Jinyoung picks up his phone without checking who the caller is and is met with the sound of Jaebeom’s panicked rambling. Usually, hearing Jaebeom panic would make him nervous too, but he thinks he knows what this call is about, so he manages to stay calm. “Hyung,” he says. “Slow down, I can’t understand a thing.”

“Sorry,” Jaebeom apologizes, but he still sounds anxious. “It’s just - I wouldn’t even ask, but something came up suddenly, so my parents aren’t available, and -”

“Is this about your schedule?” Jinyoung interrupts. “You know I can look after the cats, Jaebeommie. I already offered like, a month ago.”

“Yeah, but you’re allergic,” Jaebeom says, and Jinyoung can just see him fidgeting on the other end. “I can’t make you spend a whole day covered in cat hair.”

“And you already know I don’t care about that,” Jinyoung says patiently. “I love spending time with them, and I can easily take allergy medicine.” He steadily continues before Jaebeom can protest further. “Anyway, glad we sorted that out. I’ll be over in ten.”

He hears Jaebeom sigh, and he can picture the familiar smile that must be spreading across Jaebeom’s face as he speaks. “Thanks, Jinyoungie.”

“It’s no trouble,” Jinyoung says fondly. “Now you’d better get going, don’t you have to be there at 9 so they can prep you?”

Jaebeom laughs. “Yeah, I will, I will. Take good care of them, okay? I’ll see you tonight.”

~~~

As he walks into Jaebeom’s apartment, Jinyoung is greeted by five cats at varying levels of excitement. “Hi babies!” he says cheerfully. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?” It hasn’t, really - Jinyoung visited for dinner three days ago - but Odd and Cake fall over themselves to rub themselves against Jinyoung’s legs like they’re agreeing with him anyway. Jinyoung laughs softly at their antics as he toes off his shoes and shuts the door.

“You’re all happy to see me right?” he continues, crouching down to pet them. “Your daddy tried to tell me I shouldn’t come over today, you know that? As if I would ever let my silly allergies stop me.” Koonta lets out a reproachful meow, as if he too finds Jaebeom’s words ridiculous. “I know,” Jinyoung says. “He really can be funny sometimes. But we love him anyway, right?”

Entertaining himself for a whole day turns out to be pretty simple when there are five cats around. When they aren’t demanding to be fed, they play with their toys, with Jinyoung, with each other, and Jinyoung is endlessly amused. “No wonder your dad is never bored with you guys around,” Jinyoung says affectionately as Nora steps onto his legs and sits there. “He has his hands full. You’re all little balls of energy, aren’t you?”

Nora curls further into his lap and starts purring, and Jinyoung smiles down at her. “Except you, of course, Nora,” he says, her ears gently. “But the two of us go way back, don’t we? I remember when you were just like the rest of them.” His mind conjures up images of Jaebeom, with his bright blonde hair, introducing Jinyoung to Nora for the first time. He had amused himself for hours playing with her, and it had ended up being one of the first real bonding experiences he shared with Jaebeom.

As it nears 6 in the evening, Jinyoung decides to put together a low-effort meal for Jaebeom - he’s no chef, but he can make a decent ramen after seeing Jaebeom do it so many times - so he has something to eat when he gets home. He has an audience of five as he cooks, all of them staring at him with a matching expression that he knows means they want food too.

“You’re all really demanding, you know,” Jinyoung comments, placing food in their bowls after the ramen is ready. “I guess it’s no big deal for your dad, though. He has plenty of experience with crazy demands from the kids.”

Jaebeom still isn’t back as it draws closer to 8 pm, but Jinyoung knows he’ll be back soon, so he cleans up the cats’ litter boxes one last time, showers, and throws on one of Jaebeom’s old hoodies and a pair of boxers before settling down in his room. “Don’t let me fall asleep,” he tells the cats who have joined him on Jaebeom’s bed. Nora just meows and butts her head against his cheek as the rest of them lie down in various spots on the bed around him, and he already knows it’s a losing battle.

(When Jaebeom gets home, he finds Jinyoung fast asleep on his bed with the cats surrounding him. After he takes a picture of the adorable sight, he decides that from now on, when he needs a catsitter, Jinyoung will always be the first person he calls.)