Kai and the Cat [Completed]

Part 6: The Thief

Every week Jongin cleaned out the cat's litter box. He didn't particularly like doing it, but as Kyungsoo said, the cat was his responsibility, and even though he didn't like cats, he was still a man and real men took even the smallest responsibilities seriously.

One day, when he was cleaning the litter box in the bathroom, the cat came up to him. His hands were full, or else he would've shooed it away, but it brushed against his leg in a way that seemed almost as if it was thanking him. He blamed the instance on his overactive imagination, and soon after went to bed to sleep it off.

Over the next few weeks, the cat slowly but surely became integrated into Jongin's life. A cat bed to be put in Jongin's room was obtained from Sehun in return for a day's worth of bubble tea (only five cups), and cat toys began scattering themselves around the dorm. At first, Jongin wasn't sure what to think of the cat making itself part of the group so completely, but after watching (aka laughing at) the beagle line tripping over the cat toys, he reconsidered and even began to show affection for the cat in various ways.

After long nights of practicing the same moves over and over again, Jongin would come back too tired to even eat or change into nightwear, and the cat would jump onto his bed and purr. Sometimes he pet the cat, other times he just stared at it blankly until he fell asleep. Still, it was always nice to know someone would be there to see him.

Once, when Jongin was relaxing on their rarely used couch between schedules, the cat ran across the room in a flash and jumped straight into his lap. Baekhyun, who had been walking across the room singing loudly on his way to the kitchen, was so startled by the cat he made a strange pig noise and sprawled on the floor (See EXO-EH SHOWTAIME EPISODE 8).

As Kai laughed, stroking the cat, and Baekhyun screeched indignantly ("You bastard Kai! I bet you made it do that") and pouted ("Channie? I need a hug."), the cat just sat, curling its tail around itself, and purred satisfiedly.

*****

"Jongin, are you done with the sheet music for my new song?" Lay hyung asked.

Jongin looked at him confusedly. "What hyung? I don't know what you're talking about."

"The sheet music you took. I'm fine with you taking it, but I need it back now. And you could've asked, of course I would let you borrow it."

"Hyung, I swear I have no idea what you're talking about."

Lay looked at him sadly. "Honesty is the best policy, Jongin."

"I am being honest, I swear! Why would I take the music, I know you would let me see it if I asked."

Lay frowned at him. "I know you took it, Jongin, we have video evidence."

"Where." It wasn't a question.

Lay took him to the room he shared with Baekhyun, and Jongin saw Baekhyun and Chen sitting at a computer.

"He says he didn't take the music."

They both gave him looks, Baekhyun's was angry and accusing and Chen's was more confused than anything else. Silently, a rare feat for the two, they showed him the video.

The point of view was from a bookshelf on Baekhyun's side of the room, and glancing quickly over Jongin could spot a small camera resting on one of the shelves. It was dark, but light from the hall through the open door made it possible to see clearly. And then, Kai silently gasped.

He watched himself walk straight into the room. His hair was rumpled and his eyes was shadowed, though the rest of his face was clear. In the video he rustled around Lay's desk, before picking up the stack of music and exiting the room.

Baekhyun reached over to the mouse and paused the video.

Jongin was silent. He had no memory of taking the papers, or even entering the room in the past month (Baekhyun was extremely overprotective of his room, hence the security camera). How had this happened? It could be an elaborate prank by the beagle line, but their pranks never went as far as to hurt Lay, who was one of the kindest and gentlest members.

He could do nothing but deny the claims of his stealing. Again and again, as the other members learned of the theft and confronted him. Although he denied it with all his heart, no one believed him and he waited miserably in his room for it to blow over, with only the cat for company. He couldn't wait for this particular fight to die down, and had been losing even more sleep because of it.

And then one morning, after a night of sleep that left him more tired than he was the night before, Baekhyun burst into the room, laptop in hand, demanding he return the necklace he had stolen from Baekhyun the night before. As Jongin struggled to wake up, Baekhyun showed him the video of Jongin walking again, straight into the room, past the sleeping figures of Lay and Baekhyun, to pick up the necklace from Baekhyun's nightstand and exit the room.

After this instance, Jongin gave up denying his thefts, although he was sure he hadn't done it, and the others all had security cameras installed in their rooms. Despite the uproar caused by the mysterious thefts, the members decided to not tell their managers quite yet, as they hoped Jongin would own up and stop stealing their stuff.

As the next few weeks went by, more of their stuff was stolen, and more incriminating videos were collected. Although all the other members had cameras in their room, Kyungsoo refused to put one in their shared room, but he did place one on the kitchen shelf.

And then one night in their practice room, a loud "Thud!" sounded, and Lay gasped. 

The rest is a blur of frantic calls and sirens wailing, members pacing back and forth in the hospital waiting room, and phones spammed with notifications, fans desperately seeking to know, "Is he alright, will he be okay?", and EXO's weary hearts full of worry and guilt. 

<end of part six>