Crepuscular Clocksmith

18. Printed Fortune

On Sunday morning, San returned. He sneaked into the shop quietly and with his hand on the bell so it wouldn't jingle at his entrance. Yunho and Mingi slept through it, still exhausted after their cardio last night and much too cosy to stir. Only when Yunho crawled out of their nest in the morning and found the grey cat slumbering in the sole warm spot under the morning sun, he knew he had returned.

Yunho made his way over to the bakery and bought breakfast for everyone, including San. He yawned on his way back, feeling thoroughly rested after the last night. His glow attracted the shy employee behind the bakery counter, but he dipped before she could ask for his number.

Back in the shop, he made a big pot of tea. While it boiled in its kettle, San slinked over to him to rub up against his leg. After a few pets to his ears, the shapeshifter disappeared behind a shelf and came back looking like a human. Yunho recognised the same radiance on his cheeks as his own and they shared a smug smirk.

"So," San began as he took the mismatched cups out of the cupboard under the counter.

"So," Yunho echoed.

"Everything alright? If there's anything you are afraid to address towards him or are too shy to ask, you can consult me," San offered himself. When Yunho shook his head with a grin, the cat gave him a satisfied nod. As Mingi's closest friend, it was his duty to check things were going fine.

"We communicate well with each other. Honestly, if there was anything to be worried about, I'm sure I would have noticed before I sprung into bed with him."

"That's good to hear," San grinned. "I'm happy he found someone in you. Yeosang was just always too much of an uncle for him for that to work."

Yunho remembered the matter with the eviction notice. As he poured their tea, he glanced over his shoulder, unsure if he wanted to bother Mingi about it.

"Speaking of. We received a letter yesterday that you guys are getting kicked out. Yeosang and Jongho came by and are trying to resolve the matter now." He handed San his mug, but the wide-eyed cat didn't take it.

"What about Mingi?"

"We might have a plan, but that depends on Jongho and the grandpa. Come, drink. I'll explain as much as I caught."

They ate their share of the breakfast while Yunho caught San up on the newest developments. The cat was as worried about the news of their eviction as Mingi and Yeosang had been, but Jongho's promises pacified him.

"I want to help! If Jongho gets those blueprints, we will dig out the catacombs if we need to. We will find a nice new shop, where Mingi has lots of space for his tail and doesn't need to live in the back room!" Motivated, he bit into his sandwich. Yunho couldn't agree more.

"Once the time comes, we will all work together. I hope Jongho and Yeosang can figure it out. They wanted to return with news as soon as possible." Glancing at the storefront wistfully, Yunho wiped his hands and slid from his chair. "For now, don't worry too much. We'll have to wait and see how things go."

"Either way, I'm damn glad Yeosang cosied up to Jongho. However close they are now, his initial purpose wasn't honourable, and it hurt me to watch. Now things will turn out for the better."

Yunho hummed under his breath.

"I hope so, too."

He dipped for a moment, leaving San out front to wake Mingi. Marvelling at the sight of him curled up in the blankets, Yunho drew closer, ever so adoring of the scales dusting Mingi's shoulders and the lean planes of his upper body. This time, when Yunho's body rustled in the nest, Mingi roused. He had cradled his tail in his arms, using it as a pillow. When he lifted his head, a faint imprint of his scales was left behind on his cheek.