chapter 5

The park was quite crowded; there were many people bringing their pets on that sunny afternoon. Various types of dog were playing Frisbee with their owners. They caught and brought back the Frisbee to their human, only for them to be thrown to a different direction, so they had to catch the Frisbee all over again and give them back for the umpteenth times. Most dogs understood of their human's situation. Humans were known to have a weak grip, despite having the tendency to fancy odd liking upon certain time-wasting rituals.

Kai held Kris' leash, walking side by side with Kyungsoo, who was hugging his pink lady bag with the fatty cat inside. Lulu was enjoying all the attention he got to the fullest (how could he not, Lulu practically breathed and lived off the praises and admirations). Meowing softly, he blinked his bright jade feline eyes at those children and teens. The cat sat proudly inside his bag, seductively peeking out his head from the Tote bag with paws holding the edge, so that his admirers were able to pat and coo him better. Lulu reasoned that he always gives and gives; it was not his fault that human crave for a genuine beauty like him. Kyungsoo stopped every few steps to fulfill the fatty's needs of attention. He didn't want to risk himself by not allowing Lulu showing himself off.

I know how it feels, Kris sighed, when their way once again was blocked by Lulu's groupies. Kyungsoo pretended to not hear the dog. He tilted his head toward Kris, subtlety giving him a little nod to let him know that he was listening.

I often get similar situation when I walk Jongin. He is a popular human, you know, Kris barked proudly. The dog raised his head, letting out a soft whine at his human.

Jongin chuckled. He ruffled his dog's fur, Kris along the spine down to his tail.

Ahh yeah~ that's the right spot~ Kris sighed.

Just take your time while I'm having my massage done.

Yes, I know, Kyungsoo mentally replied the long forgotten rhetorical question, as Kris had already drowned in his, err, moment of bliss. Kris was softly, enjoying his massage time too much he was unable to say more. Kyungsoo would be forever envy to this injustice arrangement. He wanted to be patted by Jongin as well.

Lower, Jongin, Kris whined. That's right~ Ahh you hit the spot. Ahh~ that's right~~

The boy's face flushed a vivid shade of red as he imagined himself to be patted by Jongin, emitting those kinds of moans. Kyungsoo slapped his chubby cheeks to erase the images from his not-so-innocent mind, squealing soundlessly.

"Kyungsoo, are you okay?" Jongin asked in concern.

"Y-Yes, I'm fine, hyung," Kyungsoo choked on his words. "It's just that there are so many mosquitoes here," he tried to offer a (lame) reason.

"Mosquitoes? Here?" Jongin laughed. Kris' whine brought back his attention. "Okay, okay, I know." Jongin brought his hand back to give Kris a nice long back rub.

Kyungsoo stole a glance toward Jongin. He lightly slapped his cheeks a few more times to control his feels. Must. Stay. Focus.

After a while Kyungsoo (pretty much) managed to get back to his senses. Narrowing his eyes, he scanned his surrounding to look for anyone dared to approach his human, err, no, he meant Jongin hyung.

But there was no significant danger within his range of sight; there were only kids and preteens around them. Kyungsoo breathed a sigh of relief. He shifted his attention back to his cat and the groupies. To answer any question relating to Lulu was in his job description.

"What's her name?" a girl asked, enthusiastically. Kyungsoo nervously ran his gaze over his cat. Lulu had retracted his trimmed claws, squinting his eyes in displeased, ears laid back in disapproval. This was not good.

The boy hurriedly tightened his hug over his pink Tote bag. "No, Lulu is a he!" Kyungsoo squeaked.

"A-a manly he...!" he added fast.

"Aww, and a cute one as well!" the girl cheerfully replied, as her fingers were caressing the fat cat's white fur. The praise seemed to put Lulu at ease; he purred, leaning to the touch.

Phew. Another disaster has managed to be avoided.

"And what a cute purple ribbon you are wearing, cutie Lulu!"

Or not.

Kyungsoo grinned innocently at his cat, that was narrowing his feline eyes at him. The glint in Lulu's eyes had made it clear that the previous scene would not simply be forgotten. Kyungsoo had a sudden urge to clutch the girl's shoulders tightly and shake her back and forth. Why? Why do you feel the need to mention the color of his ribbon?!

Kyungsoo's face turned white. His innocent grin remained, but now it became slightly quivered on the edges. Lulu could have been an unbeatable prosecutor if he was a human; his stares were pierced right into the core of Kyungsoo's existence, scanning for any possible lies.

Kyungsoo mentally sobbed. He must not forget to hide his SHINee Everybody album along with his Key poster, once he got back home.

"I-I'm tired!" Kyungsoo stuttered. He glanced at Lulu and gave the cat an innocent toothy grin smile (to maintain his innocence was critical at that point) before turning to face Jongin.

"Let's find a place to sit, hyung!" he quickly said.

Jongin smiled oh so freshly. “I know a nice place to sit nearby, come on." Jongin held Kyungsoo to lead him to the place he meant. Kyungsoo swore he could have died at that moment. Jongin hyung. Is. Holding. My. Hand. The boy mentally stammered. Kyaaahhhhh! There goes the fanboying moment.

Oh kiddo, Lulu sighed helplessly. He let Kyungsoo to take him away from his admirers. Lulu needed to remain expensive so that they got something to be waiting for.

***

Jongin brought Kyungsoo to a playground where there was a comfortable bench park, so they could enjoy the beautiful view of the park while resting Kyungsoo's tired body. Jongin sat on a side of the bench whilst Kyungsoo (much to his dismay) sat on the other side.

Jongin smiled. He patted Kris gently before he took off the leash, to let the dog wandering around. Here, he was assured that Kris was in a safe place and would not bring any harm to himself. Kris yawned and stretched his body with a sigh. Standing up straight, he then gallantly walked away to check the environment. He had to make sure that his human was in no danger.

Kyungsoo grinned shyly. The boy shifted his gaze toward Jongin and threw away his glance at instance. Kyungsoo slowly lifted his head and turned his eyes to that particular side to have another quick look. He mentally giggled as he did so, and then he shifted away his eyes right away. Kyungsoo waited for a few moment to calm his hammering heart before he peeked through his eyelashes, for the umpteenth times stealing a glance at the perfection next to him, (mentally) giggling.

You cannot be helped, really. Lulu pushed himself out of the bag and hopped down.

That gave Kyungsoo a reason to find a place for his pink Tote bag. He surely could not hug the empty bag all the time, yes? And the only way to do that was to scoot closer to Jongin. So he did. And of course, it would be nice to spare Lulu a spot for him to rest his fat, furry butts. Lulu would be really tired when he got back (if Lulu decided to leave in the first place, but details, details).

Being a Good Samaritan he was, Kyungsoo kindly provided his beloved cat a nice, wide place to sit. Thus he (again) scooted closer to Jongin.

I will casually go away and pretend that I don't know you, Lulu announced.

***

After they pets left, they were engulfed by awkward silent.

Jongin turned his head toward Kyungsoo in an attempt to initiate a conversation, only to see a boy who was grinning so wide, with his huge, puppy eyes staring at him unblinkingly. Suddenly the words he had prepared to say got stuck in his throat.

"Err..." Jongin cleared his throat before he continued, saying anything that passed through his mind at that time.

"It seemed like you and Lulu are so close."

Kyungsoo's eyes shone. Kim Jongin sunbae just talked! And his voice was like the sweetest Godiva chocolate martini. So manly. So Kim Jongin sunbae. Kyungsoo grinned dreamily.

"Err, Kyungsoo....?"

Kyungsoo gasped. "Yes, Kim Jongin sunbae, I mean senpai, I mean hyung!" The boy took a deep breath, caressing his poor heart that was not ready for such luxury. Kyungsoo mentally slapped himself. He needed to act normal fast, or else Kim Jongin sunbae would begin to get suspicious.

"Lulu is a special cat, hyung," Kyungsoo explained after he managed to soothe his thrumming heart.

Jongin furrowed his eyebrow. "How so?" he asked. Kyungsoo fought to control his feeling; the Godiva chocolate martini voice was intoxicating all his senses.

"To be shortly said, Lulu is a cat with an attitude," Kyungsoo eventually said.

"For pets like that, we have to show them who the boss is. Pets need to have rules and boundaries, or else they would start to act like a queen." Kyungsoo nodded firmly. "I happen to have an advantage; mostly I'm the one who get to feed Lulu. Do you know that the best way to reach our pet's heart is through the stomach? Win their heart, and you'll be able to make them to learn."

Jongin was in awe. He never knew that Kyungsoo had such wisdom in him. "Wow..." Jongin stared at Kyungsoo with a newfound interest. "I bet Lulu obeys you the most. I need to learn so much from you."

"Lulu looks up to me, hyung," Kyungsoo stated confidently.

Right after he finished his explanation, Lulu came back. The cat walked modelesque-ly, carefully choosing a direction where he could get the wind to caress his white silky fur beautifully. Lulu sat in front of where Kyungsoo sat, tilting his head upward.

Kiddo, get me my drink. I'm so thirsty I can a whole bowl of cool water, Lulu demanded. Of course, all Jongin heard was a long meow.

Jongin raised an eyebrow, watching Kyungsoo rummaged through his pink cat bag to look for something inside.

Kyungsoo took out a cloth bag. He opened the bundle and took what were inside, which were a small water bottle and a bowl. After filling up the bowl with enough amount of water, Kyungsoo placed the bowl on the ground for Lulu to enjoy.

Lulu purred in approval. The cat quickly lapped the water, lightly touching the liquid with the tip of his tongue. Lulu cleaned his mouth and then looked up. Did you bring me my Party Mix treat? I would love to have some if you did. Salmon flavor please, I'm not in the mood to eat beef.

Again, Jongin knitted his eyebrows in confusion when Kyungsoo took out something from the cloth bag -- a small container of what looked like Lulu's snacks. Kyungsoo poured a few to his palm and gave the food to Lulu one by one.

Jongin stiffened. Had Lulu just 'looked up' to Kyungsoo? And Kyungsoo indeed was in charge to feed Lulu.

'Lulu obeys me, hyung.'

'He needs to know who the boss is.'

Suddenly what the boy had said earlier filled his head. Jongin could not hold it anymore. He tried to stifle his laugh but failed.

***

Kyungsoo was running his gaze absentmindedly when he saw a scene that grabbed his attention; a girl was desperately trying to get her cat, that was just staring at her, to run.

"Come on, Sweetie. You need to get in shape. You gain so much weight these weeks, I don't want you to get sick," she cooed, in the verge to cry. Her cat responded with a weak meow, slowly approaching her owner.

"Don't just walk, run, Sweetie. You used to love to run, oh my God, are you really sick?!"

Kyungsoo stood up from his seat. "Hyung, I need to do something, I'll get back in a few minutes, okay," he said, as he began to have a little run toward the girl.

"Hey," Kyungsoo greeted the girl.

The girl turned his back and squealed inside as she saw Kyungsoo. "Y-yes?" 

Kyungsoo smiled. "You seemed to have a some kind of difficulty with your cat, Sweetie, if I am not mistaken. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to stick my nose into this," he hurriedly added.

The girl had a sudden urge to coo the cute wide-eyed boy standing before her. "Ah, yes, my cat, Sweetie," she stammered. "She refused to run. Sweetie gained weight despite eating less than usual, I'm scared that she might have diabetes, or something," her answer came out shaky.

"Do you have any other cat? A male one?"

"No, but my boyfriend -ex boyfriend- does."

Kyungsoo cleared his throat. To tell a mother that someone might get her daughter pregnant was not easy.

"Has it never occurred to you that Sweetie might be expecting a baby -or babies?"

The girl widened his eyes in shock. "Oh my God! No wonder you behave like this!"

"Jason got you pregnant!" she squeaked. "I'm so so so sorry I've forced you to run, Sweetie...!" the girl grabbed her cat, hugging her gently. "Let's check you up. You'll be all right, I'll always be with you," she soothed her cat.

"Thank you so much, I'll have Sweetie to be checked right away to make it sure." The girl grasped Kyungsoo's hand, staring at the boy with so much thankfulness.

Thank you, human, her cat purred.

Kris, who just got back, and Lulu were watching the scene calmly.

Hey, Kitty Cat, Kris sighed.

Yes, Bow Wow?

You love your human, don't you?

Even more than my nine souls. But don't tell him that.

Kris yawned. Do you know that my owner likes, really really likes your human?

Lulu scoffed. Please, only a mentally challenged creature and Kyungsoo could be so oblivious. Your human's stare to the girl could've warmed up a bowl of milk in the coldest winter.

So you're going to tell him, then?

Nah, let the kid work a bit harder. Lulu hopped up the bench. Lying comfortably, he tucked his legs under his body. Besides, he purred,

Where's the fun?

***

No matter how great, or lame it was, every story must come to an end. Including this one. Some stories might have a continuation, some might not. But still, to be able to make a new chapter, we have to end it beforeward.

Of course, like every other story tale, there was a magic sentence to end this story, err, magically.

So here we go.

'And then they lived happily ever after.'

The End.

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