When Taemin first adopted his pet cat Kkoong, he hadn’t thought she would light up his life in a way he had always wanted. She gave him the satisfaction of caring for someone and it felt so refreshing to him… How could it not? After being single for a long time, it was hard for Taemin to refuse the need for some sort of companionship (even if it was with a cat in the end). The day the chance to adopt her came to him, he jumped at the opportunity without hesitation. With his growing loneliness, he was already thinking of getting a pet anyway, and when he saw her he thought she was the cutest cat he had ever seen; he couldn’t resist the way her round eyes shone up at him and how her small mews rang in his ears. He felt she was perfect for him in every way.

So, after settling her in his home it didn’t take long for Taemin to start spoiling her like he continues to now... Before he knew it his home became full of cat toys and fuzzy towers of all kinds. After working long days at an office job he’s grown to hate, Kkoong would always welcome Taemin home with loud meows and a happy tail. They bonded quite strongly over the course of just a few weeks (much quicker than anticipated) and it filled him with an overwhelming sense of joy on a daily basis—a joy he couldn’t help but fall in love with... For the first time in a long time, the daunting feeling of being alone or feeling lonely no longer lingered in his mind… He could finally shower his pent up love onto Kkoong and if he were being honest, if he knew owning a cat would have made him feel so fulfilled, he would have done it much, much sooner… 

Months after fully adjusting to his new found pet life, Taemin learned to enjoy his time home more than ever since he could now focus on dedicating time to nurture and play with Kkoong. Because of this increase in quality time however, Taemin also grew into a homebody unlike before; all he wanted to do was be with her, as though he was obsessed with being by her side—he couldn’t even try to deny it. Day after day, he would find himself with his phone in hand, taking picture after picture of Kkoong and spamming his friends with them… This even included every five minute video of her playing with all the toys he couldn't seem to stop buying. Doing this never bored him the way the rest of his life tends to do, and despite his friend’s pleas to stop and go out with them anyway, Kkoong is why he now chooses to stay in every weekend too...

“I can’t leave Kkoong alone!” Taemin insists in response each time he’s pestered to leave someplace, “She needs me and I need to be there for her! It’s only my responsibility to do so… Have you seen how cute she is? How can I leave now?”

Only after accepting Taemin’s extreme infatuation with KKoong and refusal to leave his apartment, his friends turned their pleas and pestering into “endearing” jokes. They by joking that he’s finally found the love of his life in the form of an adorable furry kitty, and that he no longer needed anyone or anything else... Taemin laughs along with these “jokes”, and sometimes even makes his own jokes about the subject to continue the “fun”, but even then he can’t help but feel a slight sting at their words. He knows they really mean no harm however, and actually like his cat a lot… But even if Taemin knows this, alongside the fact he is obsessed with Kkoong and might love her more than is necessary, the play on words he hears from his friends sticks in his mind more than it should… 

Kkoong can’t truly be the love of his life, can she? She’s just an animal after all... He sulks and pets her softly as he watches his phone ring on his coffee table with more notifications from his friends after sending them new kitty pictures. With a deep sigh, he reaches down and pulls her closer to him in an attempt for a hug.

“Even if you were the love of my life, I wouldn’t miss out because I’m sure no one on Earth is as beautiful as you… My sweet girl,” He whispers close to her ear before placing a soft kiss on her head, causing her to squirm a bit in his embrace. With one giant squirm, Kkoong breaks free from Taemin’s arms, meowing low at him before walking away, unbothered and of course without any understanding of what her owner just said. With another heavy sigh, Taemin thinks out loud, “What am I doing…”

He continues to stare as Kkoong walks further away from him and closer to her favorite cat tower. Letting out an annoyed groan, Taemin sits himself back on his couch and pushes his long hair behind his ear, taking his time to the softness of it all while trying his best to not compare it to Kkoong’s fur... He feels embarrassed, somehow—projecting his extreme loneliness onto a cat who will never truly understand his desires. It’s not like projecting like this was so abnormal though, he’s more than sure plenty of others do it too and he tries to remind himself to not feel too bad (even with his friends being no help about it whatsoever). Further his hair, Taemin just allows himself to get lost deep within his thoughts, staring intensely as Kkoong now settles into a sleeping position atop what seems to be her throne. She looks so peaceful to Taemin, and of course as cute as ever... 

When the annoying ringing of his phone finally stops, he realizes one thing: He’s happy with Kkoong, and will never regret getting her despite any intrusive thoughts that haunt him… But there are still some questions that he fears. Will the amazing feeling of caring for a pet truly keep his lonely desires from arising ever again? Will the jokes from his friends ever stop from hurting him? If anything, he knows he could tell his friends to stop—there’s always an easy fix to an issue like that... But what about the first issue at hand? 

“It’s best not to think about it right?” Taemin thinks out loud once more, pouting his bottom lip out with a nod. Finally reaching for his phone, he decides to ignore all his text notifications and logs onto the first social media app he sees, moving on with his (lonely) life as if there’s nothing to worry about. In fact, there is nothing to worry about, how could there be?

When his days off on the weekend come around, Taemin finds himself doing home chores to keep up with Kkoong and her messes after her long days of ruling the home while he’s working. It’s a nice routine and Taemin appreciates the fact he can finally force himself to clean up his place without coming up with excuses every week. It was a typical Saturday afternoon for him, though for some reason today Kkoong is more active than usual, and has been for days... As Taemin tries to tidy up and go about his usual chores, Kkoong follows and throws things back onto the floor in minutes; she’s in a playful mood and Taemin could tell. He couldn’t really blame her for it, he had worked overtime all week and didn’t get nearly as much time with her as usual. Though, Taemin wasn’t too sure if that was the sole reason… Perhaps, he thought, Kkoong was getting into her phase of mischief and wandering.

Throughout the week beforehand, she had been acting odd with him, especially whenever he approached any door that led to the outside… A sense of confusion and worry only came to Taemin’s mind after he realized she was trying to get outside; her eyes would blow up wide, shining bright, and excited. Why she was trying to get outside was a mystery to him, but only the worst of possibilities could flood his mind when he realized how eager she was to get out. Of course, Taemin wasn’t going to let it happen, but it stressed him out to think of solutions to satisfy her mischief anyway.

Taemin was nearly done cleaning up as the evening approached—though he allowed Kkoong to just topple anything she wanted down to the floor, recreating the mess anyway. His home looked nowhere near as tidy as he wanted it to be, but at least he was able to dust and sweep up her fur that had accumulated beforehand. Even with her toys tossed all over the place, he was satisfied with the cleanliness beneath it. All that was left was to mop the kitchen quickly and he could finally relax, maybe even play with Kkoong and contribute to an even bigger mess…

He checks for Kkoong and spots her playing by the couch far away from the back door to his yard where he keeps the mop bucket. It’s a perfect opportunity for him to sneak out without having to stop her from trying to squeeze past him to achieve her escape to the outdoors. He makes his way as quickly and quietly as possible to the exit, being sure to not slam it shut behind him when he steps outside. The mop bucket, however, is not placed where he last remembered and is nowhere in sight…

“Huh, I swear I left it by the planter when I last rinsed it…” Taemin whispers to himself, scratching at the back of his head before making his way around the small yard in search of his bucket. It doesn’t take long for him to make his way back to the planter and realize the bucket was hidden inside the planter itself, now dirtied and muddy from the soil. Unsure of how it made it inside there in the first place, Taemin simply shrugs and proceeds to rinse it off again, taking a mental note to stop leaving it outside. Once cleaned, he slowly makes his way back inside whilst shaking the bucket dry. He smiles to himself while thinking of playing with Kkoong when he’s done before coming to a sudden halt in front of his back entrance... In an instant, it feels as though his heart drops to the floor when he sees the door open wide, as if he had never closed it… Dropping the bucket in a haste, Taemin rushes inside and tries his best to stop the sudden anxiety crawling on his skin. 

“KKOONG!” he yells as loudly as he can without sounding threatening. A daunting silence with no cat insight running to his side is his response, and Taemin’s anxiety shifts into a panic as he looks further into his home. He scrambles around and even ducks down onto the floor to make sure his precious kitty isn’t stuck underneath the couch. He continues to yell frantically when he fails to find her, “Kkoong! Kkoongie, my pretty girl! Come out already!”, but the silence continues. Kkoong is nowhere to be seen…

Now sweating, Taemin runs towards his room trying to keep from bursting out in tears. He calls for her over and over until he sees she’s nowhere hidden in his room either. When he can no longer withstand the tears building up in his eyes, he accepts the possibility that she did run outside and that he perhaps didn’t close the door fully due to his concern of this happening in the first place. 

Ugh! I should’ve just slammed the door shut, what on Earth was I thinking!

Taemin’s mind spins with thoughts and he feels like slamming his head against the wall for thinking Kkoong wouldn’t notice him, and even more so for not making sure he actually closed the door. He makes his way outside once more, calling even louder in hopes she would pop her head out from somewhere within the yard… Sadly, nothing pops up and Taemin accepts defeat after letting out one last call for her.

In the midst of his madness, he does the only thing he can think of: call a friend. He runs back in and leaves the back door open with wishes of Kkoong reappearing anyway. As soon as he grabs his phone, he calls the first friend on his mind—a friend he knows will be supportive and smart. Tears stream down his face like a waterfall as he awaits an answer, he can practically hear his heart beat thump in his ears alongside ringing—he’s heartbroken and beyond distraught. At this moment, his mind can only think of the worst possibilities and there is no way of stopping them from feeding his panic…

She couldn’t have gotten too far… How did she leave the yard anyway? What if she gets lost... What if someone stole her! This is a nightmare!

“...Hello?” Taemin hears Kwonho answer his call in a sleepy tone.

“Kkoongie is lost! She escaped through the back somehow! What should I do? Oh gosh, this is all my fault.… I should go look for her!” he explains in a shaky tone, suddenly looking around for his house keys and shoes to start on his search.

“Hold on a second, breathe!” Kwonho exclaims, now sounding wide awake and confused from Taemin’s picnicked state, “What did you just say! Kkoong is lost?” Taemin can practically see the shocked expression on his friend’s face with just the sudden tone in his voice.

“Yes, she’s lost! I’m an idiot who left the back door open and now I can’t find her anywhere in the house or the yard! I’m going to go look, I have to!”

“Taemin, are you serious?” Kwonho sighs loudly, probably in an attempt to process what he was just told, “Okay… How did she even leave the yard? You love that cat so much, what is going on?” 

“I don’t know how she left, it felt like it all happened so fast!,” Taemin sniffles in reply, he’s starting to feel dizzy just thinking about the situation, “This all feels like a real nightmare, who knows where she’ll be!”

“I’m sorry, oh gosh…” another sigh escapes Kwonho in concern for his friend, “Start looking for her but don’t leave the neighborhood, hopefully she doesn't get far. I’ll try to make it over as quickly as I can, I know how much she means to you Tae. I’m sure she’s okay though, so please try to calm down before you run out of your house, okay?” 

Taemin was happy he at least made the right choice in calling Kwonho and took his advice with a deep breath to slow down his heavy breathing, “Okay, okay… You’re right. She probably didn’t get too far…” he gulps, “I’ll start looking now… When do you think you’ll arrive?”

“I’m not sure, I’ll just try to make it be there ASAP… It’s supposed to storm out today, so I hope we find her before that happens.But there’s no reason to be pessimistic, we’ll find her!” When Taemin finally steps outside, he looks up to see the sky was actually quite gloomy. He’s not sure how he didn't notice the clouds looming the entire day, but now he can only think of it as ironic that the weather matches the sudden mood. He tries to not worry even further with this new addition to his problem either way, and takes another deep breath before locking his door.

“Please hurry.” Taemin ends the call, optimism low even with his friend’s mini pep-talk at the end. He’s not sure why, but he just has a gut feeling Kkoong isn’t near… He doesn’t give into the pessimism however, and starts his search by calling out his sweet girl’s name over and over, starting to look through his front yard’s hedges before taking slow-paced and worried steps further away from his house. He can’t tell if his tears are still falling, or if the light drizzle that began to just fall from the sky is what’s blurring his vision…

.  .  .

“Now it’s starting to rain, this can’t be a coincidence! The heavens are definitely taunting me right now!” Kibum exclaims loudly while on the phone. He’s been sitting in his car for about a half hour now, refusing to leave his seat after seeing something upsetting on his way home from work. As soon as he pulled into his driveway, he dialed his close friend for a very long and needed venting session.

“Now you’re really being dramatic! You knew it was going to rain today, you work at the news broadcasting station!” Taeyeon replies to her sulking friend in a mocking tone. She’s trying her best to be supportive of Kibum but it’s hard when he begins to get melodramatic and theatrical.

“Ugh, can’t you just let me sulk? Why are you being so sassy with me anyway,” pouts Kibum while rolling his eyes as if Taeyeon could see him. He sniffles a bit, dealing with the aftermath of his crying.

“Because, Kibum, you really have no reason to feel so depressed over your ex being with another man now! You’re the one who broke up with him, and that was 6 months ago! I’ve said this about 100 times already!” her voice sounds annoyed over the phone and Kibum can only sigh in response… He knows she’s right, he’s not even sure if the tears he felt were real or just to fuel his unexplained anger. In reality, he’s not really sure why he feels this devastated about spotting his ex-lover with someone so handsome and tall (maybe his insecurities are shining through...). Kibum ended it with that man for the sole reason he assumed he was cheating anyway (and because he never felt special around him...).

“Whatever, I’m just sure the man I saw him with was who he was “talking” to when he was with me! Nothing you say will change my mind about that!”

“Yea, okay... That’s fine. Maybe you’re right about that one but it’s really time to move on! Promise me you won’t cry over this all night? And no drinking! Not today!” Kibum laughs at Taeyeon’s last remarks. She certainly knows him well; he was already thinking of which bottle of liquor to get down from his kitchen storage…

“I won’t cry, I promise,” he tells her with a calming sigh. Despite crying his eyes out like an idiot, he does feel a lot better thanks to her. “And I won’t drink until you come back from your vacation. We'll have to drink together so I can tell you all this in person instead!” Taeyeon only laughs in return and Kibum follows by saying his goodbye. Meanwhile, the rain outside starts to get heavier, and even a clap of thunder could be heard in the distance.

Kibum collects his thoughts and items after ending the phone call and braces himself to run inside as fast as he can. He wasn’t looking to get wet, especially when he had decided to take his favorite bag into work today… But when Kibum nears his door, he suddenly sees movement in the bush next to it... Startled, he halts and brings his bag up in a ready position to swing in case someone pops out at him; he didn’t care if he was now willingly drenched head to toe, he was ready for defense. Little did he know however, no defense was needed. Rather than an intruder jumping out towards him, Kibum spots a small cat with a scared expression meowing up at him instead.

“What in the world are you doing here alone? You look so tiny…” Kibum practically gasps dumbfounded when the cat continues to meow, louder and louder as if pleading at him to help in response. Unsure of what to do and somehow forgetting about the rain now pouring heavily on him, he takes his time to observe the creature in front of him… It was definitely a cat, there was no doubt about it, and it was also very young from what he could tell. It was small in size with a meow to match; in the darkness of the rain, Kibum could tell the fur was gray with white patches… Its eyes almost sparkled up at him despite looking so frightened. In reality, it looked like a very cute cat, and Kibum almost felt bad when he noticed it shaking terribly, most likely from the cold… He wonders if it’s lost, and even thinks for a moment of just reaching out and…

“What am I thinking?” Kibum sighs out loud to himself. He was allergic to cats, and attempting to help one out in need probably wasn’t the smartest choice for him to make. No matter how much the adorable cat looked like it was troubled, there was just no way of knowing how he would react if he touched it… It has been so long since he last was near one. “I’m so sorry cat, I’m going inside now… best of luck to you okay!”

He turns away in a haste and readies his keys to unlock the front door. The cat, obviously unable to understand his words, continues to meow loudly at him anyway; Kibum can even see it try crawling closer to him in an attempt to keep his attention. Once he succeeds in opening his door, he decides to take one last look at the animal persistently meowing before stepping inside. Instantly he regrets his choice, for the moment he turns another loud clap of thunder rings through the sky accompanied by a flash of lighting too… He couldn’t even fathom how fast he bent down to grab the cat before rushing inside, slamming the door shut behind him.

Inside the house, his dogs Comme des and Garçon, immediately run to his side—they begin to jump on him in fondness until they notice something in his arms... To Kibum’s surprise, unlike normal dogs, they start running in circles around him instead of growling; they try to jump up at different angles to inspect and play with the new found creature in their domain. Kibum could tell they were excited because of how quickly their tails wagged; it seriously filled Kibum with some sense of relief. Without wasting another minute, he throws his wet bag onto the floor and rushes to grab a towel in order to hold the cat without further skin contact. The poor thing was soaking wet, no different than he was… So after acquiring a towel to wrap the cat in, he sets it in the corner of his room to give him some time to change into dry clothing.

What am I doing? Omg, what the hell am I doing? What am I supposed to do with this thing now! I hope my bag didn’t get ruined, I can’t believe this is really happening...

Just outside his bedroom door, he can hear his dogs scratching and sniffing in anticipation to get inside. Overall, Kibum feels more anxious than he thought he would... He feels as though should’ve thought this through more; now he’s stuck in a situation he needs to find a solution to quickly. When he’s finally comfy in his favorite pajamas, Kibum realizes he hasn’t hived up yet… In fact, his hands were only slightly red and not at all itchy. Perhaps he’s grown some sort of tolerance for cats now, and he wonders if owning dogs has contributed to that in any way... 

He’s startled out of his thoughts when a familiar meow makes its presence in the room; the cat, whom Kibum’s decided to call Kitty out of lack of creativity, has started exploring around his room. Without a second thought, Kibum runs toward it and halts its path before it can get fur all over his belongings—this was going to be more chaotic than he thought…

“I suppose I should try to find your owner, if you even have one Kitty,” he says in a low tone towards the cat while distracting it with small play. All at the same time, another clap of thunder makes its way throughout the stormy sky and Kibum actually thinks he won’t be able to leave his house anytime soon… So that means he’ll probably have to look over this cat for at least another day, how wonderful… Kibum at least hopes it does have an owner to give back to and that he can find them as soon as the storm goes away, because Kibum is truly in no position to take care of anything but his dogs at the moment. He’ll have to improvise on what to feed the cat, and even be smart in finding a spot for it to properly sleep in.

“Goodness, why did I have to grab you! You hypnotized me didn’t you, you evil Kitty!” Kibum exclaims to let out his building stress; the cat meows happily as if to respond in agreement, causing Kibum to let out a loud sigh as well. He was at least happy he didn’t have to work tomorrow, and although he usually loves to relax and unwind on his Sunday’s off, he’s more than prepared to go hunting for a lost cat owner; all he had to do was survive this one night… Right?

So most of his evening leading into the night goes just like that for Kibum: a weird game of “survival” as he tries to adjust his Saturday home with a new kitten, introducing it successfully to his dogs and even cooking a fresh fish for its dinner. In reality, taking care of the cat wasn’t as hard as Kibum initially feared, and his allergies never got worse than the slight itch he felt on his arms, but he still couldn’t help but to feel stressed anyway. As cute as Kitty was, Kibum wasn’t about to actually keep her and besides that, there was no way she wasn’t already part of someone’s home… How could nobody claim this cute creature? It was much too adorable to not be part of someone's family! And that certain someone was probably devastated to have lost such a pet, especially on such a stormy night like this one... In just a few hours, Kibum was growing to really like Kitty, and all he could wish for now was for the morning to come soon so he could return the cat safely. It would greatly ease his mind...

By the end of the night, he came to believe that maybe he did grab the cat for a reason, because he can’t even imagine how much worse he would feel if he knew Kitty was lost out in the heavy rain... There’s no telling what would have happened, or if the cat would have ever even had a chance of finding its way home if Kibum did leave it outside... Now, Kitty was at least inside a warm home, oddly sleeping cuddled next to some dogs it just met and with a full tummy of salmon. Most of all, Kibum found himself content that he was able to distract his mind away from his ex-lover in the end; he couldn’t even dream of drinking in his sorrow like he originally wanted during this random night of his. It's all thanks to the same little Kitty… So maybe, just maybe, he really thinks this was all working like some sort of fate... The storm comes to an end once Kibum climbs into bed, and he slips into a sleep full of kittens and puppies playing in a rainbow colored and candy-scented rain.

The morning comes quickly but does not start as smoothly as Kibum had hoped… First, he’s taken out of slumber with his dogs jumping onto his bed, him uncontrollably as if they were in a rush to go somewhere. In his sleepy haze, Kibum is only confused by his dog’s behavior; unsure of what to think, he takes initiative to jump out of bed to follow them out and see what it was they were trying to tell him. Little did he know he would only enter his living room to see Kitty tucked into itself like a ball, still asleep or so it seems… The closer Kibum got, the more he could see it was breathing heavily and once he was near enough, he even noticed a puddle of vomit by his back door. He could tell it came from the cat with the putrid smell of fish looming in the air, and automatically he knew... Kitty was sick and it was the worst thing that could happen for him now.

“Oh no…” Kibum hurries to grab paper towels from the kitchen and throws them over the vomit on his floor. He then rushes over to Kitty’s side and lightly pats it on the head to make sure it could respond to him still. Luckily, it did and looked over to him weakly before closing its eyes again. “I can’t leave you here now, can I?” Kibum panicked inside. Looks like his plan of spending his Sunday on a journey to find this cat’s owner was going to be no good… From the looks of things, Kitty wasn’t in good condition. What could have happened, Kibum began to wonder… He wondered if the cat had all the vaccinations it needed, and if being outside in the rain could’ve made it sick… He even wondered if the fish he cooked was the wrong diet for such a small creature… In his now anxious state, he goes back to clean his floor quickly and then rushes to get dressed.

“Oh no. Oh no, no, no,” is all Kibum can find himself repeating out loud, chanting his worries to try his best to keep himself together. He collects his thoughts and realizes he’s not even aware of what to do if a cat is sick—was it the same as his dogs? And if Kitty was someone’s pet, then he would be held responsible for anything that happens… He doesn’t even hesitate at the idea of taking immediate action by going to the vet; he knows that’s what he would want if he lost any of his babies too… So Kibum grabs a few of his things, finds a new and not wet bag, and rushes out the door with Kitty wrapped in a towel within his arms. When situated inside his car he quickly searches for the first emergency pet hospital nearby—and with his destination set, he ignites his engine to drive off at a speed that was probably unnecessary. “I’m so sorry Kitty…” Kibum swallows hard, “We’ll have to find your owner later.” He sighs afterwards, mostly speaking to himself anyway. In record speed, He pulls up to the hospital and begins praying to himself nothing gets worse from here on out…

.  .  .

“Are you sure we’ve printed enough of these posters?” Taemin turns to ask Kwonho, who’s organizing a huge stack of papers on Taemin’s dining table. It was the immediate day after the storm and now almost 24 hours since Kkoong has gone missing. Taemin’s search out in the rain with his friend ended in failure, they didn’t even last an hour outside before the loud thundering practically forced them back to Taemin’s house at the end of it all. When the night came, Kwonho had only continued to cheer Taemin on with enthusiasm that Kkoong would surely return home; he even promised to return the next day with more ways to help.

Now, Taemin stares at the pile of “LOST CAT” posters lying in front of him. On them he sees a picture of his precious Kkoong, the most recent picture he had taken only two days before this mess; she was standing up straight and staring right into the camera with her big, round eyes… Her gray and white fur looked even softer to him now that it’s been what feels like an eternity since he last saw her.

“These are about 200 posters, we just have to go around and actually post them everywhere!” exclaims Kwonho, still optimistic and smiling at Taemin. Taemin really appreciates his friend right now, and he smiles back with a nod. He reaches for a large stash from the pile on the table and sets off to his newest mission; now he only hopes whoever sees his phone number bright and bold on these posters happens to have his precious baby too…

Later on, when the bright sun begins to set, Taemin and Kwonho arrive back on Taemin’s doorstep. They spent a good two hours getting beat by the summer heat just to plaster Kkoong’s lost poster all over his neighborhood and even a few miles further than that; Taemin made sure they got every poster out and even handed some to passing neighbors. For some reason Taemin knew he wouldn’t find Kkoong while out on his long walk, but he wasn’t bothered—just knowing how many posters he was able to get out gave him an oddly satisfying comfort. For the umpteenth time, he was grateful he had a friend like Kwonho to help him as much as he did.

“Now we just have to wait, right? I hope someone calls soon!” blurts out Taemin when he enters his home. He kicks his shoes off with a tiny hop, trying to focus on the positive rather than the unusual presence his now-empty home has.

“Yea, let’s see how long it takes…”Kwonho sighs, keeping himself from entering inside. “I’m sorry about all this again Taemin, but at least your chances of finding her are a lot better now! I’m glad I could help but now I have to go.”

“I understand Kwonho. Thank you again, I know how busy you are and I’m beyond grateful!” Taemin smiles before reaching out for a quick hug. Kwonho doesn’t say much in response and only nods when he finally part his way. Taemin is finally alone again since the afternoon started and just as lonely as he was last night—he sighs with slight frustration. He believes the words he was just telling his friend but it was hard to not worry either way… Kkoong is like his baby after all. He hopes she’s safe, and refuses to even think of the possibility she could still be out and running about… He hopes wherever she may be is a good home, and that she’s eaten well since she’s gone… He hopes so many things and it makes his heart feel heavy.

In order to distract his constant anxious mind, Taemin decides to focus on his favorite movies, never leaving his phone out of sight as he immerses himself in sci-fi and horror films of all kinds… He stays up for most of the night, watching (and waiting) until he dozes off into a deep slumber on his couch, in the same clothes from earlier, TV , and more anxious than the night before...

.  .  .

Kibum’s trip to the pet hospital took a few hours of his day; he sat nervously in the waiting room while they examined Kitty with all kinds of tests before alerting him that she only had a slight cold. It was most likely from being out in the rain like he suspected, and she also had a slight upset stomach from overeating… Kibum took full responsibility for the last reason—and he was surprised to find out the cat was a girl. He never bothered to check, but perhaps he expected differently due to his own male furry companions. When the visit was over, the vet gave him some medication to take home alongside a paper full of care tips until Kitty recovered. She was even recommended a visit back within the next few days for a check up... It was hard for Kibum for the most part, because he refused to leave the cat at the shelter once the hospital found out Kitty was not his. They offered to hand her into their care instead, and keep her taken care of until an owner could claim her again… But that’s what scared Kibum away from the idea in the first place; if he left her there at their shelter, there was no saying who would really try to claim her. It just didn’t feel fair to whoever it is out there who might actually be missing this small creature. He just had to take her back home and search for himself like his instinct continues to tell him...

After that, Kibum drove back home just as fast as he had left and he contemplated his next plan… Kitty was safe but now she was sick and it only meant she really had to find her home soon. Kibum knows he has no more time to look after a kitten, especially one that was ill… And now, after a full day of being near her, Kibum realizes his allergies will only flare up worse the longer she’s around him; he can no longer stand the itchy stinging on his arms. The flare up has gotten so bad in fact, he resulted in slathering cream on to help calm the inflammation... The odds of Kitty staying with Kibum any longer than another day was no longer an option, and it made him worry. He’s worried he will have to result in the shelter after all, but pep talks himself out of the negative thoughts… After feeding his own babies and checking up on Kitty, Kibum takes the decision to call off his turn at the news station tomorrow—it’s not like he’s been broadcast as a member on the team yet anyway. He was willing to lose a day of work to make sure Kitty found home immediately. He thinks hard to himself while going on with the rest of his Sunday, spending time inside to vacuum wherever he sees cat fur and making a specific spot in his house for Kitty to stay secluded in like he should’ve last night...

Later on when the sun starts to set, Kibum has a tidy home and he mentally prepares himself for the next morning. He’s decided to keep Kitty resting in the spot he made for her and go out walking with Comme des and Garçon after breakfast… He doesn’t know what else to do, and for some reason it just dawned on him that he didn’t even try to check for any posters or information at the pet hospital OR on his way home. He felt frustrated at himself for the most part; although it was Kitty who was lost, everything feels like it was Kibum’s fault in his mind… He grabbed her that night, placing the responsibility of this all on his shoulders. In a deep sigh, Kibum allows himself to get comfortable in bed. He’s made sure Kitty is sleeping nicely in her corner, and he can hear his dogs sleep on the floor near his side... It was like a calm before the next storm, he thought. Tomorrow could only go one of two ways, and Kibum hoped it ended in parting clouds and bright skies.

Kibum doesn't find it amusing when he wakes up to cloudy and sad skies the next morning; somehow he forgot, yet again, about the weather forecast for the day (this is probably why they haven’t broadcast him down at the station, he thinks). Nonetheless, he wakes up early after Taeyeon gives him a random call before his own alarm is set to go off… It was even less amusing to him when her first instinct to his new furry situation was to laugh—it wasn’t meant to be a mean laugh though, he knew better. In the end Kibum just thinks he’s envious of her on what seemed to be an extremely relaxing vacation, but it was still nice to hear from her before having to return to his own stressful reality. Towards the end of their call, Kibum almost feels lightheaded because his mind was in so many places at once: the new desire for his own vacation, what to eat for breakfast, what Taeyeon must be wearing on her cruise... But his focus on his goal of the day ceased to leave its firm spot as priority number one. He’s going to be successful in his search, no matter what! When Taeyeon lets out a burst of more laughter, Kibum’s fleeting thoughts are put on pause.

“Oh, I can tell you just need me to go now,” she sighs, most likely from a smile, “As funny or stressful this cat problem may be to you, I’m just happy to not hear you crying over your ex for once! She was a secret blessing for you, Kibum! Now you actually have to clean your house!”

“Hey!” Kibum replies with a sassy voice, “What are you saying! Stop with this nonsense! I haven’t even mentioned my ex once, why are you!” he tries to not feel embarrassed for being called out so suddenly. In fact, he does think it’s time to end the call “Whatever, I do need to get going though!”

“I mentioned it because you haven’t, duh! Just think about that!” laughs Taeyeon one last time, “Good luck on your search. I’ll be waiting eagerly to hear the end results while I continue to enjoy myself, basking at the beautiful ocean in front of me! Love you!” She ends the conversation on a teasing note and hangs up before Kibum can properly say his goodbye. She left him speechless and his face was burning red. He hated when his friends got the better of him this way, and he hated it more because what Taeyeon told him was actually true... Just two days ago he thought he would be sulking all throughout the weekend; instead he got to bond with some kitten he found while trying to not cry instead from the stress that came with it. Honestly, Kibum thinks Taeyeon is always right about everything…

When he gets ready, he decides to feed Kitty with her medication before setting off with his dogs. To his delight the cat looks much better than she did yesterday morning—and after eating her small meal, she goes back to sleep as if she knew she was about to be left alone. It was perfect for Kibum, he could now leave without worrying about her trying to get out of her carefully secluded corner… By noon just as planned, Kibum was out of his house, dog leashes in hand and completely slathered in sunscreen despite the cloudy sky (UV rays are no joke!); he felt more determined than ever, finally having his chance of finding Kitty’s home. It didn’t matter how much he’d have to walk—whether it be all over the neighborhood or even leading into the city!

However, Kibum’s search doesn’t go exactly as imagined. It took no more than 10 minutes before he happened to come across a poster with the words “LOST CAT” typed in bold; it was plastered on a street lamp… Dumbfounded, Kibum couldn’t keep his mouth shut as he stared at the picture of the cat on the poster—there was no doubt in his mind it was Kitty. He saw the same round eyes, the same fur with the same gray and white colors, and even the same black spot she has beneath her nose… He really found a lost poster for her, Kibum couldn’t believe it. The poster had loads of information beneath the photo, the most notable of all being the phone number also printed in bold. From the looks of it, there was a small cash reward, and it seemed like the owner was very caring just from their description of Kitty, or Kkoong, alone… Kkoong appeared to be her real name instead; learning this makes Kibum’s heart sing.

He actually did it, and in record time—he was able to find the owner of the lost cat he found that rainy evening! He was right all along too, there was someone out looking for her… Kibum even thinks if Kkoong didn’t get sick, he would have found this out much, much sooner. At this moment, the prize money means nothing to Kibum—he’s just happy with the thought of finally taking Kkoong home. Without wasting another second, Kibum pulls his cellphone out from his pocket and dials the number on the poster. While the phone rings, he swears he can hear his heart beating in his ears; he was nervous for some reason, and he blamed it on all the stress from over the weekend. When the ringing on the phone finally turns into a voice, Kibum’s heart feels like it stops completely.

“Hello?” says the voice in a timid manner. They don’t follow with anything else, causing Kibum to take the lead.

“Uh, Hi. I was out walking and saw a lost poster for a cat named Kkoong. I just–” he loses the chance to explain his call and gets caught off at just the mention of Kkoong’s name.

“A lost poster! Yes, I put out that poster! Please tell me you found her!” The voice now sounds determined, and most of all anxious… “I’ve been worried sick for the past few days and I’m starting to think I’m going to lose my mind… You found her, right?” Whoever is speaking is more than determined in Kibum’s mind—they’re desperate. Kibum smiles to himself knowing he’s about to make this person's day a million times better.

“You’ll be very relieved to know I did find her. I’ve actually been trying to watch over her since, but it’s starting to become a problem... I’m glad I found your poster on time!” Kibum could hear an audible gasp the second he said he found her, and now the mystery voice sounds like it’s about to cry.

“Oh thank God, she was safe this whole time… I don’t even know how to thank you, I–” the voice sniffles, “I’m so much more than relieved, I’m beyond grateful. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Kibum can’t help but smile wider at the reaction he hears from the other line; he thinks it’s extremely cute that this person has such a fond love for their pet. He’s more than satisfied with himself now that he kept this person’s precious cat safe, just like he knew he should. All the worry was worth it and now, he’s even less patient to return Kkoong home.

“You’re very welcome. My name is Kibum by the way. I would love to take Kkoong home today, is that alright with you? I’m afraid she really can’t stay with me much longer…”

“Yes, of course she can come home! I’ll text you my address right away! Oh my goodness, I’m just so happy, I can’t contain it! If you can, please come as soon as possible! I can’t wait any longer to see her!” exclaims the voice, failing to tell Kibum their name in return for his. “Thank you again, Kibum. I hope to see you soon. I’ll text you now!” And the phone cuts off, the person really ended the call in a hurry. Kibum wasn’t even sure how to process what had just happened or if it was even real at all; nonetheless, he received a text almost immediately. Surely, it was from the same number he just called, and the message included an address alongside a name to the voice…

Oh and my name is Taemin

I forgot to say lol

Taemin. There was now a name to the source of it all… In a weird dreamy haze, Kibum holds onto the poster and begins his walk back home. His mind is running wild with excitement for the conclusion to this mess (and even with much curiosity to who this Taemin is). He wondered, truthfully, how someone who sounded so loving for their pet could even lose it at all. He would just have to find out now, wouldn’t he? Arriving home quickly, Kibum readies himself again and grabs Kkoong and her new belongings. He sets off one last time to his final destination—Taemin is waiting for Kkoong to return, and it is all on him now.

.  .  .

Taemin woke up in the worst mood. He slept in late into the morning, ignoring his alarm completely. By then, it was far too late for him to go into work so he ended up calling off sick for the day—not that it was a total lie... He felt heartbroken, and almost physically sick because he couldn’t stop his anxious state from taking over. On top of that, his own insecurity of feeling lonely overwhelmed him more than ever since Kkoong wasn’t around; he now realizes how badly he was projecting onto her after all. Taemin really can’t come to accept his new reality and can’t even remember how he felt so optimistic just yesterday… It’s been two days since Kkoong has been gone, and it was about to be a full day after he put out the posters. No one has called him about her since, and even Kwonho stopped checking on him after his night out with their friends. Taemin almost felt pathetic in himself for feeling so depressed… but when he feels so alone, how is he able to stop these thoughts from coming to his mind?

Taemin was in no mood to really do anything, and settled back into bed after eating a quick snack for a breakfast that couldn’t even be considered one from the lack of nutrition. All Taemin wanted to do at the moment was sleep… He tossed and turned, unable to relax until his mind was shaken from a loud sound. The sound rang from his phone, and Taemin was quick to notice it came from an unknown number. Just as fast as the phone began to ring from nothingness, Taemin’s heart beat spiked… This had to be the call he’s been waiting for, it just can’t be anything else! Taemin begs to the universe before answering his phone. 

Now Taemin sits and waits impatiently on his couch; the call came from a man named Kibum and he was definitely the call he was so desperately waiting for. Kibum sounded nice to Taemin through the phone, and he was relieved Kkoong was found by someone he’s sure actually cared. Although Taemin didn’t really ask anything of Kibum, from the sound of his voice on the phone, Taemin was just sure Kibum was a good person... Kkoong was about to be home again all thanks to this nice, good person. Taemin swears he’ll never leave the door open again, and secretly wishes Kkoong learned a lesson from this all too. When his doorbell rings, Taemin is broken out of his trance of deep thinking. The moment was finally here...

Waiting outside of Taemin’s front door, Kibum stood nervously while holding Kkoong wrapped in the towel that has practically become hers... He wasn’t sure how much longer he could hold her, and sighed with relief knowing she was about to be gone from his itching hold. Kibum was also surprised to learn the house he stood in front of was only a few streets down from his own; he lived extremely close to Kkoong’s owner and now it made more sense as to why she accidentally found herself at Kibum’s door. He actually couldn’t wait any longer to finally meet this person, he had the urge to talk to Taemin about the whole issue as if it was some sort of funny story to him now that it was about to be over… And the moment finally comes to him as Taemin answers to his doorbell, slowly opening the door and revealing himself. Kibum freezes as soon as he gets a good look at Taemin, especially in the eye… There was a soft, round shape to them and Kibum swore he could get lost in them until his eyes led him to Taemin’s hair instead. It was quite a long length, and Kibum even thought the gray-colored ends compared to the black roots complimented Taemin’s complexion nicely. Kibum actually couldn’t stop staring at the person who stood in front of him... He thought Taemin was breathtaking. There was no way this isn’t a dream, Kibum took a deep breath as Taemin only calls Kkoong’s name excitedly the moment he sees her in Kibum’s arms. When Taemin reaches over to take hold of her, Kibum's heart races at the sudden and fleeting interaction…

Kkoong was now in Taemin’s arms and as excited as a cat can be, letting out loud meows accompanied with a very happily moving tail. Taemin feels overwhelmed with relief, bending down slightly to kiss her. He takes a good look at her and smiles, turning back to Kibum to properly greet himself. Taemin’s smile only grows when he sees Kibum staring at him, smiling just as happily as he and with an odd tint of pink on the cheeks… The summer sun must have flushed Kibum, but it wasn’t a bad look to Taemin. Honestly, the tint made the perfect complexion of Kibum’s skin more noticeable. He looked perfect with an almost doll-like look to his face; even the sun reflected on his cheeks as a nice highlight to the cheekbones. Taemin was now more overwhelmed by another type of emotion—the last thing he expected was for this person who happened to find his cat to be so good looking. Once he realizes they’ve both been staring, Taemin quickly looks back down to Kkoong, petting her slightly behind the ears…

“Uh, Hello…” Taemin speaks up, unable to resist his smile, “Sorry about snatching Kkoong, I couldn’t help myself. I just really, really missed her.” He stops petting her, lifting his free hand to push his hair behind his ear instead. He tries his best to not stare back at Kibum, but looks anyway just to see Kibum still smiling… Taemin feels the sun may be getting to him now, too…

“You must be Taemin,” says Kibum with a pleasant voice, “it’s nice to finally meet the person to whom this very cute cat belongs too...” He can’t help but to laugh at himself, suddenly losing his words as his brain turns into a love-struck mess. He laughs awkwardly when Taemin only lets out a small laugh in return, looking at him with the same soft look he first caught eye of… 

“I hope she wasn’t too much trouble for you… Oh, actually can we step inside? I can’t risk anything now,” Taemin laughs yet again, his nerves are making him giddy. He steps further inside, leading Kibum to join him without actually hearing a response… Taemin then closes the door and lets Kkoong free inside the house, finally safe and home; he sighs watching her settle back as if nothing happened. Her tail still sways in a happy motion, and she stretches before shaking herself loose and walking further and further into the house. Taemin practically follows her, instructing Kibum to take off his shoes before proceeding.

“I have to tell you the honest truth… She was a handful,” Kibum breaks the silence, answering Taemin's last question before being welcomed inside. “Actually, I’m happy to see her moving about so well right now; she got sick while I had her with me.”

“What?” responded Taemin, blinking in confusion as he turned back to Kibum after hearing what he had to say, “Kkoong is sick?”

“Yea but I guess she recovered quickly, what a relief right?” Kibum sounds amused, “Either way I should give you this, it’s the medication the vet gave me yesterday. I think she should still take it to be safe.” Taemin almost perks up in amusement himself realizing Kibum is as good of a person as he suspected… He really sounded like he cared for Kkoong even if she wasn't his, taking great lengths to care for her.

“Oh wow, you took her to the vet! I’m so sorry, that's more than enough trouble...” Taemin couldn’t stop from feeling guilty in the end when he also realized how much trouble this really was for the person who found his cat, by his own mistake… “I’ll cover the cost, and add it to the reward! I feel bad, she shouldn't have been out…”

“It wasn’t too bad, don’t beat yourself up!” Kibum cuts in before Taemin could further explain himself in pity. “She’s a really sweet cat, I’m being sincere when I say I’m just happy to see she’s home and you care for her.” Taemin smiles brightly at Kibum’s words. Taking in more of his glow, Taemin feels hotter than he did outside and it only makes him laugh again for no reason. Kibum smiles too, “What’s so funny?”

“I don’t know… I just can’t believe this happened, it kind of feels crazy…” Taemin feels speechless, his mind draws on a blank from a sudden twist in his stomach—like an old school feeling of lovesickness. “Seriously, how could so much trouble end so simply, and in a manner like this? ...Do I make any sense?” He lets out in one last chuckle prompting Kibum to laugh back.

“You have no idea! I actually only live like three blocks down from you!”

"No way! Are you serious?"

The two of them make it further inside, settling in the living room as they begin a long conversation about the weekend and the situation that happened. They immersed themselves in each other as they listened to their own stories, explaining how Kkoong got lost out of fear in the first place, and how she ended up being a great distraction for Kibum in the long run… Even Taemin found it all a bit entertaining, but the most entertaining part of everything put together was definitely Kibum himself. Taemin thought he was so fun, caring, and of course kind. Kibum even had his own fondness of Taemin, enjoying his calm demeanor and wacky way of seeing things… He was also crazy for the luscious pair of lips that Taemin had the luck of having... This was certainly some kind of fate, Kibum was so convinced it felt corny to him.

And just like that, their day is spent so easily, just talking to one another and getting lost in the lovely spark that magnetized them... When the sun sets like it always does, Kibum makes the weirdly heart wrenching choice to get on his way—mostly out of concern for his dogs being alone for so long. In the end, Kibum decides to refuse any money, and makes it clear that the only payment he wants to see is for Kkoong to continue to be loved... Taemin tries to not show how disappointed he is to see Kibum go, carrying a heavy heart as he leads him back to his front door.

“Thank you again for everything… It was also nice talking with you. Maybe we’ll see each other around the neighborhood again! I’d love to see your dogs, maybe.” Taemin starts his goodbye feeling a bit awkward, unsure how to go about kicking a man you just met (and already like a lot) out of your home.

“I’m really certain you will be Taemin,” replies Kibum in a smug tone. He was feeling a bit awkward as well but it was felt alongside a huge boost in confidence… Taemin was so beautiful and there was no way Kibum would want to avoid seeing him again; he’s already thinking of new routes near Taemin's home to take walking on with Comme des and Garçon... Would it be weird to stop by unannounced too? Probably...

“I’d like to see Kkoong again too, maybe this experience will make me more tolerable to cats than ever! She is truly too cute to stay away from…”

“You can say that again!,” Taemin smiles, pushing his long hair to move it out of his vision. He looks Kibum in the eye, “I guess I’ll see you later… Bye Kibum.” He stands more awkwardly after opening his door and leaving room for Kibum to walk out. Kibum just nods to him, saying his goodbye in return; the smile never leaves his face as he steps out and turns back to Taemin one last time. He holds his hand out, unsure of what he’s really doing… Taemin only brings his hand out in a successful response, and shakes his hand, firm and with a strong grip. Kibum takes note of how soft and small Taemin’s hands feel as compared to how they appeared to him while they talked; he practically burns it in his mind before they let go and Kibum finally departs… They both feel melancholy as Taemin closes the door and they move on with their evenings.

.  .  .

Despite finishing his mission, Kibum returned to his own home feeling just as determined as when he first left… He’s gone mad with Kkoong and her owner, the only thing he can think of is seeing them again soon (especially her owner). Taemin... Kibum felt so happy he met Taemin, he knew Taeyeon would love to hear about this extra special type of ending to his story. He thinks of calling her before it dawns on him that he actually has Taemin’s cell number on his phone… He opens his text app and stares at the numbers, practically taunting him as his mind goes more mad. He can even feel his face burn at just the thought of Taemin's presence... As if Taemin had just now realized the same thing as him, Kibum receives a new message from him and causes him to almost scream. He was certainly playing his part in a very cliche romance movie at this point, and he lives for it now! Kibum opens the message immediately, discovering a picture of Kkoong, sleeping peacefully on a pink cat tower, looming high above the place she truly belongs. His heart sighs at the sentiment secretly said through the picture when seen side by side with the message itself:

Thank you again Kibum, a million times thank you. Kkoong is now home, just look at her sleeping! 

The message was so simple but it was enough for Kibum to get the urge to just call the number back and continue their conversation through the phone… In fact, Kibum thinks it’s for the best, he just remembered he forgot to tell Taemin about Kkoong’s check up appointment in just a few days… He’ll ask to tag along actually, and that’s how he’ll score his first date with his latest obsession… Taemin is who Kibum wants to get to know now, as someone he thinks could really make him happy... That random lost cat led him to one of the most beautiful smiles. He wastes not a second more, dialing the number on his screen and already dying to hear Taemin’s hello.

.  .  .

With Kkoong home, Taemin’s fear of being alone finally diminished, but he’s left with a strange anxiety anyway... Everything that happened in the past 3 days boggled his brain, and now Kibum was the only thing he could come to think of… He was so worried about Kkoong before this, so lonely and sad—and it disappeared at the drop of a hat… at the sight of someone new! Kibum’s image danced in Taemin’s brain, the way his lips moved as he talked so intently about his misadventures with a cat he happened to be allergic towards. Goodness! Taemin’s heart could just leap out of his chest—Kkoong brought him an angel in disguise! Seriously, how odd was it that his worst nightmare, Kkoong getting lost, would have a good result like this? He didn’t have to be so lonely, and now he thinks he doesn’t have to project onto a cat so much either… If only he could spend more time with Kibum, he knows it will lead to the possible start of something amazing. Taemin can just tell with how fast his heart races just thinking about it. In reality, he feels he should thank Kkoong more than anyone for creating such an odd fate that couldn’t have happened either way… He walks up to her as she sleeps, contently cuddled up on her favorite cat tower.

“Thank you for being the best cat a lonesome man like me could have ever wished for, Koongie. My sweet girl, you’ve brought me so much happiness!” Taemin reaches to pet her with soft , She’s unbothered and sighs heavily when Taemin stops, taking a big yawn before readjusting herself for more sleep. He can tell she was resting to recover further from her illness, and she looked so cute in her slumber. Taemin thinks to take a picture, and when he does, he realizes it would be nice to send it to Kibum—he did have his number after all... He thinks Kibum would appreciate seeing Kkong doing well, and Taemin can’t stop himself from saying yet another thank you to the man… So he does, he sends the picture after taking time to actually save Kibum’s number. He feels confident Kibum won’t be going anywhere anytime soon, remembering back on the way he looked at him just as fondly as Taemin looks at Kkoong. Taemin blushes at the thought, feeling giddy after hitting the “send” button on his text app.

To his surprise, his phone starts to buzz with an incoming call. It looks like Kibum has seen his message in mere seconds, and decided to call Taemin for something rather than reply with his own message instead-not that it bothered Taemin. He only lets out a sigh in a happy (relieved) feeling followed by a slight smile at his phone. He wasn’t sure his life could get any brighter after adopting Kkoong, but now he sees something that shines even more near in his horizon… His anxieties could no longer bother him-beneath him and hidden in the dark. With another deep breath, Taemin prepares himself, already feeling a familiar burning on his cheeks, and answers Kibum’s call with a passion he’s certain he’ll never grow tired of.

“Hello?”