¡¯t mean to do that to you.¡± Myohan tried to explain, but he couldn¡¯t hear it. Jagyeom grabbed his head, but then he looked up to see water dripping down from his hair. The sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu he had been feeling. How he had been able to guess what he would say. His familiar voice, face, and the nickname he had given him. ¡°Chatterer, no, Jagyeom¨C¡± Jagyeom laughed and raised a finger to point to that smooth frowning face. ¡°Myohan,¡± Then he said something he had said so many times. ¡°I told you, I hate that nickname.¡± *** It was warm. Sajun raised a hand and tried blocking the sun in the sky. Warm sunlight rained down between his fingers. It was still a bit cold, but the sunlight was warm. ¡®It¡¯s a perfect day.¡¯ He thought so as he walked slowly. ¡°You¡¯re the reason we¡¯re late.¡± Then he heard someone¡¯s voice on the other side of the wall. He stopped and looked up. ¡°What have I done?¡± ¡°You should have woken me up when the alarm clock started to ring.¡± That voice miraculously found its way to his ears. He couldn¡¯t see the face, but he knew who it was. It was the voice of that pretty-looking boy he had run into in the bathroom a few days ago. ¡°You¡¯re going over it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going over it.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ Sajun looked up. Then someone nimbly jumped over the wall. ¡°¡­Oh.¡± He looked quite startled to see Sajun. O Myohan: the name on his nametag suited him nicely. Sajun¡¯s eyes widened to see those neat eyebrows frowning. That was what he felt when they met in the bathroom. Pretty eyes that glittered in the sun, light-colored hair, clear cheeks, and a pair of rosy lips that looked like they smelled of flowers. He was breathtakingly charming. Without realizing it, Sajun stretched out a hand to him. ¡°We¡¯re gonna be late.¡± However, Sajun couldn¡¯t put his hand on Myohan¡¯s cheek. Another boy jumped over the wall and pulled him backwards. Myohan smiled and put his index on his lips. ¡°You never saw us jumping over this wall.¡± That was all. Myohan didn¡¯t look back as he walked away, and Sajun couldn¡¯t move on the spot for a long time. It was the moment Sajun fell in love with Myohan. After that day, Sajun tried to find Myohan. He waited at the same spot, hoping he would jump over the wall again, and went to every senior class to find out he was in Class 1. Well, as he was in Class 1, he found him on his first try and didn¡¯t have to go to other classes. It was still too early in the morning. Sajun was standing at the back door of Class 1, hoping to get a glimpse of his crush. He took a deep breath as he felt lightheaded like a little boy experiencing his first love. He had dated a number of girls, but he had never felt like this. ¡°You look like you¡¯re feeling good.¡± He thought Myohan wouldn¡¯t be there. Everyone at the school knew how often he was late to school, and it was too early. Not even the most diligent students were there yet. ¡°Not really.¡± However, contrary to his guess, he heard Myohan¡¯s voice from the classroom. He sounded bored as usual. ¡°Is it because you found the rat?¡± ¡°I told you, he¡¯s not the rat anymore.¡± Sajun didn¡¯t know what they were talking about. The other voice had to be that guy Myohan was always with. He had transferred to the school on the first day of the semester. He was a handsome guy who had come at unusual timing, so he was quite famous too. ¡°The snake¡¯s after you again.¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°No, my gut is always right.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that my line?¡± Sajun peered in through the window on the door, but then, he shuddered. The new boy was looking at him with his black eyes. Their eyes met, but he just turned to Myohan as if there was nothing wrong. Then, he said out loud. ¡°It makes me jealous.¡± Sajun thought he had heard that kind of conversation before. And he felt the snake they were talking about was him. He looked and looked, forgetting all about leaving, but then the new boy put a hand on the back of Myohan¡¯s head and pulled him in. They kissed. It was quite an awkward scene of two boys kissing each other, but Sajun thought it was beautiful. The new boy¡¯s hand touched Myohan¡¯s light-brown hair. Myohan raised his head a bit for a deeper kiss. They were perfect for each other. Sajun¡¯s gaze met the new boy¡¯s again. ¡°¡­.Jealous? Ha.¡± Myohan said unconcernedly. Sajun looked away, putting a hand on his pounding heart. Those black eyes had been full of envy as they looked at him. How did he know? Sajun had met Myohan only once. Well, only twice to be exact, but he had seen him properly by that wall. Still the new boy didn¡¯t like him. That was all fine, but the problem was he felt like he had seen those black eyes waver with anger. He crouched down on the bridge next to his school and looked up at the cloudy sky. Snow had been forecasted. He remembered staying at home when it snowed a lot. But to think about it, it felt like overprotection, hiding from snow. Yes, it had snowed around this time of year last year. He still could remember the picturesque scene of snowflakes fluttering with cherry blossom petals. He had gotten snowed on. But where? ¡°Meow.¡± He heard a cat¡¯s cry. He turned and saw a cat sitting quite near. He went to it, but it didn¡¯t run away. ¡®I like cats.¡¯ He recalled what he said the moment he saw its yellow eyes, but he couldn¡¯t remember to whom he had said it. The cat stood up, its tail still moving gently. ¡°Kitty, where are you going?¡± Without realizing he was acting like a child, he followed the cat. It moved slowly as if it wanted him to follow then it disappeared the moment he reached the school gate. ¡°¡­.Kitty?¡± The cat was gone. He muttered, but he got an answer. ¡°Sajun?¡± He recognized that voice. He looked up and saw a pair of light-colored eyes and rosy lips. Before he could realize he had called him by his name, something cold fell from the sky. ¡°You just said kitty¡­¡± It was snowing. Myohan was looking at him with surprise in his thick coat. Sajun put out a hand. Snowflakes fell on it. He looked up at the sky. ¡®I¡­¡¯ He could see the new boy standing behind Myohan. He looked like he didn¡¯t like what was happening. The snowflakes felt so cold and strange as they melted on his hand. He couldn¡¯t remember getting snow on before. When it snowed, he just looked outside through the huge window of his room. He had felt snow only a few times. But why? ¡®When I get snowed on.¡¯ Myohan looked so puzzled, probably thinking Sajun had called him. Sajun didn¡¯t bother to deny it. He put his hand back in his pocket and smiled. ¡°Nice to meet you, kitty.¡± It was what he had said to Myohan many days ago. Chapter 87 Chapter 87: Chapter 87 ¡°Oh shit, he¡¯s running again.¡± Myo Cheong let out a deep sigh as he looked down at his friend running in the school yard. His coach had told him he had to take care of himself to be in good condition only a while ago, but Jino kept on training, probably because he was anxious about having to meet college coaches soon. ¡®Staying still makes me feel empty, Cheong.¡¯ And he also kept making that hard-to-understand remark. Myo Cheong could relate to that. Jino had been his best and only friend since middle school, but he had been feeling somewhat empty and lonely for some time, not just because he wasn¡¯t in the same homeroom with Jino this time. ¡°Hey!¡± He was walking down the hallway on his way home when he bumped into some buffy guys. It was those meanies who had bullied him till last year. They smirked and stopped him, but they ran away the moment they saw who it was. ¡°I¡¯m¨C I¡¯m sorry!¡± They apologized as they ran away. To think about it, he couldn¡¯t recall how he had escaped those kids¡¯ bullying. He had always thought he was easy prey to them, and he had just endured it, planning to take a few punches and lose some money. ¡°Oh, shit, I don¡¯t know.¡± He angrily pulled his hair and went on his way. He kept feeling gloomy and he just couldn¡¯t get rid of it. And he couldn¡¯t remember how he and Jino had become friends. They had gone to the same middle school, but he couldn¡¯t recall any particular event that had brought them closer. Neither him nor Jino were the friendly type, and he found out he liked cute things only after they became friends. ¡°Cheong?¡± He felt even lonelier than usual as he headed home without Jino. For some reason, he felt like he had belonged to a very noisy group. But then, someone stopped him right in front of his old middle school. ¡°Cheong, it¡¯s you!¡± A cute girl with a round face talked to him with a smile. She was wearing a school uniform from another high school nearby. Myo Cheong recognized her. ¡°Wow, it¡¯s been a long time.¡± She was the first girl he had ever dated. ¡°How have you been?¡± They hadn¡¯t met for some years, but it didn¡¯t feel awkward at all. They talked about their schools, which universities they would apply to, and the friends they had in common from middle school. Time flew and their conversation stopped only when the girl¡¯s phone rang. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s my boyfriend.¡± Myo Cheong saw the ring on her fourth finger then. ¡°Well, it was nice to see you again.¡± ¡°Oh, I enjoyed it too.¡± He had thought he still had some feelings left for her until last year. She had been his first date, and although their relationship didn¡¯t last for long, it was full of happy memories. That was why he had always had some regrets, but when he actually got to see her again, he felt nothing. His regrets had vanished in the last year. ¡°But Cheong¡­¡± They walked together as their homes were nearby. But then, the girl looked up at him and asked, ¡°Why did we break up then?¡± He thought a lot about a lot of things. What had happened when they were dating, what he had thought when they broke up, and what had brought him close to Jino. He could recall without much problem, but when he got to the point of the breakup, his memories got all fuzzy and foggy. ¡°Hey, Jino.¡± ¡°Yeah?¡± ¡°Do you remember my ex-girlfriend from middle school?¡± He was literally dragging Jino away from the racing tracks and into the building. Jino¡¯s eyes widened at the sudden question. ¡°Why did I break up with her?¡± If the two couldn¡¯t remember it themselves, there was no way Jino could remember it. Myo Cheong knew it, but somehow he just wanted to ask him. Jino blinked and said, ¡°You two had your first kiss¡­.¡± Yes, Myo Cheong could remember that much. They got into the right mood, he kissed her, but he couldn¡¯t recall what had happened after that. Jino frowned. ¡°I can¡¯t remember what happened next.¡± As it was coming from Jino¡¯s mouth, it couldn¡¯t be a lie. Myo Cheong nodded, but then he frowned. Why was he thinking everything Jino said had to be true? ¡°Meow.¡± They started to walk faster as the next class was about to start, but then they heard a cat. Myo Cheong turned, but then he had to back off, startled by the cat jumping in his direction. It was an instinctive move. He didn¡¯t have time to think there was a rock behind him, and he would end up stumbling and twisting his right ankle. It all happened too quickly. He had to sit down because of the cat. ¡°Oww, shit!¡± ¡°Cheong, are you okay?¡± ¡®You stupid cat¡­!¡¯ ¡°No, I¡¯m not okay!¡± He yelled, but it changed nothing. His ankle was twisted, and the moment he tried to get up, pain rose up in his leg. He had gone through quite a few days without twisting one of his ankles, but it eventually happened. ¡°¡­Hey,¡± ¡°Oh, Cheong, what should we do?¡± ¡°Hey, Jino,¡± ¡°What should we¡­ Yes?¡± Jino¡¯s eyes widened. Myo Cheong asked as he got his help to stand up. ¡°Have my bones always been this fragile?¡± The sickbay was silent. After Jino went back to his classroom, Myo Cheong enjoyed bedrest. He could recall frequently visiting the sickbay like this last year. ¡®Someone used to carry me here¡­¡¯ But he couldn¡¯t remember who it had been. ¡°Miss, can I get some cold medicine?¡± The door was opened and someone came in. Myo Cheong looked and got up to see a familiar face. ¡°What, she¡¯s not here?¡± It was that student Jino thought to was so cute. He had quite an unusual name. Yes, O Myohan. Myo Cheong remembered because Jino kept saying he wanted to befriend that cute boy. ¡°She¡¯ll be here soon,¡± he said bluntly. Myohan hadn¡¯t known he was there and was a little surprised. He blinked and looked. The moment their eyes met, thrill ran down Cheong¡¯s back. ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± ¡®Shit. Jino, do you really think that¡¯s cute?¡¯ ¡°¡­Oh, um¡­¡± Myohan¡¯s eyes were enchantingly glittering in the sunlight that came through the windows. ¡®He¡¯s not cute; he¡¯s pretty,¡¯ Myo Cheong thought so as he cleared his throat and looked away. After that, awkward minutes passed. The school nurse didn¡¯t come back for a long time, and Myohan sat down on a chair and muttered something under his breath, but Cheong couldn¡¯t hear it as his voice was too small. Cheong couldn¡¯t suppress his curiosity and asked, ¡°What are you saying?¡± Myohan smiled, ¡°Oh, I saw you¡¯ve twisted your ankle, so I was thinking maybe¡­¡± But what could his twisted ankle have to do with him muttering to himself? Myohan didn¡¯t say more and stood up, probably to leave. ¡°Hey, wait.¡± Cheong stopped him, although he couldn¡¯t know why. But Myohan didn¡¯t stop. He quickly came down from the bed. The moment he took a step, his body tilted and lost balance. He knew he was about to fall. There was nothing nearby he could grab onto. But no matter how long he waited, he felt no pain. When he finally opened his eyes, he saw Myohan¡¯s delicate eyelashes. His heart beat fast. He felt d¨¦j¨¤ vu. He recalled seeing that face from that close before. ¡®I got you.¡¯ Myo Cheong¡¯s eyes widened at the voice that rang in his head. ¡°You should be more careful with your twisted ankle.¡± After steadying him, Myohan put him back on the bed and turned, but Cheong stopped him again. ¡°Hey, shit¡­¡± There was a blanket on him. His ankles couldn¡¯t be seen, and students didn¡¯t often win bedrest at the sickbay for having a twisted ankle. ¡®You¡¯re really good at acting.¡¯ Recalling what Myohan had said to him almost a year ago, he snorted. ¡°I never said I¡¯ve twisted my ankle.¡± Chapter 88 Chapter 88: Chapter 88 Jino kept running. He ran and ran until he was out of his breath and was forced to stop. His legs were stiff, but his body was used to running and kept on moving. He wasn¡¯t ignorant of the fact that overdoing it like this could lead to severe injuries, but he just couldn¡¯t help it. He ran on the racing tracks at school, and he kept exercising at home after classes. He worked out until his body was beaded with sweat. But then, he looked at the stuffed rabbit on his bed. ¡°¡­.Cheong.¡± The white stuffed rabbit resembled Myo Cheong, with its round face and cute paws. But there was something far more important that had led him to think of it as Cheong, but he just couldn¡¯t remember. He held the fluffy doll in his arms and tilted his head. ¡°¡­But how is this in my room?¡± He liked cute stuff. He liked stuffed animals, but he wasn¡¯t bold enough to buy such a cute stuffed rabbit himself. He tried to remember if he had gotten it as a gift, but of course no one would present such a cute doll to a healthy and sturdy teenaged boy like him. He really couldn¡¯t know, so he raised the rabbit to his eyes¡¯ level and asked grimly, ¡°Cheong, how did I meet you?¡± But of course, the fluffy rabbit said nothing. This year, Jino and Myo Cheong weren¡¯t in the same homeroom. Jino didn¡¯t recognize any of his new classmates. The new class president talked to him. ¡°I was just told you won¡¯t be able to run in the relay race of this year¡¯s sports competition.¡± To think about it, the sports competition was coming around. Although everyone was busy with applying for universities and couldn¡¯t afford to care about it much, it did arouse their competitive spirit. But Jino wasn¡¯t really interested about winning the event. ¡°Oh, okay.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a shame, we would totally win the race with you.¡± ¡°No, I came in third last year.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t count. That was because you fell in the middle.¡± The class president said it like it was nothing. Of course, there¡¯s nothing wrong with what he was saying, so Jino nodded, but then he frowned. He was a pro runner. He would never stumble and fall in a high school relay race. Still, last year, he had fallen hard in front of everyone. He felt like he had had a reason for it, but he couldn¡¯t know what it had been. ¡°Hey, let¡¯s go home.¡± Before he could think harder about it, Cheong came to him. He got his bag and stood up. Finding a reason for what had happened in the past was meaningless. ¡°You know, Cheong, that stuffed rabbit I have¡­¡± While they were crossing the school yard to go home, Jino recalled his stuffed rabbit and started to talk about it. He couldn¡¯t remember since when and how it had ended up in his room. The white rabbit was very realistic. ¡°What? Shit, rabbit?¡± Myo Cheong was startled to hear the word rabbit. Jino asked seriously, which wasn¡¯t like him, ¡°Who gave it to me?¡± ¡°¡­How would I know that?¡± Cheong said after a short silence. He spoke awkwardly, but Jino was innocent enough to buy it and nodded. ¡°Oh.¡± But then, Cheong suddenly exclaimed and stopped. Jino bumped into him from behind as he failed to stop in time. He whimpered and frowned. He was much taller and bigger, but Cheong was invincible, at least in some ways. Where Cheong was looking at was Myohan, whom Jino thought was really adorable. He was probably waiting for someone. He stood in front of the school gate and looked up at the sky. Jino looked at him with wide eyes. He always resembled a cat. ¡°Cheong, I want to be friends with him.¡± It was what he was always saying these days. Myohan looked like a cat and moved like a cat. As cats were the thing Jino liked the most among all cute things, he was just perfect for him. ¡°He looks like¡­¡± ¡°Hey, Myohan.¡± Before Jino could say he liked him because he was like a cat and cute, but Myo Cheong stopped and called him. Jino tried to stop him, but it was too late. Myohan turned to look at them. ¡°Cheong, we don¡¯t know him. You can¡¯t just call him like that¨C¡± ¡°He wants to get to know you.¡± Their eyes met. Myohan¡¯s light-colored eyes wavered. Jino couldn¡¯t hide his embarrassment and looked away. Yes, he did want to be close to him, but this was just too sudden and awkward. But Cheong just snorted and crossed his arms. ¡°Oh, shit. I¡¯ve told him so many times that it would be no good, but he just won¡¯t listen to me.¡± Myohan just eyed Jino. He felt thrilled the moment their eyes met again. Myohan tilted his head and grinned, his rosy lips forming a beautiful curve. ¡°Why?¡± All of a sudden, he felt d¨¦j¨¤ vu. He had had that kind of conversation before. ¡°Why do you want to get to know me?¡± Myohan sounded amused. He narrowed his eyes and looked down at Myo Cheong. He looked relaxed like a lion with a full belly. Jino widened his eyes. ¡®You¡¯re really good at running.¡¯ That stuffed rabbit. It crossed his mind. But it wasn¡¯t on his bed. It was in the middle of the school yard, in front of everyone¡¯s eyes. ¡°Jino likes cute things.¡± His head ached. He grabbed it and looked away, but then he spotted a cat with yellow eyes. It was standing next to the school gate. It looked straight at him. It was the cat that had startled Myo Cheong the other day. ¡°Cat¡­¡± Looking at it, he started to talk. He missed Myo Cheong smirking. ¡°See? I told you.¡± Jino took his eyes off the cat and turned to Myohan. ¡®Here, I¡¯ll give you this, as a peace offering.¡¯ The cat with yellow eyes was gone now. The voice he was hearing in his head was clearly Myohan¡¯s. His head ached even more. ¡°Jino,¡± Myohan called him by his name. ¡®Have I told him my name?¡¯ Jino wondered, but Myohan just went on. ¡°Trust me, getting close to me will do you no good.¡± ¡®Let¡¯s just say you won.¡¯ Then Jino looked up. That was the last. He heard nothing more. The cat was nowhere to be seen. He looked at Myo Cheong, and then Myohan. He took a step forward. ¡°¡­.We lost.¡± Myohan sighed and smiled. He pretended not to, but he couldn¡¯t help feeling good about it. With twinkling eyes, Jino asked what he should have asked a long time ago. ¡°So, why do they use blinkers on racing horses?¡± The soccer ball spun in Sinsul¡¯s hands. He had used it for so long that now it looked more like a rag. He let out a huge sigh, making Myohan glance at him. ¡°Myohan, there¡¯s this thing troubling me.¡± ¡°No, I won¡¯t play soccer with you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about that!¡± Sinsul huffed and puffed, but he didn¡¯t give up. He turned to Myohan. Myohan was clearly not so enthusiastic about helping him, but he never was, so it didn¡¯t hurt Sinsul at all. ¡°I can¡¯t smell these days.¡± Shihuang, who was looking out the window, turned and looked at them. He had become friends with Myohan really fast right after he arrived. Sinsul also felt quite close to him, although they had never had a real conversation. ¡°No, you sniffed and guessed today¡¯s lunch menu just a few hours ago.¡± ¡°But everyone can do that!¡± They had gotten roasted fish for lunch. Delicious smell had traveled far from the cafeteria. Sinsul kept grumbling as he fell on his desk. ¡°My sense of smell isn¡¯t as good as it used to be.¡± At some point, he got to thinking there was something wrong with his sense of smell. He couldn¡¯t explain it well, but it felt like he could detect less smells than before. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not a big deal.¡± Sinsul was very serious, but Myohan wasn¡¯t. Sinsul got up and raised a finger. ¡°Listen,¡± Myohan didn¡¯t listen, of course. ¡°Let¡¯s say you had really, really great sight, but then one day, your sight got so bad that you had to wear glasses. Wouldn¡¯t that bother you?¡± ¡°Was your sense of smell that great in the first place?¡± ¡°Of course¡­?¡± Sinsul was about to nod, but then he stopped. He wanted to say yes, but there are parts he couldn¡¯t really explain. Chapter 89 Chapter 89: Chapter 89 ¡°¡­.Or maybe not.¡± There was nothing to prove that he had had such a good sense of smell. It wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d smelled something special or something that others couldn¡¯t detect. He whimpered and frowned. Then he put his face right at Myohan¡¯s neck, making Shihuang frown a little. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Just give me a minute.¡± Myohan didn¡¯t push him away. He took all the time he wanted then he frowned. Myohan asked, ¡°Can you smell anything?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Shihuang¡¯s eyes flashed for a second. Sinsul looked at those black eyes and said grimly, ¡°Fabric softener.¡± Heavy silence fell. Myohan looked like he had just heard the corniest joke ever. Sinsul turned to Shihuang and sniffed. He didn¡¯t push him away either. Shihuang asked with a smile, ¡°Well, what do I smell like?¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Sinsul rubbed on his chin and tilted his head. Then, he smiled. He clapped and said, ¡°You smell just like Myohan! You two must use the same fabric softener!¡± He reached the simplest conclusion possible. Shihuang looked down and smiled with amusement. If anyone asked Sinsul how he and Myohan had become friends, he would say he couldn¡¯t remember. There was literally nothing in common about their personalities. They had been in the same homeroom for three years in a row, but that was all. Well, it would be enough for almost anyone to be friends, but they had become friends early in their freshman year. At the time, Myohan spent almost all of his time sleeping. He came to school and fell asleep immediately. He slept through classes and slept through lunchtime. He just kept sleeping in his seat, so of course he had no friends. Sinsul was the first to speak to him. ¡®Would you like to play soccer?¡¯ He thought he was deep in sleep, but to his surprise, he immediately got up when spoken to. The moment Sinsul saw his face, he couldn¡¯t help gaping. ¡®No, I don¡¯t want to.¡¯ Really, he was pretty. His skin was tender unlike other boys. His hair and eyes were light-colored. His lips were rosy and a bored but charming voice came out from them. He was so pretty that even his bored look was quite pleasant to look at. He tidied his hair with his delicate fingers. He looked away and Sinsul spoke to him, looking at his soft eyelashes. ¡®Wow, you¡¯re really good-looking.¡¯ At first, it was out of curiosity. He had never seen such a handsome boy, so he kept nagging him. It ended up with him becoming a ¡®really bothering kid¡¯, but he was content with it. Myohan always sounded irritated, but he could never really push him away. It was quite cute. And then they went on a field trip. Sinsul was excited about it as it could be a chance for him to be closer to Myohan, but Myohan wasn¡¯t there. He had a cold and was sick often. When they met at school again a few days later, Myohan smelled differently than usual. But what kind of smell had it been? ¡°So, have you gotten closer to your classmates?¡± Chookjae nodded at Sinsul¡¯s question. Chookjae was the only one among them who was in another homeroom, so Sinsul kept visiting him during breaktime lest he might feel lonely. Fortunately, Chookjae seemed to be fitting in just fine. He had been elected the class president. ¡°I can¡¯t smell well these days!¡± He had tried to talk to Myohan about it earlier, but it had led to nowhere. Unlike Myohan, Chookjae paid attention to what he said. Sinsul sniffed on him and complained. ¡°See? I can¡¯t smell a thing on you!¡± ¡°¡­I used to smell?¡± Chookjae asked, a little surprised. Sinsul told him that he didn¡¯t say that to make him nervous. ¡°But what did I used to smell like?¡± Sinsul frowned hard. It was really hard to explain. What he had smelled on Myohan, what he had smelled on Chookjae, he couldn¡¯t smell it anymore. He didn¡¯t even know what kind of smells they had been. So he just smiled sheepishly. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­.¡± He felt so lonely on his way home. He always went home alone, so he didn¡¯t know why he was feeling like that. He felt like there had been more crowded and happier memories, but he couldn¡¯t recall them. He just walked, spinning his soccer ball in his hands, but then he turned to hear a sudden sound. ¡°Meow.¡± There was a cat sitting in the middle of an alley. The cat with yellowish brown fur didn¡¯t run away when he drew closer. It just looked up at him with its yellow eyes. ¡°Are you a stray cat?¡± That cat seemed strangely familiar. Sinsul crouched down to take a closer look. ¡°You really look like Myohan.¡± Its long tail moved gently. Sinsul tried to pat it, but he changed his mind and put his face out to smell it. It smelled of nothing. ¡°You¡¯re quite clean for a stray cat¡­¡± But then he stopped. Those yellow eyes were still looking at him. ¡®This cat¡­¡¯ He recalled what he had said once. The cat had been staring at him from within someone¡¯s arms. He frowned hard to recall who it had been. He blinked. A series of images rushed through his head. All those smells he had detected, Myohan¡¯s smell and another smell he¡¯d never felt before then, and those yellow eyes flashing in warning. He grinned. ¡°I knew it.¡± Then he said with confidence, what he had pretended to be ignorant of because he didn¡¯t want to tell Myohan about it. ¡°You¡¯re not a cat.¡± Chookjae had been living with his grandmother for more than a decade. They didn¡¯t have much money and had to get the government¡¯s help, but he was still happy. His grandmother loved him and he loved her back. With her, he would be happy even in much poorer conditions. ¡°I¡¯m home.¡± He went home right after classes. Sinsul asked him to play soccer, but he turned him down flat because his grandmother was waiting for him. ¡®I should massage her shoulders after we have dinner.¡¯ He thought so as he entered his home, but it was too quiet there. ¡°Granny?¡± His gaze went from the empty living room to his grandmother¡¯s bedroom that was half open. He knew her. She never took a nap at that hour. It didn¡¯t feel good, but he tried to dismiss the feeling as he went into his grandmother¡¯s room. ¡°Why are you¡­¡± What he saw first was his grandmother on the floor. Her face was deadly pale. ¡°Granny¡­¡± Chookjae quickly went to her. He turned her with shaking hands. Her hands drooped. He took a deep breath as he held his unconscious grandmother. It felt like the world was crumbling from under him. Only a few students were left in the classroom. Myohan and Shihuang never went down for lunch, and Yuja and Sinsul were listening in worry. ¡°So?¡± Yuja asked as he raised his glasses. They could hear Sinsul gulping hard. Chookjae had come to visit Class 1. He answered as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. ¡°I brought her home early in the morning.¡± Three people let out a sigh of relief at the same time. One was from Yuja, another from Sinsul. ¡°What, Myohan?¡± ¡°¡­.What?¡± The last sigh had come from Myohan who had been listening to everything while pretending not to pay attention. Yuja looked like he couldn¡¯t believe it, so he snorted. Myohan didn¡¯t seem to care at all that he¡¯d just been busted while eavesdropping. ¡°She just had a high fever because of a cold. She¡¯ll be fine.¡± He had been so surprised when he saw her unconscious. He thought she had passed away. It took him a little time to calm down and notice she was feverish. He called 119 and broke into tears. He wailed and wailed, and by the time the medical team got there, it looked like he was the patient. She was his parent, guardian, and his only family. She had never been sick. He was sometimes scared of her and had never thought of her as weak. So now, the image of her pale face was embedded in his mind. He just couldn¡¯t forget it. ¡°Well, that¡¯s good.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Just thinking about it again made his heart beat faster. He had to take a deep breath. He hadn¡¯t gotten a wink of sleep last night, and now the stress was coming to him. ¡°Then let¡¯s go to your place and hang out!¡± ¡°Sinsul, sit.¡± Sinsul got up with twinkling eyes, but Yuja made him sit down again and scolded him. ¡°She just left the hospital this morning, how can you be so rude?¡± He sounded cold, but he was right. Chookjae scratched his cheek as he thought of how his grandmother had been perfectly fine by the time she got home. Nevertheless, she needed to rest. Sinsul quickly waved his hands. ¡°No, no! I didn¡¯t mean¡­¡± ¡°Tomorrow.¡± The three all turned at the quiet voice. ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll go with you.¡± It was Myohan. He had gotten rid of his uninterested look and was looking straight at Chookjae. Chookjae looked at those twinkling eyes and nodded. He just couldn¡¯t refuse. Chapter 90 Chapter 90: Chapter 90 So the five boys headed to Chookjae¡¯s place the next day: Chookjae, Yuja, Sinsul, Myohan, and Shihuang. Chookjae was a little surprised to see the new transfer student who wasn¡¯t even acquainted with him tag along, but somehow, it felt like he belonged in the group, so he came. ¡°Oh, Chookjae, your friends are all so handsome!¡± Yesterday, Chookjae¡¯s grandmother had been happy to hear that he would invite some friends over. She was glad to know he had friends other than Sinsul. As Sinsul had come to visit a few times before, he went in first. ¡°Granny, it¡¯s so nice to see you!¡± ¡°Oh, Sinsul, you came?¡± ¡°Of course, how would I ever miss a visit to you?¡± Myohan went to Chookjae and whispered, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say your grandmother is scary?¡± ¡®Have I ever told him about her?¡¯ But Chookjae soon dismissed the question and explained, ¡°She¡¯s scary only when I come home late or try for a sleepover.¡± However, he couldn¡¯t help feeling strange. He was sure his grandmother had once scolded him really hard, but he couldn¡¯t remember anything about it. What had it been about? ¡°Let¡¯s do homework. Everyone, take your books out.¡± As Chookjae¡¯s room was too small for five of them, they put a short table in the living room and sat on the floor. His grandmother offered to bring them some fruit, but Yuja stopped her. He took one of the apples and the knife from her and started to cut it himself. ¡°You¡¯re really good at this for a boy.¡± ¡°These days, both boys and girls should be good at homemaking stuff.¡± Myohan and Shihuang just worked on their workbooks without saying much. Even Sinsul focused hard, probably because of the pressure of being a senior. Of course, it didn¡¯t last long. He chewed the tip of his pen, and then spoke. ¡°You know, this reminds me of something.¡± Yuja cut him off immediately, ¡°Don¡¯t talk.¡± Chookjae¡¯s grandmother said he would make a fine class president and went into her room. They didn¡¯t get to say he was actually a class president. Chookjae took pity on sad Sinsul and asked, ¡°What is it?¡± The dog-boy soon regained his smile. ¡°You know, at Myohan¡¯s place, we¡­¡± ¡°Sinsul!¡± This time, Myohan stopped him. He realized his mistake and shrugged. Yuja frowned, but he soon forgot about it and put apple slices on the table. He was even better at it than Chookjae¡¯s grandmother. Their talking ended there. Sinsul complained about something from time to time, but Chookjae was completely focused on his homework and couldn¡¯t hear any of it. They talked about the University Entrance Exam and which university they wanted to attend. They were awed by Yuja¡¯s perfect plan and scolded Sinsul¡¯s lack of plan. Time flew while they were doing work. ¡°You¡¯re leaving already? I thought you would stay for dinner.¡± ¡°But they should go home and have dinner.¡± Chookjae¡¯s grandmother said she had planned to cook something really nice for them. They promised to come to visit again and left. Chookjae put on slippers and followed to walk them out. ¡°Your grandmother is well.¡± Myohan looked happy about it. He had stared hard at her just before he left. Chookjae thought it was weird. He was sure he had never talked about her to him, but he was strangely interested in her. ¡°Next time, let¡¯s do homework at Myohan¡¯s place.¡± ¡°Who said anything about inviting you?¡± ¡°You think you get to say that when you¡¯ve done, like, zero homework?¡± On their way home, Sinsul tried to set up the next homework meeting, but Myohan objected. Chookjae looked up at the sky. The sun was setting and the sky was turning red. ¡°You know,¡± He didn¡¯t know why he was saying it. It was probably because the sun was too beautiful. ¡°Let¡¯s study at your place next time.¡± As they went past by a wall, he saw a cat sitting on it. It was looking at him with yellow eyes. He got into a staring match with it, but then Myohan said bluntly. ¡°My place isn¡¯t for public meetings.¡± The cat looked away. It jumped down the wall and disappeared. When Chookjae turned, Myohan snorted, looked up at the sky, and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s a place for sleepovers.¡± That was an unexpected answer. Even Yuja looked at him with wide eyes. Myohan was still smiling. ¡°Get your grandmother¡¯s permission.¡± Shihuang smiled at him, thinking he was cute. Chookjae also smiled and nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± It had been more than six months since Miho¡¯s sister died. She came to him in his dreams, and he had to go to school the next day with huge swollen eyes. He hadn¡¯t been able to cry at her funeral, but now, he was sobbing. He thought he should have cried back then. To think about it, there were many days he hadn¡¯t been able to cry. When his parents died, when his best friend died in an accident, he couldn¡¯t shed even a single tear, but he couldn¡¯t remember what the reason had been. Maybe it was his pride, or something else¡­ ¡°Jagyeom, I ran into him in the hallway.¡± On his way to his homeroom, he ran into a boy he used to be friends with since they were very little. Now, they were more like enemies, but they had been friends. He flinched the moment he saw Miho and walked away quickly. He had been so confident only a while ago, but he had changed. ¡°Really? He didn¡¯t try to pick on you?¡± ¡°Yeah, he couldn¡¯t even look straight at me.¡± ¡®Hey,¡¯ So Miho had called to him. He grabbed his arm and looked at him. He looked startled, but then he said with a sigh. ¡®Let¡¯s talk at lunchtime, I¡¯ll wait for you there.¡¯ There. They both knew where it was. ¡°Well, after what he¡¯s paid for what he did¡­¡± Jagyeom thought it was all for the better. But when he tried to go back to the book he¡¯d been reading, Miho added. ¡°And he wants to see me at the vegetable garden during lunchtime.¡± Jagyeom almost fell from his chair to hear this. Wind blew past them. The weather was warm now, but it was still quite cool in shadows. The garden was mostly empty except for the two of them. Miho and the nervous boy. He glanced at Miho and sighed. ¡°Miho.¡± Miho said nothing. He just looked at him dryly. He flinched again and looked away. It took him a long time to manage to talk. ¡°You remember what happened last year, right?¡± Of course, he knew and remembered. He nodded and the boy took another deep breath. ¡°I¡­¡± He hesitated for a long time again. Miho got tired of waiting and spoke. ¡°I can¡¯t remember well.¡± ¡°¡­.What?¡± It had been only a few months, but what had happened had been erased from his mind. What had happened on that day, what the bully had done to him and said to him, he couldn¡¯t remember as if someone had deliberately deleted it. But when he tried to recall it, he got to think it didn¡¯t matter and stopped thinking. ¡°You can¡¯t remember either?¡± But his reply was surprising to him. His eyes widened and he looked away. ¡°¡­So, what do you have to say?¡± If he wasn¡¯t about to talk about what had happened on that day, Miho had no business with him. It wasn¡¯t like they were still close enough to have a private conversation. He hesitated for a long time. He pulled at his hair, rolled his eyes, and stomped his feet. ¡°Oh, shit¡­.¡± ¡°If you have nothing to say, I¡¯m leaving.¡± Miho started to walk away, but then the boy finally started to speak. ¡°I have nothing to say if you ask me why I¡¯m saying this now, but I must say this.¡± Miho couldn¡¯t help feeling nervous. He hadn¡¯t felt this way last year, but his eyes were shaking and it made his heart sink. ¡°After he died in that accident¡­¡± It was the story Miho wanted to hear the least. He had buried it deep in his heart. He had missed that friend¡¯s funeral, but now this boy was reminding him of his absence. ¡°I really blamed you a lot.¡± Even Miho himself couldn¡¯t understand why he had restrained himself instead of crying at the time. If he had been the same person he was now, he would have gone there first and sobbed hard. But he still thought it had been the best he could do back then. Chapter 91 Chapter 91: Chapter 91 ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± It really shocked Miho. ¡°About what?¡± He asked because he really couldn¡¯t know what he was apologizing about. He saw how shocked he was and said, embarrassed, ¡°About bullying and tormenting you.¡± ¡°¡­.But why?¡± Really, he couldn¡¯t understand. It had already been half a year since his bullying stopped. Half a year wasn¡¯t that long, but to Miho, it felt like so long ago, despite the fact that the bullying had lasted for more than three years. ¡°Shit, I know it¡¯s too late, but¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t look into Miho¡¯s eyes. He had been confident to the very last moment, but now he was bowing like a sinner. ¡°At first, I just found you creepy.¡± It reminded Miho of what he had forgotten. Himself looking down at the funeral and the way his relatives had looked at him. ¡°Then, I got angry.¡± What he had felt as he wrote a fake name on his gym suit, what he had felt as he became an outcast of their class, and the ray of hope that suddenly came to him one day. ¡®I don¡¯t have parents either.¡¯ ¡°And later, I just got used to it.¡± It felt so sad. His heart ached, telling him he had forgotten what he shouldn¡¯t have. It wasn¡¯t Jagyeom. It wasn¡¯t the bully. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking a lot after that day.¡± The moment Miho blinked, a tear ran down his cheek. He looked away instead of wiping it and saw a small cat. More tears came out. ¡°And I realized¡­ I just used it as an excuse to be hard on you.¡± As the bully looked down in shame, he couldn¡¯t see Miho¡¯s tears. His head ached even more. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡®What does it have to do with you?¡¯ He hadn¡¯t heard that voice before. It wasn¡¯t Jagyeom, and it wasn¡¯t the bully. But the unfamiliar voice somehow made him cry. ¡®Whether he weeps over his sister¡¯s death or not, what does it have to do with you?¡¯ ¡°¡­You¡­¡± The cat stared at him, its tail moving gently. The bully looked up as Miho spoke. ¡°You said I wouldn¡¯t shed a single tear even if my sister died.¡± The bully looked surprised to see him cry for the first time. Tears were running down his face now, but he spoke calmly. ¡°Apologize about that too.¡± ¡°Why¨C Why are you¡­¡± He faltered. He raised a hand to grab Miho¡¯s shoulder and ask why he was crying, but then someone stopped his arm. The cat was gone. What Miho saw first with teary eyes was light-brown hair. ¡°¡­What the¡­¡± His eyes were flashing. ¡°Who are you? What are you doing?¡± The boy said nothing. He looked back in surprise at Miho and frowned. He let go of the bully¡¯s arm and let out a sigh. He muttered. ¡°I thought¡­ No, I was wrong.¡± Jagyeom came running with a boy Miho had never seen before. ¡°Myohan¡¯s mad again¡­¡± Jagyeom whispered. ¡°Hey, I asked you a question. Who the hell are¡­¡± ¡°Me?¡± The boy looked determined. He looked at Miho and grinned. It was a familiar smile and familiar voice. Familiar words came from his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m his friend.¡± From that flying soccer ball, then at that sickening hospital, then from the bully, then just before he was about to use his fist as he couldn¡¯t take it anymore, and then when he had to say goodbye to his sister. ¡°Are you still bullying him?¡± He felt like he¡¯d been saved. The person who had dragged him out of that darkness. He couldn¡¯t believe he had forgotten him. Still in tears, he called the name of the friend who had saved him. ¡°¡­Myohan.¡± In Yuja¡¯s class, there was a strange student who almost never studied but somehow managed to get good grades. He just slept through every day and was too cold, but he was nice at some weird points. Yuja looked at him as he looked out the window. Then he called him. ¡°Myohan.¡± He got a bored gaze in return. Myohan¡¯s eyes were full of sleepiness. Yuja looked at them and frowned. ¡°Since when have you had so many friends?¡± It was lunchtime. Yuja was studying his workbook while he was waiting for his friend Chookjae who had been called by a teacher. But then the back door opened, and he looked back. ¡°Myohan! I¡¯ve brought them!¡± The loud voice was Sinsul¡¯s, of course. Yuja had thought it was weird for him to leave their homeroom without his soccer ball, but it turned out it was to come back with a bunch of boys. Yuja recognized only two of the five. One of them was famous as a pro runner and the other had all kinds of bad rumors about him. The five had nothing in common, but they all went to Myohan and had a chat as if they had known each other for a long time. They mentioned ¡®class president¡¯ from time to time, but Yuja tried to think they weren¡¯t talking about him. ¡°Why, you jealous?¡± Myohan asked with a grin, but Yuja frowned and shook his head. He looked at the group. ¡®One, two, three, four¡­ Six, Byeon Sinsul, in total.¡¯ He had known Myohan for three years, and as far as he knew, he wasn¡¯t the type of person who went around in a large group like that. He didn¡¯t try to hide how bothered he was whenever someone tried to approach him, and only Sinsul had managed to overcome that barrier and befriend him. Yuja had thought it was weird that he got close to the new transfer student so quickly, but now he had a bunch of friends. He really didn¡¯t know how it was possible. ¡°Yuja, you should join us and study at Myohan¡¯s place.¡± Yuja was thinking about it when Sinsul made the offer with a smile. As he didn¡¯t know most of the boys there, he opened his mouth to refuse, but then he saw their eyes twinkling with excitement. Sinsul asked again, ¡°You¡¯re coming, right?¡± It was dark on his way home. Yuja was thinking about what Myohan had told him as he walked. But then, he spotted a cat. It was sitting on a wall with its tail drooping down like a rope. It looked at him. He stopped and started to look back at him. After he said yes to Sinsul¡¯s offer, he had found himself teaching the boys for the midterms. Sinsul and Myo Cheong, who always got really bad grades, were his main students. Jagyeom and Miho also paid attention to his lecture. As Jino was going to be an athlete and Sajun was good at studying, they were excluded from the class. To be honest, it wasn¡¯t that bad. Teaching the boys and watching them listening with excitement had been nice. It felt so good that he thought about being a teacher for a second, although he had been studying hard for years to get into a medical school. Plus, it all felt strangely natural. ¡®I know Sinsul¡¯s always like that, but as for the others¡­¡¯ The cat¡¯s twinkling eyes made him feel like he could tell it everything, so he started to talk, although he knew it looked a little crazy. ¡°Why did they all speak like they¡¯ve learned from me before?¡± He had never spoken to them before. It was possible they had seen each other in hallways, but they hadn¡¯t talked. Still, they all talked like they had learned from Yuja a few times before. ¡®Yuja, you¡¯re the best teacher ever!¡¯ ¡®Wow, you¡¯re even better than the last time.¡¯ ¡®As I told you before, I think you¡¯d make a great teacher.¡¯ ¡®I can¡¯t agree more.¡¯ Myohan frowned harder and harder each time one of them spoke with awe. The pen he¡¯d been spinning fell to the table. Yuja felt a strange sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu, but he didn¡¯t show it. He just raised his glasses and frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking it¡¯s weird for some time.¡± The cat looked at Yuja. He saw it wasn¡¯t running away and pressed on his forehead. ¡°He suddenly became friends with that new kid, went to Chookjae¡¯s place for a visit, and he doesn¡¯t find five boys around him bothering at all!¡± ¡°Meow.¡± He could have just dismissed it as Myohan¡¯s unique whim and Sinsul and other kids mistakes, but he couldn¡¯t do it because something was stopping him from doing it. Chapter 92 Chapter 92: Chapter 92 ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s strange?¡± Yuja was thinking everything was strange, but he was accepting it all without a problem. He even felt the cat in front of him looked quite familiar, even though he¡¯d never seen it before, so maybe he was seriously crazy. This time, the cat waved its tail slowly instead of meowing. Its yellow eyes flashed. ¡°Anyway, you¡¯re a lot like Myohan¡¯s cat¡­¡± But after he said that, he realized Myohan had no cat. He had said nothing about having a cat. Then, why was he thinking this strange cat resembled Myohan¡¯s pet cat?¡¯ ¡®Yuja, you didn¡¯t go on last year¡¯s school trip, were you?¡¯ His head ached. He suddenly remembered what Myohan had asked him that during the school trip last year. He had also asked, ¡®But then, why have you come this time?¡¯ Even now, that sounded like a stupid question. Anyone else would have asked why he had missed the last trip. He pressed on his aching head then he frowned hard as another piece of memory flashed through his head. ¡®So even Myohan gets into a relationship.¡¯ He himself had said that once. Myohan hadn¡¯t been able to say anything to it. ¡®I guess he must be really great.¡¯ Then memories started to flood out. Sinsul bringing in a bunch of boys he didn¡¯t know, hanging out with them, and falling asleep all in the same room. The Snow White of Class 1 and the broken lock¡­ ¡°¡­Okay, I get Myohan,¡± Still frowning, he asked himself. ¡°But what the hell is with that princess?¡± The cafeteria was full of boys as usual. Sadeol bit his lips and stared hard down on his tray full of meat. There was cooked rice, some kimchi, and lots of meat. The menu wasn¡¯t special, but it was good enough. Seonhan, who was already stuffing his mouth with food, asked him, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Sadeol sobbed, choked by emotion. Then, he looked at Seonhan with teary eyes. ¡°I love meat¡­¡± He got a few frowns from his friend in return, all asking, ¡®So what?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m never going back to being a vegan, ever.¡± After he said that, he put a huge piece of meat in his mouth and chewed happily. ¡°But why did you become a vegan in the first place?¡± Seonhan asked when they were almost done eating, their trays almost empty. Sadeol¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I¡­¡± He had avoided meat for years. No one forced him to, but he just did it. He had given his meat to Seonhan everyday until today. He crossed his arms and thought about it. Then he asked back. ¡°¡­Why did I do that?¡± Really, he couldn¡¯t know. He never had thought much about why he¡¯d become vegan, but the moment he realized it, he couldn¡¯t get rid of it from his head. He loved meat. Well, most people did, but he was a serious meat-lover, but he had lived as a vegan for almost a decade. He had meat a few times in that period, but mostly he had oppressed his urge. But then, why had he tried so hard? He tried to find out the reason all day why he had become a vegan and why he had started eating meat again. Of course, he didn¡¯t know. In science class, the teacher showed them a documentary film about panthers. The animal¡¯s nimble body and sharp, feline eyes were quite impressive. ¡®It resembles someone I know.¡¯ He thought for a second. Of course, he spent most of the time thinking about his past life as a vegan. ¡°Hey, Sadeol, how about we play soccer with Sinsul?¡± ¡°Great! Let¡¯s go!¡± He was still thinking about it when Seonhan asked him to play soccer together. Sinsul was Seonhan¡¯s friend from middle school. Sadeol knew him well as they often played soccer. Plus, Sinsul was nice and could be friends with anybody. ¡°Pass me the ball!¡± ¡°No! Stop him!¡± Sadeol¡¯s worry left his mind while he was running around on the field. After moving around and rolling on the ground a few times, he felt a lot better. He got so excited that he kicked the ball hard. ¡°Hey! What are you doing?¡± Sadly, the ball flew over the goalpost and the fence behind it. ¡°Sorry, sorry!¡± Sadeol quickly apologized and ran to get the ball. He jumped over the fence and saw the ball still rolling away. It rolled and rolled until it stopped in front of a sitting cat. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that¡¯s my ball. I must take it.¡± The cat with yellow eyes sat still as it looked at Sadeol. If it hadn¡¯t been blinking, he would have thought it wasn¡¯t alive. It looked somehow familiar. Sadeol thought about it and clapped. ¡°You look just like the panther I saw in that documentary earlier!¡± The two animals really resembled each other. Sadeol grinned and went to his soccer ball. He leaned down to pick it up, and then¡­ ¡°¡­Sadeol?¡± He looked up and turned back, his ball in his hands. A boy was standing there. Sadeol knew him to be Sinsul¡¯s friend, but he somehow knew his name. ¡°Do you know me?¡± The boy faltered and shut his mouth, obviously regretting his mistake. Sadeol studied his feline face and turned back to where the cat had been a second ago, but now, it was gone. ¡°Of course I know you, you¡¯re Sinsul¡¯s friend?¡± The boy soon found the right answer to his question. Sadeol looked at his nametag and found out his name was ¡®O Myohan¡¯. He looked up a little, and the moment he saw those light-brown eyes, he felt a thrill. ¡°I called you because you were blocking my path. Bye.¡± He had felt that thrill before. But when? He quickly went to Myohan. He gulped hard and grabbed his arm. He could see him frown. He looked troubled. Sadeol took a deep breath. He knew those eyes. They were exactly like his own. His nimble but relaxed moves, his smooth body line, he recognized them. What he was feeling now was similar to what he had felt when he realized the friend he had thought of as a tiger was actually a panther. He gulped hard again and spoke. ¡°Friend, you are a cat.¡± Really, it took him a long time to figure that out. ¡°If you keep avoiding it because you are scared, you will have to run away forever.¡± That was what Chandeul¡¯s grandmother said to him as he left home for school. Maybe it was a warning. Maybe it was advice. Maybe she was scolding him for being a coward. He just grabbed his bag¡¯s strap hard and said nothing. His tender eyes looked sad. What his grandmother was saying reminded him of someone. He was neither buff nor ugly, but his mere sight made Chandeul shudder. He couldn¡¯t feel what he felt like every child of Grandmother Samshin felt. He just felt like he should have died long ago. ¡°Hey, have you finished your homework?¡± But the problem was, now he had two scary boys like that. ¡°¡­.Yes.¡± Chandeul was in the same homeroom with Sajun this year. He never cared about other classmates, but for some reason, he kept talking to Chandeul as if they had known each other for some time. ¡°Oh, hey.¡± And he was friends with the two boys Chandeul was afraid of. ¡°Sajun, you¡¯re close with that new boy in Class 1, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Sajun shrugged, but Chandeul had seen him with him only yesterday. He frowned, but Sajun only grinned. ¡°I¡¯m close to Myohan.¡± ¡°¡­.Anyway,¡± The new transfer student of Class 1 was the person Chandeul was newly afraid of. It was strange to transfer to a new school in one¡¯s senior year, and he had befriended ¡®that¡¯ Myohan in like, five seconds, which was even stranger. Plus, his name was really strange: ¡®Jin Shihuang¡¯. Chandeul had heard it only once, but he just couldn¡¯t forget it. ¡°What kind of kid is he?¡± The moment Chandeul saw him, he felt a different kind of fear than he had felt towards Myohan. He was a human. He was clearly a human, but for some reason, he looked like he was carrying an enormous beast on his back. His power and confidence made Chandeul feel like what his grandmother felt when she saw a really powerful ghost. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Instead of answering his question, Sajun moaned. He rubbed his chin and licked his lips. Then, he grinned and spoke. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were interested in him.¡± Well, that was who Kim Sajun was. Chandeul shouldn¡¯t have expected a serious answer from him. He just waved his hand and told him to forget about it, but then Sajun made a serious remark, which wasn¡¯t like him. ¡°It¡¯s not good to judge someone without really getting to know him.¡± Chandeul said nothing. The bell rang and ended the conversation, but he just couldn¡¯t forget it. He felt guilty for his cowardice. Chapter 93 Chapter 93: Chapter 93 Chandeul could have forgotten about it. It wasn¡¯t like they were in the same homeroom. Myohan and the new kid probably didn¡¯t even know him. Nevertheless, he just couldn¡¯t stop thinking about Myohan. He was afraid of him, but for some reason, he kept thinking talking to him once would be fine. ¡°Oh, where¡¯s my nametag?¡± It all started when he lost his nametag. He ran into a cat with fierce eyes on his way back from the cafeteria after lunch and walked fast to leave it behind, and he ended up losing it. The pin he used to fix the nametag on his jacket had been a little loose. ¡®I wish this school would get rid of nametags too, more and more schools are doing it these days.¡¯ He thought as he slowly walked to the school store. He had gone there at least three times every day until last year. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± He looked everywhere and couldn¡¯t find his nametag, so he was about to give up. He really didn¡¯t want to buy a new nametag when he had only one more year to go. Then, he heard familiar voices. ¡°I should return it to him.¡± It was the two people he was so afraid of. They were standing in front of the school store and talking while they looked down at something in Myohan¡¯s palm. It was Chandeul¡¯s nametag. ¡°And you¡¯ll do it yourself?¡± ¡°You want me to do it all over again?¡± Myohan snorted. He put the nametag in his pocket and came up with a different solution. ¡°I can just give it to Sajun.¡± The nametag said nothing but Chandeul¡¯s name, but still Myohan was saying he would give it to Sajun. He knew Chandeul and Sajun were in the same homeroom. ¡®Has Sajun mentioned me to them?¡¯ Chandeul wondered. ¡°Why bother? Just give it to him yourself.¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Anyway, his nametag had been found, so the problem was solved. Chandeul thought so and walked away to go back to his homeroom, but what Myohan said after that made him stop. ¡°He¡¯s afraid of me.¡± He sounded so bitter. Anyone else would have thought he spoke dryly and unconcerned, but it sounded bitter to Chandeul. Myohan said with a sad smile, ¡°That cowardly piggy.¡± Chandeul had thought Myohan didn¡¯t know him. He might have heard of his name, but he was sure he didn¡¯t know he was so afraid of him, but it turned out he had been wrong. ¡°You¡¯ve lost your nametag, right?¡± The next day, his nametag was returned to him by Sajun. He just said someone had found it and given it to him, but he wouldn¡¯t say who it had been. As Chandeul took it and put it back on his jacket, he couldn¡¯t help thinking about what Myohan had said. How did he know how Chandeul felt about him? And what was that ¡®piggy¡¯ thing? Really, it was too complicated. Thoughts kept coming up one after another. He ended up thinking about it for hours, and after lunch, he went to the school store and bought a pastry as he did often since last year. ¡°Um, hey, could you call Myohan?¡± His heart pounded strangely. Only Myohan, Shihuang, and another boy who was probably the class president were there. The class president with glasses looked surprised to see Chandeul, which was strange. ¡°You wanted to see me?¡± Myohan came out with his eyes full of sleep. Chandeul flinched when their eyes met, but then he gave him the pastry. ¡°Thank you for finding my nametag.¡± He had many things he wanted to know. Myohan acted like he knew him, so he wondered how he would react when he got to see him. He was still afraid, but he knew Myohan wasn¡¯t bad. Myohan looked at him and smiled softly. ¡°Thank you.¡± Chandeul thought he would at least how he had found out, but he said nothing. ¡®You can¡¯t keep avoiding it.¡¯ What his grandmother had said flashed in his mind. ¡°Hey,¡± So he called Myohan and said something that made no sense as he was on his way from the school store. ¡°I¡¯m going to the school store.¡± Myohan looked at him, a little surprised. The scene felt strangely familiar, so Chandeul scratched his cheek as he continued. ¡°¡­Would you like to go with me?¡± Just like that, their friendship resumed. The cat was sitting on the bridge and looking up at the starry night sky. It was as dark as black silk and full of stars. It blinked its yellow eyes and gently moved its long tail. He looked faint, as if he was about to disappear at any moment. ¡°I knew you¡¯d be here.¡± Shihuang sat down next to it and looked up at where it was looking. ¡°Why don¡¯t you say a word?¡± But the cat wasn¡¯t interested in the man next to him at all. It just yawned and blinked. But its eyes were too solemn for a cat¡¯s. ¡°So you won¡¯t even speak to the friend who¡¯s taken away the whole world from you?¡± ¡°¡­You¡­¡± In the end, it finally spoke. Shihuang smiled and hugged his knees. When he turned, he saw long white hair. ¡°You nasty fellow.¡± The cat, no, the god O Shin spoke calmly. The huge moon was shining on him among scattered stars. ¡°I¡¯ll take it as a compliment.¡± He couldn¡¯t know since when, but his instincts had told him O Shin had been with them since the very beginning. He had known the god for a long time, and it wasn¡¯t the kind of thing he could just forget after he became a human. ¡°So, now it¡¯s all over?¡± They both knew what he meant by that. The god said nothing. ¡°There¡¯s still one to go.¡± Myohan had demanded that the god erase all their memories. He wanted them not to remember how they had been half-animals, and O Shin wanted to sink beyond the abyss. But his plan didn¡¯t work, as the merciful god didn¡¯t want his favorite cat to be lonely. ¡°I think what I¡¯ve done is enough.¡± The answer was simple. He didn¡¯t even try to deny he had given back their memories. After a short silence, he went on. ¡°I¡¯m not as merciful as you think.¡± The god knew Shihuang thought him to be merciful. Shihuang¡¯s eyes shined with amusement, but he moaned. ¡°Therefore, I couldn¡¯t forgive all of it.¡± Shihuang could understand it. What had happened to them was a past life to Myohan, but to him, it had happened in this life. As O Shin had witnessed all of it, it had to be even more vivid to him. ¡°Do you think this much of temper is cute?¡± Destroying loving memories with the cat. The only thing that had brought them together was now gone, and there was no way Myohan would come to him first. It was harsh to those who could remember it, but it was nothing to those who couldn¡¯t. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s really cute.¡± It was what O Shin had said to him a long time ago. The god remembered and smiled faintly. ¡°I couldn¡¯t understand you.¡± He sounded too weak, as if he was about to be scattered in the wind. For a moment, Shihuang feared he was about to leave. ¡°You make the same choice again even when you know you will regret it.¡± O Shin wasn¡¯t wrong. Shihuang had lived years of regret and agony before Myohan finally remembered him. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have taken him away. I should have warned him. I should have listened to the subjects more carefully. No, I shouldn¡¯t have loved him at all.¡± ¡°That is why you thought it would be better to become a human.¡± The god probably had known that. He probably thought of Shihuang as humane while he was in agony. ¡°I thought you and the boy were a good match.¡± The god smiled bitterly as he said so. It was the last trace of feelings he couldn¡¯t hide, but he soon got rid of all of his regrets and turned to Shihuang. ¡°A fool¡¯s company is always a fool.¡± ¡°That is why you¡¯re friends with me.¡± Shihuang snorted. The god smiled sadly. ¡°So you¡¯re not going to tell him?¡± Myohan was probably going to let his friends recall all of it by themselves, just like he had, without knowing the god loved him so much and had bothered to help them all. ¡°They say the cat hides its claws.¡± If it had been Shihuang, he would have felt it was a little unfair, but the god was different. ¡°One with talent does not show it easily.¡± He smiled softly, his yellow eyes twinkling. ¡°I believe in beautiful endings.¡± This was the right moment. He had solved everything, and Myohan had only good memories about him. The god was still bothered by wounds in his heart, but time was the only cure to it. Actually, he had stayed too long already. Chapter 94 Chapter 94: Chapter 94 ¡°I should leave before dawn.¡± The god stood up. Shihuang knew this was really the end. ¡°Thank you,¡± he looked up and said what he hadn¡¯t said in all those years. ¡°For everything.¡± The god looked relieved to hear this. Shihuang closed his eyes and said what he had wanted to say for a long time, ¡°I never thought of you as bad.¡± He heard a laughter. The god¡¯s white hair flew in the wind. Shihuang didn¡¯t apologize. It was for the god, not for himself. He didn¡¯t open his eyes, and O Shin said his final goodbye to him. ¡°I cared a lot about you as well, so I have no regrets. Therefore, I will let you go now.¡± Shihuang couldn¡¯t open his eyes for some time, as he couldn¡¯t accept his friend¡¯s departure. He could still remember everything, from the moment they first met to what had happened only a minutes ago. He felt somewhat sad, but then he felt someone coming to him and opened his eyes slowly. ¡°I wondered where you were going so late in night.¡± Moonlight sat on his smooth cheeks. Shihuang had always thought he was a person of sunlight, but he didn¡¯t look that bad under moonlight either. His long eyelashes had even longer shadows. Myohan crouched down and shrugged. ¡°Well, I had my guess.¡± Instead of asking how much he had heard, Shihuang pulled him close. Myohan let him and kissed him softly. Their lips parted only after a long and deep kiss. Myohan whispered, ¡°One is a god and the other is a dragon, but you¡¯re both so clumsy in my eyes.¡± Then they kissed again. Myohan kept caressing him as if he wanted to comfort him. From his cheek, to his ear, to his neck, and to his black hair. His hand moved softly like touching a small animal. The longer it lasted, the more he calmed down. Just like that, with the sky full of stars and the moon brighter than ever, Shihuang let go of his old friend. It was spring and the campus was full of flowers. New couples were all holding hands and smiling happily. Myohan was sitting on a bench. He yawned and looked up at the sky. It was clear without a single cloud. ¡°Hey, can I have your number?¡± He was wondering if he should go and find a place to sleep then someone spoke to him. When he looked, there was a tall man who was wearing a jacket that looked just like Myohan¡¯s. ¡°No,¡± He said bluntly. Then he got up with a huge yawn. He stretched his arms and back. The man watched him do it and asked again with a grin. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ll regret it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± He still sounded cold, but the man wasn¡¯t offended at all. He chuckled and threw an arm around Myohan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You were supposed to say you are in a relationship.¡± The man was Shihuang. He and Myohan had come to the same university. Myohan got quite high grades, but Shihuang managed to do as good as him. Myohan wondered how he managed to do it as he had never studied in Korea¡¯s educational system, but when he asked him about it, he just smiled. ¡°Who taught you that?¡± He entered the university for one reason only. He wanted to be with Myohan. After he became a human, they lived together in Myohan¡¯s apartment. They were always together in the same house, same school, and in the same class. Shihuang didn¡¯t want to leave his side, so they ended up going to the same university. ¡°Because so many are trying to get my cat.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the only one who¡¯s trying to get me.¡± ¡°Know thyself, don¡¯t you know that quote?¡± After O Shin left, Myohan worried about money for a while, but it turned out he didn¡¯t have to. Shihuang told him it was him who had been sending his living expenses. Myohan was relieved to know he didn¡¯t have to work and earn money. ¡°You¡¯re the one who should learn from that quote.¡± As they walked around the campus, almost everyone on their way looked at them, both men and women. Myohan thought they were looking at Shihuang, but Shihuang thought they were all looking at Myohan. ¡°Oh! The two jewels of this department!¡± The student representative of their department spoke to them. He was nice to everyone and wasn¡¯t easily offended. Myohan thought of him as ¡®Sinsul who was good at studying¡¯. ¡°You¡¯re coming to the department meeting today, right?¡± ¡°No.¡± He really liked Myohan and Shihuang. He was always saying that although each of them was good-looking, they looked even better as they were always together. He thought having two such good-looking men in his department was something to be really proud of, so he wanted them to participate in every meeting, but they never went to any meetings. ¡°Hey, you two are freshmen. Being an outsider is a bad way to start your college life.¡± He tried threatening them, but Myohan just crossed his arms and snorted. When he looked at Shihuang, he was looking away, not caring at all. ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t say things like that these days.¡± ¡°I was just saying! Shihuang, say something! You are coming, right?¡± He was just like Sinsul in many ways, including moving on to Shihuang when convincing Myohan was impossible. But the problem was that neither of them knew that convincing Shihuang was even harder than convincing Myohan. ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­I really hate you both, but I¡¯m asking just to be polite. Why?¡± The two looked at each other and chuckled, thinking of the other kids. Myohan took out his cellphone. It was buzzing and the name showed on it was ¡®Yuja¡¯. He explained with a smile. ¡°We have a high school reunion this evening.¡± They had turned eighteen, and they were going to gather for the first time after graduation. ¡°Well, cheers!¡± ¡°Cheers!¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t let Sinsul have his way.¡± ¡°Hey, Chandeul, do you think this gochujang is of that brand that bears your name?¡± ¡°¡­How am I supposed to know that?¡± ¡°Hey, shit, shut up and sit down.¡± ¡°Cheong, are you sure you can drink?¡± ¡°Sadeol! Let¡¯s drink ¡¯til one of us passes out!¡± ¡°Challenge accepted! You¡¯re going down!¡± ¡°What are they talking about?¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯d better not know, Miho.¡± They were sitting in a bar. As there were fourteen of them, Yuja had made a reservation for a table big enough for all of them. They each got a pitcher of beer to celebrate reaching drinking age. Sinsul was already too excited about it. Myo Cheong frowned. ¡°Oh, I think it was better when he couldn¡¯t drink.¡± ¡°Hey, I would drink in Sul Time then!¡± Myohan smiled to see them all. It had been only a few months, but as they had met every day back in high school, that time had felt like quite a long time ago. He was glad to see them all again and smiled at Shihuang. ¡°You would have regretted your choice, right?¡± ¡°Well, I guess so.¡± They had gathered again by a series of miracles. Myohan asked the god to let them forget everything and live normal lives, but it was in vain. Seonhan was the only one who couldn¡¯t remember until the end, but when the twelve of them told him the same story, he finally surrendered. Myohan thought he shouldn¡¯t have made that wish as it didn¡¯t work anyway. ¡°Well, as we are all now in the universities we wanted, I think we should have a toast.¡± Jagyeom proposed, with huge beer glasses in both hands. Sinsul nodded hard. Sajun also raised his glass with a smile. ¡°I¡¯d like a toast.¡± ¡°But shouldn¡¯t someone say something for a toast?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s a wedding, we don¡¯t need that.¡± But then, Shihuang raised his glass, his eyes shining playfully. ¡°We should toast for the person who¡¯s achieved the most.¡± Everyone looked at Yuja. He was now wearing contact lenses instead of his usual glasses, but he tried to raise his glasses out of habit. Sinsul jumped to his feet and yelled. ¡°For Yuja!¡± ¡°For Yuja!¡± They had been admitted to universities all thanks to Yuja. As soon as he got back his memories, he started teaching them every day at Myohan¡¯s place. ¡°Can we order more food?¡± ¡°Do as you want, piggy.¡± ¡°¡­.I think being called a rat is better than being called a piggy.¡± Of course, most of the boys hadn¡¯t had a problem. Chookjae, Sajun, Seonhan, and Myohan had always gotten good grades, and Shihuang somehow managed to do it by himself. As Jagyeom got good grades in most subjects except for math and Miho could learn fast with Yuja¡¯s help, it wasn¡¯t hard for them as well. And Jino was going to be an athlete, so he was fine too. ¡°Wow, shit. Honestly, I never thought I¡¯d come to college.¡± ¡°I was surprised to see Sadeol admitted.¡± But the problem was Sinsul, Myo Cheong, Chandeul, and Sadeol. When they were taught something new, they forgot what they¡¯d been taught the day before. Even after they understood a concept, they said they¡¯d never heard it before when asked about it the next day. It was Yuja who didn¡¯t give up on them and taught (brainwashed) them. ¡°All human beings have the ability to learn.¡± ¡°But Yuja, I wasn¡¯t a human.¡± ¡°Yes, you were a dog.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°¡­You really want to admit it yourself?¡± But in the end, they all got to their dream universities. Sinsul was put on a waiting list and had to wait in agony, but as many of the admitted students gave up their places to go to other universities, his turn eventually came and he got admitted at the last moment. ¡°So, what do you learn in medical school?¡± ¡°Oh, all of the books are in English.¡± ¡°Yuck!¡± And as for Yuja, he went to a medical school as he had wanted. He went to the top medical school of the country, and as soon as it was announced, a huge placard with his name on it was put in their high school. Soon Chookjae, Sajun, and Seonhan¡¯s names were put under it. Myohan was quite impressed to see it. He hadn¡¯t thought Sajun and Seonhan would do so well. ¡°Jino, you can¡¯t drink, right?¡± ¡°Yeah, tryouts for the national team is soon.¡± Jino had failed to stay in good condition for tryouts for college teams, but he eventually managed to go to the college he wanted, with the help of Myo Cheong¡¯s affectionate cussing. ¡°Drink a little. I can¡¯t turn you into a rabbit anymore.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡¯m asking only because it¡¯s all in the past now, but what happened on that day?¡± ¡°Well, another toast!¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t change the subject!¡± ¡°Cheong, it¡¯s all for you!¡± How Sajun had made Cheong turn into a rabbit was still a secret to him. He forgot Jino could lie now and kept drilling him, but he didn¡¯t tell the truth. The funny thing is, he just kept saying, ¡®Cheong, I can¡¯t tell you,¡¯ instead of making a story. He didn¡¯t turn into a horse anymore, but that hadn¡¯t taken his innocence away. Chapter 95 ¡°So, where¡¯s you guy¡¯s new home?¡± ¡°Not far from here. It has two rooms.¡± ¡°Wow, this area¡¯s homes must come with huge security deposits.¡± ¡°Miho paid for it. I will earn and save money to pay him my share later.¡± Jagyeom couldn¡¯t stand his family being nice to him. They had been harsh on him for years for turning into a rat and he couldn¡¯t just move on. That was exactly why Myohan had wanted him to forget everything, but he told him knowing was much better than not knowing, and Myohan could say nothing if that was what he thought. ¡°It must be so fun living with a friend!¡± ¡°Myohan, would you like to live with me?¡± ¡°Shut up, you snake.¡± It was good that Miho proposed living together when Jagyeom wanted to move out from his family¡¯s house. As Jagyeom couldn¡¯t afford to live alone and Miho didn¡¯t want to live alone, they agreed on finding a place to live together. ¡°I¡¯m already living with him.¡± Myohan pointed at Shihuang as he drank his beer. Shihuang was still snarling at the snake and snorted, but Sajun just smiled and said nothing. They all knew the two had been living together since high school. ¡°Oh, shit, you are all dirty bastards!¡± ¡°Cheong, you should stop drinking.¡± ¡°Is he drunk again?¡± ¡°Again? Again? When was I drunk before?¡± ¡°Sadeol and I had a drinking competition and Cheong got drunk? Why?¡± After some drinking and eating, Cheong¡¯s face turned red and he fell on the table. Myohan moved plates in front of him and pointed at him. ¡°Hey, just grab him. He¡¯s not a rabbit anymore.¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± ¡°Hey, calm down.¡± ¡°Wow, he¡¯s got a low tolerance¡­¡± In the end, Sajun had to grab Cheong. He kept wailing and threw a huge fit, but then he soon dropped on the table and went to sleep peacefully. In the meantime, Sinsul and Chookjae agreed beer was too weak for them and ordered soju. ¡°Hey, I want soju too.¡± ¡°Wow, Myohan! So you¡¯re running to the end too?¡± ¡°No, Jino¡¯s the one who¡¯s running.¡± ¡°Myohan, you really shouldn¡¯t make those weird jokes.¡± ¡°Then you should stop squeaking at me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak to me like that!¡± After Myohan reached drinking age, he got to find out he was quite good at drinking. It was at the welcoming party for freshmen he had no choice but to go. His seniors kept offering him drinks because he was the most good-looking freshmen, but he remained conscious long after they all fell down. Shihuang was a surprised to see that, of course. ¡°But you two¡­¡± Yuja, who¡¯d been taking sips of beer in silence, suddenly spoke. The two he was talking about had to be Myohan and Shihuang. Shihuang glanced at him as he poured soju into Myohan¡¯s cup. ¡°Have been dating for some time.¡± It got quiet immediately. It almost felt like the entire bar was silent. Myohan flinched for a second then he drank his soju and said like it was no big deal, ¡°Well, I guess so.¡± ¡°¡­Wait.¡± Jagyeom raised a question with a frown. He glanced at Sajun, and then at others. ¡°Isn¡¯t that outing them?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Yuja frowned and pointed at everyone. ¡°You all knew, don¡¯t you?¡± No one could say no. They just kept glancing at each other. They could speak again only when Jino raised a hand with wide eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t know!¡± ¡°¡­You are the only one who didn¡¯t know.¡± Chandeul explained with a sigh. It meant he had known. Miho agreed with him. ¡°I could see it too¡­¡± ¡°Of course you could see it! Everyone could!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve known for some time too.¡± Even Seonhan and Sadeol scolded Jino for being so slow. Sajun smiled. ¡°As for me, I realized it the second I saw them.¡± Yuja drank his beer. ¡°See? We all knew.¡± Jino was the only one who couldn¡¯t agree. He just couldn¡¯t accept the fact he was the only one who hadn¡¯t figured it out. He pointed at sleeping Cheong. ¡°Maybe Cheong didn¡¯t know as well!¡± ¡°No, he knew too.¡± With Shihuang¡¯s firm confirmation, Jino truly became ¡®the one who had had no clue.¡¯ He sighed sadly and said he felt betrayed. Sinsul tried to make him feel better. ¡°Well, it never seemed like you would break up soon.¡± ¡°So how long have you been dating?¡± ¡°About a thousand years, give or take.¡± ¡°Maybe Myohan learned how to joke from Shihuang, they¡¯re equally bad at it.¡± Their table got noisy in no time. Sajun, who was still drinking with a smile, stood up quietly. Myohan saw him leave the bar and got up too. He held Shihuang¡¯s hand tightly before he went out as well. It was quite cool outside. The sun had gone down and he was grateful that he had a jacket. He spotted Sajun and followed him into a small alley. He took out a cigarette from his pocket. ¡°So you¡¯re now smoking?¡± Myohan went to him. He looked a little surprised, but he soon regained his usual attitude. He dropped the cigarette and rubbed his shoe on it to put the fire out. Myohan crouched down next to him. ¡°That wasn¡¯t necessary, you know.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t smoke next to none-smokers, thank you.¡± Sajun didn¡¯t ask why he had come. He just leaned against a wall and looked down at him, as if he knew why he was there. ¡°I know you really meant it.¡± Myohan went straight to the point. Sajun said nothing to it. He just looked up at the dark sky. ¡°Although, I can¡¯t know if you still feel that way.¡± ¡°What if I still do?¡± The pair of light-colored eyes turned to Sajun. They shined beautifully, even in the dark alley. Myohan snorted and gave him the obvious answer. ¡°Give up.¡± ¡°That¡¯s harsh. You could have been nice to the end.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not being nice to you.¡± Myohan got up. Sajun was still looking up at the sky. Myohan looked up to, wondering what he was looking at, but there was only the bright moon there. ¡°I came out to get some fresh air, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a nice cat.¡± That was what Shihaung always said. Sajun grinned and put a hand on Myohan¡¯s shoulder. He immediately freed himself from the grip, as usual. ¡°That¡¯s what Shihuang always says to you, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°He¡¯s just saying it.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Sajun said nothing more. Myohan realized he needed some time to think alone and turned. He could hear him take out another cigarette. ¡°Don¡¯t be so gloomy when we¡¯re all together. The rat¡¯s worried about you.¡± Instead of saying anything, Sajun put the cigarette in his mouth. That was who Myohan was. He had followed him because he was worried, but he spoke coldly as if he wasn¡¯t worried. That was the man he had liked for two years. Before he left, he turned and pointed at what was near Sajun¡¯s feet. ¡°You¡¯d better put that in a trash can.¡± Again, Sajun said nothing. Myohan left him there and went back to where Shihuang was waiting for him. ¡°That snake¡¯s a romanticist, isn¡¯t he?¡± He whispered as he touched Myohan¡¯s hair. He obviously knew where Myohan had been, so he said nothing more. ¡°Myohan, let¡¯s drink until the sun comes up!¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t unless you want to die by my hands.¡± ¡°Yuja, I¡¯m a grown man now!¡± ¡°Yes, and grown men are obliged to obey the law.¡± Sajun soon returned as well. He resumed drinking and laughing, but his eyes were red. And when they said goodbye, he finally looked relieved. He was the most mature of them, after all. *** The moment they arrived home, they started kissing. They¡¯d been living there together for some years now. As they kissed and lay down to the sofa, feeling hot from all the alcohol they¡¯d consumed, Shihuang buried his head in Myohan¡¯s neck. ¡°They all know what we are doing, weren¡¯t you surprised?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure they don¡¯t know what we¡¯re doing right now.¡± Myohan stroked his hair. They had gotten used to all that affection. He found it a little surprising that everyone knew, as he was sure they had hidden it quite well. ¡°It¡¯s all for the better. It¡¯s not like we wanted to keep it a secret from them.¡± He had felt bad about not telling them about it, so it was all the better. Shihuang laughed and kissed him on his cheek. Myohan grabbed his face and kissed him. Then, he asked, ¡°But didn¡¯t you say you would reward me once I found them all?¡± Shihuang had promised to explain everything and reward him when he first came to Myohan. He said he always kept his word. ¡°You have such a good memory.¡± He kissed his forehead, his nose, his lips, his cheek, his ear, and his neck. He caressed his cheek. He still looked at Myohan with affection and touched him carefully, after all the years and countless touches. ¡°Well, what will you do for me?¡± Maybe it was the alcohol, but his relaxed voice sounded too erotic. Shihuang kissed him again and again, his hand going under his shirt to touch his flat belly. ¡°Anything you want.¡± Myohan smiled as he kissed his lover. Shihuang¡¯s hand was now on his chest. ¡°I guess you want what I am doing now.¡± His feline eyes relaxed softly. Shihuang embraced him tightly. He kissed his ear and whispered to it. ¡°Let¡¯s go to bed.¡± Myohan said nothing and let him carry him. As they kissed and kissed, Shihuang whispered softly. ¡°I love you.¡± Myohan didn¡¯t bother to say anything, as he was sure Shihaung already knew his answer. They were in love, and they were going to be together forever. The night together was long. The End.