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Something was wrong. Was he drugged? He felt cold and wet. Was he outside? He smelled old garbage and chemicals used to keep bugs away. eyes refused to open at first, but he forced them. He was outside and level with the ground. something was wrong. Everything looked like it was too big, too tall. Not a sight he was used too.
Maybe he was drugged.
He tied to get his limbs to work but they left like they didn’t belong to him. the world was too big and slightly hazy. He had to be drugged with something. the second he finds who did it, he was going to tear them apart and sue the pieces.
He bet he looked a mess. He would have to watch the tabloids and news to make sure there weren’t any pictures. But first he needed to get to the hospital and find out what they gave him. he cursed out loud but the noise he made wasn’t human. He tried to reach up to his throat, but his limb wouldn’t move the way it should.
He looked at it. black, furry, claws. What kind of trip was he on? again he called out and the noise was familiar. “meow.” Why? How?! This is not possible!
He finally figured out how to get up on his paws. He turned and saw his body and tail. He was a black cat. If this was really happening, he was in big trouble. Black cats were bad omens and bad luck bringers. He read that they were killed outright for existing.
Jaekyung bit down on his paw herd enough to hurt. A last-ditch effort to wake from this. pain made him stop. This is not a dream and no matter how impossible it was, here he was. a small black cat, closer to a kitten in a dirty alley.
He sat down on the cold ground, trying to think. The last thing he remembered was taking bags to a very older lady’s car. His secret weakness. He liked the elderly, especially older women. She said some strange things to him. ‘have you ever had someone love you for you? not for what you can do or have?’ ‘you deserve someone like that.’ ‘maybe someone a little older with strong emotional intelligence and work ethic.’ her face was blurred every time he tried to think of it.
It was strange but that didn’t answer how he turned into a cat. Now he wondered if that really happened or not.
He could worry about that later. he had to fix this or bare minimum, get somewhere safe. He stood on all four paws and tried to move. It didn’t work like one would think. It took a few times walking back and forth to understand how this body moves.
His hazy like vision didn’t improve but his night vision was amazing. The colors were muted but he could see everything even in the pitch darkness.
He smelled something strange before he felt pressure on the back on his neck in a hard pinch. His body curled in on itself as he was picked up none-to-gently. He couldn’t uncurl, he could barely breathe. “bad luck flea bag. You dare try and spread your curses here.”
He was thrown against the wall of the building hard. Pain laced up his new body, but he saw the foot coming down. he used every ounce of training to move and run a Second before the foot came down. “you are not getting away!” Jaekyung run into the street, avoiding other’s feet. where again he got kicked and yelled at. He got a foot clipped under his belly and he got vaulted into another alleyway. With the psychopath behind him, he ran and hide under a trash piled dumpster.
He wasn’t a runaway from danger type after he got over six feet tall. He wondered if it was animal instinct because he didn’t think about it. here he was under a dumpster between smelly trash bags with a deranged man poking around with a stick. Intending to kill him for being a black cat.
“hey!” a new voice rang out. “you put holes in the trash bags again. I will beat you into next week!”
“I got a creature from hell trapped here. You should be thanking me.”
“I’m sure it bolted a while ago and you missed it. look at the trail. It will crawl off and die somewhere. now out of the trash before I call the police . . . again.” Jaekyung tuned the rest of that out as he recovered from the wall throw and kick from earlier. the pain slowly coming in now. it really put things in focus.
He been a cat for five minutes and already someone tried to kill him. even his father didn’t try to kill him, just beat him unconscious until he got strong enough to fight back. Then he just threw things at him or hit him with bottles from his last drinking binge.
The smell of blood was strong and getting stronger. He turned his head and saw he was bleeding on his side. It was more than a scrape as it was dripping to the ground.
he was getting cold.
After all that work, all the pain and suffering, then finally getting somewhere. was this how he was going to die? Bleeding to death in an alley under a dumpster in a body that wasn’t his. What a joke.
His body wouldn’t move and he couldn’t make it. the last thing he heard before the blackness came was a loud scaping of metal noise.
X)(X
Warm. Heavy. Eyes opened to see he was in a . . . house? apartment? Studio? Dorm room? Where was he? He was wrapped in a thin blanket and on a matt on the floor. “oh. You’re awake.” The voice was calm and sounded happy about that.
A man sat down. lighter brown hair, big honey-colored eyes, thin and wiry frame. He was the cutest thing he ever seen before. “you had me worried there for a bit. especially when the vet wouldn’t.” he took a breath. “‘waste resources on a homeless stray.’” Dan said mocking the tone of the heartless vet. “vets are supposed to love animals, but I think they secretly hate them sometimes.” If he ever got back into his body, he was going to buy that vet’s office, just to fire him. “lucky for you I had a suture kit I had to get for wound care class.”
Jaekyung flinched at the hand but calmed down where fingers rubbed and lightly scratched behind his ear. This cat body nearly melted at the perfect touch. “lucky you that my instructor taught us to put in stitches instead of just taking them out.” This guy was talkative. Normally that would be annoying, but his voice was soothing. Like someone reading bedtime stories kind of soothing.
The sound of heavy rain hit the roof of this place. the man stopped petting him and went to a bucket in the corner before stopping at the edge of the mats they were on. he waited for a moment before the roof started to drip right where he was standing. “knew it was somewhere around here.” He put the bucket down and let the water drip into it. “hungry?” the man asked suddenly. “I don’t have much, but I don’t mind sharing.”
Jaekyung watched as the man took out a can of tuna from the cupboard and divided it on two small, mismatched, and chipped plates. Jaekyung noticed him cutting through a very hard piece of bread too. stale for a couple of days.
He has very little and he was willing to share. People like this shouldn’t suffer.
His own thoughts startle him, but he meant it. if he returns to his body, he will set this guy up for helping him in his worst moments. And possibly wreak the other guy’s life. “here you go. eat well.” The man sat down on the other mat across from him and ate tuna on the overly stale bread.
A poor man’s meal.
The man chatted some more. like he was talking to a human. In a way he was but he couldn’t talk back. He talked about his jobs, how he got fired due to the warden of the hospital and his unwanted sexual advances, about his grandmother that raised him was in the hospital with a cancerous brain tumor, and then about the loan sharks that were growing more aggressive by the day. “I mean why beat someone up like that, you know? I can’t work beaten up like that in two of my jobs. It’s like they want me not to be able to pay.”
Jaekyung’s ate mindlessly as he listened to him. the cat part of him loved the taste of the tuna but the human side recognized it as the cheap stuff. “it’s raining and mister Moo never comes when it rains, so we are safe tonight. but he’ll be in two days. I got to find you a place or home before then. If they find you here, they will kill you because it will hurt me.” The man yawned. “excuse me. Just got off a twelve hour shift two hours ago. And I got morning shift as the restaurant. I need to wash up, clean up, brush my teeth, and get some sleep.”
Jaekyung watched as the man cleaned the empty plates, washed himself fully with the basin on the floor of the bathroom. Noting that he was too skinny even for a non-athletic build. Seeing what he had to eat, that wasn’t surprising.
Dan put a card box with a plastic bag on the room and a bowl of water by his new friend before setting down on his mat. Jaekyung realized he gave him his only blanket. It was the middle of winter, and this place was a little drafty.
Jaekyung wriggled out of the blanket and tucked himself against the man’s side. “oh? Okay that works.” He reached over and got the blanket and throw it over them. “goodnight mister kitty.” Jaekyung would have rolled his eyes if he could.
***
Heavy loud pounding startled them both awake. Jaekyung both amazed and pissed that he was asleep. Amazed he got there and pissed he was woken up so violently. “Open up dan!”
“no. no. no. no.” the man whose name was Dan said like a chant. “They aren’t supposed to be here today.” Dan grabbed the box, bowl, and the cat and ran to the bathroom. The pounding got louder. “please if you can understand me just once. Please don’t make a sound, no matter what you hear.” The voices got louder and dan ran out of the room and closed the door.
Jaekyung could hear everything through the thin walls. “took you long enough.” The gruff voice said in a weird playful way. A way he didn’t like.
“e-exhaustion sleep. I-It’s a little disorienting when you wake up suddenly.” Jaekyung could barely hear dan’s voice compared to the other man’s voice.
“sure. sure. I know you work so hard.” The voice was placating and almost mocking. “I know it’s not pay day.” he changed his voice’s tone. “you two, stay outside. Dan and I need a moment alone.”
“yes, boss.” Two voices called out and the door slammed shut. Jaekyung smelled something in the air that causes his fur to stand on end. He didn’t like it.
“so, you thought about my offer? I can make the debt disappear. All you have to do is be mine. When I want, wherever I want.”
“I-I-I apricate your offer b-but I’m not ready or into that kind of thing.” Jaekyung heard the door get pushed into. Like someone backed into it.
“Soon you won’t have a choice. Something big is in the works and they need capital. So, either me or a brothel. You have maybe a month to decide.”
Jaekyung heard the front door close, and the bathroom door opened. Dan closed the door again and slid down it. tears were going down his face, and his complexion was pale as the moon. Jaekyung slowly approached him and ended up circling into his lap. He didn’t know how, but he started purring. “t-they want to turn me into a whore. I . . never . . . I don’t . . .” tears choked his voice and Jaekyung felt himself purr harder.
Dan didn’t sleep anymore that night. either did Jaekyung.
X)(X
Dan was pacing the floor with the kitty in his arms like a child with a safety blanket. It was an hour before his shift. He almost called off, what was the point if they were going to do that? there was no way he could earn four hundred million won in a couple of weeks. If he had that long. “I have to go to work.” He needed some normalcy. He needs to not think about it a few hours. There had to be a way. He was just too worked up to find it. “need to find a placement for you. I got lucky last night, and you didn’t cry out.” Dan looked sick to his stomach. “Mr. Moo doesn’t like cats.”
He finally put Jaekyung down and got a plate and his last can of tuna out of the cupboard. He scooped out half of it and pick it next to the bowl with the water in it. “I’m going to head out now. the walk might help clear my head.” Jaekyung heard Dan say ‘Please be safe’ under his breath as he put on his shoes. “be good mister kitty.” The door shut behind him leaving Jaekyung alone in the two-room studio.
Jaekyung out of pure boredom looked around, checking out the few things here. Like the wardrobe. It was pretty in an understated kind of way. All it has was a few changes of clothes. White t-shirts, another pair of jeans, a night shirt and shorts. Not much of a selection. He closed it and explored some more.
He found medical books. Dan had a suture kit, so he was a nurse or something. so, it made sense. He knocked the small stack over and read the titles. Orthopedic Physical Assessment, Kinesiology of the Musculoskeletal System, Neuroscience: Fundamentals for Rehabilitation, Primary Care for the Physical Therapist.
Not a nurse, tech, or a doctor. He’s a P.T. Jaekyung thought. That works out perfectly. The case against the hospital would take time but he could give him the job right away. if he was good enough for Soeul’s university hospital, he had to be good. couldn’t be worse than the guy they have now. he only kept him as he was busy with the new match coming up.
There wasn’t much else to do so he started reading. Kinesiology of the musculoskeletal system was kind of a hit. The study of movement the book covered really called to him.
X)(X
Hours passed. Most the day as it was getting dark before Dan came back with a small bag. He looked like he been crying. Slowly he crossed the floor and sat on the mat. He opened the bag and dumped it out without care. Honey yogurt, pouches of better-quality tuna, a bottle soju, and a pack of cigarettes. “no point in saving anymore. I’m screwed.” He winced. “didn’t mean to make a pun.”
Dan reached for the soju, but Jaekyung moved faster and blocked his hand with his body. Dan’s chest heaved and he picked him up and cuddled him to his chest. “I am so sorry. I tried . . . I talked to so many places and none of them have openings for you. some said I should just let you fend for yourself on the streets or poison you to save you from being killed outright.”
Dan was crying openly now. “And I will be turned into a whore at the underground brothel or be mister Moo’s property. I don’t know which one is worse. I rather have my organs removed. At least I would be knocked out and never wake up again.” he hugged Jaekyung tighter, Jaekyung had to resist the urge to scratch as he was hugged too tight for this little body. “I can’t even kill myself or they will go after grandma. They would do it too. they are petty.” Again, Jaekyung found himself purring again still not sure how he was doing it.
Dan took a while to calm down, and he opened the tuna pouch. He put half on the plate for his furry friend before getting up to use the rest of the hard bread. “I should make plans for grandma. I can’t tell her. she would tell me to run. but if I do . . . . what they will do to her . . . I couldn’t live with myself.” Jaekyung cursed whatever changed him. five minutes as a human with a phone and he could fix all this.
Dan savored the yogurt cup he splurged on. he even used the fold top and fashioned it into a spoon, so he didn’t have to get back on and get one. if he had one.
he smiled a soft simple smile as he ate. Jaekyung never seen someone so happy about a yogurt cup before. it did things he couldn’t name to him.
Jaekyung didn’t want to but enjoyed being pet hind the ears. It had to be a cat thing as he would hate that as a human. “too bad you weren’t born in Japan. You are good luck there or so I read.” Jaekyung found the trivia interesting for a moment as he started to close his eyes. this cat body could sleep so much easier than his human body. The only plus in this situation.
The door busted down with a sound like thunder. Dan whipped around seeing the loan sharks from last night. they were back but it was different. “change of plans. You are mine and you start tonight.” Jaekyung hissed loudly, back arched like a witch’s cat. The man moved faster than he looked like he could.
Dan was grabbed before he could stand and forced him to the ground with his arms twisted behind his back and thick tape over his mouth. Mr. Moo swiped at the cat and Jaekyung clawed his hand badly. He yelled out in pain. “I hate stupid cats! Kill it!” the goons tried to stomp on him, but Jaekyung was too quick even in cat form. Claws cutting uncovered flesh he could reach. “do I have to everything myself?!” Jaekyung got scuffed by the neck again and tossed hard and enough to kill or permanently damage him on impact.
The sun was completely down and Jaekyung suddenly got much heavier and his body dropped into a crouch on the floor. Everyone watched with wide eyes as Jaekyung stood in his true six foot four, heavily muscled form. “about damn time.” He said as he rushed in fast and punched the heavy one and the two-tone haired one. bones crushed under the force. Power he held back even in the ring.
Mr. Moo put his arm around dan’s neck to use him as a shield, but he was too slow. The arm didn’t tighten; it fell limp. Dan’s pinned arms were released and the heavy weight from Mr. Moo was thrown to the side. Dan sat up on his knees as he peeled off the thick tape.
Jaekyung kneeled how in front of him, looking him over. “you alright?”
Dan’s eyes were glassy. He wasn’t upset or panicked. He was cold numb. “n-nothing a few self-treatments wouldn’t fix.” Dan said rolling his shoulder a little. “that really happened right? they didn’t like . . . gave me something and this is my dying dream?” was he on a make-shift operating table right now? or did the cat turn into a giant but naked man that looked slightly familiar?
“I transformed into a cat and turned back into a human. No, I don’t know how that happened, I just know it did and I hope it doesn’t happen again. people really hate black cats around here.” Looked down at Mister Moo. He was the biggest and tallest one here. It would be a tight fit but good enough to get home. “crazy as this situation is. You saved me, now I’ll save you. it’s only fair.”
Dan looked at him like he didn’t understand. Dan really did have gorgeous eyes.
X)(X
After changing into Mr. Moo’s clothes after some alterations A.K.A. ripped the sleeves off, split the back and made shorts out of the pants, he piled all of them into the bathroom. None too gently dropping them on the hard tile floor. He ripped the handle of the door and closed it tight, trapping them inside. The door wasn’t super strong, but it would slow them down.
Using Mr. Moo’s phone he investigated this guy’s life. He was the bank and contract holder for loan shark business. He wasn’t the main guy just a money holder. Opening the bank app, he found many deposit accounts and started refunding everyone until his account was dry. The man was overconfident as he could access his desktop from his phone. He found the contracts too easily and forgave them one by one.
By the time he finished, the phone he was using had fourth missed calls. Jaekyung smirked thinking someone’s in trouble. The high ups were not happy. Being extra petty, he changed the password for the computer, going through the steps to do so was rather easy.
He gave it the longest password the system allowed consisting of mostly swear words and numbers and switched the emergency recovery number to a random business number and e-mail while deactivating the other safeguards. By the number of missed calls, this guy would have much more to worry about than one ex-indebtor. And no one would believe him about a cat that changed into a man.
Dan packed two bags. Everything he had of any value fit in two shoulder bags. That brought back memories he rather not remember. “that’s everything?” he watched dan look at the wardrobe.
“that’s my grandma’s. it’s . . the only thing she has left except clothes she can swim in now.”
“the one in the hospital.” Dan jolted until he remembered he told mister Kitty everything. it felt good to vent to someone that wouldn’t look at him with pity. “borrow your phone for a minute? I’m not using his for this.” Jaekyung said tossing Mr. Moo’s phone close to the bathroom door.
It was ten minutes before two well bult men came in. one with blonde hair in a ponytail and dark hair nearly buzzed under it, the other near miliary cut. “Jaekyung! Man, what happened? Namwook been calling hospitals and morgues looking for you.” the ponytailed one asked, he looked happy to see him.
“save the questions. I don’t want to answer the same ones over and over again. you brought the truck?” Jaekyung looked at the other one who nodded. “good. need to move that to my place. don’t ask questions I will not answer.” Dan wondered why they were so compliant to him. did they work for him? was he a CEO of some huge company or something?
This was starting to sound like a K-drama. Dan almost laughed at his random thought.
Jaekyung sat in the flatbed of the truck with the wardrobe and Dan, who was taking this a little too well. Maybe he was shell-shocked? He did just see a cat turn into a man right before his eyes. and he had no answers on how that happened. He wouldn’t believe it if it didn’t happen to him.
They get the underground parking area. the guard on duty was doing his job until he notices Jaekyung in the back of the truck. He stuttered an apology and let them through without another word. Once parked Jaekyung went to the elevator and unlocked it with his thumb print. The doors opened.
The other two got the wardrobe into the elevator rather easily. It wasn’t heavy but it was awkward. Dan was guided into the elevator, and they went to the top floor. Another thumbprint later and they were in the biggest house he ever seen.
After everyone but Jaekyung that didn’t have any on removed their shoes, Jaekyung started barking orders. “take that upstairs. Third door on the left and only the third door on the left.” Dan still seemed dazed by everything. as the two took it upstairs Jaekyung addressed dan, tone completely changed. “I’m going to change into my clothes and burn these once those guys are out. Sit down, relax, you had quite the day.”
“I had the quite the day? you . . . transformed.” Dan said lowly as the guys upstairs didn’t hear them.
Couldn’t argue with that. “we both had quite the day.” he noticed his anger after hitting the assholes had calmed down considerably. Was he happy to be human again? was this happiness without win a match?
He rather liked the feeling.
both men came down from upstairs. “all done.” The ponytailed one said.
“You should call coach soon. He is losing it.” The other one said.
Where was his phone? Where were his car or clothes for that matter? “I’ll square up later. one favor for each of you.” he motioned to the door in a ‘leave already’ motion. They didn’t argue.
He stripped off the too small jacket he took off the bank of the loan sharks. The material was cheap feeling and smelled strange. He threw it on the kitchen floor, so he be easier to clean if it left a stain or smell. He went into the living area when Dan was. “aria. Call Hyung.” The black speaker looking thing lit up on top in a blue ring.
“calling Hyung.” A robotic female voice rang out before the sounds of the phone sounds started. It was picked up on the second ring.
“Jaekyung?!”
“it’s me.” He got ready for the million questions and the exploding mother hen routine.
“you, okay?”
“loaded question. I going to cut to the chase. Last thing I remember is I was the store in the early afternoon yesterday . . . I think.” What was today’s day? “hang on. Dan what is today’s date?”
“twenty-first of January.” Answered without thinking.
“yeah yesterday. Then I was in the non-emergency dead-zone area in an alley with no phone, no clothes, questionable use of my limbs.” Because of the change in form but he couldn’t tell him that.
“merciful heavens! You need to go to the hospital!”
“yeah, I will. Need a blood test among other things. But that’s not all. Then I’m like in the trash, bleeding out.” He let out the part about being a cat. “then I wake up in this guy’s house, and he stitched me up because emergency services don’t come there. Total dead zone until they tear everything down and re-zone. And nearest hospital was twenty miles away.”
There was a pause on the Hyung’s side before he spoke again. “do you need me to come and get you to take you to the hospital? You’re acting a little . . . different.”
Jaekyung thought about that. he was acting a little different. he figured he was a cat for twenty-fours or so. he was allowed. “I had a hell of a day.”
“okay. If you need me or anything. just call.”
“I need to find my car, phone, and maybe my clothes.” Clothes weren’t a huge loss, and he could get a new phone, but he liked this one.
“oh, the police turned over your phone to me. Someone dropped it off and my name was the first open text you had on the home screen. Since you weren’t a missing person yet. Everyone was like wait two days. maybe his taking a break from everything.” normally he would agree. Not that it would have matter either way since he was a cat at the time.
“okay Hyung. I’m going to shower and head to the hospital so they can get started on the tests.” He said hoping to cut off the lecture he was bound to get if he didn’t.
“okay. I am glad you are alright, you turd.” The call hung up. Jaekyung noticed the hesitation, he was worried about him.
Dan put his hands in his lap. “I never heard someone call someone else that before with affection.” Dan held in a laugh.
“yeah, he does that. block heads, you pucks, things like that.” He stood and stretched. “remote is on the table, the kitchen in down the hall straight shot, the guest room upstairs third door on the right. I’ll be in the hospital probably for a long while. You worked at a hospital, you know how it is. There is a bathroom in the guest room and one short hall off the kitchen opposite the stairs.” Before dan could say anything, Jaekyung left the room, leaving dan there waiting for the fever dream to end. One of these events was crazy but both together was not possible.
Dan just sat there almost in a state of shock. This was lot too fast. He was tired too. the terror of what Mr. Moo wanted to do with him, the surprise and confusion of his cat friend turning into a human . . . with a penthouse.
Dan recognized the post-adrenaline crash feeling. Add that with overwork, too little calories, too little sleep, and the emotional turmoil going on with grandma. It was amazing he was still awake.
“hey.” A shake on the shoulder alerted dan. “if you’re going to sleep. Guest bedroom is more comfortable.”
Dan blinked a few times. He didn’t remember falling asleep. “oh. I’m sorry.”
“why are you apologizing? You were up all night after you got told about what was going to happen to you. I know, I was there. Plus, you looked like you slept a combined total of five hours in the last five days. believe me I get it. now come on.” Dan stood and followed, careful not to crowd.
Was that a tree indoors? Dan shook his head; he was seeing things.
Jaekyung opened the door and left Dan inside. The room was bigger than his home. “bathroom through here. You toss your dirty clothes down the chute, and it will be cleaned and dried for you by morning. Clean up and get some sleep before you pass out standing.” Jaekyung again was out of the room before dan could say anything.
Was it weird that he left him in his home alone? They only knew each other for two days and he knew Jaekyung as a cat.
Shower and sleep sounded really good right now. he would figure everything out later.
X)(X
Blood tests, blood and iron transfusion, x-rays of his side, many tests to check for brain injury, they removed the stitches and antibiotic washed the wound as a precaution, restitched up and he needed to pick up a ten-day supply of antibiotics.
Overall, Dan found him in time before life-threatening effects happened. In a cat body, that was probably the matter of minutes. he needed to get the name of that vet that refused to do anything. he really did.
Another sleepless night per usual. He slept rather well as a cat. He wondered if it was the cat body or the company that caused that.
He used the thumbprint scanner and got inside. Maybe he could catch a few hours before he starts training but first, he needed to check on his guest. Granted dan struck him as a kind of guy that if you handed him your life’s savings because you needed the bathroom, he would wait right there to hand it back to you once you were done and turn down a reward unless you really insisted.
After taking off his shoes, Jaekyung looked around and saw everything where he left it. he headed upstairs and peaked in the guest room. Dan was sleeping on top of the covers in an across the bed fashion. “did you seriously just pass out after washing up?” he almost laughed. “looks like you barely made it.” he closed the door and headed back downstairs when an alarm sounded off. It wasn’t one he would use plus Namwook still had his phone as he was going to the gym after anyways.
He tracked down the noise and found a phone that was a way older model. He was able to silent it, but it was still on. Jaekyung took it with him back upstairs. He reopened the door and grudgingly woke Dan up.
Dan sat up a little confused for a moment until he realized that all actually happened. “oh um . . . hello.”
“your phone alarm was going off.” Jaekyung held out his phone.
“Oh! I got to go to work.” Dan moved to get off the bed before Jaekyung giant hand stopped him.
“do the loan sharks know where you work?”
“yes, but what does that . .” Dan stopped and thought about it. “oh. That would be a problem.” He doubted they were a just a three-man team. They were the ones in this area. but three of their guys out knocked out at his place would bring the rest of them no doubt. they would demand answers that they wouldn’t believe the answers to, and he would pay the price.
Jaekyung watched Dan silently sigh. “glad you figured it.” Jaekyung sat down next to him but with a little space so not to crowd. “I would call off or even quit.”
“I can’t q-“
“check your banking app.” He knew the argument. Grandma’s medical bills. He went over that a few times that first night.
Dan blinked and unlocked his phone. Dan typed everything and put in his code to see nine-nine million won was pending. Eighteen months of interest payments minus a few million when he was short a couple of months. Dan felt his eyes water. “I returned all the past payments until the money was gone. They were ten others if memory serves. I am sure the real big boss or bosses are going to give him like day or two to find the money before he is retired permanently. And no, I don’t feel bad about it.” he wondered if it was like the movies. Cememnt shoes and all. Or was it boring with a bullet to the head?
Dan hugged the phone to his chest like it would disappear. “I keep waiting to wake up. This doesn’t feel real.”
“either did being a cat. I get it.” again, he thought he was going to die surrounded by garbage like when he was six years old after a horrible beating from his father. He hated being reminded of that.
“I didn’t even thank you for saving me from . . . that.” a fully body shiver looked painful.
“no need. According to the hospital I was in critical blood loss range. Any longer bleeding as a cat. I would be dead under the dumpster. If I wasn’t in peak condition I would have been hospitalized. So, I got away with a blood transfusion and iron infusion.” Jaekyung’s hand brushed the side of his stomach. “The doctor said your stitch work was good for what you had on hand, but they did remove and washed the wound with this stuff that the smell almost put me in a coma.“
“sounds like Sodium hypochlorite. It kills anything. they even use it over cancerous wounds to stop its growth if on the skin or superficial levels of the muscle.” The words were clinical, but his face looked like he was going to cry and never stop.
“hey? what is wrong with you? we both got the best case. That’s nothing to cry about.”
Dan wiped the starting of his tears. “sorry. Sorry.” He turned his head away to hide the fact he was drying his face. “my mind is going into the what if mode and what could have happened. There was no way I was getting out of that.” Jaekyung sighed. Dan was right. that man was obsessive and he wanted him. he could see the hunger and in cat mode, he could smell the lust. How he knew what it was, he didn’t know.
“what ifs will drive you crazy. Now, call out. For about a week, you probably don’t want to leave the penthouse, just in case. Unless I’m with you,”
“what about you?”
Worried about him? that was cute. “I am much safer. And trained to take hits without it affecting me.” He knocked three of them flat in less than thirty seconds. Trained fighter. Those guys pick on the weak. They were not coming without twenty feet of him.
“No, I mean . . .what if you turn into a cat again?” if he did that in front of a whole bunch of people. that could be really bad, for a lot of different reasons. Including experimentation by the government.
Dan might as well hit him with a wrecking ball. What if he did turn back? “shit. I didn’t think about that.” what if it was a curse that changed him on a timetable or something? he was completely in the dark about this. he shouldn’t even look that up in case of some kind of key word search. “fuck.” That was pissing him off.
“maybe you should call off too until, you’re sure. maybe visit a library or something. legends, spiritual stuff.” Dan’s voice was getting smaller with each word. Like he was embarrassed talking so much.
Jaekyung held his head. “okay we both need to call off then. Hyung will be happy I’m taking a day off. Maybe he will shut up about it.”
“left shoulder?” Dan covered his mouth. “Sorry.” He said behind his hand. He forgot people didn’t like being told about their body flaws without asking.
That took two doctors and the x-rays to find. “impressive. Can you tell what’s wrong with it? and yes, I know what the issue is.” dan wasn’t annoyed by the test. Everyone does that. he asked with his eyes for permission and Jaekyung removed his jacket in a clear ‘go for it’ move. Dan slowly and softly palpated the area. he followed pain lines within the body to the acromioclavicular joint. “acromioclavicular joint separation. Level two separation. Still treatable by rest, anti-inflammatories internal and external, immobilization with range of motion exercises for four to twelve weeks.” Dan looked him over, really taking in the size of him and his body’s condition. “I imagine that sounds like torture.”
“that would drive me insane. I work out seven days a week.”
“well, there is another non-surgical option. But it would take double the time and be almost as annoying.” Dan sat back down typing on his phone. “every non-work out minute you would be in an immobilizer, and you would need at least one complete rest day.” dan double checked his spelling and sent the resignation note to his boss. it was vague enough but warned about possible violence there. He waited and only got a confirmation that the note was received. If they took his warning, he didn’t know. he hoped so or that they didn’t show up there.
“fancy a P.T. job? You are a better fit than the guy that’s there now. I don’t think he even writes notes after treatments.”
“none? That’s careless.” S.o.a.p. notes were not negotiable. They were part of the treatment plan. What kind of medical profession didn’t take proper notes?
“I have been meaning to fire him but with the match coming up. It got put on the backburner.”
“match?” was he a sports guy? “right, I never did ask you much of anything. little shell-shocked. What is your name and what kind of match is it?”
“don’t watch sports much, huh?” he laughed a little. “name is Joo Jaekyung and I am an MMA fighter. Light heavyweight division. Known as the emperor.” He watched dan’s lips spell out MMA. “that must answer a few questions.”
Dan couldn’t disagree. The heavy muscled build, his speed, and strength when he took down the loan sharks, even with the wound. The injury of the shoulder was common with athletes. Even the penthouse made sense, he must have gotten many high-level purses from fighting and winning. “Now I know your name is dan. the shark boss asshole yelled it out rather loud. Surname?”
“Kim.” The same as twenty percent of the people in Korea. More common than Lee, Park, Choi, and song. A one syllable first name instead of two. two syllables instead of the more common three syllable names.
“most common surname with a rather rare for here first name. born in America?” dan was semi-common name there. Daniel, Danny, Dani got call Dan for short on top of it.
Dan shook his head to the question. “never been out of Korea.”
Jaekyung sighed for turning a little more to him. “I’m going quit stalling. Long story short I don’t sleep well at all. but then I was a cat, I slept rather well other than at one night. I want to know if it was the cat body or the company.” He waited for the laughing or the weary look but got neither. It was closer to understanding.
“okay. you can sleep under the covers and I ‘ll sleep on top.” He never liked being alone despite being alone for a long while.
Jaekyung realized that he wasn’t joking. “let’s reverse that. I run hot.” Dan was rather easy going as he stood and fussed with the covers. Jaekyung went to the other side and waited for Dan to get in. he watched dan slowly slid in like he was afraid he would break the sheets somehow but settled. Jaekyung climbed on top.
It was still dark outside, and both have the day off. He decided to see where it takes them.
***
A phone rang waking both of them. Jaekyung went to grab his before remembering it was at the gym still. Dan answered his. He looked scared for a moment but calmed slightly. “one moment please.” Dan said as he opened his banking app. “I can pay the remaining balance once the funds are clear from my bank. Shouldn’t be more than a week.” Dan seemed to be listening to another person but saying goodbye and hanging up.
“the hell?” what was going on now?
“hospital billing department. I think they have me on speed dial.” Dan smiled slightly but it looked a little sad. “cancerous brain tumor treatment is not cheap.” Good thing they lived here where medical services didn’t cost an arm and leg, but it still was expensive for someone like him.
He checked and found no other messages. No threats, no countdowns. Nothing. It was nine in the morning, over twelve hours since it all went down. they would have started with the threats but now. Dan forgot to breathe. was it over? was the horrible family debt final over? was he finally free of them fully? He was scared to believe it but that in itself was proof.
“you’re smiling but crying.” He never did understand when people did that.
Dan slowly cleared his face of tears. “it just a weight I been carrying since I was old enough to understand, has been lifted and I don’t know what to do with that just yet.”
Jaekyung had enough of this heavy stuff for today. “we got some errands but first breakfast.” He needs a shower first. He smelled like the hospital still.
“errands?”
“you convinced me to try. So, need to pick up an immobilizer and try the after gym and nighttime wearing it. and maybe rest day. still thinking about that one. needed to pick up my phone and my groceries weren’t in the car. So, need to do that again.” that meant no milk with breakfast. Tea and water it was then, how annoying.
Jaekyung got off the bed and headed to the door. “start without me. The hospital smell likes to stick to me.”
Dan watched him go before he got up. He made up the bed before getting dressed. His jeans and white t-shirt feeling almost different on his skin, but there was no reason for it. he finger combed his hairlike he normal did since it rarely tingled as he walked out of the room. “hn. There really was a tree indoors.” He slowly approached it and touched the bark to see if it was real or a great looking fake. It was real.
Once the curiosity was filled, he headed downstairs, marveling at the view from the second floor. This place was huge. Wasn’t too much space for one person? how long did it take to clean? He stepped off the stairs to see the long dining table. he wondered if Jaekyung liked dinner party or something.
He somehow missed it last night, but the kitchen was huge and he had two ovens. You were hard pressed to find one in most Korean homes. Most people cooked everything on stovetops or hotplates. He opened cabinets to familiarized himself with the layout before opening the fridge. Fresh produce, meats, cheese, lots of eggs. A beaty sight really. The things he could make.
Should he cook in someone else’s kitchen? He didn’t say he couldn’t. “he said start without him.” would that count? “if I make breakfast for him too. it should be fine, right?” he took out his phone to look up something. he nodded to himself and found the sweet potatoes and rice in a dark cupboard.
It was time to get to work.
***
Jaekyung spent longer in there than he meant to. The memory of almost dying under a dumpster repulsed him. he looked at himself in the mirror seeing the four stiches they redo at the hospital. He wondered if it would scar. He wouldn’t care but the talent agency might. It was a little off center facing down about three inches. They couldn’t tell what he was stabbed or attacked with. He knew he got it when the first guy threw him, but what caused it. he wasn’t sure. A nail? Broken glass? A sharp wooden piece? The hospital couldn’t tell.
He took his hair drier and started working on his hair. Over the smell of the warmed air, shampoo, and soap. the smell of garlic hit him. at one time he would have felt territorial about his kitchen, but it didn’t hit. He said get started without him and he didn’t do pre-packaged foods expect the very occasional protein bar between sets if hunger hit way too hard.
Moosse was applied and he pulled a few pieces down over his forehead. happy with it, he headed to the door. the smell of garlic was stronger and rather mouthwatering. On the counter was rice, rolled egg and vegetable omelets, and he was finishing something else on the stovetop. Something with greenish noodles. “two minutes.” Dan said like a line cook to the head chief. “if you are interested, I have the ingredient list, nutrient, and micros listed on my phone. Being an MMA and heavily muscled toned. I figured you were near militant on what goes in your body.”
Jaekyung intrigued, took Dan’s phone that was sitting out of the counter. Each item listed for easy lookup. Oyster zucchini noodles with garlic lemon sauce. In the margins he wrote down zinc boost for wound healing. No not drink milk or tea one hour before and after eating. Eyes pulled together in light confusion. “no milk or tea after eating because?”
“milk and tea will block the body from adsorbing the zinc up to sixty percent.” He said and tasted the dish the pan. “chili oil?” he asked, he didn’t see it earlier. Jaekyung went to the top cabinet and handed it to him. “thanks.” He didn’t put much in. more of a hint really, but he tasted again and smiled.
“okay. I get the water glasses then.” Now he was going to have to investigate food that counteracts with each other. There was more he didn’t know.
He filled two glasses with ice cold water and unplugged the warming tray to put on the dinner room table. he placed the glass at the head and side of the head seats and set the warming tray down and flipped the heating element on.
He turned seeing dan take the skillet off the heat. Working together, dan placed the warm items of the warming tray carefully and Jaekyung got the plates, chop sticks, and spoons. Dan then went to the fridge and got to bowls of what looked like Greek yogurt with cut up strawberries and blueberries. “I didn’t expect you to cook for me.” He never expected anything from anyone. He learned not to the hard way.
“w-well, you don’t say I wouldn’t.” Dan picked up his bowl of Greek yogurt. “besides when in the next time I can cook in a kitchen like this.” he took a bite; fruit danced on his tongue. Flavoring never compared. Fruit was so expensive. He remembered the only piece he ever had was a bruised red apple. He shared it with grandma, but he didn’t remember how he got it.
Blueberries tasted different than he thought. It was better. A cleaner taste, and lovely texture. “why did you only piece like three pieces of each in there?” he asked as his had considerably more.
“I never had blueberries or strawberries before. I wanted to give them a try. I could have choked down three pieces if I didn’t.” he almost felt embarrassed, but the feeling died before he came all the way through.
Jaekyung seemed to accept that and tried the oyster pasta made with zucchini noodles. He never had something like this for breakfast. Food was fuel most of the time. Other than some favorites, his taste seemed to die out. But it was nice someone cooked for him.
He locked that memory down. it wasn’t the time.
The flavor was fresh, invigorating. The sauce didn’t overpower but enhanced it. the oysters were the right kind of salty that mixed with the lightly sweetened noodles. He closed his eyes, having a moment as taste buds woke up from the same meal or meal replacements he eaten for a long time. Even BBQ place they like to celebrate at didn’t cause this.
“you . . . Okay?” Jaekyung confirmed wordlessly that he was. “okay then.” Dan tried a strawberry by itself. It was even sweeter than the blueberry, but it wasn’t like sugar sweet. it was a pleasant one. He never had a biggest sweet tooth. His favorites were considered health foods, and he remembered co-workers giving him grief for it in a joking way. He would eat what he was given but he would ever pick half the things they ate.
The meal continued in silence until most of it was gone. “you eat like a bird.” Jaekyung said seeing Dan only had the yogurt, half a rice bowl, and an inch strip of the egg roll omelet.
“I haven’t had a full meal in a while. I don’t want to get sick.” If he could help it.
Jaekyung was reminded of that trap from the past. It was unpleasant. “good point.”
X)(X
After helping Jaekyung with finding an immobilizer that fit properly, they dropped by the gym. Everyone seemed too happy to see Mr. Joo. they always didn’t notice him util someone mentioned it. Jaekyung gave a quick explanation about how he found him and put the original stitches in. and that he was only there to get his phone and maybe a little paperwork.
Jaekyung remained dan about the offer he made earlier. that it wasn’t a off handed remark or a joke. Dan said he would love a try-out but with the injury and stitches he shouldn’t have a treatment until his healed fully to irritate the wound. Yosep volunteered as he didn’t like the therapist, they had now either.
***
Yosep in as few words as possible told Namwook that Dan was on a different level than the other guy. Dan listened, explained if you wanted to know, went over possible treatments and walked you through them, and had the ability to look at you and see the issues of your body.
Long story short, Dan started in two weeks. he quit his remained three jobs as this one paid more than all of them put together. this gave him time to rest and wait out any loan shark issues that may or may not be a problem.
Once Jaekyung finished his paperwork for the gym, they headed out again. Dan shyly asked to be dropped off at the hospital. As he wanted to spend time with grandma. Jaekyung grunted an affirmative sound and switches lanes. Dan took a moment remembering he mentioned what hospital when he was a cat. He told him a lot of things when he was a cat.
Dan didn’t expect for him to park and get out of the car. “you talked about her so much. I want to get a face with the title.” Dan smiled softly. He wasn’t going to argue. He had nothing to hide and he was ashamed.
The nurses called Dan by the last name and waved. The cleaning staff too. Jaekyung asked for a moment and popped into the gift shop as it was bad matters to show up empty handed. After about five minutes he came out with a gift bag.
“your visit would be gift enough. She loves company.”
“maybe. But she doesn’t know me. So, it’s an introduction gift if you will.” Jaekyung explained softly. As they got to her room an elderly woman walked out.
“Mrs. Sham-anka!” one of grandma’s old friends. She traveled a lot and constancy. So, he hadn’t seen her in five years.
“dan. precious boy. let me look at you.” her whited hands cupped his face. “so, skinny still.”
“I get it from grandma. Can’t gain weight for nothing.”
“don’t brag it’s unbecoming.” They both laughed. “I wish I could stay and chat, but I am needed elsewhere.
“of coarse Mrs. sham-anka. You are a very busy woman.” She touched her cat head charm on his necklace and then turned to leave.
Jaekyung’s brain was twitching. Had he seen her before? she looked oddly familiar. “family friend?” he asked still trying to think where he seen her.
“grandma known her forever. She would show up randomly. Good luck always seemed to follow her visits.” Both went into Shin Okja’s room.
“dan.” her voice full of happiness and love. “oh. who is your . . . friend?” dan recognized she was afraid that he was a new enforcer with his well-built body and intimidating stature.
“oh. This is Joo Jaekyung. My soon to be new boss.” Jaekyung stepped forward. She seemed calm. Mostly since Dan wasn’t trying to get in-between them.
“Dan as told me much about you.” he handed over a bag with both hands.
“good things, I hope. So, what is the new job?”
“he is to be my personal physical therapist. Part of team black. We are an MMA team.” They talked for a bit, grandma relaxing more and more as Mr. Joo talked so elegantly.
Long minutes passed before Jaekyung said he needed to finish his errands while it was still daylight. She beamed at him as he left. He called back to dan looking him know he’ll be back to pick him up once he was done with the shopping and such.
Jaekyung got to the end of the hall and asked a passing nurse where the billing department was. she was happy to direct him.
Meanwhile dan opened the little mini fridge and saw a few jugs of Seoul milk and cartons of the same brand. “did she rob a dairy or something?”
“she said it was added to her order. The store wouldn’t take to back and she can’t drink all that. so, she gave some to me. She is always thinking of others. Someone made a mistake.” Dan took one of the smalls cartons and poured it into a glass for her. “now tell me everything.” Dan smiled and gave a slightly censored version of what happened. Minus Jaekyung being a cat at the beginning.
X)(X
They got back to the penthouse before nightfall. Jaekyung paranoid that he might turn back into a cat again since dan brought it up. they carried the bags to the elevator. Slowly they got into the penthouse and dan started unloading and sorting them. He stopped seeing all the milk. The same brand as what was in the mini fridge for grandma. “I like milk.” Dan heard Jaekyung say.
“that’s fine. It’s just . . . grandma had a whole bunch in the mini fridge of the same kind. Mrs. sham-taka brought it. saying it was added to her order.”
“it’s the most common brand. I can be the only one that drinks that much.” He said more to convince himself. It was a crazy thought anyways.
“yeah, it just struck me as strange.” Jaekyung gave a positive sounding noise as he continued putting items away.
X)(X
Mrs. Sham-kata walked into the darkness of an alley and appeared in the mountains where she was far away from people. her time was almost up. She could feel it, but she was happy. She got to see her friend one last time and give her a gift that would make her remaining time easier. She precious grandson not struggling and being happy. The best gift one would give. She spent almost all her energy on it.
Soon her body would return to the earth and her powers passed on. Balance restoring itself. She was one of the last of the lost arts. Selling her humanity for power hundreds of years ago. It was time to rest.
She dragged her slowly body to her cottage. She opened the door that was filled with cats. “you come to see me off? So thoughtful.” She took off her necklace and collapsed in her favorite chair. a huge black cat jumped to the arm rest. “Saekdong. You are the strongest.” She removed the chain and connected the pendent to her collar. “help those who need it. connect hearts where they are blocked. I pass my power and burden to you.” she petted saekdong one last time before her hand started blowing away in the air like it was made of dust. Slowly returning to the earth. “be good.”
Saekdong jumped down to the floor watching as the body turned to dust. Knowledge and power rushed to her and her body changed. To A women with jet black hair and amber eyes. she stepped to the chair and sat down. “your work will continue.” But first they needed to morn.
Six-months-later-
In the ocean town where grandma stayed for hospice care/. Jaekyung set down bowls behind the house. bowls of sardines and good tuna. He sat there and waited for his little friends. A giant black cat came to the backyard and looked around. She seemed to be calling the others and more appeared.
Jaekyung watched as they ate and Dan sat down next to him holding two bowls of cucumber salad with real crab. He handed one to Jaekyung and watched the pretty kitties eat. They ate slowly, watching them.
The biggest one never ate but always came over and rubbed herself against their legs. “she must be pet. She is well feed and has a collar.” Dan said petting her a little.
“I asked around and no one claimed her.”
”she is the leader.” Dan said watching her break up a fight with just her presence. Jaekyung agreed. “hope they didn’t get too spoiled. We have to go back for the match tomorrow.” Jaekyung finished his bowl and pulled Dan closer. Brown honeyed eyes slid closed as his body melted against him. “you want to go to bed early tonight?”
“great idea.” He wouldn’t sleep with him tonight. determined to get the jinx far away from him. all he needed was dan next to him. “after they are done eating.” He was fighting a French man that seemed to not be as good as him. fast but lacked power. he wasn't worried.
He was thinking about retiring when he turned thirty. This didn’t seem so important anymore. He had more money than dan and himself would ever need if he went of a shopping trip every day. Not that they ever really did.
Maybe he would open a black cat sanctuary. The whole black cat hate had to stop.