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+*___________*+
As we walked home from soccer practice, the awkwardness between Jungwon and me started to dissipate. We chatted about the day's practice, and our goals for the upcoming matches, and even shared a few jokes along the way. It felt good to have some normalcy restored, even if it was just for a little while.
When we finally arrived at our houses, the mood shifted slightly. I went inside, determined to clean up after practice and get some dinner. I headed straight for the kitchen, washed my hands thoroughly, and then opened the cabinet to put away the catnip. I didn't want any more unexpected incidents like the one at lunch.
Meanwhile, I could see Jungwon sitting on the couch, engrossed in his phone. I sighed, feeling a pang of awkwardness. I grabbed a few fruits from the fridge and started cutting them up, trying to focus on the task at hand.
As I turned around to grab something from the counter, I heard a noise behind me. I turned to see Jungwon standing right by my side, his head peeking over my shoulder.
"What are you making?" he asked, leaning against me and resting his head on my shoulder.
I couldn't help but blush at his proximity, wondering if the lingering scent of catnip was still affecting him or if he was just being unusually clingy. "I'm cutting up some fruit. Can you help me, please?" I asked, looking at him as he stood by my side.
He hummed in response, stepping away to wash his hands. As he washed his hands, my mind drifted into my thoughts, reflecting on the day's events. Suddenly, a sharp pain in my finger interrupted my thoughts. I hissed, dropping the knife and quickly examining my finger, which was now bleeding.
Jungwon instantly took notice, leaving the sink and coming to my side. He gently held my hand, inspecting the wound with concern.
"Are you okay?" he asked, guiding me to the sink and running the bloody finger under the cold water.
I bit my bottom lip, shutting my eyes as the water stung the wound. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine," I managed to respond, trying to downplay the pain.
"Keep it under the water for a second," he instructed, walking to the drawer and retrieving a box of band-aids. As he grabbed the band-aids I couldn't help but get Deja vu. The memory of me accidentally injecting my finger with the knife entered my mind. I remembered the first day I took him in as a cat and when I got injured he cuddled against my leg, as if it were worried.
My mind cleared up when he returned with a band-aid in hand, he carefully dried my finger and placed the band-aid on the cut. His touch was gentle, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of comfort in his presence.
"Thank you," I murmured, looking up at him with gratitude in my eyes.
He smiled softly, his gaze lingering on mine for a moment. "No problem, Ji-yoon. Take care of yourself, okay?"
I nodded, feeling a warmth spread through me at his words. Despite the challenges we had faced, moments like these reminded me of the bond we were building, one that went beyond the influence of catnip or any other external factor.
As I finished cutting the fruits and prepared a snack, we sat down together, enjoying the simple pleasure of each other's company. The awkwardness of earlier had melted away, replaced by a comfortable companionship that made me excited for what the future held for us.
We sat at the kitchen table, our plates filled with freshly cut fruit. I couldn't help but notice the way Jungwon's eyes sparkled as he looked at the colorful assortment in front of us.
"Can you do like tricks?" I teased, nudging him playfully. "Like, can you turn into a cat and do some cool cat stuff?"
Jungwon scoffed, ignoring my playful antic. "You know, being able to shapeshift into a cat doesn't automatically make me an expert at cat tricks," he replied a hint of amusement in his voice.
I laughed, taking a bite of a juicy slice of watermelon. "I guess that's true. But it must be pretty cool to have that ability. Can you at least purr or something?"
He shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. "No, I can't purr. I mean, I can make some cat-like sounds, but it's not the same."
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Really? I didn't expect you to answer that question seriously."
Jungwon looked thoughtful for a moment, then shrugged. "I don't see why I shouldn't answer it truthfully.
"Show me," I uttered, looking up at him to see his face turn from serious to flustered at my words. His eyes widened before clearing his throat.
"No, besides I'm too lazy to call a cat right now." He simply said, avoiding eye contact with me.
"What if you don't have to call a cat." I hinted, looking at his expression to see if he knew what I meant.
"What do you mean?" He questioned, his eyes glistening with confusion.
"Can't I just kiss you?" She teases, looking at the now nonplussed Jungwon that laid before her eyes.
Jungwon's mouth gaped open slightly, attempting to speak but was rendered speechless.
The uneasy silence was interrupted by my sudden laughter. Jungwon looked at me in utter disbelief. "I'm only joking." She stated, taking another bite of her watermelon.
"What if I don't want you to joke around?" He muttered under his breath.
"What did you say?" I questioned, he had muttered it under his breath so quietly it made it difficult to hear him.
He shook his head. "It's nothing."
"You know it's fun to tease you." I randomly let out, looking at the fruit with a small smile.
Jungwon chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Well, I'll keep that in mind. Just for you."
We continued to enjoy our fruit, the conversation flowing easily between us. It felt good to have these lighthearted moments, where we could tease each other and share laughs. The tension from earlier seemed like a distant memory, replaced by a sense of ease and friendship.
As we finished our snack, I couldn't help but feel grateful for the unexpected turn of events that brought us together. Who would have thought that a mishap with catnip would lead to such intriguing discoveries and a growing connection between us?
I looked at Jungwon, my heart filled with curiosity and excitement. I wondered what other surprises awaited us, not just in terms of his cat-shapeshifting ability, but also in the journey of our friendship. One thing was for sure - I was ready to find out.
+*___________*+ 46th chapter
Hello my loves, how are you guys? I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please vote, comment, and follow to show appreciation. If you've already done that, kisses go out to you.
Question of the chapter: What's your fav fruit? Me: Grapes
Alright, goodbye pookies! Leave watermelon emoji for this chapter in the comments.
