Author's pov.
"Chaeryeong, it's been ages," said a half-American girl to Chaeryeong, who was relaxing on the beach. Chaeryeong glanced at the girl, her face lighting up with a smile, and she quickly stood to hug her. "Wow, Somi, it's really been a while! Hey, what brings you to our school? I thought you were staying in the US for good," Chaeryeong asked curiously.
"Oh, I did live in the US for eight years, but I decided to settle here in Korea for good," Somi explained.
"And guess what? I'm here to enroll at your school," Somi added with a big smile.
"Really? That's awesome! Welcome back, by the way!" Chaeryeong responded with a huge grin.
"Thanks! Want to hang out after school and catch up on everything we've missed?" Somi asked.
"Yeah, absolutely!" Chaeryeong replied cheerfully.
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Yeji was waiting for her owner to return. While gazing out the window, she spotted her owner with someone else. She watched them hug and say goodbye, noticing her owner's wide smile—a smile she hadn't seen in over two weeks and three days.
A sudden pang of envy hit her. She wished her owner's smile could be just for her, that she could be the reason for their happiness. She wanted to be the girl from earlier, the one making her owner smile like that. Moments later, she heard the door open. It was her owner, but the smile faded as their eyes met.
The two girls stared at each other in silence, not exchanging a single word. This had become their routine for the past few weeks.
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A week had gone by, and the two girls still hadn't spoken. The kitty longed to say something to her owner but couldn't, while her owner wanted to explain but struggled to find the right words to share with her cat. During this time, Yeji often spotted the girl through the window—the one who had always been with Chaeryeong before she came back home. She still felt jealous the girl, who could make her owner happy, even if it was just by saying their goodbyes.
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6:00 pm had passed, and still, Chaeryeong was nowhere to be seen in the apartment. Yeji remained in the same spot by the window, gazing outside and waiting for her owner to return. She had been waiting all afternoon, and now the streets were dark, illuminated only by the street lamps and the bright full moon in the sky.
Once again, Yeji transformed into a half-human, half-cat. A sudden thought crossed her mind, and she headed to the kitchen. She opened the highest cabinet, retrieved two bottles of soju, and returned to the living room. Yeji had only seen this in dramas and occasionally noticed Chaeryeong drinking it when she was tired or sad.
YYeji started with a glass of soju, finding it bitter at first, but by the third sip, it tasted sweeter. By 7:11 PM, she had finished two bottles of soju and had fallen asleep. Around that time, Chaeryeong came home and was stunned to see Yeji asleep with two empty bottles on the table.
She walked over to check if Yeji had really drunk both bottles herself, her eyes widening as the strong smell of alcohol confirmed it. Placing her bag on the couch, Chaeryeong gently carried Yeji to her room and laid her on the bed. As she turned to get a wet towel to wipe Yeji's face, Yeji's hand suddenly stopped her. "Chaeryeong-ah, please don't leave me," Yeji murmured, her eyes closed, as tears began to fall.
Chaeryeong felt a wave of guilt, knowing this was her fault. "I won't, Yeji," she whispered softly.
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Saturday came again it was 6:00 am in the morning two girls was still asleep cuddling without Yeji slowly opened her eyes without realizing it, and the first thing she saw was Chaeryeong's sleepy face. She quickly noticed that Chaeryeong was hugging her, and she was hugging back. It had been three weeks since they last cuddled in bed after their fight.
Yeji blushed as Chaeryeong's face moved a little closer to hers, her soft breath warming Yeji's cheeks. Suddenly, Yeji's heart started pounding faster and louder. She couldn't understand why—it wasn't like she'd been running or doing anything exhausting. So why was her heart racing?
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"Yeji, I-I'm sorry," Chaeryeong blurted out suddenly as they sat in the living room watching TV. "It's fine," Yeji replied shyly, hiding her face behind a pillow. "Are you feeling okay, Yeji? Why are you hiding?" Chaeryeong asked, leaning closer to check Yeji's temperature by placing a hand on her forehead.
"I-I'm fine," Yeji stuttered, still shy. "Are you sure?" Chaeryeong asked, her concern evident. "Y-yes," Yeji replied softly. "So, are we good now?" Chaeryeong asked, hopeful. Yeji gave a shy nod, and Chaeryeong beamed, pulling Yeji into a happy hug.
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"I'm home, Yeddeong!" Chaeryeong called out as she came back from the market. "Chaeryeong-ah!" Yeji exclaimed, running over with a big smile and hugging her tightly. "Guess what, Yeji? I brought something delicious," Chaeryeong said cheerfully, holding up the bag she carried.
"Is that strawberry and chocolate?" Yeji asked in amazement. "Yup, it is!" Chaeryeong replied. "Wow, I've never tried that before," Yeji said excitedly. "Oh, right! You haven't tasted it yet! I'll wash the strawberries and prepare the chocolate quickly so you can try. Just wait in the living room for a bit," Chaeryeong said with a grin. "Okay!" Yeji replied, practically bouncing with excitement as she headed to the living room.
A moment later, the strawberries and chocolate were ready. "Yeddeong, you try it first, go ahead!" Chaeryeong said with a smile. "Okay, but how do I do it?" Yeji asked, looking puzzled. "Hahaha, like this!" Chaeryeong replied, picking up a strawberry and dipping it into the chocolate. "See? Now you can eat it," she added, offering the treat to Yeji with a smile.
Yeji beamed and happily ate the strawberry Chaeryeong gave her. The two girls felt joyful that day, relieved to no longer be fighting. It's truly wonderful to make peace with someone you care about.
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YOU ARE READING
The Cat That I Love
FantasíaIn your life, have you imagined what the cat that your mother left you well became something that's hard to believe, something that's so unreal?
