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The bell above the front door chimed and Yeosang didn’t look up right away. He was going through matching intake forms to kennel numbers with a pen was balanced between his fingers as somewhere behind him, one of the big dogs barked at nothing in particular.
“Hi,” someone said. “Sorry… uh. Is this where I go if I want to adopt a cat?”
The voice was softer than he expected, even though it had a hint of nervousness in it. Yeosang looked up from what he was doing and the first thing he noticed was the carrier.
It was one of those hard plastic ones with a metal door, but the shell was creamy yellow with animal faces printed on the sides with smiling bears, bunnies, and little cartoon fish. There were even stickers on the top too, slightly crooked of stars, crescent moons, and lopsided hearts.
The second thing he noticed was the man holding it. He was a little tall, about Yeosang's height. Broad shoulders under a black sweatshirt with its sleeves pushed up over solid forearms. Short black hair that was slightly messy from possibly the wind.
The man adjusted his grip on the carrier and offered a small smile.
“I didn’t miss visiting hours, did I?” he asked. “I got off work later than I planned.”
Yeosang forced his brain to focus on the question instead of the way that smile made his heart skip a few beats.
“You’re fine,” he said, setting the pen down before it fell from out of his fingers. “We’re open until six. It’s…” He looked the nearest clock with his eyes, which was his desktop. “…just after three.”
The man’s shoulders dropped in relief. “Good. I was worried I would have to beg and whine at the door.” He stepped closer to the counter and up close, his eyes were even softer than expected.
“I’m San, Choi San,” he then said. “I’m here because my cat is lonely so I am looking for a friend for her.”
“Your cat is lonely, I see,” Yeosang repeated, typing the name into the system mostly so his hands had something to do. “Tell me about her.”
San’s face softened immediately.
“Her name is Byeol, I always call her Byeolie though!” San said. “I adopted her about two years ago. She was really shy at first, like she hid under my bed for three days straight. But she warmed up to me eventually, I guess. Now she follows me everywhere. I’ve been working longer hours lately and I think she’s bored and a little sad. I come home and she’s already at the door, and if I sit down, she’s on my lap in like two seconds. I feel guilty when I have to get up again so I was thinking maybe another cat would help to keep her company when I’m not there.”
Seeing how soft spoken and sincere San was made Yeosang feel warm inside.
“That’s… really considerate,” he said with a nod. “A lot of people come in because a second animal sounds cute, but you’ve actually noticed her behavior. Points for you.”
San ducked his head as he was trying to hide a slight blush, shy at that. "And she does this thing where she meows at the door after I leave, my neighbor told me. It kills me a little… so yeah. I want to try.”
“Okay,” Yeosang said. “We can work with that.”
He pulled a clipboard with the usual questionnaire from beneath the counter and slid it across along with a pen.
“Can I ask you a few things about Byeol?” Yeosang asked, professional mode on. “Age, temperament, how she reacts to other animals, that kind of stuff. That’ll help narrow down who might be a good fit.”
San nodded eagerly. “Ask away.”
They went through the basics, like how Byeol was around three, maybe a little older, she was indoor only and nervous with strangers but not aggressive. She's playful, but picky about toys. Food motivated and afraid of vacuum cleaners. Liked to chirp at birds through the window.
Yeosang found that the more San talked, the easier it was to picture the cat and the more he pictured the cat, the more he saw the way San seemed to be so soft about his cat.
“You really know her well, wow,” Yeosang said at one point.
San shrugged, a little embarrassed. “She’s my girl. I’d be a bad cat dad if I didn’t.”
Yeosang had to clear his throat after hearing that, feeling mostly affected by the use of the word "dad". “Come on,” he said, stepping out from behind the counter. “Let’s go meet some of our resident cats. You can tell me what feels right.”
✢✢✢
They stopped at the sanitizer station just outside the cat room. Yeosang pumped two =squirts into his hands and passed the dispenser over to San.
“Hands first,” he said. “Byeol hasn't had any contagious illnesses as of late, right?”
“No, my Byeolie is with a clean bill of health,” San replied, rubbing his palms together. “She’s vaccinated.”
Yeosang smiled at that. “That's good.”
“She’s my baby, has to be taken care of.”
Yeosang keyed in the code to unlock the door and a chorus of meows greeted them. Several cats looked up from their perches as they entered. A gray one on the highest tower meowed at them, and a chunky tuxedo cat looked down at them from a donut shaped bed while a small orange kitten watched them from inside a cube with big curious eyes.
San stopped just inside the door, taking it all in.
“Ohhhh,” he gasps, full of awe. “This is a lot of cuteness…”
The nearest cat, Miso, who was a brown tabby, walked over immediately and weaved around San’s ankles and bumping her head against his calf.
“Well, someone’s decided she likes you already,” Yeosang said.
San looked down surprised before he then crouched slowly, balancing the empty carrier to the side so it didn’t fall as he held out his hand.
“Hi there little baby,” he said softly. “Can I say hi?”
Miso sniffed his fingers and immediately shoved her head into his palm, and San’s face lit up as he giggled.
“Oh my god… you’re so small,” he whispered. “You’re so sweet! Look at you.”
The sound of his laugh did something to Yeosang’s sanity as it was light and a little breathy, though rich sounding. For a while, Yeosang just watched San. He took his time to properly take him in, seeing his broad shoulders, the strength in his arms, the way his hands moved to pet the soft fur. If he saw this man in the gym or on the street, he would have guessed he was into weightlifting, running, or something just intense but here he was kneeling in a room full of cats and giggling.
Yeosang had to remind himself to focus.
“You can let her climb on you, if you’re okay with fur,” Yeosang said, stepping closer to them. “She’s pretty gentle anyway.”
“I don’t mind the fur,” San said back, still petting Miso. “Byeol sheds like crazy and I already look like I rolled in a pile of fur half the time.”
One of the younger cats, who was a lanky black one named Bean, decided this was the perfect time to dart between Yeosang’s feet. Yeosang shifted his weight quickly to avoid stepping on him.
San looked up at the movement, his eyes catching the way Bean wound around Yeosang’s ankles with his long tail wrapping around Yeosang's leg.
“They really like you I see,” San said.
“Well about that… I feed them,” Yeosang said dryly. “I would be more worried if they didn’t like me after all I do for them.”
San’s mouth came up in a smirk. “Still, you have a vibe, I guess.”
Yeosang frowned lightly. “A what?”
“Like…” San gestured vaguely with his free hand, trying to find the right words. “You’re calm and they like it, it's nice I suppose.”
That compliment was wildly unexpected, and Yeosang had to really try his best to not blush, his lips pursing and unpursing over and over. “Thanks…” he said, looking away towards the other kittens in the cages as a distraction. “Come on, let me introduce you properly to some of them. We can see who matches Byeol best.”
As they went along, Yeosang explained as they walked, keeping his voice professional just as he used a hundred times before, explaining each cat's personality and even answering San's questions as best as he could as San listened earnestly.
“How does this kitty do with sudden movement? Byeol can be jumpy sometimes...”
“Would she be okay if Byeolie doesn’t want to play all the time?”
“If the new cat is more confident, is Byeol going to feel bullied or reassured?”
The questions were cute, Yeosang found. Yeosang even found himself watching him almost as much as the animals, noting the way he leaned in to read the little laminated bios on the wall, the way he smiled every time a cat chose to rub against him.
“Do you work with cats mostly?” San asked after a while, now petting the back of a calico’s neck.
“Not really,” Yeosang said, snorting softly as Bean, who was still all in his space, tried to climb his pant leg in search of attention. “I like cats, but I’m more of a dog person. Or, well… dog specialist. I handle a lot of the training consults and temperament assessments for the dogs.”
San’s gaze went from the calico to him. “Oh! That sounds really cool, so professional. That makes sense though."
“What does that mean?” Yeosang asked, a little amused but also curious.
San took a second, his lips pursed slightly as he was trying to find the right words. “You seem like someone dogs would trust,” he said finally. “Solid, patient, bold, no bullshit. But you light up when you talk about them, like you just did now.” San's eyes softened. “You kinda have dog energy too.”
The words made Yeosang’s ears hot as he was flattered. “Dog energy…” he repeated, trying the phrase on his tongue. “Is that a compliment or are you saying I'm rowdy?”
San smiled, his dimple popping out. “It’s a compliment. I like dog people.”
Yeosang wasn't sure what to do with this statement, it felt loaded…
“Ah! Anyway, you mentioned Byeol’s nervous with strangers,” he quickly said, redirecting. “Do you think she’d be overwhelmed by a kitten or do you want someone closer to her own energy level?”
San considered that question seriously. “I don’t think a hyper kitten is right,” he said eventually. He looked towards the orange kitten who was now half out of her cube watching them with slight interest. “But… maybe a younger cat who’s curious but not wild? Someone who can take the lead a little without running over her.”
“That narrows it down perfectly then,” Yeosang said. “We do have a few like that.”
Yeosang then crouched down and extended his hand, letting the orange kitten sniff his fingers. She hesitated, then stepped forward, her tail remaining low.
“This is Pumpkin,” he said, looking up at San. “She came in about three weeks ago. She’s about a year old, shy the first few minutes but when she warms up, she’s playful and cuddly and she does well with calm cats. She's been around dogs, but hates chaotic ones.”
San laughed under his breath. “Relatable.”
“She’s been good with new people as long as they’re gentle,” Yeosang continued. “Want to try saying hi?”
San came closer, lowering himself into a crouch beside Yeosang, keeping his movements slow. “Hey, Pumpkin…” San's voice was softer now. “You’re very cute… and ooo I like your little socks.”
Pumpkin sniffed his hand, then bumped her head into his knuckles and San’s face exploded into pure adoration.
“There it is,” Yeosang said, unable to hide his smile behind his hand. “That’s the look of a man in trouble. You're in love.”
San shot him a quick look, shy and caught. “You’re not wrong, she’s really so sweet.”
He let Pumpkin climb halfway into his palm, supporting her gently as she stretched. Yeosang could see the careful way he adjusted his hold so she would feel secure.
“Do you want to see the dogs?” Yeosang heard himself ask after a minute. “Even if we don’t find a match for Byeol there, it might help to compare energy levels and personalities. Also would be good to give them some attention, to be fair.”
San looked up instantly, Yeosang's stomach fluttering with how San's face looked so full of energy.
“Can we?” he asked. “I don’t want to trouble you.”
“It’s not trouble at all!” Yeosang said and he truly meant it. “Come on, Pumpkin will still be here when we come back.”
He gently nudged Pumpkin back into her cube with a treat, closing the little door behind her. She meowed once as she was offended, but settled down when he gave her a second treat through the bars.
“We’ll be back in a bit,” he told her under his breath before he straightened up and walked out, San following with his carrier still in hand.
✢✢✢
The walk from the cat room to the dog kennels took them down a hallway plastered with adoption success stories with photos of dogs and cats in their new homes, kids hugging them tight and smiling, and handwritten notes from new families. San slowed a little as they passed them as he was taking the time to read them.
“Do you ever get tired of reading these?” he asked.
“Noooo never,” Yeosang said. “Sometimes they’re the only thing that keeps you from flipping a table when the paperwork gets miserable, there's so much paperwork really.”
San lets out a laugh. “I bet. It must get heavy sometimes, huh?”
“Sometimes,” Yeosang admitted. “We get tough cases like extreme neglect, surrenders for reasons that are… let’s say frustrating and very minuscule. And then we have dogs that take months to decompress, but the good ones make it worth it.” He nodded toward a picture of a senior dog on a couch where his new owner, who was an older woman. “That guy was here for almost half a year and she drove two hours to meet him and fell in love on the spot.”
San stopped to look at the picture, his eyes softening. “I’m glad he got his couch,” he said to himself.
Yeosang keyed them into the dog area and the noise level jumped immediately with barks, whines, and the scratch of claws on kennel doors.
“Sorry about the volume!” Yeosang said, raising his voice slightly. “It’s quieter once you’re inside the meet and greet rooms but they get excited when someone new walks by.”
“I don’t mind,” San replied. “It sounds alive in a good way.”
The kennels lined both sides of the hall each with a laminated card clipped to the door with dogs of all shapes and sizes with their noses against the bars and tails wagging.
Yeosang slipped into his routine, introducing them one by one. He pointed out the nervous ones who barked more from fear, the silly goofy ones who would knock a child over with love (but they meant well!), and the older dogs who just watched.
He didn’t realize he was smiling more than he did with the cats until caught himself being more animated as he spoke, his hands all over the place. When he looked back to check on San, San was watching Yeosang and it wasn’t a judging kind of look, but it was thoughtful and attentive like he was filing away each expression.
“What?” Yeosang asked, a little taken aback. “Do I have something on my face?”
San startled a bit like he been caught, and he did get caught and soon a faint blush touched his ears.
“No!” he said quickly. “You just really love them. It’s nice to see.”
Before Yeosang could respond, a small blur of fur in one of the side kennels came to the front with full of barks and whines.
“Perfect timing! This is Sori,” Yeosang said, grateful for the distraction. “She's ten months, probably some kind of terrier mix. You can tell from her high energy and she's super smart. I think she thinks everyone is her best friend.”
He unlatched the kennel gate just enough to let Sori out into a small play space. She immediately launched herself at Yeosang, her paws landing on his thighs and he quickly braced himself and laughed, steadying her gently as she wiggled hard.
“See?” he said. “High energy, she has so much of it.”
San laughed warmly as he watched the puppy try to lick Yeosang’s chin.
“She’s adorable,” San said. “And very committed to her personality.”
“Committed is one word for it,” Yeosang said back, guiding Sori back to all fours. “This is the kind of dog that needs a job or at least someone willing to play fetch for an hour twice a day. You know, like those worker dogs or athletic ones.”
San crouched near the gate, reaching through to let Sori sniff his fingers and she immediately started licking at his hand a lot.
“You know… for a second, I was thinking a puppy might be nice someday,” San commented. “But I think I’d be a terrible match for a dog like her. I’m not home enough to keep up.”
“That’s honest,” Yeosang said. “A lot of people don’t think that far and just buy dogs without knowing the proper environment they thrive in.”
San shrugged. “If I’m gonna commit to someone, I want to do it right. Whether it’s a cat or a dog or whatever, needs to be done right.”
He scratched Sori’s chest through the bars of the play pen and looked back up at Yeosang. “You look like you would be perfect for a dog like her, though. You have that tireless, sturdy thing going on.”
Yeosang snorted softly. “You mean she would drag me down the street and I’d just accept my fate?”
“I mean! You would hang on at least and she’d know you’re not going anywhere,” San said, satisfied with his answer and nods to himself. “That matters.”
They spent a while in the dog wing and not because San was seriously planning to adopt one, but because he seemed genuinely interested in what everything Yeosang had to offer. He even wwent as far as to ask about training methods, positive reinforcement, and about how long it usually took dogs from rough backgrounds to trust again and Yeosang explained as best he could.
By the time they walked back to the cats, there was a more comfortable air around them.
“Soooo,” San said as they passed the success wall again. “As much as I would have loved to gather all of them into my arms like some kind of cartoon character with long arms, I think Byeol would disown me if I brought home a dog right now and if at all.”
“Probably wise not to,” Yeosang agreed, chuckling to himself. “Let’s stick with the original plan. One roommate at a time. Pumpkin was pretty into you and you didn’t look against it.”
✢✢✢
Back in the cat room, the noise was much quiter as it was just a chorus of meows and the scratch of claws on scratching posts. Pumpkin was where they left her, where she was looking at them sleepily her cube. When she saw them, she perked up and stretched.
“Hey, Pumpkinnnn,” San called as they approached. “Did you miss us? It’s okay, I came back just for you.”
Yeosang opened the cube and stepped aside. “You can pick her up,” he said. “Just support her body since she likes to feel secure. If she doesn’t want to be held, she’ll tell you, don't worry about that.”
San nodded, his movements slow as he scooped her up, one hand under her chest and the other cradling her back legs. Pumpkin tensed for a second then relaxed completely as her paws kneaded lightly at his sweatshirt.
“She’s so light,” he said quietly. “Byeol is a little chunkier.”
“That just means she’s well loved,” Yeosang said in full amusement to whcih San laughed.
San stood there for a moment swaying slightly letting Pumpkin tuck her head under his chin. For a second, Yeosang could picture San in a small apartment under the lamps with one cat on each side of his chest as he tried to watch a movie and failed because his heart was too full and gave in to giving them all his lov e and attention.
“It’s okay if you’re not ready to decide today,” Yeosang said after a minute longer, even though a part of him wanted San to come back and have a reason to return. “We can put a hold on her if you need time to think.”
San looked over at him with a small pout. “I’m thinking about two things,” he said. “One, whether she and Byeol will get along and two, whether I can stand leaving her here now that she’s put her face on me.”
Yeosang smiled, clasping his hands together. “We can talk about introductions. If you’re willing to be patient and follow some steps, there’s a good chance they’ll do fine. Byeol sounds cautious but not aggressive so it should be smooth.”
San listened hard as Yeosang started talking about the basics, like doing separate rooms at first, scent swapping, and short supervised visits as to not forcing interaction. He nodded along, his brow furrowing slightly as he filed each step away.
“I can do that, yeah…” he said when Yeosang finished. “I might panic halfway through and need reassurance, but I can do that.”
Yeosang hesitated for a second, then decided to be a little braver than usual. “If you ever need advice,” he said slowly. “We do have pamphlets and also employees with phones.”
San’s eyes went to his, a look that was bright and pleased sparkling in his pupils.
“Do you happen to be one of those employees with a phone?” he asked with hope in his voice.
“I am,” Yeosang said. “Last I checked at least.”
“Do they allow those employees to share their numbers for educational purposes?” San asked. “You know, purely in the interest of successful cats getting along...”
The corner of Yeosang’s mouth twitched, liking how this was going. “That depends. Are you the type to actually text about cats or will I get a ‘hey’ at two in the morning with no context that will make me wonder what is going on?”
“I promise at least seventy percent cat related texts!” San replied. “The other thirty percent would be gratitude and plenty of follow up questions and maybe a photo or two if Byeol lets me.”
Yeosang could feel his heart jump into his throat. In all honesty, his attraction to San had been there from the moment San came in with that cute cartoon carrier, so he wasn't against hearing from San more.
“I could live with that,” Yeosang simply said.
He then led them back out to the lobby, letting Pumpkin nestle in San’s arms until the last moment before transferring her to a temporary carrier for the trip back home. The adoption paperwork took a while as it required ID, address, contact info, a few signatures promising he wouldn’t abandon her at the first moment she might bite or scratch.
When they reached the section for secondary contact, San tapped the line with his pen.
“Is this where I put something like 'the guy who knows way too much about dogs but also helped me not mess up adopting a second cat’?” he teased, his smirk showing as he peeked up at Yeosang.
“That line is for emergency contacts,” Yeosang replied. “I’m not responsible enough for that, please don't do that…”
“You seem responsible enough though in my eyes,” San said, signing his name anyway for his second phone number.
Yeosang reached for one of the info pamphlets they kept in a clear plastic holder on the counter. This one was about introducing new pets to existing animals, though it was slightly more about dogs but still useful. He turned it over to the blank back and started writing his name, the shelter’s number and beside it in smaller handwriting, his own number before sliding it over.
“This is for questions that can’t wait until business hours,” Yeosang said, managing to withhold a blush. “Or just if you’re worried about something and need to make sure that Pumpkin is still in one piece.”
San looked down at the booklet before looking at Yeosang, his eyes soft and a bit stunned. “Thank you,” he said, pocketing the numbers. “I really appreciate that. It's just that I would really hate to mess things up for them and make them upset at me.”
Yeosang smiled, not finding it a big deal at all. San seemed responsible enough, so Pumpkin was going to a good home.
Something seemed to hit San suddenly. “Oh! When do you usually work?” he asked as Yeosang double checked the final form. “Here, I mean.”
“Mornings most days,” Yeosang said, a brow raised. “Sometimes I stay later if we’re short staffed. Why?”
“So I know when it’s reasonable to come bother you in person with updates,” San said as if it was the most obvious thing ever. He smiled, a little crooked this time. “I'd like to show you how they’re doing if that’s okay in the form of pics and vids. You know, Byeol might complain if I don’t.”
“Right right, blame it on the cat,” Yeosang said, amused. “That’s fair.”
He handed over the adoption folder with copies of everything like vaccination records, microchip info, and even a list of recommended vets. San took it along with the carrier now holding Pumpkin.
“Well,” San said, sighing slowly as he realized what he got himself into. “I guess I have two girls at home now.”
“A dangerous number might I say,” Yeosang said, loving the image of the two cats overpowering him at home. “They’re going to outnumber you.”
“I’m okay with that,” San replied. “I’m used to being bossed around and I will spoil them.”
Yeosang hummed, nodding. “You’ll fit in fine, then. I have no doubts you will struggle.”
There was a small pause, a little charged as if they were expecting something.
“Thank you, Yeosang,” San said, drawing his attention back to the present. “For all of this, it was fun! The advice, the tour, letting me take your time from what you were doing, I know you were busy.”
“It’s my job,” Yeosang said automatically, then shook his head as he wanted to actually mean it. “But honestly, it was nice. You’re one of the few people who actually reads the cards on the kennels and wants to know everything.”
San chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck out of shyness. “They deserved it, they're sweet animals.” He moved the carrier’s handle to his other hand, seemingly stalling as he picked up his cartoon carrier and moved the folders around.
“Can I ask you one more thing?” San then asked.
“You just signed up to receive educational texts,” Yeosang pointed out. “You can ask several things at this point.”
“This one is not cat related though,” San warned, his cheeks reddening.
Yeosang’s heart skipped, but he kept his tone steady for whatever San was about to say. “Okay...”
San met his eyes, which seemed to take a little effort on his part. “Would you… maybe like to get coffee sometime?”
Yeosang was aware of his own heartbeat, and oh was it pounding against his ribs. Yeosang blinked rapidly as shock went through his body. Of all the things he expected to happen today, this wasn’t even on the list. San had been sweet from the moment he walked in, but hearing him ask this all genuinely…
Who was he to deny such a cutie of an opportunity anyway?
“I would,” he said, his breath catching a little..
San’s smile grew all slow and bright, his eyes crinkling as if he was relieved by the answer. “Good,” he said, almost under his breath. “Then I’ll take everything you said and your number very seriously. And after I send you fifty pictures of my cats ignoring each other, maybe I’ll ask when you’re free.”
This San, so cute, really was winning Yeosang over. “I’ll look forward to that,” Yeosang said.
San nodded and he turned towards the door, stopping only to adjust the carrier so Pumpkin wouldn’t jostle around too much while trying to balance the other items he was holding before stepping out into the afternoon sun.
Yeosang watched him walk from where he stood behind the glass, seeing as he leaned down quickly to say something to the cat before standing back up and heading toward the parking lot. Just before he reached the end of the glass, he looked back over his shoulder and their eyes met as San lifted his freeish hand in a small wave and a smile towards Yeosang.
Yeosang waved back and before he knew it, San was on his way towards his car for good now and Yeosang was all alone in the shelter now, the sounds of dogs and cats sounding all around him.
Yeosang let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. Everything somehow felt different, he couldn't put a finger on it, or maybe because he was softer now. He rested one hand on the counter as he grounded himself as he went over everything that happened, mostly hooked on how cute, sincere, and soft San seemed with him and the animals.
It was strange how easily a stranger could change the entire tone of a day. If Yeosang was honest, he started the morning a little tired and was increasingly becoming more annoyed with paperwork but then San had walked in and suddenly everything had brightened up a little.
It's just standing out more to Yeosang now because he especially hadn’t expected to want more of it.
Now, Yeosang was standing there with curiosity that he didn’t bother trying to deny.
San had been so damn sweet, unexpectedly so, and so down to Earth in a way that caught Yeosang off guard. Yeosang wasn’t usually quick to attach to people, but something about San made the idea of seeing him again feel… exciting.
Yeosang caught himself smiling at nothing and lightly smacked the back of his neck.
Maybe he was looking forward to the coffee and text messages a little too much, but could you blame him?
He couldn't wait.