“I can’t believe we’re out instead of doing homework,” he whines a little, gripping onto the bus. “What time is it?”

“Shut up,” I tell him with ease, “and enjoy the damn potholes, okay?”

Joshua pouts enormously but gracefully shuts up and grips the handlebars of the bus harder as it slingshots over potholes and small stones in the road.

I have to smile, even if it’s just a little. Joshua is kind of adorable when he gets all upset and pouty like that – it’s fun to , like pestering a small kitten by the side of the road. He gets so damn haughty, it’s hilarious.

“How much longer?” he gripes.

“Just a few more stops, hang on,” I grin patiently.

I’m in charge of Joshua’s wellbeing, and if I decide to take it upon myself to be responsible for his mental well-being too, then a trip out every now and then is an absolute requirement, even if it does mean he squabbles about not calling it a ‘date’ for forty minutes until I give in.

When he finally alights on the pavement he seems to sigh in relief before simply following me down the street. “Where. Are. We. Going?” he whines.

“It’s a secret,” I repeat for the umpteenth time.

There’s a brown-and-black one that comes right up to greet us, and we’re urged to shut the door quickly; there’s a big rust-colored one that’s seen a few fights and only has one eye at the till; there’s a few milling around between various tables and chairs, too. There’s a small black one with huge, dark eyes alighted on a high beam overhead, and three of them chasing a beach ball on the other side of a small redbrick wall in the middle of the room.

“…a kitty café?” I ask him bluntly. “Really?”

“You’re not allergic to cats,” Jeonghan grins.

“I’m a dog person,” I deadpan.

“Yeah, but you’re allergic to dogs, so that’s a bad idea. I promise this will be fun. Sit down and take a look at the menu, alright?”

I grumble under my breath but I do eventually plonk down in a chair across from Jeonghan and take out the menu, scanning it. We ate earlier at school, so I just look down the sweet treats menu.

Jeonghan waits for me.

“Have you been here before?”

“Yeah, I come here sometimes,” he grins dazzlingly. “I love cats. Most demons do. It’s a demon thing, I think. Cats don’t mind us, either. Well, some of them.” He eyes me. “Didn’t you ever see Black Butler?”

I raise an eyebrow. “Mainstream anime fiction? That’s what you’re based on?”

“No, but it’s based on us. Where do you think it came from anyway? Oh! Hello beautiful!” I watch as Jeonghan suddenly bends down and pulls a very large, pure white cat into his lap. “Oh, look at you!” he coos, as if it’s a damn baby. “Look at this cute little muffin! Who is the prettiest little kitty? It’s you, that’s right! It’s you! Ouch! Aww, it’s alright, that was my fault, I’m sorry.”

I glare at the bright red mark down Jeonghan’s cheek from where the cat just mauled his face.

“That’s Angelica,” our waitress grins, suddenly appearing. “She’s a bit feisty. She seems to like you though.”

“I love her,” Jeonghan grins happily.

She turns to me. “You’re not a cat-cuddler?”

“My friend doesn’t really like cats, or so he thinks,” Jeonghan jumps in before I can. “I was wondering if you have a really mellow, cuddly cat so he could realize his inner potential?”

She laughs and curls a tuft of hair behind her ear, making it extremely obvious that she’s flirting. The sight of it is awkward, and a little bit gross. “Sure, I’ll go see if she’s awake.”

Jeonghan waits until she’s gone and then leans over the table. “Joshua.”

I stare at the blood on his face. “Yeah?”

“Come on!”

“What?”

“ it!”

“…you’re kidding, right?”

“Quickly, before she comes back!”

I panic at his tone and in a wild flurry of emotions, I lean in and the scrape on his face.

Okay. Admittedly, the kitten plopped in my arms is kind of cute. It’s black all over but for a white point on its tail, and it just lies in my lap staring up at me. When I go too long without giving any attention, it gently holds a paw up and pads it against my chin.

Jeonghan watches me, wolfing down his cheesecake with a -eating grin. “Enjoying yourself?”

“Shut up,” I mumble, gently the cat’s head with a forefinger. Okay, yeah, I’m enjoying myself. Quite a bit. But I’m not going to tell him that.

“Eat your cheesecake,” Jeonghan mutters, pointing at my untouched dessert with his fork. “If you leave it too long, it’s not going to be there anymore.”

I look around. “Is a cat going to eat it?”

“Am I a cat?” he grins.

I roll my eyes. “You can ha