Catalyst

Part 4

After loading the dishwasher, Jimin grabbed the dish soap from the cabinet under the sink and began washing the frying pan. How long was I unconscious? Did he go through every drawer and cabinet in the kitchen? What else did he go through while I was out cold?  

"Is that your only question?"Jimin glanced at me standing at the edge of the linoleum floor. "I tell you that I can change my physical form into animals because of genetic testing done at Kronos, and you're only curious about whether or not you yelled at me while I was  squirrel?" 

I had plenty of questions. In fact, I had all of the questions. But I didn't know where to start. 

"By the way, who hates squirrels? They're adorable."

"Squirrels are just fluffy-tailed rats," I muttered to myself, but Jimin heard and chuckled. 

I grabbed the dish towel from the fridge door handle and stood next to Jimin. He handed me the clean frying pan after rinsing it. 

"Okay. I understand that you are looking for someone to help you, and that you probably can't go to your friends and family because Kronos is probably watching them, right?"

"My family is in Korea, but I do have friends here and I don't want to risk their safety," Jimin nodded. "Not that I'm willing to risk your safety, it's just that we have no connection, so there is no reason for Kronos to look for me here."

Jimin took the frying pan from me and put it back in the oven drawer. Cat-Jimin was in my bedroom, did he go through my dresser drawers, too? 

"Why do you need help, Jimin? Am I right in assuming you escaped? Why don't you just transform or whatever into a different person? Is this even what you actually look like? Do you need help getting out of the city? Or out of the country? Have you thought about Malta? They don't have an extradition treaty with the US, so-"

"Whoa! Stop! Too much!" Jimin motioned for me to follow him into the living room. We sat at opposite ends of the couch, facing each other. 

Jimin was silent for a minute while he gathered his thoughts. 

"Right. Okay. This..." he gestured to himself, "is what I look like. I cannot change to look like a different person. Only animals."

"You can't even make yourself a little taller?"

"No." He glared at me and pouted cutely. "I tried."

"So, you're from South Korea, how did you end up at Kronos Tech?"

"I'm a grad student at the university. I'm studying evolutionary biology and was doing an internship at Kronos. It was tied in with my thesis study."

Jimin sighed and let himself relax, sliding down into a reclining position on his end of the couch. 

"About month ago, I was working late in the lab, and there was some kind of breach. The lab I was in went into lock down and I was quarantined. Scientists in hazmat suits gave me a check up and took some blood. They said it was mild radiation poisoning from a piece of equipment that had malfunctioned. They wanted me to stay there while I recovered.

"They gave me some injections, said it was Prussian Blue, but I know now that it wasn't." Jimin closed his eyes. "They started testing a couple days later." 

Jimin remained silent. I stood up and walked to the linen closet in the hallway. I grabbed a large fleece blanket, and sat back down on the couch, spreading the blanket over both of us.  

"So, what is your plan?"

Rubbing his face with his hands, Jimin sighed. "I'm still trying to figure that out."

We sat there, staring at each other in silence. 

The more I looked at him, the more I realized how handsome he was. His face was innocent, but his demeanor was anything but. And those plump lips...

I shook my head, trying to remove those thoughts. He was an intruder. A crazy intruder with a crazier story. Sure, his eyes had changed into those of a cat, and he grew long, cat whiskers, but I had possible head trauma. There was a solid chance I was in shock. People can't just change into animals. That just doesn't happen.  

Jimin seemed to read my mind, "You still don't believe me, do you?"

"It's a lot to take in," I admitted. 

He gave me a weak smile and nodded knowingly. "I know. I wouldn't believe me either." 

"Question."

"Go ahead."

"If you changed from a cat into a human, how are you wearing clothes?"

Jimin's eyes all but disappeared as a wide smile spread across his face, his head tipping back with laughter. 

I didn't see what was so amusing. "I think it's  a valid question."

"It's totally valid." Wiping tears from his cheeks, Jimin's laughter subsided. "I have no idea. But I'm glad that it happened, because this would be way more awkward if I weren't fully clothed."