– 19: SURPRISE –
song: snsd - complete 
 

I almost screamed as my mother pushed the door open. It flew against the wall with a loud bang because I kept forgetting to buy a doorstop. Something tumbled down again and I already braced myself for my mother’s screech when she would see Taehyung standing there, probably not even clothed because he was too slow to button up his shirt. Or even button his pants.
 

“Mom, I can explain–” I started and walked up to her but she already went inside the tiny bathroom, followed eagerly by my dad who was probably dead-curious about her new ‘discovery’.
 

“Why didn’t you tell us about this?” I heard my mom from the inside but I didn’t even dare to look at what had happened. I kept my eyes to the ground, chewing on my lower lip as I tried to think of an explanation. Long-term boyfriend? To secretive. New boyfriend? Too ually attached. One night stand? Too wild. Friends with benefits–
 

“Oh, it’s cute,” I heard my dad say and I awoke from my thoughts. 
 

“Mom, Dad,” I began but they stopped my as they came out of the bathroom, my mother holding a dripping wet, reddish-golden kitten in her hand. 
 

What the actual– 
 

“Right, you mentioned you had a cat” mom remembered and handed Taehyung over to me. “But why is it wet?”
 

“Uh…” I stammered as I tried to find a towel to dry him, holding the small body in my arms. It had been a long time since he went back to this state again. But why so suddenly? Why now? I was partly relieved and partly concerned about his sudden shift.
 

“Anyway, I think your mother and I need to go and catch up with some friends, don’t we, honey?” my father suggested as we walked over to the living room while I rubbed his fur with some sort of cloth.
 

“But Seyoung, remember that you need come to the ball. It will be tomorrow evening, alright?”
 

I was about to nod as Taehyung suddenly bit my wrist. Cursing, I let him drop to the ground and frowned as he disappeared into the bedroom again. 
 

My parents looked at me with a rather judging look in response to my cursing. Uhm.
 

“I won’t forget that. Can’t wait to meet that guy,” I quickly said and scurried to the hallway to open the door for the two. 
 

“Okay. See you, dear,” my mother said and gave me a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek. Dad followed with a simple pat on the shoulder and blinked at me with a grin.

After the two had left, I let out a loud groan. My cover almost blew up. Not mine, actually. Taehyung’s.
 

“Tae!” I said in the most upset voice I could and stomped over to the bedroom but couldn’t find him anywhere. “You almost got us both in trouble! My parents can’t know that you are some kind of cat– cat boy– I don’t know– thing!”
 

My gaze flew all across the room but there was no trace. Not even a sound.
 

“Sorry.”
 

It came from behind the door. I moved a little to close the it, revealing Taehyung, -, sitting on the floor, his cat ears still on top of his head. He didn’t look at me. 
 

“I–” I didn’t mean it. 
 

“Sorry,” he whispered almost inaudibly again and I couldn’t help but feel guilt.
 

Wordless, I sat down next to him against the wall and let out a long breath. As if I could exhale all my worries. Everything that happened. Everything that will happen. Just exhale and stop inhaling all the other things. Just live without worrying. Without thinking too much.
 

I rested my arms on my tucked up knees and actually did not mind how Taehyung was