Chapter 8
Cats Are PillarsJongdae does not talk to her the whole week and the week after. Young-sun wonders why her friend is acting like a baby and keep avoiding her as she tries to say hello or ask him something. The accountant just turns away and goes back to work everytime her friend sees him and goes to him, and the cat owner finds it strange. She cannot know what is going on, though, since her friend does not bother answering her texts and ignores her all day long. The only one who speaks to her is Minseok, and she is very grateful for this.
“I don’t know what’s got into him. He just started ignoring me, all of sudden.” She whined as her colleague drives her home.
“You should forget about it.” He says, flashing her a smile that summons hers even if she tries to look angry and grumpy. She has noticed how easily she smiles. Luckily enough, her best friend is not there to testimony. Her smile brightens as she nods shyly. “You’re right, I shouldn’t be so upset.”
She leaves the car as they arrive In front of her building and she enters her room, not paying the slightest attention to Mrs. Wheein who is as grumpy as always. The thought of going home to her cats and comfort is enough to make her smile, and her babies rubbing against her legs as soon as she has passed the door is enough to make her forget about her feelings regarding Jongdae’s immature behavior.
As her eyes land on the couch, she notices Bubble is now able to jump on the cushions and is trying to approach Moody. A very bad plan, in her humble opinion. She rushes to the sofa and takes the small kitten into her arms, caressing her head with the tip of two fingers as she crosses the room and goes to her cacti to look at the window.
She wonders whether Minseok is stuck in the traffic jams or not.
She wonders whether he has something to go home to.
She wonders many things, actually, and looks blankly through the window as she notices her thoughts all go in one direction.
“Bubble… You could have told me!” She says to the kitten, lifting it in front of her eyes. Laughing out loud as the small animal starts wiggling to escape.
It crosses her mind that she should not start thinking about that kind of things and that she is happy as she is. Of course, cats are no men, but they are nice, comforting and loving. Why should she need somebody to care for? Minseok is only a newcomer, she does not even know him. And Byul will certainly brag about it if she is to ever date a friend of hers. No, she definitely cannot think this way about him.
“May I talk to you?” Wheein voice, on the other side of the door, is a threat wearing a mask of politeness. Young-sun frees the kitten and goes to the door, opening it to offer her neighbor an annoyed look she has mastered with time.
“What do you want? Sugar? Wine? Money to buy friend, maybe?” She laughs and prevent Cherry from getting out by closing the door, leaving it open just enough to be able to see Wheein’s face.
“No, it’s just that your cats are…”
“I know, annoying, noisy, useless. Are you eventually going to find something else to pester me about?” She sighs and rolls her eyes. “Honestly, get a life.”
And at that, she slams the door shut.
She does not think about Jongdae the whole evening, until she goes back to her room after dinner and meets a pair of big, piercing green eyes. “I wish I were a cat, Mr. Stache.” She tells him as she lays on her side, looking at the curled-up cat beside her. “It’d be easier.” Eating, sleeping, playing, sleeping again, asking affection. How cool is it? “What should I do?” She sighs and lays on her back, fingers crossed on her belly as she looks at the ceiling, frowning. “Of course, you cannot answer… You’re a cat.” And cats, even if they were good listeners, could not do anything to help her.
With this unanswered question, Young-sun eventually dozes off, only to be woken up by a loud noise in the living room.
A/N: trying to get back to writing more often, I hope you'll like this and thanks for your comments and votes, it means a lot ;; ♥
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