black cat | woosan ✔

12

It had only been a week since Wooyoung and San begrudgingly agreed to their "cat custody" schedule, but it felt like a strange new world to both of them. They weren't friends—far from it—but they had developed something close to a system. A fragile, unspoken arrangement.

The park, with its canopy of golden leaves and damp earth, had become neutral ground. The cat was the referee, calmly mediating between two stubborn boys who would rather gnaw off their own tongues than admit they enjoyed these odd little meetings.

On Saturday afternoon, Wooyoung arrived with treats in his pocket and a plan in mind. It was his weekend, and he was determined to make every second count. The cat would love him by the end of it—no question about it.

He found the cat curled up beneath a low tree branch, blinking lazily in the soft autumn sunlight. Wooyoung knelt down, a grin spreading across his face. "There you are, little prince." He held out a piece of tuna, which the cat eagerly sniffed before chomping down on it.

Just as Wooyoung settled in to bask in his success, a familiar voice cut through the air like nails on a chalkboard.

"Already bribing it again? Wow, desperate much."

Wooyoung groaned without turning around. "You're not supposed to be here today, San. It's my weekend."

San approached leisurely, his hands tucked into the pockets of his leather jacket. "I know. I just wanted to stop by. Make sure you weren't brainwashing the poor thing."

Wooyoung stood up, dusting off his knees. "What do you care? You've got tomorrow."

San smirked, bending down to ruffle the cat's fur. "Yeah, but tomorrow feels so far away."

The cat purred, thoroughly enjoying the attention from both boys. It arched its back, stretching luxuriously, and rubbed against San's leg. Wooyoung crossed his arms and glared.

"You know," San began, glancing up at Wooyoung, "you've got that look on your face again. The one that says 'I hate your guts.' You really need some new expressions."

"Funny. That's the only expression I have when I see you," Wooyoung snapped.

San chuckled. "Charming."

The cat, growing bored of their banter, padded over to a nearby pile of leaves and began to swat at them playfully. Both boys watched it for a moment, the tension between them softening—just a little.

"Okay, let's settle this once and for all," San said suddenly.

"Settle what?" Wooyoung asked, already bracing himself for another ridiculous argument.

San stood up straight, dusting off his hands. "Let's see who the cat likes more."

Wooyoung narrowed his eyes. "What, right now?"

"Yeah." San's grin was cocky and self-assured—the kind of grin that made Wooyoung want to punch him square in the face. "We'll both call it. See who it comes to."

Wooyoung scoffed. "You're on."

They took a few steps back from the cat, who was still playing happily in the leaves, unaware of the absurd contest about to unfold.

"Okay," San said, rolling his shoulders like an athlete warming up. "On three."

Wooyoung nodded. "One..."

"Two..."

"Three!"

"Here, kitty!" both boys called in unison, crouching slightly and patting their legs.

The cat froze mid-pounce, ears twitching at the sudden noise. It looked from San to Wooyoung, tail flicking back and forth as if weighing its options.

Wooyoung held his breath, his heart pounding in his chest. Come to me, come to me, come to me...

The cat stared for what felt like an eternity—and then, without a care in the world, it turned around and sauntered off toward a nearby bush, completely ignoring both of them.

There was a beat of silence before San burst out laughing. "Guess it doesn't like either of us, huh?"

Wooyoung groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "Unbelievable."

San shook his head, still chuckling. "At least it's consistent."

Wooyoung sighed and sat down on the bench, defeated. "This is the dumbest thing I've ever done."

San plopped down beside him, surprisingly without the usual sarcasm or snark. "Yeah. But at least it's not boring."

They sat there for a while, watching the cat prowl around the park, chasing bugs and rolling in leaves. The breeze picked up, scattering golden leaves across the path and making the trees rustle above them.

It was strange, this moment of quiet between them. Wooyoung wasn't sure what to make of it. For once, they weren't arguing or glaring or plotting against each other. They were just... existing.

"You ever think it's weird?" San asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

"What?"

"How we keep doing this. Meeting up for the cat."

Wooyoung shrugged, not sure how to answer. "Tt's not as bad as I thought it'd be."

San gave him a sideways glance, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Mm, same."

The cat, as if sensing the rare moment of peace between them, trotted back over and jumped onto the bench, curling up between them with a contented purr.

Wooyoung and San exchanged a glance—just a flicker of something that might've been understanding, or maybe acceptance.

It wasn't friendship. Not yet. But it was something.