By Zephyria “Wh-who are you?”
Yumin asked, trembling. Because the person was silhouetted against the hallway light, only their shadow was visible, and their appearance couldn’t be properly discerned. Tense and hunched over, Yumin scanned his surroundings with his eyes alone. Just as he tensed his body, ready to open the closed window and jump out if necessary, a deflating answer came.
“Oh my, there was a guest. I’m sorry.”
“Yes…?”
“I thought it was an empty room and came to clean. Look at me. The room next door is vacant.”
“Ah, yes…”
Yumin replied weakly. The cleaning lady apologized again and closed the door. The moment the door shut, Yumin slumped to the floor.
The sound of a vacuum cleaner could be heard in the distance. But his startled heart did not calm easily.
Weakened, Yumin crawled onto the bed and lay down. He had intended to eat a sandwich, but he didn’t even have the strength for that. His stomach rumbled, but Yumin ignored it and closed his eyes.
“I’m scared…”
He muttered in the quiet, empty room. The fear that Tae-jun could burst in at any moment grew larger. He couldn’t hide in a motel room forever. It was only a matter of time before Tae-jun found this place.
‘What should I do.’
Yumin exhaled deeply, asking himself questions that had no answers. The thought of eating vanished, replaced by drowsiness. Though he knew he had to run away immediately, Yumin succumbed to sleep. Tears streamed down his tightly closed eyes. He wanted to cry out loud, but he felt he shouldn’t make any noise. Yumin sobbed and surrendered to the encroaching sleep.
Yumin had a strange dream. In the dream, he was relaxing on a picnic blanket in a wide field. It was a day when a gentle breeze tickled Yumin’s cheeks and the sunlight was pleasantly warm.
He held a cold cider in his hand. Enjoying the feel of the slightly dewy can, Yumin was about to take a sip. But then it happened. Something strange caught his eye at the edge of his vision.
‘What is it?’
It was too far away to discern immediately. But as he looked closely, there weren’t one, but two strange shadows. And they were approaching him.
Yumin held his breath and stopped moving. He felt an urge to transform into a wildcat and flee. At the same time, he felt a curiosity to know their identity.
While he hesitated, the two shadows had drawn close. And only then could Yumin discern their identities.
To his surprise, a wildcat, just like Yumin, was walking towards him. It seemed to be a young one, as its body was small. And beside it, a tiger walked closely.
Yumin flinched with instinctive fear of the tiger, but fortunately, the tiger was also a cub, far from being an adult.
The two animals walked towards Yumin, one ahead of the other, taking small steps. Yumin retreated slightly. The young animals, unconcerned, hurried towards Yumin. At first, they walked lightly, then their pace quickened, and finally, they started running towards Yumin.
‘No!’
Yumin didn’t know what he meant by “no,” but he reached out his hand to stop the animals. However, the baby tiger and the baby wildcat only sped up despite Yumin’s resistance.
‘Aaaargh!’
Finally, Yumin screamed and sat up. But the young animals were faster. Before Yumin could even stand up, the tiger and the wildcat leaped into his arms. And Yumin, staggering under their weight, fell backward.
“Gasp!”
Yumin opened his eyes, panting. He was instantly back to reality, but the sensations from the dream remained vivid. He could even feel the weight, as if he had actually held the two animals.
“What was that…”
It was a dream he couldn’t understand at all. If the tiger had been chasing him, it would have made some sense, but he couldn’t understand why the wildcat had appeared.
After trying to understand the dream’s meaning for a long time, Yumin finally gave up. How important could a dream be? Perhaps his inner anxiety had manifested in the form of familiar animals.
“Hoo.”
Yumin sat up and leaned against the headboard, lost in thought. The incident with the cleaning lady bursting in and terrifying him, and the dream he had just had. Perhaps someone was sending him a warning.
To hide deeper, where no one could find him.
“Nice to meet you.”
“Ah, yes. Hello.”
Kim Ji-hoon was extremely tense. He was taken aback by the sudden call asking about a cat, but when the other party offered a reward for information, he came to the meeting place half-believing. The person sitting opposite him had such piercing eyes.
The man, Beom Tae-jun, looked younger than him, but his aura was extraordinary. Kim Ji-hoon, who had been through his share of hardships, had a gut feeling that he was not someone to be trifled with. For someone desperately searching for a cat, he exuded a dangerous aura. It was a contradictory appearance.
“You, you said you needed information…”
“That’s right. My cat was last seen in your car.”
“Yes. I did see a cat. Um, more importantly, how did you find me…?”
“I don’t think that’s important.”
He felt uneasy, but he didn’t want to press the issue. Besides, the atmosphere wasn’t conducive to it. It seemed best to just give the necessary information, collect the reward, and leave. Kim Ji-hoon cleared his throat and recounted what he had seen.
A cat had somehow gotten into his trunk without anyone noticing. When he arrived in Seoul and parked his car, it had quickly slipped out and run off. As he spoke, he wondered if such trivial information would really warrant a reward, but his business had been struggling financially lately, so he told the truth as it was.
“I see. In which direction did it run off?”
“Towards Korea University.”
“Specifically where?”
“Well… Ah, it was towards Segwang Villa.”
“Understood. Thank you.”
Kim Ji-hoon let out a sigh of relief. The man seemed lost in deep thought while Kim Ji-hoon was talking.
“Um, then the reward…?”
“Before that, one more question.”
“Wh-what is it?”
“Do you know the cat?”
“What?”
Kim Ji-hoon’s voice involuntarily rose. He immediately shook his head.
“I’ve never owned a cat. It’s a cat I don’t know.”
“Hmm, I see.”
Beom Tae-jun paused for a moment, then gestured to the man standing beside him. The man held a large bag.
“It’s a small token of my appreciation.”
“Ah, yes. Thank you.”
Kim Ji-hoon, who had expected at most an envelope of cash, was taken aback but accepted the bag. He thought the packaging was elaborate, but the contents wouldn’t be much. But the next moment, Kim Ji-hoon let out a sound close to a scream.
“Wh-what is this?”
“As I told you. It’s the reward.”
“Ah, no. But this much…”
“It’s a token of my gratitude for the crucial information you provided. Please accept it.”
Kim Ji-hoon couldn’t believe his eyes. He just stared blankly at the stacks of money filling the bag, unable to even touch them. He had no idea what was happening.
“Then, if you’ll excuse me.”
Leaving Kim Ji-hoon speechless, Tae-jun stood up. He had finally tracked him this far. There was no time to waste.
“Secretary Kim, good work. I’ll be in touch.”
“Yes, understood.”
After parting ways with his secretary at the cafe entrance, Tae-jun walked towards the school. Yumin and the driver didn’t seem to be in cahoots. However, the suspicion that Yumin had deliberately returned towards the school had not disappeared.
If so, he must have returned to retrieve something. Tae-jun thought so. To track Yumin’s next move, he needed to check the dormitory.
‘Not much longer.’
He felt a premonition that he had finally caught Yumin’s trail. From a remote pension far from Seoul back to the front of the school. It had taken time, but he had finally obtained a clue. Now, all that remained was to catch Yumin.
This time, he vowed, he would never let Yumin go again. A great obsession had grown within Tae-jun.
Tae-jun already knew Yumin’s dormitory room access code. He just hadn’t told him. Tae-jun entered the room naturally and looked around.
The room was a mess, to say the least. It looked like he had packed in a hurry, with clothes and daily necessities scattered on the floor, and signs of things being overturned everywhere. The drawers on the desk were all open, and even the mattress on the bed was askew.
“What a mess.”
Tae-jun muttered to himself and began to examine the room more closely. He was confident in his tracking abilities. It was thanks to the innate aura of a Tiger God. Just like at the pension last time, if the scent hadn’t been washed away by the rain, Tae-jun was confident he could find his target.
There was nothing unusual in the bathroom. The toiletries were neatly arranged, suggesting Yumin didn’t have the energy to worry about this. However, one thing caught his eye: a large basin placed in a corner. Its color was striking, but more importantly, the fur stuck to the basin was concerning.
A thought flashed through Tae-jun’s mind. Yumin might not know this, but as is characteristic of felines, fur contains a lot of information. It could reveal their unique scent and even their health status.
Returning to the room, he checked under the bed. Considering Yumin’s usual cleaning habits, he was sure he wouldn’t have cleaned under the bed thoroughly. And as expected, Tae-jun found clumps of fur under the bed. Strands of shed fur had rolled around and naturally formed into balls.
“As expected.”
Tae-jun smiled and held the fur ball in his hand. He felt the soft yet elastic texture of a wildcat’s fur. Bringing it closer to his nose, he smelled the scent of Kkangi. It was natural, but Tae-jun felt a thrill in his chest.
He wished he had noticed sooner, but there was nothing he could do about the past. What remained was to proceed according to his intentions. This was merely a transitional period, Tae-jun thought.
“The bus is late… I wish it would come soon, sigh.”
In a corner of the terminal waiting room, Yumin, wearing a mask and a hat, and further concealing himself with a hooded sweatshirt, waited for the bus. He checked the time every minute, but the bus didn’t seem to be coming.
Yumin’s destination was a small city in Gangwon Province. It was not far from his hometown but was secluded, with few visitors, making it perfect for hiding. His plan was to assess the situation there, hide, and then go to his hometown when the opportunity arose.
‘Good thing I didn’t give Tae-jun my home address.’
Once, Yumin had planned to take Tae-jun to his hometown and announce to his parents and relatives that this man was his wife, and that they would have healthy baby wildcats. Thinking about it now sent a shiver down his spine. Tae-jun would probably see a wildcat family gathering as a lavish buffet. And he himself would be the centerpiece of that buffet. The thought alone was terrifying.
After a long wait, the bus finally pulled into the platform. Yumin hurried onto the bus and took a seat. Fortunately, the adjacent seat was empty, which calmed his nerves. However, he didn’t feel energized. Having skipped meals and slept erratically lately, his stamina had plummeted.
There were few foods that went down easily, and sometimes he would get so drowsy while trying to go to the convenience store or supermarket that he would end up sleeping for hours. He was empty-stomached now, but the drowsiness was more painful than hunger.
The bus left Seoul and got onto the highway. Yumin rubbed his hands, which were cold with tension. Tears welled up in his eyes.
‘Tae-jun won’t be able to chase me anymore. There are plenty of other things to eat besides me, so he won’t bother chasing just me. Tae-jun, for the sake of our past affection, please spare me.’
Yumin’s eyes became moist with tears. He started to sob. Seoul was a scary and cruel place. After experiencing love and betrayal at high speed in such a short time, he was fed up.
‘If I had known this pain was love, I would never have started.’
It was his own fault for falling for Tae-jun at first sight. He was paying the price for being mesmerized by his handsome face, sexy physique, and cold gaze.
Yumin’s sobbing soon became intense. Banging his forehead against the cold window, Yumin endlessly blamed himself. The person sitting in the back seat stared at Yumin strangely, but he didn’t notice. Finally, covered in tears and snot, Yumin fell asleep from exhaustion.
“We will be stopping at a rest area. Ten minutes break.”
As the bus stopped, people busily disembarked. Yumin rubbed his sleepy eyes and stretched. After a refreshing yawn, he got off the bus and headed straight for the convenience store at the rest area.
“Wow, Sotteok Sotteok. Two, please.”
“Here you go.”
“Thank you.”
Yumin held the skewers in both hands, taking bites alternately. The taste of the rice cakes and sausage filling his mouth was exquisite. Eating food that stimulated his appetite after so long instantly improved his mood. After quickly devouring the two skewers, Yumin checked the time and bought several snacks from the store.
He shopped with his hands full: freshly baked bread with cream, roasted baby potatoes, cold water, and drinks. He smiled contentedly for the first time in a while. Today, unlike yesterday, his appetite had returned, and his condition was slightly better. While in Seoul, his body had been unwell due to stress, but now that he had escaped to a safe place, his condition seemed to be improving on its own.
“Ah, this is great. Let’s eat, let’s eat!”
Back on the bus, Yumin ate his snacks without sleeping. Fortunately, the beautiful scenery of the East Sea unfolded outside the window, making it feel like a refreshing drive. Seeing the white sandy beaches and the sea, he realized he had already entered Gangwon Province, and Yumin’s heart pounded with excitement.
The bus stopped at a small terminal, arriving at the scheduled time. Yumin slung his bag over his shoulder and retied his shoelaces. Just as he was about to get up, suddenly, there was a commotion of footsteps, and men in black clothes boarded the bus. They were burly and wore sunglasses, looking like gangsters.
“What is this?”
Yumin flinched at the sudden intrusion. The other passengers murmured, wondering who these people were. Why would a group of gangsters board an ordinary express bus? Unless they were here to throw someone into the water…
“Wait a minute!”
Goosebumps rose on Yumin’s arms. Just as he was wondering, a familiar figure boarded the bus. He scanned the passengers with sharp eyes, and it was Tae-jun. Yumin ducked his head like a mole in a whack-a-mole game.
‘What happened? How did Tae-jun know to come here? He must have come looking for me!’