Why the hell is he striding toward me with that aggressive energy?
Sensing danger, Hoon tried to spring up quickly, but unfortunately, he was just a second too slow.
“NyaaaAAANG!”
‘Don’t touch me with the same damn hand you were just jerking off with, you filthy bastard!’
Go Hoon screamed the nastiest curse he could manage, but to Jung-yoon, it just sounded like a cute cat meowing in protest.
“You’re extra cranky today, Kkongddeok-i.”
“Uweeeng.”
‘Of course I’m cranky, Bae Jung-yoon. You’re touching me with that pervy-ass hand you were using for god-knows-what!’
“Ssshh… stay still.”
Even when Hoon lightly clawed at his hand to say let go of me right now, it was no use. Bae Jung-yoon, completely unfazed by the sting of claws digging into his skin, scooped Hoon up and carried him straight to the bathroom.
Click. The bathroom door shut with a cold, final sound.
Taking advantage of the brief moment when Jung-yoon set him down, Go Hoon rushed to the door and scratched furiously at the wood.
Being alone with Bae Jung-yoon right now felt way too awkward. He had barely managed to calm himself down, but now that humiliating panting and moaning echoed in his ears all over again.
‘Get it together. If you want to open the door, go for the handle.’
He readied his body, tail twitching as he eyed the horizontal handle above his head—but he didn’t get far.
“Kkyaaaung!”
“Tsk, no. Kkongddeok-i, you’re not going anywhere.”
Bae Jung-yoon’s strict voice cut through the air as he lifted Hoon and brought him into the bathtub.
Hoon scrambled to climb out over the tub’s edge, but his paws kept slipping uselessly.
“You’ve been looking kinda grimy lately, Kkongddeok-i. Time for a wash.”
‘Grimy? Me?’
‘Do you know how much effort I put into grooming?! I spend over two hours a day making sure every inch of fur is spotless!’
“Aaaoooong—.”
Go Hoon resisted with everything he had, but it was futile. Jung-yoon pinned him flat against the tub with a firm grip.
‘If I were human, this wouldn’t be happening.’
With a bitter glare, Hoon stopped struggling and shot Jung-yoon the sharpest look he could manage.
“I’ll make it quick. Just hang in there a bit.”
But Jung-yoon wasn’t budging. He held Hoon’s waist down and turned on the shower, keeping the water pressure low. Then he adjusted the temperature with a focused expression.
Everything Jung-yoon was doing irritated Hoon to no end.
‘You were just jerking off a minute ago, and now you’re trying to give me a bath like nothing happened?’
‘If you want to clean up, wash yourself!’
Hoon shot a sharp glare at Jung-yoon’s hand.
“Okay, water’s coming. Don’t freak out.”
Jung-yoon spoke in a soothing tone.
“I’ll finish fast. Be good during your bath, and I’ll give you some dried pollack treats afterward.”
He coaxed gently as he slowly moved the showerhead toward Hoon’s back. Warm water trickled down his spine, soaking his fur.
“MiyAAANG….”
Unlike moments ago, when he had been writhing in disgust, the warm water was actually… soothing.
It had been forever since he last felt a real shower like this.
He used to bathe every single day, but now that he’d become a cat, he hadn’t washed in weeks.
‘Honestly? It was kind of gross.’
No matter how meticulous grooming was, it couldn’t compare to a full-body rinse with water.
It felt amazing. His body relaxed, his eyes fluttered shut, and his ears drooped.
“Now that you’re wet, you look really scrawny.”
No one had ever said that to him before.
Standing at 184 cm, Go Hoon had never once been called “skinny” in his life. If anything, he heard the opposite all the time.
“Why the hell is a kid like you so damn broad-shouldered?”
Back in the army, even his seniors would tease him about secretly working out on the side because of his solid build.
But as a cat, he barely weighed 5.4 kg, and all that puffed-up appearance was just fluffy fur.
“Feels good, huh, Kkongddeok-i?”
His irritation toward Bae Jung-yoon had long faded.
The hands massaging his back were gentle, like a warm spa touch, and Hoon quietly let himself enjoy it.
“See? Baths aren’t so bad. The water’s warm, and it’s actually relaxing, right?”
With his eyes half-lidded, savoring the sensation, he heard Jung-yoon’s soft chuckle from above.
“For a cat, you sure like water.”
Hoon let out a haughty snort without even meaning to.
‘“For a cat,” my ass. Watch your mouth. If you ever find out I used to be human, you’ll pass out from the shock.’
But the thought vanished almost instantly. Jung-yoon’s wet hand gently wiped Hoon’s eyes, then started massaging behind his ears, melting his brain into a puddle.
Once Hoon was thoroughly soaked, Jung-yoon squirted slippery body wash into his palms and began lathering him up.
His hands moved with ease—from back to tail, front legs to hind legs, and down to his belly.
And for some reason, it all felt way more distracting than usual.
Whenever those big hands started drifting toward his center, Hoon flinched instinctively, trying to shy away from the touch.
Of course, it was useless—he was still trapped in Bae Jung-yoon’s firm grip.
“There we go, good boy. Kkongddeok-i, bath’s already done.”
Once the bath was finished, Jung-yoon roughly towel-dried him and then even took out a hair dryer to personally dry his fur.
Wheeeeng—
The noisy hum filled the room, sending a chaotic wave of lukewarm air blasting toward his face.
Eyes squeezed shut, Go Hoon endured being manhandled until his fur had mostly dried. Only then was he finally able to wriggle free from Jung-yoon’s arms.
The moment he escaped that clingy touch, Hoon shook himself off from head to tail in a flurry.
Bae Jung-yoon chuckled softly at the sight and said he was going to take a quick shower himself, disappearing back into the bathroom.
The sound of running water followed soon after.
Left alone, Hoon perched on the living room rug, licking and grooming his ruffled fur back into place. Then he leapt onto the couch, flopped onto his back, belly exposed, and sank into a wave of post-bath drowsiness.
‘So refreshing.’
It had been forever since he’d had such a satisfying bath. The house was warm, his fur felt fluffier than ever, and everything was perfect.
Time passed. The sound of water from the bathroom finally ceased.
There was a rustle behind the door, and soon after, it opened.
Hoon’s eyes naturally turned toward the swirl of steam wafting from within.
Bae Jung-yoon, now in a shower gown, walked straight into the kitchen and returned with something in hand.
Dried pollack treats.
A container of snacks.
Go Hoon sprang upright.
He stared eagerly, and Jung-yoon gave a soft laugh as he sat down on the couch.
Popping open the container, he began feeding the square-shaped treats to Go Hoon one at a time.
Hoon didn’t hesitate; he gulped down every piece offered.
“Paw.”
‘You could just give it to me. Why the hell do you always have to make me do something first?’
“Paw.”
When Hoon just stared at him silently, Jung-yoon wiggled his hand again.
Grudgingly, Hoon placed a paw on his palm.
Jung-yoon’s tickled laugh buzzed in his ears.
“Good boy, Kkongddeok-i.”
Crunching noisily on the treat, Hoon noticed Jung-yoon watching him with curiosity.
“Tastes good?”
“Ah-ooong—.”
‘Would I eat it if it didn’t?’
His eyes clearly demanded Give me another one, and Jung-yoon, amused, popped a treat into his own mouth and started chewing.
“Not as bad as I thought.”
Go Hoon gave him a completely dumbfounded look.
‘The hell’s wrong with you? Are you that desperate for snacks that you’re stealing your cat’s treats now?’
His expression must’ve said it all, because Jung-yoon grinned and offered him another.
“That’s the last one for today.”
While Hoon munched away, the lid was snapped shut.
Just as he was about to hop off the couch, satisfied with his snack, Bae Jung-yoon pulled him back down and made him lie across his thigh—forcing Hoon into a fully belly-up position.
Hoon didn’t resist. He knew who had the upper hand here and submitted without a fight.
Jung-yoon gently held both his front paws and rubbed his cheek with one finger.
The gaze resting on him was warm.
That shameless look Jung-yoon had in the bedroom earlier was completely gone.
The husky moans, the lewd atmosphere—they all felt like a distant memory.
Now it was the familiar tenderness in his eyes that made Hoon’s face feel ticklish.
He let out a long, gaping yawn.
Even though all he did was lie there, the bath had drained all the strength from his body.
He’d napped plenty earlier, and yet sleepiness was already creeping in again.
“Wanna take a nap together?”
Jung-yoon lay down fully on the couch and placed Hoon on his chest.
His hand slowly stroked down from Hoon’s round head to the curve of his back, then gently cupped his tiny face.
“Kkongddeok-i.”
Hoon blinked open his heavy eyelids.
Black pupils met his own, locked on tightly.
After a quiet moment, Jung-yoon whispered.
“You can’t just suddenly disappear and leave me behind, okay?”
‘Where the hell did that come from?’
The words seemed completely random—but something inside Hoon twinged.
Maybe because deep down, he’d been thinking the same thing.
If he ever turned back into a human, he would have to leave Bae Jung-yoon.
Just like how he’d suddenly become a cat, there was always the chance he’d wake up one day and be human again.
“You hear me, Bae Kkongddeok?”
It was like he knew.
As if he could sense something.
As if he was already bracing for what might come.
That made Hoon’s chest stir uneasily.
“Waang.”
He let out a small cry and nuzzled into Jung-yoon’s firm chest.
“Kkongddeok-i, you promised, right? With me?”
“Uung—.”
Interpreting the sound as agreement, Jung-yoon smiled.
A low chuckle reverberated above his head.
‘But… that’s a promise I can’t keep.’
If the day ever came when he had to leave, Hoon hoped Bae Jung-yoon would let go of the memories lightly.
And he truly believed… he would.
