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You'd been staying at Lee Know's apartment for weeks now, taking care of Soonie, Doongie, and Dori while he was on tour. It was a responsibility you didn't take lightly, knowing how much those three cats meant to him. You loved them too, of course, but you were starting to miss Lee Know more than you'd anticipated. The daily phone calls and texts weren't enough. You missed having him around, the way he'd tease you, his comforting presence, and how he'd wrap you up in his arms whenever you were together.
Finally, the day of his return had come. You paced the living room, checking the clock every few minutes, trying to calm the butterflies in your stomach. The cats seemed to pick up on your anticipation; they were unusually restless, their eyes glued to the door just like yours.
When you finally heard the jingle of keys at the door, your heart skipped a beat. The door swung open, and there he was—Lee Know, a bit tired-looking but smiling brightly the moment he saw you.
"Welcome back!" you exclaimed, rushing over to him, your excitement bubbling over.
Before Lee Know could respond, the cats were all over him, meowing loudly and rubbing up against his legs, eager for his attention. He chuckled, immediately crouching down to greet them, his hands running through their fur as he cooed at them.
"Hey, my babies," he murmured, kissing the top of each cat's head. "I missed you guys so much."
You stood there, smiling at the scene, but after a moment, you felt a little pang of jealousy. You'd been so excited to see him, and here he was, all wrapped up in his reunion with the cats. He hadn't even given you more than a quick hello before diving straight into cuddles with them.
Trying to hide your pout, you stood there with your arms crossed, waiting for him to notice. It took a little while—Soonie, Doongie, and Dori were pretty demanding—but eventually, Lee Know glanced up and saw your expression. His eyes widened slightly, and a soft smile tugged at his lips.
"Ah, don't pout," he said, quickly standing up and making his way over to you. "I didn't forget about you."
You tried to keep up the pout, but it crumbled the moment he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you close. "You didn't?" you mumbled, sounding a little sulky despite yourself.
He laughed softly, brushing a stray hair behind your ear. "Of course not," he murmured, his voice warm and affectionate. "I missed you just as much as I missed them."
You looked up at him, your pout slowly turning into a smile. "Really?" you asked softly.
Lee Know's smile widened, and he leaned down to press a soft kiss to your forehead. "Really. Maybe even a little more," he confirmed, his hands cupping your cheeks as he pulled you into a sweet, lingering kiss. His lips moved gently against yours, filled with all the affection and longing that had built up over the time he'd been away.
When he pulled back, he rested his forehead against yours, his eyes filled with warmth. "Sorry I got a little carried away with the cats," he said, his voice full of playful guilt. "But you know how it is—they're my babies."
You couldn't help but smile, feeling the last of your jealousy melt away. "I know," you replied softly, your hands resting on his chest. "I guess I can't blame you for that."
He chuckled, giving you a playful squeeze. "Besides," he added, leaning in closer, his voice dropping to a teasing whisper, "you're their mom, remember? So it's only natural that I miss you both."
You laughed, rolling your eyes at his playful tone. "I guess that makes me a cat mom now, huh?" you teased, poking him lightly in the chest.
Lee Know grinned, nodding with a playful glint in his eyes. "Absolutely," he said, his tone mock-serious. "And as their mom, you deserve even more kisses and cuddles as they do."
He didn't give you a chance to respond before he leaned in and kissed you again, this time more deeply, his lips moving against yours with a tenderness that made your heart swell. His arms wrapped around you tighter, pulling you flush against him as he poured all the affection he'd missed showing you into the kiss.
When he finally pulled back, his eyes were soft as he looked at you, his thumb gently brushing your cheek. "You're okay, though, right? While I was gone?"
You nodded, smiling up at him. "Yeah, I'm okay," you replied softly. "But it wasn't the same without you here."
He gave you a small, understanding nod, his gaze full of unspoken emotions. "I know," he said quietly. "It wasn't the same for me either."
You both stayed like that for a moment, just holding each other, letting the world around you fade away. The cats eventually settled down around you, content now that their dad was home.
After a while, Lee Know guided you over to the couch, sitting down and pulling you into his lap. You curled up against him, feeling completely at ease as he wrapped his arms around you, his fingers playing with the ends of your hair.
"So, what did my babies get up to while I was gone?" he asked, his voice light and teasing as he glanced down at the cats.
You laughed, resting your head against his chest. "Oh, you know, the usual—sleeping, eating, demanding attention... I think Soonie might have tried to take over the world at one point, but I managed to stop him."
Lee Know chuckled, shaking his head. "Sounds about right," he said with a grin.
There was a comfortable silence between you as you both relaxed, the warmth of his embrace making you feel completely at home. The stress and loneliness of the past few weeks melted away, replaced by the simple joy of being together again.
As the evening wore on, you found yourself drifting off, lulled by the steady beat of Lee Know's heart and the soft purring of the cats around you. Lee Know held you close, his hand gently brushing through your hair as he whispered sweet words that made your heart flutter.
"I'm really glad to be home," he murmured, his voice soft and full of sincerity.
You smiled, your eyes closing as you snuggled closer to him. "I'm glad you're home too," you whispered back.
And as you drifted off to sleep in his arms, you knew that no matter what, you and Lee Know—and his beloved cats—would always be home to each other.
