Hakyeon lay wide awake, staring at the ceiling. The ball of fur curled up at his feet seemed to be peacefully asleep, its chest slowly rising and falling from the steady breathing. Moonlight that filtered through the windows gave Ash’s black hair a beautiful glossy sheen - the only reason Hakyeon could still distinguish his cat from the darkness of his room.

“Ash are you awake,” he mumbled, his eyes still fixed on the ceiling.

“Mm hm,” Taekwoon replied groggily.

“I’ve been thinking.” Hakyeon bit his lip in concentration. “I shall rename you Shadow from now on.”

Taekwoon’s cat ears perked up. “Now that’s a name worth sacrificing my sleep for.”

“Do you think it suits you better?” Hakyeon rambled on as though his cat was something he could make a conversation with. “I felt that Ash sounded a little too morbid. Shadow sounds much better, doesn’t it? And with regard to your fur coat it isn’t any less descriptive.”

“Describes me perfectly indeed,” Taekwoon yawned. “You know, like the living shadow of your favourite idol Jung Taekwoon.” He flipped himself over to lie on his back. "Never gonna see the light of day."

Hakyeon glanced briefly at his cat, then shifted his feet to allow him more space to turn. “Do you still remember Thunder and Coal? The other black cats that live two blocks away,” he questioned. “Oh god, I miss them. I miss everyone.”

“I don’t think they miss being called by such terrible names though.”

Hakyeon turned to lie on his right side. “It’s been two weeks since I’ve stopped my duties,” he sighed. “Ever since I stopped going for club sessions I’ve not been assigned to any of the feeding slots. And I’m having terrible withdrawal symptoms.”

Taekwoon rolled his eyes. “You took in a ing pet yet you still have time to think about those outside.”

“I don’t know when this cold war with Shinjoon is gonna end. I don’t know how to face him.” Hakyeon flipped over to lie on his left, as though doing so could remove the weight on his chest. “I wanna go back and start feeding cats again but every time I recall how he’d deceived me I just can’t make myself approach him.”

“Seriously,” Taekwoon sneered. It didn’t make sense to him. If Hongbin didn’t owe Hakyeon an explanation for things, Shinjoon didn’t either. But Hakyeon wasn’t acknowledging that.

“You know, the only reason I went all mad and looked Hongbin up and lost my face and all…” Hakyeon continued. “It was because Shinjoon betrayed my trust. And I was so upset I wasn’t thinking straight. He gave me every reason to doubt him.”

“But how about consider giving him some ing respect for his privacy,” Taekwoon scoffed quietly. “Pitiful guy he is, defamed and ignored and all.”

“Well, he must have predicted that Hongbin wouldn’t be telling me anything,” Hakyeon chuckled to himself. “Probably why despite refusing to yield to the intense interrogation…he didn’t seem any bit afraid that I might have other ways to find the truth,” Hakyeon shook his head. “This man’s stubborn but clever. And excellent at keeping himself composed.”

Taekwoon rolled his eyes. “Get your facts straight. You’re the stubborn one.”

“Did you know,” Hakyeon turned to face the cat suddenly. “The only time I’d seen him lose his composure was when he told me you were a cat demon, lol.”

Taekwoon sat up quickly. “What.”

“I think he’s mad. I don’t know. What even is a cat demon supposed to be?” Hakyeon rambled on. “He said you were potentially dangerous.”

“Well on what ing basis did he come to such a conclusion,” Taekwoon spat. “I take back my words. Anyone who defames me like that isn’t worth any bit of pity from me.”

Hakyeon shrugged. “I figured I should probably start believing him and his cat demon bull, you know, since even Hongbin testified that all my previous assumptions were wrong.” He reached out towards the cat and began to pat him lightly on the head. “But then again I don’t think you’re anything close to evil. Because if you had wanted to harm me you would have.”

“Yeah what the . As though it’s already not ing derogatory for a human being to be seen as a ing beast,” Taekwoon seethed silently. “And then now I’m allegedly a satanic cat from hell.”

Hakyeon found the cat’s reaction amusing. As though it understood every word he said. But then again, for a cat smart enough to operate the shower system it seemed unsurprising. He closed his eyes and leant into the cat, smiling as they bumped noses. “Can’t believe I just spoke as though demons were a legitimate thing,” he sniggered.

Taekwoon pulled his chin back from the sudden intimate contact. “W-well if humans could be turned into cats, anything is possible,” he coughed. He realised that in the moment of anger he had unknowingly extended his claws, but Hakyeon’s gentle calmed him a little and he retracted them.

“I mean, what did I even do to that guy,” he added indignantly, “for him to defame me like that.” He wanted to pout but he was a cat and cats didn’t have lips. “Life’s ing unfair.”

Still, he decided that perhaps it was better to ignore Shinjoon’s words and go back to sleep. He wriggled around and found a comfortable spot, then nestled himself in the soft bedding. Hakyeon’s bed sheets were a blessing, and the faint lavender fragrance of the fabric soothed his senses like ice on burnt skin.

“Goodnight and sweet dreams kitty,” Hakyeon whispered. He watched on endearingly as his cat slowly blinked his eyes closed. Still, his fingers worked diligently, caressing the cat’s soft black fur while he quietly hummed for him a lullaby that he knew.

“Smart aleck,” Taekwoon thought to himself as he slowly sensed the world fading away around him. “Treating a grown man like a ing baby.”

But he wasn’t falling asleep yet. Not so soon.

As he absorbed himself in Hakyeon’s gentle petting, he wondered why an oddly low y noise filled his ears. The sound was coming from him, but he had no control over it. He didn’t understand why he was snoring even before he’d fallen asleep.

Maybe he was merely too sleepy.

But as he opened his eyes to Hakyeon’s stupid grin, he realised that perhaps he wasn’t snoring after all.

Hakyeon’s touch had somehow awakened the purring instincts in him - the innate feline behaviour reserved for showing contentment and affection.

He didn’t know why this was happening, but he also didn’t want to find out.

***********

“Seems like someone wasn’t quite done with the condemnation, huh.” Taekwoon leapt onto the desk and crept towards the window.

“I’m not here today for this.” There was something different about the cat’s tone, but Taekwoon couldn’t pinpoint what it was exactly.

“Well don’t tell me you changed your mind and decided to join me here as a pet.” Taekwoon wanted to add that in Hakyeon’s room, there was only space for one cat, not two, but he decided to shut up for now.

Green Eyes scoffed. “I’ve already gone against my own principles for you tonight. Ain’t gonna sin further.”

“If meeting me was something sinful you could always, you know, choose to mind your own ing business and leave me the alone.”

“I would have, but something in my conscience told me not to ignore your situation.” The cat’s voice was overwhelmed with concern. “I couldn’t do anything to save Sanghyuk, but that doesn’t mean I can’t stop another tragedy.”

Taekwoon wanted to clench his fists. “Pretty sure you just said that you weren’t here to conduct a ing lecture all over again.”

“You’re right. I’m not.” The cat crept up closer. “I sinned for you tonight by making a deal with a human. Who supposedly is able to help you.”

“What the is that supposed to mean.”

“First things first.” The cat peered into Hakyeon’s room and scanned the surroundings. “Are you alone right now?”

Taekwoon scowled. “What are you planning to do.”

“Is he coming back anytime soon?”

Taekwoon cocked his head. “Hakyeon’s out to attend a play. Won’t be back till twelve.”

“Great,” the cat smiled. “Information cross-checked.” He turned and signalled to the shadows.

“You-” Taekwoon narrowed his eyes. “You brought someone here with you tonight?”

“The human I made the deal with.” Those were Green Eyes’ last words before the cat retreated into the shadows and vanished from sight.

“Wait what-”

Taekwoon swallowed as a man emerged from the darkness, peering at him through his pair of thick glasses with beady eyes.

“What’s a weird guy doing lurking out here in the yard at night,” he spat inwardly. “And why does he look like he wants to kill the out of me right now.”

“Don’t worry I don’t.” The man cocked his head and offered Taekwoon a genuine but hair-raising smile. “At least not until I’ve clearly understood what exactly you are. And what motives you have.”

Taekwoon froze. “H-he ing understood me.”

“How else did you think I was able to get your cat friend to bring me here?”

“No. No way,” Taekwoon gulped. “There’s never been anyone who could converse with cats like that.” And he knew that because if there really was someone like that, he would have approached them long ago. And he would have tried ways and means to prove that he was Jung Taekwoon trapped in a cat’s body. And then he would have been brought somewhere to be rescued. Or maybe be taken as a madcat. Whatever. It didn’t matter because he hadn’t even run into someone like that in the first place.

“Well from the moment we met till now we’ve already exchanged two sentences. If that still doesn’t convince you, I don’t know what will.”

“Okay but what do you ing want from me.” Taekwoon took a few steps back. “If you’re not here to help me revert back to my human state I don’t want anything to do with you.”

The man squinted and peered at him closely from behind the window grill. “So you’re indeed a cat demon?”

“What the . Not this again.” Taekwoon felt like his blood was at its boiling threshold. “What ing aspect about me screams demon?? It’s already bad enough that no one’s ever seen through my real identity, and now I have to endure such ridiculous suspicions?”

“You-”

“Shinjoon sent you here didn’t he,” Taekwoon spat. “I don’t know what that er has against me but he’s bent on the fact that I’m some evil spirit, isn't he?"

“No one sent me. I sent myself.” The man took a few steps closer. “I’m Shinjoon.”