UNFORGIVEN (FORSAKEN #1)

tangled emotions

Our eyes immediately lock together, and I feel a surge of emotions in my chest - a blend of fear and excitement. I quickly look away, trying to regain control. Suddenly, the kitty walks between my legs and lets out a soft meow.

I crouch down, gently place my hand on the kitty's head, and stroke it. The kitty relishes the attention, closes its eyes, and purrs contently as it leans into my touch. For a moment, it feels as if the world fades away, leaving just me and the kitty.

But then, out of the corner of my eye, I see Jaeyun walking towards me. My heart starts racing with nervousness. Ignoring his overwhelming presence, he crouches beside me. The kitty looks up at him with curiosity. Jaeyun hesitates for a moment but then reaches out his hand and the kitty immediately goes to him.

I glance at the clear bag on Jaeyun's arm and notice two tuna cans and a small water bottle. He places the bag on the ground and pets the kitty while taking out one of the cans and offering it to the kitty.

I rest my head on my knees, watching as Jaeyun interacts with the kitty. His hands move slowly and carefully over its fur, and his face lights up with adoration as he watches it eat.

I feel a rush of warmth inside me, transfixed by what I see. Suddenly, the memory of that kiss invades my mind, making my stomach churn. I gasp and quickly cover my mouth with my hand. Ugh, what the hell is wrong with me? Like, seriously, why do I have to go back to that ... that kiss?

Suddenly, Jaeyun's voice breaks the silence, taking me by surprise. "Her name is Kang," he says, seemingly out of nowhere. Instinctively, I turn my head towards him, wondering what he means.

"Huh?" I ask, slightly confused. Then it dawns on me – he must be talking about the kitty. "Oh. That's a cute name. Did you give it to her?"

Jaeyun doesn't say anything for a moment, his eyes lost in thought. My stomach begins to knot up with anticipation. Just as I'm about to ask him again, he finally responds, causing my heart to skip a beat. "Yeah," he replies, his voice soft and quiet.

The only sound that fills the awkward silence between Jaeyun and me is Kang munching on her food. I try to think of something to say, but my mind goes blank. Instead, I find myself just staring at Jaeyun, taking in every inch of him as he watches Kang eat with an adoring smile on his face.

My eyes trace the curve of his lips and the angle of his jawline, and I feel a sudden urge to capture the moment. I want to take a photo, to freeze this moment in time and hold onto it forever.

"I can feel you staring at me."

Embarrassment floods my cheeks at being caught. My words stumble and I hurry to apologise, feeling flustered. "Oh, um ... sorry," I manage to mutter. I clear my throat and slowly let my hand move over Kang's fur, feeling the gentle vibrations that run through her body as she eats.

Trying to shift the conversation, my hand gently trails down her body, reaching the base of her tail. But before I can say anything, Kang scratches the side of my hand with her tiny claws. I flinch away in pain, holding my hand to my chest. Jaeyun's eyes widen, and he immediately grabs my wrist to examine the small wound.

Taking out a tissue from the bag, he gently presses it against my skin to stop the bleeding. "Silly girl," he scolds me softly, "never touch a cat by its tail. They're sensitive to it." I wince in pain, realising my mistake. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I say, just as he lifts his gaze and our eyes lock. "I'm okay." My heart skips a beat as we stare at each other. There's something about his eyes that's both intimidating and mesmerising. At that moment, I felt completely lost, just like before. Everything fades away, no vision, no pain, just nothing.

"Kazu."

One word. One syllable.

I almost sprained my wrist in my rush to distance myself from Jaeyun. I stand up and startle Kang in the process. She meows and hides behind Jaehyun. When I turn around, I find Sunghoon waiting for me. He looks visibly annoyed as if he could snap Jaeyun's neck.

Without thinking twice, I rush to Sunghoon, and he grabs my injured hand, causing me to wince. We leave the garden without saying a word. I quickly glance back and notice Jaeyun gently petting Kang's head, a slight frown on his face.