Donghae pressed his face to the cold glass, his nose squashing flat against the pane as he tried to peer deeper inside. Two petite golden orbs slowly blinked in his direction.
                ‘Hello, gorgeous,’ Donghae gushed and scratched his finger on the window in a tiny little wave.
               Donghae loved kittens. He loved puppies, too. Anything small and fragile he could nurture with love rendered him a flailing mess. The pint-sized bundle of fluffy joy on the other side of the shop window had his chest bursting like a thousand balloons.
               He had to buy it.
               Arms already laden with a day’s retail therapy, Donghae hobbled into the pet store.
               ‘I want that cat,’ he blurted as he approached the front counter.
               ‘Excuse me?’ The bewildered assistant blinked slowly.
               ‘The black kitten in the window; I want it.’
               The girl was taken aback by Donghae’s abrupt demands. It was unlike him to be so forceful but another couple were already eyeing off the kitten and he would not lose out. He reached into his pocket, slipped out his wallet and slammed a credit card down on the counter.
               ‘And everything that goes with it. Litter tray, food, scratching pole——the works!’ He said, not even a little bit remorseful having produced Hyukjae’s credit card instead of his own.


‘You’re home late,’ Hyukjae observed without turning when Donghae came to the door. The slightly older man was standing in the kitchen wearing grey sweatpants and a simple black tank top, stirring whatever it was he was preparing for dinner. ‘Have a successful day?’
               ‘You could say that,’ Donghae replied cryptically. He set his shopping bags down by the door but kept the plastic carry-cage firmly in his hand. He wanted to surprise his lover with the latest addition to their family but the kitten betrayed him with a frightened mew.
               Hyukjae stiffened at the sound. ‘Donghae …’ he said slowly, tone ominous. ‘What have you done?’
               ‘N-nothing!’ He was feebly attempting to conceal the cage behind his back when Hyukjae span around.
               ‘Is that a cat?’
               ‘N-no…’
               ‘Donghae.’
               Defeated, Donghae produced the trembling creature, overwhelmed by his new home.
               ‘No,’ Hyukjae said definitively.
               ‘But he’s so cute!’ Donghae held the cage closer in a last ditch effort to coerce his lover into welcoming the little kitten into their home. ‘Look at his little face!’
               ‘No.’
               ‘Why not?’
               ‘Because …’ Hyukjae’s face crumpled. ‘Because …’ He covered his nose as he sneezed violently. ‘Because I’m allergic, you fool!’