The Cat That I Love

"L"Ch.7

Author's pov.

Break time at school:

"Chaeryeong, I saw you with a girl last week. She's so pretty! Is she your girlfriend?" Lia asked excitedly. "Huh? I don't have a girlfriend, I'm straight!" Chaeryeong replied. "Pfft, hahaha, straight my ass. We've all known you weren't straight since we were 15," Ryujin said, pausing to eat her fries. Chaeryeong looked visibly panicked at the comment.

"Yeah, unnie, like that time at the park—you were staring at a girl in a way that wasn't admiration but, hmm, more like attraction," Yuna added honestly. Chaeryeong's cheeks flushed at their teasing. "Is it weird that I'm not straight?" she asked shyly. "Hahaha, no way! None of us are straight, bro. Didn't you notice that Lia and I are dating?" Ryujin said, wrapping an arm around Lia, who giggled.

"EHHH, really? Why didn't you tell me? Wait, does Yuna know too?" Chaeryeong asked, shocked. "We thought you already knew from how obvious we were! Plus, the whole school knew, so we assumed you did too," Lia explained. "Yup," Ryujin and Yuna chimed in agreement. "Oh my gosh, I thought you were my friends!" Chaeryeong whined. "Hahaha, we are! You're just too oblivious to notice anything. Hahaha," Ryujin teased.

"Yah, I'm not dumb!" Chaeryeong exclaimed, her face filled with annoyance. "Yes, you are, unnie! You didn't even know your code L," Yuna teased, laughing along with the others. "Don't look at me like that, unnie. I'm not as clueless as you!" Yuna added with a smirk. "Tsk," Chaeryeong muttered under her breath. "Wait, back to the first question! Is the pretty girl your girlfriend?" Lia asked again. "N-No!" Chaeryeong stammered, prompting all her friends to let out a heavy sigh.

"Tsk, then why did you stutter?" Ryujin questioned. "You're no fun, unnie!" Yuna chimed in. "Honestly, Chaeryeong, you two didn't seem like just friends. The girl was clinging to you the whole time! Plus, she looked so happy just being around you," Lia pointed out.

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"Chaeryeong, you're home!" Yeji exclaimed, running happily toward her and pulling her into a hug. "Y-yah, Yeddeong, put on some clothes first!" Chaeryeong stammered, covering her eyes because Yeji wasn't wearing anything. "Eh? Why can't I just not wear clothes? Like when I was a cat?" Yeji asked. "Yeddeong, it's different now. You're human!" Chaeryeong explained.

"But we're both girls!" Yeji said, causing Chaeryeong to blush, knowing she wasn't exactly straight. "A-ah, j-just put on some clothes already!" Chaeryeong stuttered, walking away, her face red as she headed to her room.

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Has Chaeryeong been slightly avoiding Yeji lately because of a strange feeling she can't quite understand? Or is there another reason?

"Cherry, I'm cold!" Yeji whined cutely at Chaeryeong, who was sitting on the opposite side of the couch. "I'll turn on the heater then," Chaeryeong replied, getting up to do so, but stopped when Yeji grabbed her hand and pulled her back to the couch, hugging her tightly. "I don't need it. I have my own heater here," Yeji said, hugging Chaeryeong.

"A-ah, Yeji, I still have to do my assignment!" Chaeryeong lied in an attempt to escape Yeji's embrace, slowly getting up. "Hmph, you're lying! If you really had an assignment, you would have already done it earlier!" Yeji said with a grumpy face. "I've noticed that you sometimes avoid me, Cherry. Don't you want me anymore? Don't you love me? Are you sick of me? Please don't leave me," Yeji said sadly, beginning to cry.

Chaeryeong froze in panic, unsure how to handle the situation or what to say to the girl standing before her. "Y-Yeji, i-it's not l-like that!" she stuttered, her words tumbling awkwardly as she desperately tried to piece together a response.

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Since that day, the two girls hadn't exchanged a single word for two weeks. "Chaeryeong, are you okay?" Lia asked with worry. "What do you mean, unnie?" Chaeryeong replied, sounding exhausted. "You haven't been yourself lately, Chaeryeong. It's been two weeks! Did something happen?" Lia asked again, her concern growing. "Yeah, unnie! Is something bothering you?" Yuna chimed in.

"If anything happened, we're here for you!" Ryujin said with a warm smile, hoping to reassure Chaeryeong. "It's nothing, really. I'm okay, don't worry," Chaeryeong replied with a weak smile.

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Chaeryeong came home completely drained, collapsing onto the couch with a heavy sigh. Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep. Forty-five minutes later, she woke up to find herself wrapped in a soft blanket. 

Heading to her room, she found Yeji sleeping soundly on her bed. A sad smile crossed Chaeryeong's face, guilt tugging at her heart for what she had done to the girl. Moving quietly, she covered Yeji gently with the blanket, knowing that without fur on her skin, Yeji got cold easily.

Even though the two girls didn't speak to each other, they still cared deeply without even realizing it. Even during their arguments, that care never truly disappeared. Their fight is just a small hurdle in their lives, and God always has greater plans for our journeys. He knows we can overcome these challenges, which is why He allows them—so we can grow from our struggles and mistakes.