My Soft Rice Cake 99

Stay by his side as Kkongddeok?

“Why the hell should I?”

It wasn’t exactly a difficult request, if you thought about it. The whole reason Go Hoon had stormed out of Bae Jung-yoon’s house to begin with was because of the neutering surgery. He still hadn’t forgotten the carefree, cushy life he’d enjoyed while staying there. If anything, returning to his old life had only made him realize just how much of a paradise it had been—living as Bae Jung-yoon’s pet cat.

Now that the biggest obstacle was gone, there wasn’t really a reason to refuse. The offer was definitely tempting. But the warning sirens in his head wouldn’t stop blaring. This guy who once beat the crap out of me is now asking for a favor?

And more than that—Why? For what reason? What did Kkongddeok even mean to Bae Jung-yoon? While Go Hoon wrestled with the confusion, Bae Jung-yoon answered with unsettling clarity.

“I haven’t been able to sleep at all lately.”

Go Hoon’s face instantly twisted into a scowl. What the hell is he on about now? What a steaming pile of bullshit—like something you’d name a novelty mozzarella corn dog. If you’re gonna spout crap like that, just shut your damn mouth.

He shot him a cold, accusing glare, but Bae Jung-yoon held his gaze steadily, as if he were dead serious.

“I’ve had insomnia for years, actually.”

Insomnia?

The word sounded completely foreign coming from him. Go Hoon’s life was so exhausting that unless something major happened, he usually passed out the second his head hit the pillow. But Bae Jung-yoon? Insomnia?

He raised a brow, trying to read between the lines. Jung-yoon gave a slight smile and added,

“Well, thanks to you, I actually slept like a rock for once.”

That bastard’s trying to guilt-trip me.

He was talking about the time Go Hoon was unconscious after the accident. No doubt bringing it up to make him feel bad.

Still… could it be true? Go Hoon stayed silent, sifting through his memories. He wasn’t sure. Something didn’t feel right. As far as he could remember, Bae Jung-yoon always seemed to sleep just fine.

But thinking back, after the bike accident—once he’d started living at Jung-yoon’s place—he couldn’t recall ever seeing him fall asleep before he did.

…Was it true, then?

Go Hoon stared at him, his suspicion lingering. And then Bae Jung-yoon offered a new proposal.

“That’s why… I want you to be like my emotional support plushie.”

“…Your what?”

What the hell did I just hear?

He was so taken aback that the words barely made it out of his mouth.

“A plushie. For some reason, when I hug you in your cat form, I sleep really well.”

Bae Jung-yoon answered with such sincerity that Go Hoon’s expression only grew more bewildered.

So basically… he wanted him to turn into a furry body pillow he could cuddle with at night?

Go Hoon felt a strange wave of emptiness wash over him.

All this, just to ask that?

This guy had damn near wrecked his body, and this was the favor?

Sure, he knew insomnia was a real hell for people who suffered from it. But this was way too out of nowhere.

He shut his eyes tight, then opened them again. He brushed off Jung-yoon’s hand still holding his arm.

“I’ll buy you the biggest body pillow money can buy. Hug that instead.”

His tone was curt, annoyed. But Jung-yoon shook his head immediately.

“No. It has to be you, Hoon.”

Go Hoon’s fingers flinched involuntarily.

Don’t say shit like that with a face like that.

He looked way too desperate. Like he truly believed only Go Hoon could fix this.

But Go Hoon quickly forced his emotions down. No. He wasn’t falling for that look again.

Bae Jung-yoon wasn’t nearly as kind as he seemed. He wasn’t someone you could trust. Definitely not someone to keep close.

“You think I’ve got time for this crap?”

He deliberately made his voice colder. During the day, he had to juggle school and delivery jobs. At night, he worked at the factory.

In other words, he didn’t have any time to waste messing around with Bae Jung-yoon.

Jung-yoon knew that well enough. And yet, what came out of his mouth was totally unexpected.

“Then I’ll pay you.”

“…Do you even know how much I make in a month?”

“Like… five million won?”

“Hah.”

Go Hoon let out a bitter, hollow laugh.

Must be nice, living in that bubble of yours.

He couldn’t believe the guy said “five million won” so casually.

It only made it more painfully clear that they lived in completely different worlds.

“So money solves everything for you, huh.”

“I don’t think money solves everything. But we’re negotiating right now, aren’t we? Sure, I’m technically blackmailing you with your secret, but I don’t want this deal to be a one-sided loss for you.”

Jung-yoon spoke like he was being considerate, and for a moment, Go Hoon felt his chest twist. What the hell is this guy? The more he got to know him, the more it felt like he was falling into a maze with no way out.

If he really was offering money, then technically it wouldn’t be a loss. But still… something about turning their relationship into that of employer and employee didn’t sit right.

“You’ve got secrets too, you know.”

Go Hoon stepped in closer with a crooked smirk. Since Jung-yoon had chosen to play dirty, there was no reason for him to play fair either.

“No one knows what’s behind your mask.”

But Bae Jung-yoon didn’t look the least bit flustered. Instead, he twisted the corners of his mouth into a crooked smile.

“And what exactly is this hidden side of me?”

Yeah. Go Hoon had expected him to react this confidently. But hearing the question posed so bluntly made it unexpectedly hard to answer. He opened his mouth slightly, hesitating, lips parting but no words coming out.

Bae Jung-yoon let out a soft snort of laughter.

“Oh—you mean the fact that I sleep with guys?”

He answered himself, but didn’t stop there. With a thoughtful hum, he continued as if checking off a list.

“Or was it when I beat the crap out of the guy I slept with—right in front of you?”

His tone remained disturbingly calm.

“Or maybe you’re talking about how I hit Park Ki-cheol in the back?”

Go Hoon swallowed hard. That casual tone made one thing clear: no matter what kind of dirt he had on Bae Jung-yoon, it wouldn’t faze him. There was no leverage here.

“You know, Hoon.”

He took a step closer. And without meaning to, Go Hoon stepped back. But those strange, sharp eyes never left him—fixed, unwavering.

There was no one else around. No one to run to. No one to call for help.

“I don’t need threats like this to keep you by my side.”

His eyes narrowed slightly, forming soft curves—but the gaze dropped low in the same moment. And when it landed on Go Hoon’s legs, it was sharp as a freshly drawn blade.

Go Hoon’s instincts screamed. This wasn’t a joke. It wasn’t empty posturing.

Bae Jung-yoon was warning him: if he wanted, he could pin him down and force him to stay—whenever he pleased.

That terrifying stare triggered something primal. The muscles in Go Hoon’s legs tensed involuntarily, ready to flee. His breath came out in a faint tremor.

He had never felt fear like this before. Even when Bae Jung-yoon had pressured him to transform into a cat, it hadn’t felt this real.

Now, standing in front of those cold, unreadable eyes, Go Hoon couldn’t even begin to guess what he was thinking.

“So, Hoon,”

The voice that followed was soft, almost tender. But it sent a chill down his spine. It wasn’t affection—it was mimicry.

“When I offer you kindness… you’d better take my hand and behave.”

The smile stretched across Bae Jung-yoon’s face, long and deliberate. He stepped in until he was right in front of him, eyes level.

“We’ve already shared each other’s darkest secrets, haven’t we? So let’s not fight. Let’s try getting along.”

A face that held both good and evil in perfect balance gazed calmly at him.

“So? Have you started feeling even a little like living here with me… peacefully?”

Of all the people I could’ve gotten tangled up with… Why the hell did it have to be some crazy bastard like this?

Go Hoon felt the crushing weight of his doomed future settle heavily on his shoulders.

***

Thankfully, Bae Jung-yoon didn’t stop him from leaving that day.

But he didn’t exactly send him off with open arms either. As Go Hoon pushed past him and exited the walk-in closet, Bae Jung-yoon called after him, saying he’d give him time to think. One week. Come back with an answer by then.

He made it sound like Go Hoon had options—but it was clear what he really meant: Quit all your part-time jobs and move in.

News of Bae Jung-yoon waking up spread fast at school. The people who’d been whispering about Go Hoon behind his back now came up to him, relieved that Jung-yoon had made a full recovery.

And Bae Jung-yoon? He slipped right back into his usual rhythm. As if nothing had happened, he chatted, mingled, and blended in with everyone like always.

He even acted like everything was normal between him and Go Hoon—taking the seat next to him, eating lunch with him, just like before.

Go Hoon sat at his floor desk, arms crossed, staring blankly into space. It was exam season—he should be focusing on studying. But his mind kept spiraling.

His gaze drifted to the corner of the desk, where his wallet and phone sat. The only things he’d brought with him when he left Jung-yoon’s place.

I don’t know what the hell I’m supposed to do.

No—that was a lie. He did know. He was just clinging to the hope that maybe, maybe, there was another way. But no matter how many times he ran it through his head, nothing changed.

This had to be the last time. He needed to make a decision. Weigh the pros and cons—clearly, definitively.

At the moment, he had two choices.

Option one: ignore Bae Jung-yoon’s offer and tell him to go fuck himself.

Option two: accept the deal. Go back to his place and become his Kkongddeok—essentially, a glorified body pillow.

If he went with the first option, there was no question: his life would get ugly, fast. He had no idea what Bae Jung-yoon might do to expose his secret.

If he went with the second… the only thing that changed was where he slept. And let’s face it—Jung-yoon’s place was way more comfortable.

It wasn’t even that difficult. Staying by Jung-yoon’s side in his cat form meant no awkward situations, no vulnerable moments. Nothing like what he risked if he stayed with him as a human.

He’d already spent plenty of nights at his side as Kkongddeok. All he had to do was grit his teeth and do it again.

Logically, the answer was obvious. There was nothing to lose.

And on top of that—didn’t Bae Jung-yoon say he’d pay him for it?

Author: Levia