So Sweet And So Bitter

XIV.

> Wonwoo <

After reading Mingyu's note saying he's gone grocery shopping, I find myself glued to the bed, my body tangled in sheets that carry Mingyu's scent. I find it hard to understand myself, being so clingy doesn't suit me, and filling my lungs with his scent doesn't suit me, but his presence keeps my mind at ease somehow. He simply carries a positive and comforting energy that's so difficult to ignore. I roll over on the bed, feeling stupid and a hypocrite.

My room needs cleaning so I end the flow of useless thoughts that threaten to crowd my mind. I find detergent and a mop waiting in my room, probably placed there for later by Mingyu, so I start.

It seems harder than how I remember it to be and I can't help but wonder if it would have changed anything if I had helped mom at home, with the cleaning and the cooking, maybe her body wouldn't have failed her so early. It's been almost ten days and I still see her in most of the things I do, it's hard not to but I'm working on it, I just need time.

As I'm finishing I hear the front door open, so I go in the living room to find Mingyu enter the apartment, a box with a couple of holes in his hands.

"Hi" His voice is soft as he takes off the scarf my mother knitted him. "I brought you something"

I scrunch my eyebrows, what can he possibly bring that is not food after going out for shopping? He places the box on the ground and looks up at me smiling. "Are you ready?"

I nod in anticipation and he opens the box. A brown kitten with a round face jumps from inside, looks around confused, and starts scratching the corners of the paper box. My mouth opens in shock, I touch the little creature as it plays around and its fur is soft and shiny. 

"What's its name?" I ask as I take it in my arms, Mingyu comes closer and starts petting it.

"I haven't thought about it yet" He watches me apologetically. "What would you like to call it?"

"Me?" I look up in confusion, and he nods. "I wouldn't know, but, where did you get it?"

"Oh, uhm, my friend gave it to me, his cat birthed eight kittens."

"And he just gave you one?" I eye him suspiciously as he crouches down as well, the cat, which is now in my embrace plays with Mingyu's fingers.

"Yeah" He says shrugging. "And now we've got a new friend" He smiles at the brown cat.

I continue playing with the cat as Mingyu makes lunch, I notice he bought food for it so I feed it. Maybe feeding it wasn't such a good idea, since it starts to jump on the sofa and I can't keep up with its energetic movements, running around I try to chase it. 

"Got you!" Its little body fits between my hands and its round eyes look at me, the pupils dilating. "I'm gonna eat you" It starts to bite at my finger.

"Kuki, Fifi, Fiki..." I try to call it names to see if one fits. "Ruki, Noki,... Loki!" It meows and my mouth opens. "Do you like Loki?" I say not recognizing the sound of my voice, but it simply walks away, ignoring me. I'll just call it Loki for now.

"Loki! Come here!" I try to make some noise with my mouth but it doesn't work.

"You named it Loki?" Mingyu sits on the sofa, smiling at the cat walking in the TV's direction.