NINE
Close in a Distance
"Why are we here?" Seohyun looked around her.
Seohyun and Kai were wandering around an old neighbourhood in Seoul.
"21, 22, 23," Kai pointed to the number cards infront of every house.
"What are you looking for?" Seohyun asked.
Kai ignored her and looked around.
"I skipped classes today just to accompany you. You better reward me with something."
Kai still ignored her.
"Yah." Seohyun nudged Kai, but gave up since he was paying no attention to her.
"Kai, we've walked through a bunch of alleys. Where exactly are we going?"
"I think we're lost." Kai finally said.
"What!?!" Seohyun stopped walking. "So all this time you were walking for fun?!"
"House." Kai stopped and turned to her. "I was searching for our house."
"Our house?"
"Yes. But I can't find it since the roads looked so unfamiliar." Kai scratched the back of his head.
"Well, of course! In your memory, it's 2029. But right now it's 2012. It should be different."
Kai sighed in defeat. He looked so hopeless.
"D- don't give up." Seeing his expression, Seohyun tried cheering him up a little.
"Miao!" a cat appeared between them.
"Aish...cats. I hate cats. If I could, I would buy a bunch of sacks and put the cats in them and throw it in a river." Seohyun looked at the cat disgustedly.
Kai pouted and grabbed the cat.
"Where's your owner, little cat?" Kai held the cat up and asked.
"It's obvious that it's a wild one. There's a lot around here." Seohyun said.
"I guess you couldn't find your home, too. You poor thing." Kai placed the cat on his arms.
Seohyun looked at the two beings playing with each other, feeling touched.
"Where are you bringing the cat to?" Seohyun asked as Kai stood up and walked away.
"Mom, let's keep this cat." Kai pouted and begged.
"It's a wild cat. It's very dirty. You can't bring animals into the campus, anyway."
"I'll keep it." Kai insisted.
"The hotel doesn't allow it either."
"Fine." Kai hugged the cat tightly.
Suddenly, the cat jumped of his arms and ran away.
"Kitty! Where are you going?" Kai wanted to chase the cat, but was stopped by Seohyun.
"I'm hungry. Let's not find the cat. Wild cats are like that."
Kai stood at his place, not wanting to move. His expression showed that he was dissapointed.
"May-maybe the cat went to find it's mom." Once again, Seohyun tried to cheer him up.
Kai lifted his face. "Yes. It has a mom, too."
"Now, let's go." Seohyun grabbed Kai's hand.
"Miao!"
Aish... You damned cat!
"Kitty! Your're here!"
This cat must be a female since she follows Kai everywhere.
"Mom, let's name this cat."
Seohyun, who wasn't listening, saw a food stall behind Kai. "Biscuits!"
She ran to the stall.
"I guess I shall name you Biscuit." Kai smiled in satisfaction.
Seohyun came back from the stall.
"What?" Seohyun asked, as she looked at Kai who was staring at a house.
"It's here..."
Cat Ears Alley, No. 42.
"This is our house."
~~~
Urgh! I hate this house!
It feels like it's for slums!
Even the toilet is outside the house!
"Mom, I like this place. Better than the hotel."
"Really?"
"Yes. It feels comfortable here. Besides, there's no place like home." Kai lied on the bed. "See? Even Biscuit likes it."
"You talked a lot today. I thought you had autism."
"I want to express everything I kept for almost 11 years. I like talking with mom." Kai smiled brightly.
Seohyun smiled at his statement.
This is the first time he smiled...
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