Jin insisted on buying the cushions and blanket that very week, and Sungmi, tired of coming home and finding him curled up on her bed, finally caved in even though she hadn't yet recieved her paycheck.

That was probably a mistake, though, because Jin wanted ten cushions and it took a firm argument and a threat of throwing him out to make him settle for five, pouting unhappily and picking at his tail.

Sungmi meticulously went through the store searching for discounts and deals. Jin followed her at first, but stayed behind to bask in the many praises and caresses he recieved from fellow-shoppers for his good looks and charming behavior. He really hadn't been lying when he said everyone told him he was handsome, Sungmi reflected. Humph, he wasn't that handsome anyway! People didn't have to keep making a fuss over him like that. He was spoilt rotten and she sure as hell would never fuss over him. Everyone was charmed by him because they didn't know the real him! They didn't know the annoying and obnoxious side of him at all! Ugh, why was she even shopping for him again....

Jin finally joined her as she paid for the cushions and pink blanket, which he approvingly. "Very soft!"

Everything was placed in a large cardboard box, which Jin carried home contentedly. "Where is Byul?" he asked. "I must show her my pink blanket!"

"Byul is at home, or at one of her friends' houses to spend the afternoon."

"Oh. Tomorrow morning-"

"Every morning she has kindergarten to go to."

"What is that?"

"It's a place kids her age go to learn and play-"

"Play?" His tail flicked with sudden excitment. "I want to go to kindergarten too!"

Imagining Jin sitting at a kids' table that would be way too small for him and perhaps arguing over snacks and crayons was enough to make Sungmi laugh loudly.

"What?" he demanded. "Take me to kindergarten!"

"You're too old, you idiot! I said kids Byul's age! You're way too old!"

"Well where do you go during the day then, if not kindergarten?"

"I go to university," Sungmi replied. "And I work."

"Work?"

"Yes, I have to earn money to buy things, right?"

"Ah, right... what do I do then?"

"You just stay home," she said. "You're a pet, remember?"

"I'm too handsome for kindergarten and work anyway," he huffed, and for a split second Sungmi thought she heard a trace of bitterness in his voice. He did have every right to be bitter about the fact he could not work - after all, that was what landed him in the streets. Total dependency on a person was a very frightening thing...

"Why were you out on the streets anyway?" she asked, realizing he had never said anything about it before.

There was a moment of silence before he said, "My owner died and his children didn't want me."

Sungmi's throat tightened. That was... that was awful... he must have been used to a good home before he got thrown out... the change must have been drastic and difficult...

"Anyway whatever, I didn't like them either," he huffed.

"I'm sorry that happened to you," she said, sincerely. It always angered her to hear stories of pets being abandoned, and imagining Jin in that position was a sad thought indeed, even if she didn't really like him.

"You didn't do anything, baby," Jin huffed.

"Yeah well can't I sympathize and -"

"Tuna stew and then ice cream?"

"I... what?"

"I'm hungry, baby!"

Sungmi rolled her eyes, all sympathy melting to something just slightly lingering. All he thought about was food and his looks!

"So, yes to tuna?" he asked happily.

"If we have all the ingredients," she said. Much to her annoyance, she realized she had in fact bought ingredients for tuna stew the other day.

"If we don't then you can go out and buy them," he said matter of factly, and she was about to scold him but he ran ahead up the path and to her porch. "Hurry!" he whined, wanting to go inside.

Once the door was unlocked, he was inside in a flash. Sungmi took off her shoes carefully, yelling out he should take his off as well. She found Jin arranging his pillows and blanket on the pull out couch, looking so happy that Sungmi couldn't help but smile a bit.

"Shoes," she reminded him. "They don't belong inside!"

Jin kicked them off carelessly and she told him to pick them up and put them on the shoe rack in the entrance, which he did with an annoyed flick of his tail.

Sungmi turned some music on, and began to make lunch. Jin didn't come in even once. In fact, he was so quiet Sungmi nearly forgot he was there, other than fuming at first that she had to do all the cooking and she should teach him. When the stew was simmering and the rice was ready, she went to the living room to tell him the least he could do was set the table.

At first, the living room seemed empty, other than the newly adorned couch and the large box next to it - a large box that had a pair of legs hanging out of it.

"What do you think you're doing in there?" Sungmi demanded. "Set the table!"

Jin was lying down in the large cardboard box with his legs sticking out, and playing with a stray bit of tape that was dangling away from the cardboard - batting at it with his hand exactly like a cat would. And lying in a box - cats loved boxes didn't they?

Despite herself, Sungmi chuckled. Boxes, playing with stray tape, and even asking for tuna. He was cat-like all right!

"Do you like the box?" she asked. For a second, she was about to reach down and pet his head, right between his ears, but she stopped herself just in time.

"Yeah! Can we keep it?"

"Yeah, we can keep the box. Can you please set the table for lunch?"

"Tuna!" The catboy scrambled to his feet and raced to the kitchen. He was... he was kinda cute, she supposed.... but only sometimes or when he behaved cat-like! Otherwise he was not cute at all!


****

When Soo Mi dropped off her daughter at kindergarten that day, Byul had been happily chattering about the finger painting activity they would do that day. Byul seemed happy and calm and Soo Mi expected to see some paintings when she came home.

She did not expect to be called by the principal before heading to work because Byul ha