Addicted to you | Lee Know

1

There was a loud knock on my door, jolting me from my lunch, and I sighed in annoyance. Who could be interrupting me now? I rose from my seat and approached the door, discovering my neighbor waiting on the other side. He was always so weird. He moved in a few months ago, but I never talked to him before and despite my efforts to be friendly, he wasn't answering at all, never acknowledging my greetings, not even with just a smile. Puzzled, I met his gaze.

He was rarely home, and when he was, his presence was always marked by noise. "Can I help you?" I inquired, trying to hide my irritation. "Yeah," he replied, his stare unyielding. After an awkward silence, I prodded, "Well, are you going to tell me what you want, or will you continue staring?" He tilted his head slightly, a gesture that, I must admit, added a certain charm to his demeanor, though his behavior remained vexing. "I'm going away for two weeks," he finally revealed.

"Oh, that's interesting," I responded, still perplexed. "And what exactly do you need from me?" He hesitated before requesting, "Can you look after my cats?" Arching an eyebrow, I inquired, "How many cats are we talking about?" "Three," he replied simply. "You have three cats?" I asked, amused. I hadn't pegged him as a cat person, given how rarely he was home. "They usually stay with my parents when I'm gone, but they're also on vacation. So, can you please do it?" he asked again.

Just then, my own cat dashed toward us, meowing loudly. I swiftly scooped her up before she could dart out the door—she always tried to escape. "You have a cat as well," he remarked. "Yes, I do. I can also take care of your cats. I think Elli would enjoy some company," I said to him. He smiled for the first time, revealing a surprisingly charming smile. He rummaged in his pockets, producing a treat, which he offered to Elli. She eagerly accepted it, munching happily.

He gently petted her head. "I'll bring them over this evening, okay?" he finally asked. "That's okay," I replied. He turned and slowly ascended the stairs to his apartment. "What's your name?" he called back. "Nuri," I replied simply. "Nice to meet you, Nuri. I'm Minho," he said, then disappeared upstairs.

***

Later that evening, Minho returned, carrying a large carrier emitting loud meows. I stepped aside to let him in. "Want to come in?" I offered. He nodded and entered my apartment. Elli approached, sniffing the carrier curiously as Minho set it down. One of his cats poked its head out, also curious about Elli. "They're Soonie, Doongie, and Dori," he said, awkwardly pointing toward the carrier, then handed me a bag.

"Here's their food and some toys. They usually sleep in bed with me... I don't know if you're okay with that. Should I bring their beds?" he asked uncertainly. "No, it's fine. Elli sleeps in bed with me too. They can join," I assured him. "I, uh..." he started, his ears turning red, "I also put one of my shirts in there, in case they miss me," he said. I couldn't help but smile.

He was nothing like I had imagined—kind of sweet, even if he kept a certain distance. "That's a thoughtful idea," I said. "Can I ask where you're going?" "Oh... me and my friends have a few things planned in Japan," he said. "So, you're going on vacation?" I asked. "No, it's more of a work thing... my friends are also my coworkers, I guess," he mumbled. "That sounds nice. Well, I promise to take really good care of your babies," I said, crouching down to open the carrier.

All three cats emerged, sniffing Elli and their new surroundings. "I think they like it here," Minho said, smiling. "Um, can I give you my phone number? Just in case something happens," he asked nervously. "Sure," I said, handing him my phone. "Are you leaving tonight?" I asked as he typed his number. "No, tomorrow morning, but early, like 5 am," he replied.

I bit my lip nervously. I had made too much dinner, as usual, and didn't want to eat leftovers for days. Summoning my courage, I made a suggestion. "Do you want to stay for dinner? I'm tired of eating alone... and you could spend some more time with your cats," I offered. He looked up, surprised, then seemed to consider it. "Sure," he finally said, giving me a warm smile. I felt like his cold exterior was starting to thaw.