They decided to go out the next day; Eunbi needed some clothes anyway.

Sojung didn't think she would be that nervous though--actually, saying that the girl was nervous is a huge understatement. Her heart was beating so fast that she was surprised it didn't break a rib.

Eunbi didn't look much better, though, and that kind of helped.

They were two very awkward girls, walking side by side through the packed halls of the local mall, avoiding the other's eyes and making empty comments about the clothes. Like that, it also became clear that Eunbi was a hard one to please and they would get nowhere by window-shopping; they needed to enter a store.

Sojung suggested that they went to the department store and Eunbi silently nodded. They walked, doing their best to avoid all the people. And, somehow, Sojung noticed that something was wrong. Yes, Eunbi was probably nervous because they were going out together, but there was something else happening there--Sojung could feel it.

Sojung didn't ask anything though, afraid of coming off weird or... whatever.

Heading into the store, she took a deep breath and decided to make the moment at least a little enjoyable; after all, it was their first date! Well, it wasn't actually a date, but, um... anyway!

"Eunnie!" Sojung exclaimed and the shorter girl looked at her, brown eyes a little glassy. Sojung held back a frown. "What do you think of this?" she held up a simple, baby blue dress. "We can get jeans and blouses too, but this is pretty cute right?"

Eunbi's lips curled up and Sojung almost let out an embarrassingly relieved sigh.

"It's pretty," she said and her voice sounded weaker than it usual. "Will it fit though...?"

"Ah! You can go try it..." Sojung looked around and spotted the fitting rooms. "Come on!"

"I-I don't--"

Sojung didn't hear the hesitant words due to the chatter around them; the shop owner just wrapped her fingers around Eunbi's narrow wrist and pulled the girl closer, walking them through the people.

"You can go change! I'll be waiting here!" Sojung said and gave the dress to the attendant who handed her a plaque with a small '1' written. Sojung turned to Eunbi and the paleness of her skin made it impossible to not frown. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Eunbi looked at her and opened , but no sound came. The younger girl offered Sojung a tight smile and a nod instead. "Nothing, I'll go change."

She grabbed the dress and plaque from Sojung's hand and walked away, leaving her to frown alone, certain that something wasn't right. Sojung tried to not mind the way her stomach turned in concern; if Eunbi said it was nothing then it probably shouldn't be urgent, right? She should be fine now, right? Things were okay.

Except they weren't and Sojung only realized that when a high-pitched scream echoed through the place.

An old lady ran out of the fitting room, face as red as a tomato, sneezing like hell. "There's a goddamn cat here! What the is cat doing here! !"

Sojung's eyes widened and she felt her whole body become numb. The lady, who obviously had a cat allergy, kept on insulting the employees and the store for letting such animal inside and it seemed like Sojung was underwater for a second.

She sobered up soon enough, though.

While the commotion had everyone's attention, Sojung sneaked through the distressed women and headed inside the fitting room.

Her eyes scanned the place and she carefully called for Eunbi.

"Eunnie-yah..." her voice was low, but it was audible. "Kitten, where are you?"

It took a couple of seconds and Sojung was sincerely dying when a weak mewl reached her ears.

She quickly walked to the last booth and, entangled with someone's clothes, was a trembling ball of fur. 

Sojung felt her heart painfully clench inside her chest as she couldn't understand what was happening, but she sure wanted to make it stop.

"Hey, kitten," she called softly and watched as Eunbi's ears perked. The cat turned her head up slowly and Sojung cooed at the scared gleam covering them. "Baby, what's the matter?"

Eunbi mewled and Sojung crouched next to her. She was ready to ask it again, but there were steps approaching and she figured it was better to leave.

"Eunnie, we need to go now. Is it okay if I hold you?"

Eunbi meowed again, still weak, but it was enough for Sojung.

The shop owner gently wrapped her hands around the soft body and immediately cradled Eunbi in her arms. She wondered if that was too much, but by the way Eunbi snuggled against her, Sojung figure it was probably fine.

An employee popped next to her and, with startled eyes, looked at Sojung.

Giving her best smile, Sojung caressed the back of Eunbi's ear with her thumb. "I, uh, I'll put her outside."

"Oh, don't worry, ma'am, we will be--"

"No, seriously, it's fine! I'm very good with cats anyway," she awkwardly chuckled.

She received a couple of weird looks from the other customers, but the attendant looked actually relieved so she managed to escape without any problems. 

Sojung kept rubbing the soft fur of Eunbi's head while she walked out of the store (listening to the very angry remarks of the old lady, but that's not really important).

"It's alright, kitty, we'll be home soon," she whispered, feeling that Eunbi hadn't really relaxed inside her arms. Like that, Sojung thanked god that the mall was close to the store and that it took her around fifteen minutes to be inside her place.

She closed the door behind her with one hand and quickly climbed the stairs.

Probably due to being inside the cozy bedroom, Eunbi started purring against the skin of Sojung's neck and the shop owner couldn't hold back her relieved sigh.

Sojung hummed. "We're home, kitten. Are you okay?"

Eunbi mewled and she sat on the bed, arms still tight around Eunbi. "Wah, I was really scared there," Sojung sighed and, maybe unconsciously, nuzzled her nose on Eunbi's dark fur. "Do you... want to tell me what went on?"

Eunbi tensed again and Sojung quickly spoke. "No need to do it now! Uh... do you want to rest a little? I actually forgot to grab your clothes when we got out of the store so I should probably get you new ones anyway," she chuckled, hoping that it would make Eunbi comfortable.

There was a low mew that Sojung interpreted as a yes, so she slowly let go of Eunbi.

But, contrary to her expectations, Eunbi didn't hop off her chest to lie down on the bed, over her usual spot. No, what Eunbi did was actually very different.

As soon as Sojung's arms weren't around her anymore, Eunbi moved down to curl herself over the older's lap, resting her head near Sojung's crotch.

The shop owner's chin dropped. "Are y--" she snapped her lips shut, halting herself from saying anything that could possibly lead Eunbi to leave that spot.

Sojung watched, with wide eyes, how Eunbi just made herself comfortable on her lap and seemed pretty unfazed by the loud thump inside the older's chest.

Is she really staying there--? Sojung felt become dry.

Yeah. It didn't look like Eunbi was going anywhere.

Hesitantly, Sojung touched the kitty's head. As there was no reaction, she proceeded to rub small circles on the soft fur.

When the sound of a low purr reached her ears, Sojung realized she didn't mind the situation at all.

She was more than okay with that.