The Cat Hides Its Claws - Chapter 31

When Myohan went back to his classroom, O Shin was there alone. He was in Myohan’s seat, looking out the window. Myohan went to him, wondering if he was trying to spot him, but then he asked a question without looking back.

“Have you finished your work?”

“….He’s playing well on his own, so I left him to it.”

They sounded like they were talking about their pet dog. O Shin looked at Myohan only when he was close. Then he stretched out a hand, looking quite grim.

He pulled Myohan’s right hand to himself. Myohan was clenching that fist as he wanted to hide his injury, but when O Shin touched it, the fist unclenched immediately.

“It is difficult to handle a huge dog.”

There was a small wound on the swollen hand. The leather ball must have caused it. O Shin examined it, his tightly closed lips fiercely twitching. Myohan put a hand on his head and stroked his soft hair.

“Just pat the dog, it will work the best.”

His black eyes looked at Myohan. His bangs fell forward and looked out of place, so Myohan tidied it for him. He closed his eyes, enjoying Myohan’s hand, and then he leaned down to kiss his hand. It was a kiss as light as snow, not to cause any more pain in his already throbbing hand. He met Myohan’s eyes and asked, “You know what?”

“I know less than half of what you say.”

O Shin smiled, liking the answer, and then he put a hand on Myohan’s face to trace his eye.

“It is said that in a cat’s eyes,” Myohan’s light colored-eyes had him within them. He looked into them, almost looking beyond that gaze, and then he pulled him toward him.

“There’s a whole world within them.”

Myohan didn’t resist and leaned down. This time, their lips met longer than before. O Shin put in his tongue in. They forgot where they were and were absorbed in the end. He hugged Myohan’s waist, almost urging him to do more.

Myohan went even closer and put a hand behind O Shin’s head. Their lips were slow to leave each other. O Shin bit his lower lip as if he hadn’t had enough, and buried his face in Myohan’s chest.

“I feel like I have the whole world.”

‘Thanks to you.’

Myohan heard a familiar voice in his head. It was O Shin’s. It felt so strange. And yet, it felt so right to have such feelings for him.

‘Thanks to you, cat, I have the entire world.’

This time, his head didn’t hurt. Pieces of memories seeped out through that crack, but they naturally mingled with Myohan’s own memories. He caressed the man in his arms, and then he leaned down to kiss his head. He could feel him flinching.

‘I will never give up on you.’

He could almost remember, but he couldn’t. The voice in his head had to be O Shin’s, but he didn’t know when he had said that. Myohan grabbed his shoulder, pushed him away a little, and looked down.

His eyes were red now. He just couldn’t take it anymore. His stomach tingled, so he leaned down slowly. His long eyelashes fluttered. They just had kissed passionately, but O Shin looked nervous as he waited for Myohan. And, the moment their lips met again, “O Myohan!”

The back door opened with a huge bang! Myohan quickly backed off and looked back, still grabbing O Shin’s shoulder.

“How could you leave me there? Do you know how much I…”

It was Sinsul. He put back his hair, which was damp with sweat, but then his eyes widened. O Shin covered his face and looked away.

“…You’re fighting?”

Myohan was holding O Shin, and he was looking away. Most of all, Myohan was emitting some fierce energy. They did look like they were in a fight. Sinsul ran to them.

“You shouldn’t!”

Sinsul grabbed Myohan’s arm and yelled at him to calm down. Myohan, who looked dumb for a second, which wasn’t like him, smirked.

“Myohan, this isn’t you!”

Oh, what was I doing?

Myohan let go of O Shin and straightened his back. He must have been out of his mind. He forgot they were at school and was almost enchanted by him.

But now, all of those memories and new feelings had gone away. He stretched his back, but Sinsul kept whimpering.

“Were you really going to hit him? Were you hit? Are you okay?”

O Shin let out a deep sigh, and then he looked at Myohan between his fingers. He was stretching his back with a smile.

“…You.”

He started to speak. Sinsul blinked and nodded. He put down his hands, looking quite irritated.

“Need to learn how to read the situation.”

“Huh?”

Sinsul couldn’t understand what O Shin meant and made a dumb sound. O Shin shook his head and looked down with a sigh. Sinsul asked what he was talking about, as he really couldn’t know. Myohan just shrugged and didn’t say a word.

Soon, he left the classroom to go to the sickbay. Sinsul wanted to tag along, but Myohan wouldn’t let him do so. Sinsul sighed sadly to see him close the back door behind him.

Now only O Shin and Sinsul were left in the room. Sinsul sat down next to him.

“I have a question.”

O Shin said nothing and just returned the gaze. Sinsul smiled innocently and went closer. Then he started to sniff.

“I’ve been sensing it for some time,”

He sniffed O Shin for some time. He sniffed his neck, and then his head. Anyone else would have been disgusted by it, but O Shin just let him do it.

“What kind of animal are you?”

It was an innocent question, and his smile was also innocent. O Shin moaned and smiled.

“Why do you think I’m an animal?”

“Hmm…”

Sinsul touched his chin and thought for a long time to find the right expression. O Shin didn’t press him and waited for him to talk. However, Sinsul couldn’t find the right expression, so he just scratched his head.

“Because….all your five friends are animals? Rat, rabbit, snake…”

Sinsul folded his fingers to count. O Shin nodded to tell him to continue. Sinsul hesitated for a moment, and then he smiled.

“You have a strange smell, it’s different from anything I’ve smelled before.”

“Not everyone smells the same.”

“Yes, but,”

O Shin still looked calm. Sinsul stuck out a tongue and then smiled.

“But yours isn’t a human smell.”

Before he could say more, the back door was opened. Myohan came in, clearly irritated. Sinsul looked back in surprise.

“Huh? You’ve been to the sickbay?”

“I forgot that it’s lunchtime.”

O Shin stood up. Sinsul threw his head back to look up at him. Myohan was somewhat surprised to see them together. As far as he knew, they weren’t close enough to have a private conversation. But then, Sinsul had a unique way of befriending anybody. O Shin smiled, put a hand on Sinsul’s shoulder, and then he turned to have Myohan at his back.

“I cancel what I said earlier.”

“What are you talking about?” Myohan asked grumpily and came closer. But O Shin kept his back to him and went on, his eyes still on Sinsul.

“You do know how to read the situation.”

“Huh…?”

“But you are wrong about one thing.”

O Shin’s calmness cracked. His black eyes looked enraged. Sinsul’s eyes widened as he wondered if he had said something wrong. Then O Shin strengthened his grip.

“I’m a human.”

He still sounded nice, but his expression said otherwise. His eyes were fierce, as if he was about to devour the dog-boy.

Sinsul froze immediately, his eyes still wide. He couldn’t move, like he was prey. O Shin was grabbing with his shoulder with so much force that it hurt greatly, but he couldn’t even let out a moan.

Myohan couldn’t see O Shin’s face. He could only see Sinsul turn deadly white. He frowned.

“Hey, what are you doing?”

Myohan tapped on the broad back. O Shin got rid of his dangerous face and let go. Sinsul gulped hard to see him change his expression so easily.

“It’s nothing.”

And with that, O Shin went out. Sinsul massaged his shoulder as he watched him leave. Myohan glanced at the back door, and then he sat down on O Shin’s chair. Sinsul was still looking at the door.

“Hey, dog.”

He got no answer back. He just fell on the desk, using one arm as a pillow. He didn’t want to bother to ask what it was about. As lunchtime was nearly over, boys were coming back one by one. Sinsul, who had been just sitting there with wide eyes, called Myohan.

“Myohan.”

He sounded really sad. Myohan was dozing off, but he managed to open his eyes. Sinsul looked like he was about to cry.