Chapter Text
˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀
The days after that became a blur of changing bandages, playing with shua, and being stressed on his thesis.
Shua’s health is getting better every day and it enlightens seokmin although he still receives calls from his parents worrying about his health. Seokmin had to reassure them countless times it became normal.
Seokmin thought the feline would have a hard time adjusting in his apartment but to his shock it seemed that the cat enjoys the apartment—specifically his bed…
“Shuaaa! You have your own bed kayaaa”
Ever since he bought him home. shua never had any interest to sleep in his bed but instead he finds his owners bed comfortable.
“Isa shua! Go to your own bed na kasiii”
Seokmin is pouting at this point but the cat paid it no mind at all as if no one is scolding him.
“Ughh, whatever mag sleep nalang ikaw diyan!”
He plopped down next to his cat and proceeded to rant to him.
“Did you know? Of course you don’t but anyways, my ka group mates sa thesis are so useless talaga oh my fucking gosh. I will grow white hairs na at this point.”
He turned to Shua and saw the cat glaring at him, like the cat was trying to say ‘Edi alisin mo sila sa group, nasobrahan kana sa pagka soft hearted mo.’
“I know pero kasi nakakaawa sila, and I couldn’t bring myself to say anything sa professor ko. Buti nga I’m with kwannie Ih, sabi niya sya nadaw bahala. I hope it goes well tho” he said while petting the Maine Coon.
The cat seemed pleased with his answer as he just kept purring at his owner.
˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀
Joshua POV
Backflash
I was running for my life.
Basang-basa na ako ng ulan habang tumatakbo sa gitna ng kagubatan. Mud kept sticking to my shoes, branches scratching against my arms habang habol nang habol yung mga wolves sa likod ko.
I clicked my tongue irritably.
“Putangina naman kasi.”
I knew crossing their territory was a bad idea, but I didn’t exactly have a choice. I needed to finish my mission.
Big mistake.
A loud growl echoed behind me before suddenly
“Shit!”
One of them bit into my calf, making me stumble hard against the ground. Napamura ako habang pilit tumatayo kahit nanginginig na tuhod ko.
The wolves slowly surrounded me.
Mga gago.
I held my side tightly, trying to stop the bleeding, pero mas lalo lang bumigat paghinga ko. My vision was getting blurry already.
Another wolf suddenly lunged.
This time claws tore across my stomach.
Warm blood immediately soaked through my clothes while rain poured harder above us.
The alpha wolf stepped closer, eyeing me head to toe.
I knew that look.
“Tangina. Mamatay na ba ako” napaisip ko
I could already feel the shift forcing itself out of me. My body was too weak to keep my human form.
No choice.
I shut my eyes tightly.
Pain spread through my entire body as I transformed mid-rain, my human form shrinking rapidly until four paws landed shakily on the muddy ground.
Napatigil sila sa paghabol sa’kin, siguro na shock silang biglang naging pusa yung hinahabol nila.
Using whatever strength I had left, I ran with all my might.
My hind leg hurt like hell and every movement felt like someone was stabbing my stomach repeatedly. By the time I reached the city, I was already dizzy from blood loss.
Hindi nakakatulong na sobrang lakas ng ulan.
I eventually collapsed in some random alley near a university, breathing unevenly habang unti-unting bumibigat paningin ko.
I hated this.
I hated being weak.
And I hated humans even more.
Humans are curious creatures. Kapag cute ka, gusto ka nilang hawakan. Kapag hassle ka na, iiwan ka nalang basta-basta.
So when I heard footsteps approaching, I immediately forced my eyes open despite the exhaustion.
May nakatingin sa’king lalake, he was standing awkwardly. For some reason, he looked more hurt seeing me than I actually felt.
“Should I make ligtas sa cat ba?” he mumbled to himself. “But I’m allergic…”
Allergic? Edi umalis ka. Simple lang
But instead of walking away, the idiot crouched down in front of me.
I hissed immediately.
He flinched but stayed there anyway.
“Hi,” he said softly. “I’ll take you sa vet, okay? Please don’t scratch me. Mabait ako, promise huhu.”
˚˖𓍢ִ໋❀
Joshua kept telling himself that this arrangement was temporary.
That once his injuries fully healed and the mission was settled, he would leave quietly in the middle of the night and Seokmin would eventually move on with his life. Humans always did. They get attached quickly, care too much for a while, then eventually they grow tired of you. Joshua had seen it happen too many times already, enough for him to stop expecting permanence from anyone.
So really, this whole thing with Seokmin meant nothing.
The warm apartment meant nothing.
The soft blankets Seokmin bought specifically because “Shua likes fluffy things” meant nothing.
And the fact that Joshua had already memorized the sound of Seokmin’s footsteps outside the condo hallway definitely meant nothing too.
“Shuaaa, I’m home!”
Joshua, who had been sitting by the window pretending to watch the rain outside, immediately turned his head toward the door before he could stop himself. He internally cursed under his breath and quickly looked away again, acting as if he wasn’t waiting at all.
The front door opened to reveal a completely drenched Seokmin struggling to close his umbrella properly while balancing a plastic bag of groceries on one arm and his backpack on the other.
“Bwiset na ulan ‘to,” Seokmin complained immediately after entering. “Mukha na naman akong basang sisiw.”
Joshua narrowed his eyes slightly while watching him remove his shoes near the door. The idiot forgot his umbrella again.
Seokmin finally noticed him sitting near the window and his tired face brightened almost instantly.
“Hi baby!”
Joshua physically recoiled.
’Baby?!’
The human laughed softly before walking toward him and crouching down despite obviously being exhausted.
“Miss mo ba ako?” Seokmin asked while gently scratching under his chin.
Ayaw niyang magpahawak, gusto niyang umalis.
But instead, he stayed completely still while Seokmin rubbed his fur carefully with warm hands.
“You waited for me no?” Seokmin teased softly. “Aww clingy.”
Joshua flicked his tail in annoyance and turned his head away.
‘as if.’