Staring at the sleeping girl Hyunjin sighs out, she shouldn’t have revealed her true self. She shouldn’t have let Heejin see what she really was. 

Because what if Heejin never talks to her again.

Hyunjin thinks it must be a lot. To find out the girl you have a crush on is the cat you’ve been taking care of the past two and a half years. Heejin has even talked about her thinking Honeybun was just a cat when really, it was…her. It was a bit skeptical, Hyunjin shouldn’t have been so selfish with her feelings. She should have stayed away from Heejin. As a cat and a human.

It’s just caused the poor girl way too much stress. But Hyunjin in the end, simply couldn’t stay away from her. All her life she’s been skittish of people. They’ve hurt her and abandoned her. Deny her food when she wouldn’t let them pet her. Ignored her when she was freezing from the rain. Humans were selfish so Hyunjin begins to distance herself from them. 

Heejin was different though. She wasn’t selfish and for some reason understood Hyunjin as a cat. Hyunjin should have thanked her, multiple times. Because the smaller girl has fed her and even her sisters countless of times. Given her a place to sleep many cold nights when she didn’t want to go home. Gave her space when she was feeling grumpy. And most of all saved her from the pouring rain.  

Hyunjin hovers a hand above Heejin’s body before laying it on top of the girl’s hip. When she had passed out on the spot Hyunjin had caught her in her arms before the girl hit the floor. She then had carried her to bed and laid her down before starting to contemplate her decision in showing true colors. Light brown with cinnamon swirls. 

Heejin’s body is warm underneath her hand, it makes her smile. The girl has always been so warm. “I guess I should thank you.” She doesn’t even recognize her own voice sometimes, especially when it holds emotion. Sniffing away the impending tears she begins again, with gratitude in her voice, “you’ve saved my life twice Heejin.” If she had stayed in the rain any longer then she would have been really sick, any longer than that, well she would have been dead.

The girl sleeping had truly saved her life. She couldn’t be buried three feet under right now. “Um I don’t really do well in the rain, or my kind doesn’t .” Hyunjin cringes at herself when she says her kind. She wonders if Heejin will ever look at her the same especially after all of this. “My kind…”

Hyunjin thinks for a moment. “I suppose you don’t know much about them do you.” She wonders how Heejin would react to her sisters if she ever met their human forms. They were a bit different from her. While Hyunjin could hide all her cat-like features her sisters were not so lucky. “I hope you don’t think any different from me after all of this.” Hyunjin thinks she’d never fall for a human again after this. It would be the second person to break her heart.

But third times a charm?

She doesn’t believe in magic or charm either despite her being made from it herself. But Heejin would hurt worse because Hyunjin was genuinely attached to her. She doesn’t know how she’d go on without visiting Heejin. Hopefully, Heejin thinks it’s just a dream. “We’ve been friends quite some time, but I guess you didn’t realize that since you’ve only known me as Hyunjin for these couple months but as Honey Bun for years.”  

Hyunjin laughs, mostly at herself. “I’m sure this is a lot for you, so I’m sorry you had to find out this way. I only hope I didn’t worry you too much.

Her grip on the sheet gets tighter as Hyunjin looks down onto the small frame, she doesn’t notice how Heejin’s fists are clenched now. “My only wish is for you to still accept me for who I am, but I would understand if you were to push me away.” Hyunjin would understand but it doesn’t mean she’d be hurt. “I’m afraid of people Heejin and I was afraid of you once.” She remembers how her heart raced when she first locked eyes with her all those years ago. 

“Even as a cat I was, but you were so kind so of course I gained trust within you quickly.” Heejin was her favorite person. The girl has never shown her harm or discomfort. “I wanted to get close to you, but I didn’t know it would be in that way.” Hyunjin smiles at all their memories together. 

Staring out the window she suddenly becomes teary-eyed, because all those recollections of the past could become just that…the thought of Heejin becoming just a memory to her was not a good one.

“Heejin I’ve never been so thankful for a person.” She whispers out as she looks at the now clearing sky. The past few weeks have been hard because of the rain.

“Thank you, for being my friend.” She chokes on a sob.

“Thank you, for opening your heart up to me and sharing your stories.” Standing up she finally glances down at Heejin, her heart sinking at how pretty the girl is.

“Thank you, for saving me.” She hovers over her and brings the sheet closer to the girl’s body.

“Thank you, for trusting me.” She folds the covers under her body, tucking Heejin safely in.

“Thank you, for loving me.” Because I’ll always love you. 

Glancing at Heejin one more time she tucks the girl’s hair behind her ear. She had always loved the long waves. Reaching forward to open up the window she changes back into her cat form and hobbles out. The night sky was now clear and she could see all the stars. 

She hopes this isn’t the last time she jumps down from Heejin’s roof and into the dark alleyways of the town.

…

As she walks into her warm home she’s afraid of what her sister will say when she sees her. Her triplet sisters see her first. Hyejoo and Yerim, both of their ears perk up at the site of her. They say nothing to her due to the shock. Yerim is the first to hop up and run over to her slamming into her for a bone-crushing hug, “Hyunnie where have you been!” Hyunjin smiles and wraps her arms around her sister’s waist then she feels someone from behind and can feel the wet seep through her shirt.

Hyejoo was never emotional so she guesses she’s really worried the girl. The three of them have always been close, their mother had died giving birth to them though. Jinsoul their older sister had raised them like her own. Jinsoul was from a litter of four but all of her siblings have either gone missing or died. There was Kibum who went missing years ago, Jungwoo who had died from an accident and Hyolyn who had moved to another country.  

Jinsoul had kept them close because she had lost her all her siblings and she was afraid of losing them. It was safe to say that Hyunjin had always been sheltered her life and if she was gone too long Jinsoul would come looking for her. Jinsoul in a way was her mother and she was scared to see her reaction. They were a family they had to stick together. They understood and accepted each other, they were safe her from the harms of the world.

They were just girls, different girls that is. But most people couldn’t accept that.

Hyunjin has a hold on her sisters, both of them sobbing when her eldest one comes stomping down the hallway. She frowns when she sees her sister’s bloodshot eyes. Jinsoul’s shoulders slump in relief but her features are not the same, they’re twisted up in anger. “Where have you been!?” She cowers at the sharp tone.

Jinsoul has her blonde hair tied in a mess and her face is puffy from all the crying. Jinsoul joins in on the hug wrapping all three of them in her arms. Hyunjin feels terrible when her sister’s starts sobbing, she must have caused her a lot of stress. “You’ve been gone for weeks…how could you.” That’s when the tears start to pour from her face. She feels guilty once again.

She spends the next hour apologizing to her sisters while crying, she doesn’t know why she disappeared she just felt overwhelmed and confused about her feelings until she got lost in the rain. Every day she got weaker and weaker until she couldn’t go any longer. But that’s when Heejin had saved her from the rain. 

Hyunjin is laying on the couch, Hyejoo is in her cat form laying on her chest while Yerim is laying across her, her head on her tummy and her hands gripped onto her shirt tightly. She didn’t realize how attached she was to her sisters until she had gone without them for a couple of weeks. She never wanted to leave them again.

“Hyunnie?” Yerim asks in a soft voice, Jinsoul is fixing food in the kitchen for all of them. She hums out as a response zoning out on the white ceiling above them. She wonders what Heejin is dreaming of now. “Will you ever leave us again?” Her heart breaks at her sister’s voice. She holds the both of them tighter, the fuzzy one sleeping soundly in the crook of her neck now. 

“I promise I won’t I’ll always be by your side.” She believes herself when she says it so she hopes her sister does as well. If Heejin were to push her away she would have them, she would still have her siblings because they would always love her, they would never judge her for who she is. Yerim changes into her cat form and crawls onto her belly. Hyunjin pets the small cat before she falls asleep. She snorts as Yerim moves up and down to the beat of her breath.

Hyunjin is also about to fall asleep until there’s a shadow above her, she can feel her sister’s presence even with her eyes closed. The heat on her body is taken away and she opens her eyes. Her sisters are snuggled into Jinsoul’s arms as the girl looks down upon her with disappointment. Hyunjin wants to speak out but the blonde only shakes her head and disappears into the dark hallway.

She’s left with her thoughts and immediately they go to Heejin. Particularly the first time they met. Hyunjin felt herself being watched, but the pain of the cold water was wrecking her tiny body. When she opened her eyes she panicked when she saw it was the pretty girl from school earlier that. The one that seemed to be curious about her. 

The girl backed away a bit when she hissed but she didn’t run away she simply held her umbrella over the both of them. The girl studied her for a moment and instantly Hyunjin felt…warm and she did something she often didn’t do with humans and crawled closer to the girl’s feet. The girl doesn’t reach down to her she just kept her dry and sheltered from the rain.

Hyunjin watched with her sharp eyes as the older girl seemed to be wracking through her head. Trying to think of something. Hyunjin nose twitched when the girl breaks out into a smile and flips her bag over to start digging through it. She watched with curious eyes and her pupils dilated when the girl pulled out one of her favorite snacks of all time.

A honey bun.

Hyunjin can’t help but start meowing at the girl. She hoped the girl will be kind enough to give her a bite or two. She trembled when the whole thing is laid in front of her. She doesn’t know what’s better, the sweet pastry or the melodic giggle that ringed through her sensitive ears. She likes this girl’s voice, it’s something that she could find herself listening to more often.

The girl reaches down to get at her belly and of course, she defended herself. She hated belly rubs. When she claws her Hyunjin instantly regretted it when she finds a frown on the girl’s face, “I’m sorry…” Hyunjin wished she could tell her she didn’t have to apologize. She started to get scared when the girl starts to say goodbye waving her hand excitedly and standing up.

Hyunjin can’t help but follow her, a little enchanted by the girl. The feet stop and Hyunjin steps back when the girl turns, “would you like to go home with me?” Hyunjin is desperate to be out of the rain and really in this girl’s arms. Pawing at her leg the girl hesitantly picked her up and Hyunjin blinks as the warmth enveloped her.

She stared at the girl with wide eyes, her ears twitched at the sounds of raindrops hitting the umbrella. This girl was prettier up close, she had calm eyes and a few beauty spots on her face. When she smiled her cheeks came up in a little bubble. Taking her paw she pushed on her cute nose and it makes the girl giggle. Her thin lips spread out across her shiny teeth. 

Despite it raining out, this girl was like the cool light that broke out after the storm. Hyunjin even forgets it’s raining because the girl’s laughter is so bright and cheery. Hyunjin receives a new name that day, with a new friend. The girl brought her up to her room and dried her up and began talking. Hyunjin learned her name was Heejin, she liked to draw, and she thought the new girl at school was pretty.

She learned that Heejin liked to talk also because the girl had rambled on all night. Hyunjin remembers her tiny heart beating a little slower when the girl’s voice got quieter. She learned that Heejin was the loneliest girl in the world. She had no friends despite her being so kind. Hyunjin wonders why people didn’t surround her when the girl that was petting on her head seemed so perfect.

Through the years Hyunjin kept learning things about Heejin, as a cat, and as a basketball star. Many nights she would lay and listen to the girl talk. Like the new friends she made, Jiwoo and Jungeun the girls she had gone to middle school together and ended up meeting Heejin in high school. Her evolving talent in art, Hyunjin remembers being in awe as Heejin would paint and sketch at home, she was forever curious about what the girl thought about whenever her wrists created things from imagination.

As a person, she learned Heejin was kinda shy despite having the friendliest smile. She would politely tell everyone good morning with a bold voice but when she got to her Hyunjin would stare at the girl’s blush as she mumbled out a greeting while passing through the hallway. Hyunjin was good at staring and not getting caught. Often she’d find herself zoned out on Heejin’s profile in lunch, she loved the way the girl talked to her friends. It was the same way she talked to her…as a cat.

Hyunjin wishes Heejin and her were close. But she was afraid of Heejin finding out, so she might as well admire her from afar. It proved to be difficult though because Heejin started to talk about someone almost every other day. How much she liked them, how they made her heart race and her head spin. Hyunjin was a bit jealous, but she didn’t want to abandon her friend because of selfish feelings.

She wanted to pursue Heejin, just as a friend. She’s never been so curious of something before her. Now at school and out on town even when playing ball games all she could think about is Heejin. She’d always look for Heejin in the lunch room so she could watch her nose scrunch whenever she tried eating a vegetable. In the crowd it when she’d make a risky shot she’d scan through the mass of people just to see Heejin cheering her on. Out on town whenever she was strolling with her paws she’d think about Heejin always having an extra snack for her.

The first day she truly talked to Heejin, all those months ago. Hyunjin remembers how antsy she was and how nervous the other girl was. It made her smile, something she hardly did. She had sat there and she had made the plan on stealing Heejin’s heart, however it may be. Later that day when she visited Heejin in her other form she realized she was only competing with herself when Heejin had admitted that she Kim Hyunjin was her crush.

Ever since that day her heart had been light in her chest. But the sudden rain had made it cold and heavy. What if Heejin never looked at her the same again?

“She loves you,” Her thoughts are broken by her sister’s deep voice. “You know that right? That girl loves you.” She stares into black eyes, her sister must be accustoming to the dark. Jinsoul sighs and sits next to her on the couch patting her on the leg. “She’s not like most people, she knows what-.”

Hyunjin panics and blurts out, “you’ve spoken to her?” Jinsoul raises her brows at the strained tone of her voice. Heejin must have been freaked out matters were starting to get worse.

“I have, she doesn’t seem to be phased by our…abnormality. She was just very worried about you.” Her sister carefully explains and it calms Hyunjin down just a little bit. Heejin was kind, but that doesn’t mean she won’t push her away. 

Just like they did all those years ago.  

Jinsoul brings her closer until she’s in her arms, “don’t be afraid, I’ll always be here, so will your sisters and you don’t have to run from your fears anymore.” Hyunjin lets her body relax in her older sister’s embrace. She’s been so tired lately, maybe it was finally for her to rest. 

…

Hyunjin is strolling down the street on her way to school, the sun was shining today. It seems like the storm was finally over, just like the one in her head. Jinsoul had spent all night holding her lullabying her to sleep. 

She was scared of facing Heejin at school. What if the girl was disgusted with her, or even hated her. She couldn’t stand the thought of it. But Heejin liked her right, even loved her? Would love not be able to hold them together? Or was it not strong enough. 

Walking through the halls people gasp at her, she knows it’s from her missing status. All the students seem to be shocked by her appearance as if she was some ghost. Hyunjin stares back at all of them, hearing all the gossip start. She wonders what kinda rumors will be made of her. But she has no time to think about it because receives a harsh push to the shoulders sending her into the lockers.

Hyunjin isn’t fazed by the push she only blinks at her senior in the letterman jacket, “where the hell have you been Kim!” It’s Sooyoung, the girl’s eyes are filled with tears. Sooyoung has a hold of her collar keeping her at a distance. She watches her senior open and close  unsure of what to say. “You’re not gonna say anything?” Sooyoung asks her and Hyunjin doesn’t have an answer. She just shakes her head and it seems to make her angrier. The girl shoves her again and walks away bumping into people on the way. Hyunjin needs to come up with an apology to Sooyoung quickly.

Continuing her walk to chemistry her heart starts to pound in fear. She doesn’t know what will happen when she sees Heejin, will she moved seats. Will she even look at her?

Walking into the room she stares at the empty seats and then across the room, Heejin is nowhere to be found. Hyunjin stumbles over to her own and waits…and waits. But her favorite girl never comes. She didn’t want anything more than to just run her fingers through the long wavy hair. The teacher stutters out her name when she sees her in her seat, “Hy-Hyunjin, um welcome back uh…” She could tell he was genuinely confused and it annoyed her.

The whole day was annoying, not a single site of Heejin but she saw everyone else. She had to go to the principal’s office and be interrogated. She ended up telling them about Jinsoul, and the address to the abandoned orphanage was a joke. At lunch, people lined up to tell her how much they’ve missed her even the people she’s never talked to. The coach cussed her up and down, only worried about winning ball games. She ended up quitting, and so did Sooyoung.

For some reason Sooyoung was being nice, the girl was usually sarcastic to her. Sooyoung seemed to care about her, honestly care. They were walking home now side by side. With an additional person as well, someone she didn’t expect to be so rude to her. Kim Jiwoo. She was good friends with Sooyoung now apparently and Heejin was a part of their trio ever since they had gone missing. “You’re a butthole for ghosting Heejin you know.” 

She frowns at the girl’s wording and Sooyoung agrees with the loud mouth, “right, big time .”

“Thank you, Sooyoung for saying the dirty version,” Hyunjin really can’t believe the two beside her.

Her teammate nods her head, “of course fivehead.” They start to banter a bit and Hyunjin believes they’re a good match. They fit each other well. Her thoughts are too fuzzy from Heejin though and all the negative possibilities.

Almost ten years ago when she was just a kid, she had many friends like this. They adored her, just like people did now. Until they found out what she truly was. They called her monster, a witch, they gave her the worst look imaginable. 

Even her best friend at the time began to hate her and all she could do is cry like the rain. She couldn’t help who she was. She was only a girl, after all, only a bit different from other people.

That day she realized people could be so cruel, even the ones you loved the most. Her childhood best friend gone…only because she was not like the rest. She had been left alone then. No one to love her except her sisters. She convinced herself she’d never love again but of course, Heejin had come along and stole her heart. She couldn’t help it.

Hyunjin can only hope that Heejin is not like them. That all her dreams will come true. That love is just the way her sister described it. Unconditional and unbreakable. Just like their bond. The two beside her stop in their tracks. Jiwoo had Sooyoung in a headlock because the girl was making fun of her eating habits. Hyunjin stops her stride as well because the site in front of them is heart stopping.

It's Heejin and she’s not in a typical school outfit. She’s just in a small white dress hunched over feeding some of the stray cats around the neighborhood. Hyunjin’s heart speeds up, and her feet start to move on their own.

Now that Heejin was in front of her she had no idea what to say. All the built up scenarios in her head from today were not close to the real thing. The repeated apology speech left her mind. Forever gotten. Heejin notices her half way and stands up quickly, wide in shock. Hyunjin’s eyes start to water because of the look on Heejin’s face in unreadable. 

The wind between them blows and Hyunjin can hear the cats meow below them, Heejin’s hair flows in the air as her eyes dart around on her face. Hyunjin’s heart slows down when the girl finally speaks and she hasn’t heard it truly in so long, “it’s you.” It’s all she says but it’s so much more than that and they hold their breath. 

Until Heejin lets hers out, “you’re really honey bun aren’t you?” Hyunjin drops her head. It’s her answer and now her end. Heejin could break her into pieces if she wanted to.

“Why didn’t you tell me?!” Hyunjin can’t believe her eyes as soft hands come out to grip onto her shirt tugging on her. “Why did you disappear!?” Hyunjin gasps when Heejin’s head comes in contact with hers. She stares into the girl’s glossy eyes. Heejin sure was beautiful but she was kinda an ugly crier.

Hyunjin feels the weight of the world being lifted off her shoulders. “I don’t care if you’re some demon or spirit or even a witch…you’re still you. Kim Hyunjin…my best friend for however long now.”

She pulls the girl’s body into hers squeezing the life out of her. “Of course I accept you, how could I not when you’ve done nothing but be by my side through the hardest nights.” Hyunjin starts to cry then. Maybe everyone was not as horrible as they seemed. Or maybe Jeon Heejin wasn’t human either. Because how could a human be this perfect. 

Hyunjin wasn’t afraid anymore because she had Heejin by her side, “I love you so much Hyunjin.”

She laughs and pulls back, Heejin is giggling as well only happy to have her love wrapped around her. The girl pushes her hair out of her face as she stares into her almond shaped eyes and squeals when lips come in contact with her forehead. She doesn’t know how Hyunjin is Honeybun, but it didn’t matter because she loved them both. It made sense that they were the same.

The two behind them coo at the soft exchange unsure of what was going on. They were just girls, after all, living on their own paths. They happened to cross with each other and have this special moment together that no one else could ever experience.

Heejin’s smile was the biggest it’s ever been and her heart was the fullest. 

Maybe she still held her title of the friendliest girl in the world.

But she certainly wasn’t the loneliest. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AND PAUSE, so this is the end but also not the end. This is sort of the end of the , I’m thinking another chapter because it doesn’t feel…finished you know what I mean? Hmm but thank you all who are still with me on this.