The curse that had consumed half his face gave him an appearance that instinctively triggered revulsion and fear in others.
Justyn was fully aware of this—perhaps more than anyone. He knew exactly how people reacted the moment they laid eyes on his face, his body, the curse itself.
That was why he went to such desperate lengths to hide it.
Because he was afraid I’d run away.
With a cat’s meager strength, all Ries could manage was a faint push against the closing door. At most, he created the smallest gap—barely enough to count.
Still, the door was closing fast. Ketir probably didn’t get a proper look inside.
Yet to Ries, it felt like time had slowed to a crawl.
Was it because of his feline reflexes?
Maybe not. Because in that fleeting moment, the man inside had turned toward him—and their eyes had met.
Justyn’s eyes widened in shock.
Thunk.
The door shut.
“……”
Silence followed. Ketir let out a long sigh. He’d only been startled by Ries’s sudden movement. He didn’t seem to realize Justyn was inside, let alone that they’d made eye contact.
“Let’s head back.”
This time, Ries didn’t fight it. He leaned into Ketir’s chest and quietly closed his eyes, not a single tear shed.
Maybe it was that uncharacteristically calm response that made Ketir say something he usually wouldn’t.
“The curse worsens at night. Sometimes he has seizures.”
Ries’s eyes flew open. He glanced up at Ketir, who looked unusually pensive.
“But as long as he takes his medicine quickly, he stabilizes. So don’t worry too much.”
Ries looked toward the window. The curtains were drawn too tightly to see outside, but it was clearly still daytime.
Maybe that’s why—even though Ketir didn’t say it—he looked genuinely worried.
Suddenly, a question came to mind. Does he know what Justyn looks like under that mask?
“Sigh… What am I even doing, talking to a cat?”
“Meow!”
But all he got in return was a self-deprecating mutter. Which felt a little rude, considering Ries was paying attention.
With an annoyed yowl, Ries batted at Ketir’s arm. That was actually the first he’d heard about the seizures—of course he was interested. He was ready to listen.
Not that Ketir was ever easy to crack. He wasn’t the type to share things just because you wanted him to. Which meant pestering was his best bet.
“…The more I look at you, the weirder you seem.”
Those words slipped out with a suspicious undertone.
“You’re not secretly a person, are you?”
Ries froze mid-swat. Ketir squinted at him. Of course, it had to be a joke… but still, sweat prickled at the back of Ries’s neck.
He awkwardly licked his paw, trying to act casual. Inner peace… inner peace…
Thankfully, it seemed like Ketir wasn’t serious. He soon looked away, dropping the suspicion. Still, Ries really hoped he’d never joke like that again—his heart couldn’t take it.
Silence returned. Ketir clearly had no intention of speaking further.
Ries slowly closed his eyes.
I should sleep early tonight.
He had a feeling it was going to be a long one.
***
“MEOWWWWWW!”
The next morning.
Up at the crack of dawn, Ries went straight to Justyn’s room. He scratched at the door with determination, and soon enough, movement stirred inside.
At this point, he should be opening up already.
But the response was sluggish. The door, which usually opened without hesitation, stayed shut.
He’s not seriously ignoring me… right?
Eyes narrowing in irritation, he scratched harder. Eventually, the door creaked open. A masked face peeked out.
Though really, “peeked” was a stretch. That gap might’ve seemed small to a human, but to a cat’s body—especially one as fluid as Ries’s—it was basically a wide-open passage. He could’ve slipped through with his eyes closed.
Without hesitation, he glided inside. Justyn’s startled breath followed from above.
Ries didn’t even glance back. He made a beeline for the bed, leapt up, and immediately started rolling all over it.
His fur clung to the sheets in clumps. The bedding looked a bit messier than usual today, but so what? What mattered was keeping up the routine—showing that nothing had changed from yesterday.
Justyn hesitated, then slowly approached. Ries paused his rolling and looked up at him. The moment their eyes met, Justyn flinched.
Honestly, anyone watching would think he’s the small, nervous animal.
It didn’t suit his size at all, but there was truly no better word for it.
Silence lingered between them. On any other day, Justyn would’ve greeted him first thing in the morning. But not today. He was clearly still dwelling on what had happened the night before.
This awkward pause… It carried the same awkward charm as when they’d first met. That hesitant air, the distance that once existed—it all came rushing back.
“Meow~”
Well, someone had to break the ice. Ries let out a soft, melodic cry and waved his neatly folded paws.
As if entranced, Justyn lowered his head. His voice trembled like he was on the verge of tears.
“…You…”
At some point, Ries’s paw had come to rest gently atop Justyn’s mask—right where the grotesque veins had once spread across his skin.
Justyn held that small paw as if it were something precious, pressing it against his face. It was such a tiny thing, but it felt strong enough to shield him from anything.
A heavy voice followed. Not a question, not a doubt—just quiet certainty.
“You’re not afraid of me.”
Ries, who had been sprawled out on his back, sat up and nuzzled him. It felt like praise, as if he were saying, That’s right. And for the first time, Justyn laughed—really laughed.
He’d once told himself that Ries was the first and last selfish desire he’d ever allow.
But not anymore.
This little creature… was a radiant miracle. One worth trading his entire life for—and still not enough.
***
If he had to pick the one thing he wanted most lately, it was this:
Sleeping next to his master.
Every night, without fail, he’d get scooped up and carted off to Ketir’s room. Since the very first day he arrived at the mansion, he’d quietly added “sleeping beside the master” to his mental bucket list.
He’d tried sticking around here and there, but Justyn always stood firm. Ries had almost given up.
But not anymore.
This morning, they’d opened up to each other. They’d had a heart-to-heart. Sure, it wasn’t perfect, but it was still a conversation.
Now, with the sun sinking low, a soft red light filtered through the curtains, painting the room in warm hues.
Normally, he’d be preparing to leave by now. But instead, Ries sat quietly, gazing up at Justyn with what he firmly believed was his most irresistible Puss in Boots expression.
“……”
Justyn’s eyes trembled, clearly conflicted—but only for a moment.
The moment Ketir stepped into the room, Justyn made up his mind. Looking toward the exhausted steward, he spoke with surprising resolve.
“…You don’t need to take him tonight.”
“…You’re letting him stay?”
Ketir froze. No nod, no words. Just a dropped jaw and wide eyes, staring at Ries like he’d just performed sorcery.
Then, like a flower blooming, Ketir’s face lit up in a smile so radiant it was almost blinding. Ries had never seen him smile like that.
He didn’t want to ruin the mood, but…
“You two seem to be getting close.”
“…You could say that.”
“That’s wonderful. I highly recommend continuing this. Sleeping together is an excellent way to build trust and strengthen your bond.”
…Was he always this enthusiastic?
Ries was genuinely concerned Ketir’s grin would split his face in two. Meanwhile, Justyn seemed genuinely persuaded.
“Building a bond, huh?”
“Yes. I’ve heard the more time you spend together, the more it helps.”
“…I see.”
Ries stayed quiet.
Sure, it made sense. But the way Ketir talked—as if he were gleefully offloading a chore—was kind of annoying. It made him want to act up, just to be difficult.
But when he looked back at Justyn, that urge vanished.
Only his eyes were visible behind the mask, but they sparkled with barely contained joy. It was impossible not to notice.
***
In the end, he got to stay. Ketir had already left, clearly satisfied with the arrangement.
This bed really is nice.
Ries padded over to the head of the bed and started kneading it with his paws. Firm yet soft in all the right ways—premium quality for sure.
Of course, he’d already rolled around on it that morning, leaving fur everywhere. But somehow, this moment felt completely new.
