The small fight between Jong-hyun and Min-ho on the train left me in an apartment empty and to myself. I hadn't even bothered to process what Tae-min told me. To me, there was no way that Min-ho was in love with me. He was dating Tae-min and seemingly always disappearing to spend time with Tae-min. How could Choi Min-ho be in love with me? He literally scoops my out of a litterbox and watches me gag up hairballs in my kitty form. 

I didn't even bother to check where Min-ho went when we returned to Seoul. I just wanted off the train and to go home and curl up in bed. I didn't ask for any explanations from Jong-hyun nor Min-ho. I simply told everyone have a goodnight and left off in a taxi. I wasn't expecting Min-ho to come back home with me. He was still angry and I ould tell by the way he didn't say "bye" to anyone as we left the station.  

When I got home, I felt a mixture of emotions. I wanted to cry, laugh, scream, and break a vase. I ultimately decided to take a nap in my bed. I figured I could hide away from the world in the land of sleep. That didn't go as planned because I ended up dreaming about Jong-hyun and Min-ho fighting over me clad in armor with swords. I couldn't help but wake up in a cold sweat. 

They definitely aren't my prince charming. I didn't need a prince charming to come and rescue me from my curse. Okay, I kind of do but not at that moment. At that moment, I didn’t care about my curse. I was willing to stay cursed the rest of my life if it meant I didn't have to deal with the complicated love story. Whomever or whatever is controlling my life's story, I wanted them to stop and give me a ing break. 

How did I not notice or know that Choi Min-ho was in love with me? I kept brushing my mother off everytime she would suggest it. I viewed Min-ho as my annoying best friend, who was selfless for wanting to take care of me as a cat. I viewed Jong-hyun as the love of my life and the person to break my curse. Now I viewed the both of them as annoying, hormone fueled losers. A messy, tense love triangle was the last thing I ever needed. 

I found myself getting out of bed after my nap and grabbing a bag. I filled it with my clothes as I called my mom to let her know I was going there. I didn't feel like being in the apartment when Min-ho got home from wherever the hell he was. I turned my phone off after I alerted my mother about my plan. I then finished packing up my bag and left the apartment behind. I climbed into a taxi and took the ride over to my home with the hopes of my mom being able to solve this problem or at least give me advise. 

~

I sigh out soft as I soak my muscles in hot bath water. My mom instantly picked up on my frustration and immediately drew me a bath. She filled the tub with lavender bubble bath and made sure to light a few candles. The atmosphere is so therapeutic. My eyes are closed as my mother sits next to the tub on a stool. It's comforting having her by my side as I breathe in the lavender scented bubbles and let my body relax. 

I still haven't told her what was wrong yet. I'm glad she isn't the type to pry too much. She knows I will open up when I'm ready. I'm still trying to make sense of everything in my head as the water relieves the tension in my body. I sink further down in the tub until my shoulders are submerged. My legs propped up since the tub isn't exactly huge. 

"What do you want for dinner, hm?" My mother asks me. 

"Spaghetti and meatballs." I respond. 

One of my eyes open as I hear my mom softly chuckle. I look at her with curious eyes, my head tilting slightly. 

"You always ask for spaghetti and meatballs when you're really in a pickle." She says in a soft tone. 

I look back at the bath water and nod my head. I do tend to ask for spaghetti and meatballs when life gets too complicated. When I was bullied in middle school, I asked for spaghetti and meatballs almost every night for two months. Before Min-ho and I became friends, I asked for spaghetti and meatballs everytime I had a fight with him. I came back home for spaghetti and meatballs after my first and only breakup. There is no problem spaghetti and meatballs couldn't fix. At least that's what I think, I don't know about my current situation. 

"You were right." I finally say with a defeated sigh.

"Hm?" My mom hums. 

"You were right about Min-ho." I mumble, a pout forming on my lips. 

I know my mom wants to cheer in victory or even celebrate the fact Min-ho likes me, but she doesn't. She simply gets off her stool and begins the process of washing my hair. She uses her hand to shield my eyes as she pours water over the top of my head. I need to get my blonde locks dyed again, my roots are starting to show and that is always embarrassing. 

"Is that why you're being sulky?" She asks me. 

I soft purr as her fingers massage my scalp as she lathers the shampoo into my hair. My body completely relaxes and my eyes fall shut once again. My brain feels a wave of tingles from the gentle touch and lathering. If I was in my kitty form, my purrs would probably dance off the walls of the bathroom and echo. A soft sigh of relief escape my soft tiers. 

"I'm being sulky because... It isn't fair." I comment truthfully. 

"What's not fair?" She asks. 

"It's not fair that I really like Jong-hyun and Min-ho likes me. It makes me feel like an . He has been taking care of my kitty form for almost two years now." I confess. 

In any story or drama, it would be clear for me to go with the guy I've known longer. It would make sense for me to choose Min-ho and ride off into sunset with him. I would be seen as the villain if I didn't; but things don't work like that. I can't suddenly drop Jong-hyun just because Min-ho has been passive aggressive about his crush on me. I can't drop Jong-hyun just because he was too scared of Lady Jang. He literally drank that mysterious potion on the train to prove he loves me. 

But Min-ho sacrificed something to get that potion. 

I blink hard from the random voice in my head. Shut up! Don't make things even more complicated. I feel like I'm about to scream but I hold it in as my mom continues to lather my hair up with shampoo. 

"Love is often a bit of a puzzle. You have to find that right piece that fits your heart and sometimes, you might be the right piece for others while you think you're the right piece for someone else. Love isn't something that is quite easy hence why our curse has a difficult solution for it to be broken." My mom advises. 

I can't help but huff a bit. Is she saying that Jong-hyun isn't the right piece for me? 

"Are you saying Jong-hyun isn't the right piece for me?" 

My mom pauses, her fingers stop moving on my head. "No. I can't say who is the right piece for you because they are not for me. That is for you to decide." 

I sigh heavily and cross my arms over my chest. Why does love have to be this complicated? It looks so simple when you're a kid. You see your mom and dad together and figure they got together as soon as they said "hello" to each other and that's why you exist. Disney paints this picture of love having a small obstacle but overall,  it ends up working out in the end and everyone ends up with a happy ending. 

Now I know love is a messy, sloppy piece of work. It's something I'm ready to throw the towel on and quit. I don't want love if it's going to hurt two guys I care about. Even though I am mad at them, I still care about them. I can't turn into one of Jong-hyun's painful love songs and I can't be the reason Min-ho shuts the world out once again. I wish cupid could just come down and smack me with the right choice. 

"I don't even know what to do." I mumble. 

"Do nothing. Let the answer come to you on its own. You're only 21 Ki-bum. You have a good couple of more years before you reach 30. I regret putting so much pressure on you about your curse. I should have just let you fall in love naturally without the burden of the curse." 

I bow my head as my mom goes to rinse the shampoo out of my hair. She still shields my eyes as she continues to soak my head in water. I won't blame her for my urgent need to find love. Although, she did tell me the conditions of the curse, she wasn't lining men up at the door to try and date me. She simply told me what the terms and conditions were of my curse and I put the burden on myself. I won't let her blame herself for that. 

"No. It's not your fault, Mom. I am the one that took this curse and made it my own burden." 

I raise my head as she goes to put conditioner in my hair. I keep my eyes shut as she lathers everything up in my hair once again. A soft purr coming from my throat as she massages my scalp with her fingertips. 

"Well, lets not focus on this tonight. You sound really tired and drained. Lets have spaghetti and meatballs, lets share a glass of wine and watch movies. Sounds good?" She says. 

I am relieved