As soon as Donghae opened the cage door the cat leapt at the toy with the pent up energy of a coiled spring, frantically trying to pin the feathers down. In the process Donghae’s arms and legs occasionally took some collateral damage, obtaining claw and teeth marks every now and then.

At one stage during their night of fun, Donghae caught Patches urinating on the rug in the living room. Panicking, he picked up the still urinating Patches and ran him to the laundry, to his litter box. This resulted in the cat getting pee all over the carpet from one end of the house, to the other -though technically it was Donghae’s fault. 

After this Donghae put Patches back in his travel box so he could clean up the mess. He soon realised it was past midnight, so he decided it was time for bed.

“Goodnight Patches.” He whispered to the cat, still in its travel box. Donghae didn’t want Patches sleeping in its bed on the first night because well, who knew what kind of trouble the cat could get up to.

___

Donghae awoke the next morning feeling tired and abused after the many long hours spent playing with Patches the night before. He got up and washed his face before going to check on his little friend. 

He looked into the cage to find Patches curled up in a ball asleep down the other end of the cage. Donghae felt his heart soften just looking at the vulnerable sight before him. He carefully unlatched the cage and lifted the cat out trying so hard not to wake him. He held Patches in the palm of his hand for a moment, his head with his fingers.

How cute. He thought. So sweet and innocent

Sighing, he carried Patches to the laundry and put him in the litter box, just in case he needed to pee when he woke up.

He walked out to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee, and get ready for work. It was here that it hit him. He had spent so much time with Patches last night that he hadn’t prepared for his shoot today!

Damn! I’ll have to skip gym this morning. I need to read over my script.

Donghae grabbed a piece of toast and ran out the door in the direction of the studio.

___

Donghae’s day was terrible.

Despite being early for filming, Donghae’s preparation was rushed.

He skimmed his script, rehearsing his lines only once or twice in his head.  Meanwhile he was also trying to work the appropriate mood for the scene.

 This bit seems intense but maybe not as serious as I am making it! Donghae sighed exasperatedly throwing his script down on his dressing room table. Why am I so strung out today!

He collapsed into his chair, and put his head in his hands.

“Maybe I didn’t get enough sleep last night” he thought aloud.

“Were you up late partying Donghae?” a voice came from the door.

Donghae lifted his head in the direction of the voice and saw his stylist standing in the doorway.

“Ah. Good morning Sunhwa noona. No I wasn’t up partying, I got a new cat.”

“Ahh” she said in understanding. “They’re fun creatures aren’t they?”

“Yeah. When they are behaving.” he scoffed back.

“In any case Donghae, I hope for your sake that your cat doesn’t keep you up every night, you look like death on legs today.” She said, now poking at the bags under Donghae’s eyes.

“And that’s why I like you noona, straight to the point and abruptly honest.” He replied flatly.

“No, you like me, because I can make you look like a superstar even when you look this terrible” She winked.  

“Let’s get started” She continued. “Filming kicks off in an hour.”

___

Suffice to say, Donghae’s day did not get better.  If anything, it got worse.

He messed up a lot of his lines, he stood in the wrong place and often failed to show the right amount of emotion that the director wanted.

“NG!” The director called for the umpteenth time that session.

“Donghae is something the matter?” He asked, pulling the man aside. “You are very unfocused today and it is showing on my tapes.”

His question surprised Donghae, but no more than the sincerity in his voice did. His director always came across as a hard man, so it was unusual to see him being, well, human.

“No sir.” Donghae replied, as convincingly as possible. “I’m just a bit tired today that’s all.”

“Well go home. We can’t have our lead male falling asleep on his feet. We aren’t shooting a drama on Narcolepsy.”

There was the hard man Donghae respected, and slightly feared.

“I’ll let you have today off, but you must come in tomorrow well rested, and ready to work twice as hard to make up for your incompetence today. Got it?” The director said sharply, his eyes narrowing slightly.

“Yes sir, understood.” Donghae replied quickly, bowing his head. 

“You are lucky we are ahead of schedule.” The director added. “Now go home.”

“Yes sir, thankyou sir.” Donghae said once more before turning to collect his stuff from his dressing room.

___

When Donghae got home all he wanted to do was wallow in self pity for letting his director down. That, and sleep. He added.

However Patches had something else in mind.

All Donghae knew, is that he was definitely not prepared for the sight that awaited him on the other side of his apartment door.