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San, the cat has a plan.
No, he has two plans.
He was sick and tired of hearing his friends talk about their crushes without doing anything about it.
He is on his way to tackling his first mission. He had made sure to replace the little tag with Yeosang’s details with a new tag he had made in his human form. This new tag had Yunho’s details on it…including his number. San is walking down the street looking for someone and it doesn’t take long for him to find his target.
Kim Hongjoong.
San meows and puts his best sad cat face. It instantly gets Hongjoong’s attention.
“Hi there…are you lost?” Hongjoong asks as he approaches San, the cat. San meows in response and Hongjoon stats down to take a good look at San.
San had deja vu.
He had been in this situation before but with Yeosang on a rainy day. He remembers like it was yesterday but it had been months since then, and he had fallen in love with Yeosang so you know. Everything was different.
“Good thing you have a tag,” Hongjoong says and San is brought back to his mission on hand. He shakes his head a little to clear all his Yeosang thoughts. Hongjoong laughs softly and calls him cute before he reaches for his tag and reads Yunho’s details.
“Jeong…Yunho…funny, I know a Jeong Yunho,” Hongjoong says with a smile on his face. He then pulls his phone out and taps in the number on San, the cat’s tag.
“Yunho?”
…
“It’s Hongjoong from fine art, I found your cat wandering the streets.”
…
“I can meet you outside the cafe near campus.”
…
“Okay, I’ll see you soon,” Hongjoong says, his smile still plastered on his face as he hangs up the phone and then looks at San. “So, shall we go meet your owner?” Hongjoong asks and San, the cat meows.
Hongjoong gently picks San, the cat up, and then starts to walk down the familiar streets which lead to their campus. San recognises the cafe as the one he would visit frequently with Yeosang and Wooyoung, by extension. His thoughts wader to Yeosang again and hopes he is having a good day at work.
Yeosang would sometimes come home and just collapse on his bed looking tired and fed up. Understandably so too as some people seem to have no manners and treat retail workers like they are trash. San would have some very strong words to say to rude customers.
“Hongjoong!”
Yunho’s voice brings San back to reality. Yunho is running towards them and if San was in his human form, he would laugh at Yunho’s face.
“You didn’t have to come running,” Hongjoong says with a laugh. San the cat meows and Yunho glares at him before he looks at Hongjoong with a tired smile.
“I didn’t want to make you wait too long…you probably have stuff to do,” Yunho says and Hongjoong laughs softly.
“It’s ok, I’m on my break, and anyway, I’m sure your cat missed you,” Hongjoong says and hands San, the cat too Yunho,
“Yeah…I’m sure he did,” Yunho says in a tone that tells San he is in trouble. San shivers a little as Yunho was never one to lose his temper.
“I’m glad you two can get reunited,” Hongjoong says.
“Yes, thank you for getting in touch with me,” Yungho says and smiles at Hongjoong. San meows and uses his head to nudge Yunho who looks down at him in question. San tries his best to use his eyes to tell Yunho. San isn’t sure if their friendship telepathy is a real thing or what but Yunho looks at Hongjoong again and asks, “Can I buy you a coffee as a thank you?”
If San could he would leap out in joy and break out in a little dance.
“Yeah, of course…you have my number now so just text me, yeah,” Hongjoong says and Yunho is nodding before he even finishes talking. “Good, I will see you soon then, I’ll be looking forward to it,” he adds and then waves at Yunho and San before he heads off, probably back to his art studio to look himself up and start another large canvas.
Yunho stares as Hongjoong leaves, a light blush dusting his cheeks. San meows and then instantly regrets it as Yunho glares down at him.
“Why would you do that?” Yunho hisses and if San whimpers sadly and does his best to impersonate Puss in Boots from Shrek. Yunho snorts before he smiles down at San. “Okay fine, I know you were trying to help. Thank you Sannie,” Yunho says and San meows happily.
Mission 1, complete.
________
Mission 2, starts as San visits the old lady. She is very happy to see him and asks how he has been. San meows happily. San was here to make a request.
He nudges the old lady towards the bed of flowers in her garden. She laughs.
“Do you want a flower?”
San meows.
“I will give you the prettiest one,” she says with a small smile on her lips and gently snips a flower with her gardening scissors. “This is Carnation, they usually tell someone that you love them,” the old lady explains and gives it to San. San meows happily before gently taking the flower in his mouth.
He bids the old lady farewell before he heads off again. He has to sneak into campus and find Jongho now.
Lucky for him he finds Jongho with Mingi just outside the campus. They were sitting together at one of the outdoor tables. They looked like they were studying together. Luck was indeed on San’s side today. He was prepared to fight tooth and nail to get their friends a date with their crushes but everything just seem to fall into place, almost like someone was writing the perfect setup.
San the cat, approaches the two and Mingi notices him first.
“S— ” Mingi slaps his hand against his mouth before he calls out San’s name. Jongho looks up at him in confusion before turning around to spot San, the cat.
“Cute cat,” Jongho says with s sleepy smile. “Is it yours?” Jongho asks as he looks at Mingi. San hops on the bench next to Jongho.
“Unfortunately, he is indeed Yunho and I’s cat,” Mingi says.
“What do you mean, unfortunately? He is adorable,” Jongho says as he pets San. San purrs as he nuzzles against Jongho’s hand. “What have you got there?” Jongho asks, noticing the Carnation. San nudges his hand, encouraging Jongho to put his hand out. San drops the flower in his hand and Jongho smiles. “For me?” Jongho asks and San meows.
“You are indeed very cute…did you plan this, Mingi?” Jongho asks as he looks at Mingi who looks so lost. San meows.
“Thank you, Mingi. I love the flower,” Jongho says with a shy smile and San can see a soft pink dusting both of their cheeks. “We should get lunch sometime,” Jongho says and Mingi nods with way too much enthusiasm.
Mission 2, complete.
________
Feeling satisfied with himself and preparing himself to hear both of his best friends swoon about their dates, he makes his way back to Yeosang and Wooyoung’s flat. Yeosang would be home soon after his shift at the bookstore. On his way home he spots the old lady watering the flowers in the front garden of her house.
San stares at her for a bit before making a decision.
________
When Yeosang gets home after a long day, he cannot wait to just collapse on his bed and forget the faces of all the annoying customers. Luckily he was best friends and flatmates with Wooyoung who always tested his patience, so he had the patience of a saint.
But all his frustrations are forgotten when he sees the kitty with something in his mouth.
“Hi kitty, what have you got there?” Yeosang asks as he walks to his bed where San, the cat was waiting. “A flower?” Yeosang asks as he holds out his hand and San drops the Gerbera Daisy in his hand.
I love you.
Yeosang’s smile widens.
“It’s so pretty, thank you kitty,” Yeosang says as he pets San, and San purrs in pure happiness.
I love you, Yeosang.
San wants to say it out loud but all he can do is meow.
“Thank you, kitty, I love it,” Yeosang says and places his head gently against San’s little head. San automatically licks his nose and he laughs.
San’s little cat heart swoons.
San wants to hold Yeosang and tell him the truth so much but he can’t. He is scared that Yeosang will call him a creep for living as his pet cat while also being his friend. And, Yeosang was in love with someone else. San already knew he didn’t stand a chance because when Yeosang talks about his crush, he looks like he is so in love. He has a beautiful gleam in his eyes and the brightest smile. Sometimes he would be blushing a light shade of pink and San wants to be the reason Yeosang looks like that.
Unfortunately, he was just a cat, cursed to only ever be Yeosang’s pet cat and his friend.
San tells himself that he is lucky enough to have the opportunity to be by Yeosang’s side like this.
“I’m glad to have you, kitty,”
Me too, I’m glad to have you.
________
“How is your essay going?” Yeosang asks San with a small smile. They are at the cafe by the campus. The same cafe he was at earlier today, playing cupid.
“Ugh, don’t bring it up, I’m so far behind on that” San whines, and Yeosang laughs, making San’s heart skip a beat.
His laugh was always like music to San’s ears.
“Do you want help? I am free to help you if you want during the days” Yeosang offers and San almost says yes but he has cat things to do.
“Sorry, I spend all my day sleeping,” San said with a sad smile.
Yeosang’s smile falls for a split second but it’s back as fast as it had disappeared.
“That’s ok, sleep is important,” Yeosang says and somehow the conversation ends and San feels an awkwardness take over the two.
Yeosang kind of looks sad and San wants to ask what is wrong but he is unable to say anything and just lets him go home with Wooyoung. He walks back to his flat silently, lost in thought. He wonders what is wrong with Yeosang and he cannot help but worry.
When he gets back to his flat, both Yunho and Mingi are asleep so he isn’t able to talk to his friends or ask them for advice. He does find food ready for him though and it makes him smile but he is still left alone with worry.
He hopes Yeosang is ok.
He hopes he can comfort Yeosang in his cat form.