ARCANUM | pjm.

03

A GROAN escapes your lips, turning on your back when you feel a strong force wiggle you from the front. Something cold makes contact with your skin, feeling a mellow breath fan your neck that gave you a ticklish feeling.

Muttering incoherent curse words under your breath, you attempt to swat whatever was in front of you as your hand swiftly sways in mid air, but a strong grip suddenly grasps your wrist, causing you to jolt your eyes open.

A familiar face, no closer than a few inches away from yours, greeted you first thing and a cheeky smile immediately graces his plump lips when you both make eye contact.

"Good morning, sweetheart! Well — technically it's a good afternoon." He beams, leaning away from you. You exhale a breath you didn't know you were holding as your hand lifts up to rub your eyes.

"What time is it?" You asked, voice still a bit raspy from the pleasant nap you had. You look around your surroundings, the sunlight beaming through the translucent curtains that gave off a warm ambience to the living room.

"2 in the afternoon." He replies, standing up from his squatting position and sat beside you.

"You know, you snore like a howler monkey."

You flashed him a death glare upon his unnecessary remark. He grins at your reaction and plopped both elbows on his knees, resting a chin on both palms as he stared at you.

You would have felt uncomfortable but you suddenly remember the image of the deep wound on his chest, and your eyes reshape into softer ones as you look back at him.

"How's your gash? Does it still hurt?"

"It does, but not as much as earlier." He shrugs casually as if it was no big deal. You roll your eyes as you slip out of the couch, stretching your arms to loosen up your stiff muscles.

You felt a pair of orbs stare at you and can't help but spare a glance at the feline hybrid beside you, only to catch him peering at you as if lost in thought.

"What's wrong?"

He smiles, "Nothing. It's just.. I probably would've been rotting in the alleyway by now if you hadn't found me last night, so thank you for bringing me here. I owe you a lot." He muttered shyly as he looked away, a tint of pink clouding his cheeks.

You reciprocate the genuine smile on his lips, "You don't have to thank me, you know. I'm always glad to help."

You both stare at each other for a few more seconds before he nods and stands up, strolling his way around the living room with both hands on his back.

"So Y/N," He quickly faces you from behind the couch and you look at him, raising a brow.

"What do you do for a living?"

You hum before replying, "Well, I have a part-time job at a small bistro. Nothing special."

You had now only begun to notice a tail appear on Jimin from his lower back, swaying side to side as he listened attentively at your words with his ears perked up.

Of course, the man has a tail.

"Woah, can I come with you sometime?" He muses, tail beginning to wag frantically as he placed both hands on the couch, leaning in.

"No." You reply nonchalantly and the feverish expression on his face withdraws, now replaced by a scowling one as he juts his lower lip out, his tail steadying and a crestfallen expression flickers over his face.

"Why not?" He peeks at you with soft eyes.

"Because I don't want people witnessing a weirdo with apparent cat ears and wagging tail just roaming around the café." You reason out as you stride your way to the kitchen.