It All Started With A Creepy Mail ⚊ Yang Jungwon [#4]

✗ thirty seven ✗

⚊ chapter thirty seven

It was probably the most absurd scene I’d ever been a part of—and that’s saying something, considering I was best friends with Minji and Ni-ki.

The moment we arrived at the new cat café, Meow!, Minji was quick to jump out of her beat-up car, and I followed, glancing over my shoulder as Ni-ki tried coaxing Jungwon to come out.

And when coaxing didn’t work, he moved on to outright commanding, his voice echoing across the quiet street as he repeated, “Come on, Wonwon! Get out of the car!”

But Jungwon just stayed put, his arms crossed, practically fused to the seat like a cat who didn’t want to visit the vet.

I tried not to laugh, but Minji was already giggling beside me, nudging me with her elbow.

“Look at him,” she whispered, eyes twinkling with delight. “Who knew Mr. Cool Kitty would be so skittish about a cat café?”

I shrugged, but a smile tugged at my lips. The whole situation was honestly too hilarious for words.

“Lian, go on inside!” Minji encouraged, waving me forward as Ni-ki leaned into the car again to keep pestering Jungwon.

I figured I’d let them have their fun, so I pushed the café door open, stepping into a cozy wonderland of purring, meowing, and soft fur.

Immediately, cats of all shapes and breeds greeted me. A fluffy Persian lounged on a nearby cushion, a sleek Siamese slinked around the front counter, and a small, plump British Shorthair trotted right up to me, eyeing me with a curious expression.

I was just about to kneel and give it a friendly scratch behind the ears when a series of loud scuffles and shrieks from outside caught my attention.

Turning back to the door, I couldn’t help but laugh at the chaotic sight. Minji and Ni-ki were fully engaged in what looked like a wrestling match with Jungwon. He was clinging to the edge of the car door for dear life, one foot firmly planted on the ground and the other still inside, as if the car itself was his last defense.

His eyes, wide with betrayal, were shooting absolute daggers at Ni-ki, and his usually cool composure was gone.

“Jungwon hyung, for the last time, let go!” Ni-ki grunted, his voice muffled as he tried to peel Jungwon’s fingers off the door frame.

Minji, halfway laughing and halfway shrieking, yelled, “Not the car, Jungwon! You’re going to break the handle!”

Jungwon shot them both a desperate, furious glare as they tugged him forward, his knuckles turning white from the grip he had on the door.

It was like watching a cat get dragged out of hiding, every part of him resisting with a stubbornness I hadn’t seen before. For someone who was always so composed, Jungwon looked about one step away from a full meltdown.

I couldn’t stop the grin spreading across my face. I didn’t know what I found more amusing—the fact that Ni-ki and Minji were basically manhandling him into the café, or the fact that Jungwon, in his terror, reminded me of a reluctant kitten facing its first trip to the vet.

All that confidence he usually had? It was nowhere to be seen.

I watched as, inch by inch, they pried him away from the car and practically hauled him toward the café entrance, his fingers slowly losing their grip. Jungwon gave one last dramatic sigh as they finally got him inside, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else in the world.

The doorbell chimed as they dragged him through the door, and I waved at him, trying my best to hide my amusement.

“Hey, Wonwon,” I greeted, my voice as casual as I could manage, though the corners of my mouth were definitely twitching.