…He probably wouldn’t even argue if he knew. He clearly understood better than anyone that Ketir wasn’t in his right mind.
“…I was just playing hard to get. But thank you for your kindness.”
Maybe five seconds of hesitation? Ketir gave a polite bow of thanks, then flopped onto the sofa like he was about to collapse. Ries crept up to him, careful not to make a sound.
…He’s asleep. That didn’t even take thirty seconds.
“Must’ve been completely drained.”
While Ries was glancing around, he got scooped up by Justyn. He obediently settled into the embrace, his tail flicking slightly. Just imagining how much Ketir must’ve suffered—probably hadn’t slept properly until now—made Ries feel a pang of sympathy.
…Honestly, part of him was thinking, “Wasn’t I one step away from ending up like that too?” The thought sent a shiver down his spine. Thank God he didn’t.
He quickly burrowed into Justyn’s chest.
My precious totem… no, my master.
I’m never letting go again. He repeated the vow in his head, over and over, and in return, long fingers gently scratched his head. His neck went limp with comfort.
“Were you scared?”
“Aaeng.”
“Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”
Please let it be true. Ries purred louder, completely in agreement with him.
But just three days later, at dawn, disaster struck without warning.
—You insolent little thing.
Ries had been sleeping peacefully beside Justyn when a stranger’s voice jolted him awake.
Still groggy, his brain barely working, he spotted the source: a faintly glowing, bluish figure of a man.
And it was right in front of him.
“Kyaong!”
He jumped in pure panic. Instinct kicked in, and he darted toward the safest place he knew—on top of Justyn. Wake up, wake up! He frantically patted him with retracted claws.
“Myaaaak!”
No response.
He turned his head and checked on someone else.
“If this is about the curse, I’m fine with it. I’ll wear an eye mask or whatever. Just please… let me sleep.”
…That was Ketir, who had practically begged his way into staying here. But even he was fast asleep, not the slightest movement.
The alarm’s going off! Get up already!
—Hmph. Trying to wake them? They won’t open their eyes. I’m the one who put them to sleep.
Even while Ries was checking Ketir, his front paw froze in midair. A chill swept over his entire body.
So what he meant was…
He’s going to keep them like this forever…?
—HEY! I never said that!
Terrifying! The ghost kept babbling, but Ries was far too panicked to hear any of it.
He dove under the blanket. He had to get somewhere that creepy glowing thing couldn’t see him.
His master wasn’t waking up, his mind was still half-asleep, and he was too terrified to think straight. With all three working against him, Ries forgot the most basic fact:
Ghosts can phase through walls—and blankets.
—Kehaha! You think something like that can stop me?!
He’d wrapped himself tight in the covers, but that glowing blue face popped right out in front of him. He froze solid, too scared to even scream.
And then…
—So just give up and talk to m—huh?
“Ggak.”
—Wait. Kid? Hey, little guy? Did you just pass out? From seeing me? Are you serious?! How does someone faint from looking at a face this handsome?!
He blacked out.
***
Fainting honestly felt like the better option… Ries remembered thinking that as he slipped into unconsciousness.
But of course, life doesn’t go that easy. Ries woke up—whether it was from a nap or just a shock-induced blackout didn’t matter—and found himself in a slightly different location.
This isn’t a dream.
The moment he took in the new surroundings, it hit him. He creaked his head upward.
—Hey.
A flood of blue light filled his vision. On instinct, he squeezed his eyes shut.
—Open your eyes. Do you have any idea how much of my time you’ve wasted? Huh?
…Not a chance. The moment he resolved not to open his eyes, the ghost clicked his tongue and let out a devilish voice.
—If you don’t, I’m not waking those two up.
Do ghosts take hostages now? Seriously? That’s just pathetic.
In the end, Ries reluctantly peeled his eyes open. His vision adjusted—and there it was: a face so close it filled his entire view.
…I’ve seen that face before.
A gallery he’d wandered into once by accident. Portraits lining every wall. Among them, one had stood out—a strikingly handsome man.
Yeah. Just like that. If someone sculpted that painting into a living human, this would be the result.
No way…
—Bit blue around the edges, sure, but I still look better than the portrait. Consider it an honor to see this face in person.
…It felt like getting struck by lightning. Before he could even start processing, the ghost continued.
—Name’s Sefiut Laufe. I’m the one who carved that damned curse into the Laufe bloodline. Anyway, I’ve got a proposition for you.
His glowing blue eyes flashed. Just for a second, Ries thought he saw a glint of red pass through them.
—You’re the last of the Myo tribe, kid. Break the curse on my descendant.
Yeah… the curse—Wait, what the hell? Myo tribe?
That wasn’t something you’d call an average stray cat. It suggested the body he was in… wasn’t ordinary.
That was alarming. Outwardly, he looked no different from any four-legged alley cat you’d find lounging in the sun.
And living in this body, Ries had never once felt anything off. He never doubted that he was a cat.
But now—suddenly a secret origin story?!
His thoughts spun out of control. Meanwhile, the ghost—Sefiut—leaned in, looking weirdly flustered himself.
—Don’t tell me… you don’t know?
“Aaeng…”
Don’t know what?
—How to transform! You know—the thing your kind’s famous for! Turning human in a snap!
Just moments ago, Ries had been shaking with fear, but now he looked up at the ghost with a completely flat stare.
“Weooong.”
Are you serious, old man? I’ve never even heard of the Myo tribe before today.
Wait—I could’ve transformed into a human this whole time?! That hit harder than anything else. His past hardships flashed before his eyes like a tragic drama.
Am I really… Myo tribe?
That question loomed larger and larger. The massive info dump was frying his brain. Meanwhile, Sefiut seemed to be reeling from a different kind of shock.
—Old man? Did you just call me an old man?!
…And with that, all the tension drained right out of Ries. He even started to wonder if this was all just some dumb dream.
Hold on.
He realized he might’ve glossed over something important. Slowly, he lifted his gaze again.
—Old man… yeah. I guess at my age, that’s fair. Hahahaha…
The ghost spun aimlessly in the air, still spiraling from the comment. But that wasn’t the point.
He understood me.
No way he’d react like that if he hadn’t.
“Myaak.”
Hey, you.
Ries took a deep breath and called to him again.
—Hm? What is it?
He really understands! Ries’s tail gave a visible shiver. Up until now, he’d relied solely on vocal tones and gestures. Being actually understood? It was… kind of amazing.
…Or was it? This guy was a ghost, after all. That realization made things feel weird again.
—Wait, hold up. Did you just say you’ve never heard of the Myo tribe?
“Aaeng.”
He nodded. A short silence followed before Sefiut muttered, looking bitter.
—…That’s just messed up.
Dry, wheezing laughter followed. Ries hesitated before asking another question.
“Ungnyaang. Aeaaeng?”
So… am I really Myo tribe?
—Of course you are.
The answer came without a shred of doubt. Sefiut pointed a long finger at him.
—Thalassa is the Mother of the Sea. And the sea cherishes life and harmony. That’s why beastkin like you—symbols of coexistence—have always caught the Sea God’s eye. Your heart is the proof.
His heart?
—If you listen close, you can hear the sound of waves coming from it.
The sound of waves. That phrasing… Ries suddenly remembered the vet he’d met once. The man had murmured with wide eyes, “It’s the sound of the ocean—there’s no mistaking it!”
No, focus! He shook his head hard.
With evidence that concrete, there was no denying it anymore. He was Myo tribe. The problem now was—
“Myaaaak?”
Okay, so how do I transform?
Sefiut crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. Then, suddenly, he exploded.
—YOU MEAN TO TELL ME YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW THAT?!
