Purrfect Pair

Pandora's Box?

Geonhak does one last lap around the store, checking each shelf to make sure every book is facing the right way and sorted correctly. He picks up a stray picture book from the cookbook section-probably a child waiting for their mother-and returns it to its proper place in the kids zone. Well, it's just a corner of the store that's jungle-themed, but it manages to entertain the kids well enough. Finally, he shuts the lights off and locks up.

He pops a piece of gum into his mouth as he makes his way to the back of the shop where the staff parking is. It's empty, since it's a lot that houses mostly shops and kiosks, so his is the only car left. He's about to turn the corner when a stray cat walks in front of his feet. Its fur is white and ruffled messily with a few clumps of dirt in it. It's probably been on the street for a while.

"Whoa there!" he stumbles to avoid the cat, "watch out, kitty." He tries to walk around it, but it does the same thing and steps in front of him. They keep going back and forth until Geonhak stops and sighs. He squats down in front of it, "What do you want, kitty?"

"Meow! Meow!" It responds and walks closer to Geonhak. Then, shockingly, it gently grips Geonhak's finger with its teeth and starts to tug it forward.

"You want me to follow you?"

"Meow!" It nods it's head.

"Ok weird that it kinda understands me..." Geonhak brushes off the thought and chalks it up to just a coincidence. He decides to follow the cat, it's not like he had plans anyway. At best, he'd go home, eat some leftovers, and pass out on the couch while watching variety shows.

The cat leads him a little further down the row of buildings. It stops at an alleyway. The only thing in it is a large dumpster and a fence blocking off the electrical panels.

"You want me to go in there?" Geonhak raises an eyebrow at the cat.

"Meow!" It responds and continues further into the alley.

"Alright I guess a cat can mug me...wouldn't be the weirdest thing that's happened to me...especially after Hwanwoong-never mind."

It stops again right past the dumpster and meows again. It nods its head to its right behind the side of the dumpster. Geonhak cautiously steps forward to get a closer look. That's when he hears it: a small pained mewl from behind the dumpster. He turns to where the cat had directed him and looks down. There's another cat equally as disheveled, but with black fur instead of white. It's curled up in an old box and whimpering in pain.

"Shit!" Geonhak drops to his knees to examine the cat. "Are you ok, kitten?" Geonhak looks the cat over, careful not to touch it in fear of hurting it more, but still thoroughly. He spots a large wound from the cat's right shoulder down to its waist. It's caked in dirt and dried blood. "Fuck, is this what you wanted to show me, kitty?" he turns back to the white cat. It meows in affirmation. "Ok, I can try to help, but I'll have to take you back to my apartment for the night. I'll take it to the vet tomorrow. Is that alright?" The cat meows again and hops in the box alongside the other cat. Geonhak bends down to pick up the box with ease and trudges his way to his car.

"Alright, Geonhak, you're just a twenty-two-year-old man carrying a box of stray kittens to your car, nothing weird to see here."

"Who am I kidding? I look like I'm catnapping these poor strays. Whatever, let's just hope the landlady doesn't question it."

Geonhak shakes his head and stops in front of his car. He places the box on the hood while he takes his keys out to unlock the door. He places the cats in the backseat and momentarily debates whether he should buckle them in or not. The white cat looks at him like he's crazy when he reaches for their seatbelt, so he decides against it. Finally, Geonhak is able to pull out of the parking lot and make his way to his apartment building.