Archive of Our Own

For an indoor cat, Minseok has noticed that Ron is treated like a celebrity around the neighborhood. 

It was something that Minseok didn’t notice at first, considering most of his efforts concentrated on keeping his princeling safe inside his apartment, making sure that all his needs were attended to properly. This mostly consisted of activities where he enticed his princeling with the wonders of heated blankets, home-cooked meals, and delicious treats. 

However, despite such prizes, Ron longed for the outdoors, which mostly included zipping past Minseok in an attempt to get out the door. Minseok thought Ron would’ve gotten tired at some point. But Ron didn’t, and Minseok didn’t have it in him to leave his beloved princeling yowling to his lonesome. 

As a compromise, Minseok took it upon himself to give Ron a little catio of his own on the balcony. It is just as well that his landlord allowed him to install a window-mounted enclosure for Ron to lounge in.

His apartment unit is placed at the third floor, which, while pretty high in itself, remains low enough not to put him in a frenzy of worry if left unattended for a time. Despite seeking experts’ insights on the sturdiness of the apparatus, Minseok’s fretting could only be put at ease by knowing that his little princeling would be safe enough, especially if push came to shove. 

Ron loves his catio, often lounging on it when he can and going so far as to yowl at Minseok if he forgets to open the window where it’s installed. Minseok was lucky enough to get a unit where that specific window is touched by the morning sun rays, making it warm enough for his princeling to perch on during beautiful days. Plus, it overlooks their street, giving Ron a full view of the bustling road where he can see all the passersby in their area. 

It took one viral post of Ron (shared by his friend Baekhyun) for Minseok to realize it’s not just his darling cat who enjoys the entire thing. The post was just photos of Ron at every angle, his round rump nestling against the same pillow Minseok diligently fluffs for maximum comfort. Minseok’s eyes went wide when he finally noticed the number of engagements in the post, with many comments calling Ron the “Modern Sphinx” of their street. 

With that knowledge, Minseok took it upon himself to occasionally join Ron during his sun time. Occasionally, he’d see random people waving at Ron. It made Minseok giggle (and puzzled to an extent). Despite Ron’s nonchalant face at his ‘fans’, their giddiness never wavered. Sometimes, people also took photos.

Minseok stopped sitting with Ron after Baekhyun showed him a viral post from social media which talked about the pretty boy next to Ron and teased him endlessly.

He’s also taken Ron on walks (even during his runs), even going so far as to install a little basket on his bike so Ron could join him in going for a ride. It has always been a fun time when people they run into recognize his little prince, even more delightful when said greeter turned out to be one of the tenants in his apartment. Everyone knows who Ron is, wearing their bright smiles and waving them over when Minseok gets the opportunity to take Ron outside.

But despite Ron’s increased time outside, the yowling longing persisted. So the next compromise was allowing Ron to take supervised walks in their hallway. It’s one of the times wherein Minseok has been honestly so grateful that he became a corporate lawyer, aside from the hefty paycheck that allows him to endlessly spoil his loved ones, one of the perks that came with the job is the very fancy, highly-secured, and animal-friendly apartment that he now lives in with his princeling. 

On the days where Minseok is at home—whether working remotely or weekends, he intentionally lets Ron roam free in the hallway. Minseok has peace of mind because their doorman is just two stories below and he knows that Ron is well taken-care of. 

The other compromise was installing a GoPro on Ron’s harness. The original idea came from a short video that his sister sent him, which clearly showed the adventures of a cat going around the neighborhood. Albeit entertaining, Minseok couldn’t help but frown at the shenanigans the cat in the video went through, instigating fights, chasing off stray cats. He simply couldn’t fathom the idea of his princeling being a neighborhood bully.

Plus, it’d give him peace of mind to see what and where Ron is up to whenever he roams around the apartment hallways. It’d help Minseok work around any needed adjustments for the safety and happiness of his princeling while also accommodating any potential concerns he might encounter outside. 

And so began Ron’s cat cam adventures. 

Minseok can’t lie, it’s very entertaining to watch the videos. Since Minseok has been allowed to work remotely as he pleases (if his presence isn’t needed at the firm), Ron has been able to enjoy more freedom around their place, letting him out of his apartment since he’s just in the vicinity if anything happens.

Unlike the videos he’s seen (Baekhyun showed him tons of videos of other cats’ GoPro adventures), most of Ron’s footage featured people, understandable given the premises he’s allowed to. While he won’t be the type to upload the videos online like the ones Baekhyun showed him, Minseok has taken it upon himself to attach a small note on Ron’s harness, saying, ‘My human butler records my shenanigans for my safety! It’s cool if that’s not your thing, but I would advise you to stop facing the camera if that is the case!’ 

He himself would be freaked out knowing a camera is pointed at him, so despite his neighbors’ love for his princeling, Minseok wants to be extra careful to protect everyone’s privacy. 

When Ron is out and about, he has this habit of perching on the tall, ironwood bookshelves placed in the apartment lobby. It’s a funny angle to watch, Minseok feels very tall whenever he watches the video. It’s even funnier when his neighbors still try to pet Ron despite the height, all for Ron to purr up a storm when they succeed. 

Ron doesn’t like dogs very much though, a sad conundrum to witness when Ron’s hiss was completely audible in the footage right when the golden retriever named Lady, came into sight. Even sadder when Ron bapped at Lady for greeting him, which might’ve been too enthusiastic for his little princeling to process. Such time was the reason why the GoPro became handy, since he was able to identify Lady’s owners. He sent them some pastries as an apology for breaking Lady’s heart. In turn, he was able to gain some new friends that he occasionally plays Pickleball with on the weekends. 

Aside from Ron’s ground floor shenanigans, Minseok also realized that Ron is a bit of a flirt around the male tenants.

When Minseok shares this with Baekhyun, he only got “The saying that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree still rings true, I see.” 

To which Minseok answers with, “You do realize I didn’t actually give birth to Ron, right?” 

“Doesn’t seem like it is to me when I couldn’t get a hold of you for three months when you first got Ron! Not even a text back? You were worse than Atty. Lee when his wife gave birth!” 

Nevertheless, Minseok chalks it up to Ron’s friendliness. Most of the friends Minseok invites over are male, it would make sense for Ron to have a sense of familiarity for them. 

What isn’t familiar is Ron’s favoritism for a specific apartment tenant. An unfamiliar face Minseok has never seen before. 

It takes Minseok a while to realize. In fact, it's Hyungwon who mentions it when he's over at Minseok’s place to hang out. Minseok has built up a habit of playing the video as sort of a background music when cleaning. Minseok isn’t normally the type to do his errands when having someone over, but Hyungwon has been over at his place so many times where he doesn’t feel like he’s being a bad host for prioritizing his chores over entertaining him.

Plus, Hyungwon seems pretty intrigued with Ron's clips himself so Minseok figures his friend could relax on his sofa as he starts doing some recycling in the kitchen. Ron was probably perching on another high shelf in the lobby, so Minseok doubts he’s missing out on much. Ron is pretty entertaining, but most of the time, it’s just 15 minutes of the cat laying on the same spot, and that view gets pretty dull on the third watch. 

So he happily lets Hyungwon take one for the team this time. Minseok is well aware that he could just delete everything if he’s bored with it, but he’d rather not miss something crucial in case Ron gets into trouble without his supervision. 

Minseok has just finished the last of the trash due for recycling when Hyungwon calls out to him, “Hey, hyung? Did you start dating someone?”

Confused by the sudden question, Minseok goes straight to his living room to answer his friend. 

But Hyungwon doesn't even look at him when Minseok enters the room to ask for clarification. “What’s with the sudden interest in my lovelife?”

Hyungwon only points at his TV, the tone of his voice being a mixture of curiosity and mischief. “I’ve seen this guy appear in almost all the videos I’ve watched. Ron seems pretty taken and familiar with him.”

When Minseok turns to stare at the screen, the first thing he sees are the eyebrows, then followed by dark eyes, jutting cheekbones, long eyelashes, and finally, a very, very radiant smile which awfully reminds him of a smiling cat, much like his princeling. 

Hyungwon’s statement breaks Minseok out of his reverie. “He’s just your type, hyung.” He doesn’t need to look at his friend to know Hyungwon is raising his eyebrows at him in a teasing manner.  

Minseok scoffs. The guy on his TV is cute, but he’d rather not give his friend any more ammunition than necessary. Minseok shares the same building with the mystery guy, and he’d rather not make things awkward with Hyungwon’s potential teasing before he even officially met him. He sits next to Hyungwon and gives him a noogie for his cheekiness, “What do you know about my type anyway?” 

“Ack-! Hyung!” Hyungwon’s struggle is music to Minseok’s ears. Hyungwon’s strength is pretty decent, but he doesn’t stand a chance when Minseok’s got him into a headlock. “You like them pretty, right?” Hyungwon coughs as he struggles to escape. “And this man is downright gorgeous, if I do say so myse-”

Hyungwon doesn’t finish his sentence when he starts coughing some more, tapping Minseok’s arms to indicate his cry for mercy. 

The TV is on pause now, showing the guy’s radiant smile. Across the room, Minseok hears the soft patter of Ron’s feet, followed by a meow as he looks up at mystery guy’s radiant smile on the TV. 

Minseok doesn’t even need to look at Hyungwon to see his teasing face. He tightens his headlock just a little more to teach him a little anyway. Hyungwon can take it. 

It starts from there. Their doorman, Mr. Seong had briefly mentioned that a new tenant would be moving in their place soon. Minseok never gave much thought about it. He got this place for its tight security, something of which he needs given the nature of his job. 

That being said, Minseok will admit that this situation piqued his curiosity. While Ron is friendly and loves to bask in attention, his princeling isn't the type to linger with just anyone aside from him. So he starts looking back at his older videos after Hyungwon goes home. 

The clips are very interesting to say the least. Minseok knows that Ron is a bit of a flirt to anyone who will give him an ounce of attention. And given Ron’s cuteness, that scope covers a wide range of people, who wouldn’t succumb to the charm of his princeling? That’s how Minseok found himself in a foster fail situation and ended up with Ron in the first place,. Even then, the way Ron seeks Mystery Guy’s attention is something else.

It takes a while for Minseok to realize it, as the camera angle gives him limited vision, only intending for Minseok to see what Ron sees on a regular basis. But over time, Minseok starts to get it. The leg rubs, Ron’s tendency to follow Mystery Guy to his place the moment he sees him in the lobby, and finally, Ron’s inclination to show him his belly in several videos. 

Minseok lets out an audible sigh at the evidence. It was a bumpy and confusing video at first, with Minseok not quite understanding the angle the camera was in. But after seeing Mystery Guy’s frown (which turned to be a smile that’s upside down), a small shiver goes through his body. Minseok recognizes it as a physical manifestation of his secondhand embarrassment from the video. Quite a feat, coming from someone who actively flirts up a storm whenever he finds a cute, tall guy when he’s on a night out. 

They were halfway through Ron’s grooming session when he looked at Ron, happily lounging on his lap without a care in the world, “Kitten, I know the guy is cute, but can you at least play a little hard to get?” Minseok scolds him playfully.

Ron only looks at him and paws at the brush on Minseok’s hand, urging him to continue. Then his princeling turns to look at the TV, the video paused right at Mystery Guy’s radiant smile. Minseok can only snort when Ron meows at him to unpause the video. 

Minseok can’t blame him, Mystery Guy has a very pretty smile and an infectious laugh. 

Maybe the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, after all. 

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Minseok knows he’s well and truly fucked when he starts skipping some of Ron’s footage in favor of Mystery Guy.

Well, it’s not Mystery Guy, he has a name now. 

Kim Jongdae. 

In Minseok’s defense, the more recent clips were obtained consensually. 

Over the past three weeks, Minseok started to feel odd about watching clips featuring his new neighbor given how often Ron hangs out with him. After about three more clips since Hyungwon’s discovery, Minseok decided to put a new note, hoping it didn’t sound as awkward as he felt when he wrote it.

“Hello! This is Ron’s humanbutler. In case you haven’t noticed yet, I just wanted to let you know that Ron has a GoPro attached to his harness. He likes to roam around the building, and the camera is a way for me to record if he gets into trouble. I noticed he’s been with you a lot, and I was worried that you weren’t aware that you’re being filmed. 

I hope this whole thing didn’t come off as weird or creepy. I swear I am not a pervert. But that doesn’t seem so reassuring coming from me? Of course, no one would openly admit stuff like that.

Anyway, I am rambling. 

Ron just has a very fretful butler and his well-being takes utmost priority, so I’d rather not take off the camera. I understand if that makes you uncomfortable. So I just wanted to let you know that you aren’t obligated to entertain him. He’s a spoiled baby, but he’s a big boy. He can endure being rejected, he’s got the entire apartment building wrapped around his paws, anyway. Plus, I can just bribe him with treats if needed. Your comfort and safety is more important. Thank you for being kind to my Ronnie.” 

-Kim Minseok, Unit 326

P.S. I put in my name and apartment unit to even things out between us. I’ve seen the inside of your apartment through Ron, it’s only fair you know where I live. You are free to knock and we can talk things out, if you want. I also clipped some pastries on Ron’s harness to thank you for entertaining my boy. I got them from my favorite coffee shop a few blocks away from our apartment. Welcome to the building! >.<

It's a pleasure to watch Mystery Guy’s myriad of reactions (with his eyebrows somehow being an entity of its own and in sync with his feelings) as he read the entire note. The additional flutter in Minseok’s stomach takes him by surprise though when he sees the delight on his neighbor’s face when the croissant taped on Ron’s back was finally noticed. 

Thank goodness it wasn’t totally ruined (or taken) by the time the gift reached its destination. 

And it felt like a weight off his shoulders when Mystery Guy turned to face the camera and answered in response. He bowed in front of the camera, still clutching the pastry between his hands gently. 

“Hello, Kim Minseok-ssi. I am Kim Jongdae from Unit 219. It seems I live just one floor below you. Thank you for the welcome and the pastries,” Jongdae’s voice is laced with so much sincerity and playfulness that it is radiating off the screen. 

Minseok can’t help but feel endeared as he watches Jongdae smile so hard his eyes vanished into little crescent moons. It almost feels like finding a new cat, given how his upturned lips resemble one. Minseok is so entranced it takes him a minute to realize that Jongdae continued talking, almost as if they were in the same room conversing. 

“You didn’t have to go to this length though. Ronnie is the best welcoming committee I could ask for since moving in.” 

On the video, Ron meowed after hearing his name, almost as if in agreement at whatever Jongdae was saying. Jongdae laughed in delight in response, breaking eye contact from the camera to look at Ron fondly, his arm reaching out to pet his princeling, “Of course you’d agree, buddy.”

But then Jongdae looked at the camera again and winked, “I wouldn’t say no to extra pastries, though.”

Cheeky bastard, Minseok thinks. He feels just as charmed when he remembers how Ron came up to him for the first time at the shelter, deciding then and there that Minseok was his chosen human. It’s almost embarrassing when Minseok catches the reflection of his face on the mirror just beside the TV, grinning so hard he knows he’d scare Baekhyun if he saw. 

Things just sort of snowball from there. 

Given the uniqueness of their ‘friendship,’ Minseok tries to play it cool. It still makes him a bit uncomfortable to initiate the conversation through notes. For one thing, he knows that if he were in Jongdae’s situation he’d feel odd about the whole thing. The entire situation still has that imbalance factor to it given that Minseok knows Jongdae’s face but the latter doesn’t know his.

Minseok is well aware that Jongdae could just go up to his unit if he wanted to, but maybe Jongdae feels off crossing that invisible boundary just as Minseok does when it comes to initiating topics that feel a little too personal. Some things are better to be brought up in person. 

Despite all this, Minseok is comforted that, in the videos,Jongdae always welcomed Ron into his home anyway. Sometimes, Ron perched on a shelf, just watching how Jongdae brewed his own coffee. 

It’s one of Minseok’s favorite things to watch about Jongdae. Well, sort of watch. Despite knowing that Jongdae consented to it and is comfortable being Ron’s GoPro star, he still feels like an unwanted creep, just sitting and watching Jongdae’s clips. But if Minseok is being honest, he likes Jongdae’s clips. Not just because he finds him cute (though he very much is in Minseok’s book), but he enjoys hearing him talk. It’s comforting to watch as Jongdae addressed Ron like a good friend, just happy to talk him through the process of his coffee making, or whatever plans he had that day.

So whenever Minseok does chores, he plays the GoPro clips like he used to before Jongdae even came into the picture. Now, he just has the privilege of listening to Jongdae talk about the most mundane things that he gets preoccupied with, even if it’s not coffee. 

He does find enjoyment in seeing Jongdae’s eyes widen when Minseok attached a small bag of coffee beans for Jongdae to enjoy. The radiant smile that came with, “Minseok-hyung, you’re the best!” is just a bonus in his book. 

The hyung thing is new, something that started after Minseok mentioned in a note that it felt weird being referred to as Kim Minseok-ssi all the time. Minseok requested to be called hyung, and Jongdae lived up to being a dutiful dongsaeng by doing just that when he addressed him in the clip.

Minseok’s so used to it by now that it takes him by surprise when Hyungwon raises an eyebrow at him the first time he hears it while hanging out at his place.

“Gorgeous neighbor calls you hyung now?” Hyungwon asks as he reaches for the snacks on the coffee table. Minseok raises an eyebrow at him, warning that there would be vacuum-related consequences if a crumb accidentally falls on his couch and carpet.

Baekhyun is just finishing washing the dishes in his kitchen, and if he gets wind about Minseok’s budding friendship with his neighbor, he’ll either make a spectacle of it, or just be plain nosy. 

Contrary to what people initially think of them, Minseok is more of the social butterfly between the two. Given Minseok’s affinity to try out as many sporty and outdoorsy activities as he can, it’s been pretty easy to meet new people and befriend them. Baekhyun can be just like that when he puts his mind to it, but he always insists, “I’ll live vicariously through you, hyung!” which Minseok learned is Baekhyun’s tactic of befriending his new friends without having to do the actual sport. 

Somehow, that translates to Baekhyun befriending Hyungwon out of nowhere. Minseok can’t even remember how friendship between those two blossomed, but one day, Hyungwon was hanging out in his place when Baekhyun appeared. Somehow, he just never left. So now it’s the two of them terrorizing his weekends on the days he doesn’t feel like hanging out with people. How Baekhyun and Hyungwon decided that they don’t technically fall under ‘people’ in Minseok’s brain is still a bit of a wonder. 

So here he is in his apartment, somehow finding himself about to be scrutinized. Because aside from terrorizing him with their mere presence (Minseok adores them both, but he is well aware that Hyungwon and Baekhyun knowing how much they are adored will only mean more trouble for him), both have somehow taken it upon themselves as Minseok’s ‘bodyguards’ (whatever that meant), when it comes to potential boyfriends. 

Minseok hasn’t even met Jongdae in person yet, he wouldn’t even call them friends at this point. He can’t deny Hyungwon’s opinion though, Jongdae is indeed gorgeous. No wonder he is the object of Ron’s affection lately, his princeling has always liked the best. 

Not that Hyungwon needs to know what he thinks, so Minseok just shrugs under Hyungwon’s curious look, donning the indifferent facial expression he puts on at work. 

“I asked him to call me that,” Minseok answers, reaching for the bowl of snacks Hyungwon offered as he sat beside him on the couch. 

“Wait, you guys talk now? This is a cause for celebration!” Hyungwon happily cheers. 

Unfortunately for Minseok, Baekhyun walks into the living room in the middle of Hyungwon’s gushing. “What’s happening? What’s all this talk about celebration that I’m not aware of?” 

He squeezes himself in between Minseok and Hyungwon on the couch, narrowly missing the bowl of snacks shared between the two of them. Minseok hits Baekhyun’s chest in response, his friend knows fully well that Minseok is not above making him pull out his vacuum if he spills anything. 

Baekhyun winces but shoots him a cheeky grin, then turns to Hyungwon to answer his question, “So? What’s all this about?” 

“Minseok-hyung has another gorgeous guy calling him hyung,” Hyungwon reveals with a shit eating grin. If that isn’t enough, Baekhyun adds to Minseok’s headache with a cackle that sounds like it came from somewhere in the Underworld. 

Really, both Hyungwon and Baekhyun could learn a thing or two from Jongdae about being a nice, respectful dongsaeng. 

Baekhyun rests his arms on the back of the couch and looks at him. “Hyung, you can do better than that. One look at you and you can make said gorgeous guy call you anything.”

Hyungwon interjects, “You know him, he loves being called hyung. That’s his ki-” 

“Okay, okay, enough,” Minseok cuts in before the situation gets even more out of hand. When together, these two can make the most outrageous assumptions. Minseok would rather not have any of that. Jongdae lives nearby, and he cannot discount the possibility of them meeting him one way or another. He’d rather not scare his new neighbor off with Baekhyun and Hyungwon’s shenanigans later on. 

So Minseok proceeds to explain the entire situation to Baekhyun, “It’s this new tenant in our apartment that Ron really, really likes.” Upon hearing his name, Ron trots over to where Minseok is, kneading down on his thighs before finally plopping down on his lap. Ron’s body is so long his tail extends over Baekhyun's thighs. Knowing the routine by now, Baekhyun reaches over and softly gives Ron butt pats just as his little princeling trained him to after a couple of dissatisfied swats in the past. 

“It got to the point that most of Ron’s clips included him so it felt uncomfortable for me to see them without making sure he’s comfortable with the whole thing. I can’t exactly remove the camera because Ron’s safety and whereabouts are still my priority. So I offered that he can just turn Ron away if he wanted to.”

Ron meows loudly at this, either in disagreement or because he wasn’t satisfied with the head pats Minseok is giving him, too distracted with his storytelling to do it correctly. 

“So you talked to him? Visited his unit and all that?” Baekhyun presses on.

Minseok shakes his head, “Not really. I just clipped the notes on Ron’s harness and prayed he'd notice.”

Baekhyun whistles as he continues patting Ron on the butt. “What a bizarre courting ritual. Your princeling is probably the largest and most spoiled carrier pigeon that I know.”

“Stop being rude. He’s not even a bird,” Minseok answers with an eyeroll. This conversation is draining almost five years of his life. 

“Of course he isn’t. You hate birds, hyung.” Hyungwon pointed out. It’s pretty impressive that he looks so proud of himself after saying that. 

Baekhyun ignores Hyungwon and presses his body closer to Minseok. “So, when are you going to ask out said gorgeous neighbor? You can’t make poor Ron do all the heavy lifting for you.”

Minseok pushes Baekhyun’s leering face away as he answers, “Stop being a creep. He hasn’t even met me. Why would I ask him out all of a sudden?”

Baekhyun gasps like the overdramatic bastard he’s always been, “Why are you depriving him of such a beautiful face?” 

“Hyung has always been the slowburn, yearner kind. I’ll give it a few more months at least,” Hyungwon added.  

Baekhyun nods. “Hyung really is a pro at making moony eyes. But I am not too sure about the slowburn part. I’ll give it three weeks max.” 

Hyungwon offers his hand to initiate a handshake. “Then it’s a bet.” 

Exasperated at this turn of events, Minseok looks at Ron and ignores his two unruly friends, “You're the only one who’s got me, Ronnie.” 

In response, Ron swats the TV remote on his lap, prompting the now forgotten, paused clip of Jongdae to play again.

Hyungwon and Baekhyun cackle with delight the moment Jongdae’s ‘Hyuuuuuuuung~’ fills their ears. 

Really, betrayal truly comes from those closest to you. 

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True to Baekhyun’s words, Ron does end up being a carrier pigeon of some sort. Before, it mostly was just Minseok adding in notes, trinkets, or snacks in lieu of speaking directly to Ron’s Favorite Human No. 2 (Minseok will never give up his No. 1 spot), but Minseok somehow feels the shift when Jongdae starts to attach things out of his own volition on Ron’s harness. 

Sometimes, it's random notes of his own, which honestly makes Minseok coo. Most days, the notes are inconsequential, in the sense that the content isn’t anything different from what Jongdae used to mention in the clips.

Nevertheless, Minseok keeps them. The drawings in said notes are just too cute, it’d be a waste to throw away such art. One day, Ron comes home with a different sort of note, with the message saying,

Hyung, can I take Ron out with me for a walk next time? It’s okay if not! <_>

It takes Minseok five seconds to fully understand what Jongdae was trying to explain, but even then, he can’t quite rein in the bubbling affection in his chest. When asked about the reason, Jongdae told him about Ron’s habit of staying by his windowsill, watching people passing by as he basked under the sun. Minseok is well aware of this habit, sometimes enjoying the view from Jongdae’s apartment with the sound of Ron’s purrs as the background music. 

Minseok had never imagined that Jongdae would pay that much attention to Ron, but knowing what he currently knew about his neighbor, Minseok isn’t too surprised about the turn of events.

Somehow, that turns into Minseok buying various cat accessories for Jongdae and Ron’s day out. Minseok is confident that Ron will be on his best behavior even without him, plus. Given how taken Ron is with Jongdae, he knows it wouldn't be that much of an issue. Both of them will be just fine.

But still, Minseok wanted to help his princeling prepare, and what better way than ensuring that his baby wears the best accessories on his first-ever day out with dad #2Jongdae?

There’s not much room to work with though, as Jongdae had been pretty mum about where they’re going to go when Minseok asked, and his hint of, “Anywhere the wind will take us, hyung,” wasn’t much help. 

Minseok also offered to make an exception and take Ron’s GoPro off for this outing, and much to his chagrin about not being able to make Ron’s outfit as ‘date ready’ as he wanted it to be, Jongdae made up for it by being a cheeky bastard answering with, “It’s okay, hyung. I wanted to take you out with us,” winking at the camera for good measure.

Baekhyun is hanging out with him when Minseok orders Ron’s clothes and accessories online. Being somewhat the designated ‘rich uncle’ of his family, Baekhyun makes sure to live up to this reputation by spoiling Mongryong, their family dog, along with his niece and nephew. Surely he’d know the best spots where Minseok can purchase the best cat accessories. 

The intel comes with a price though, coming in the form of, “Ron gets to go out on a date with Jongdae before you? Hyung, what are you even doing with your life?” 

Minseok only answers with a huff and a side eye, unable to answer with anything else because his reasoning of not wanting to make it ‘weird’ somehow isn’t enough to convince his friends. 

So on the day of Ron and Jongdae’s date, Minseok sets his princeling off with a black vest harness which hugs Ron’s torso just nicely while ensuring a non-slip fit. Minseok audibly coos at the complimentary red bow tie from the store, making his princeling look every bit of the dapper gentleman that he is. He even makes sure to attach a handmade, fabric daisy for good measure.

It may not be Minseok going out with Jongdae, but he’s got to make sure his representative is just as handsome and as much of a gentleman that he is when wooing someone. 

So yes, Minseok can very well admit (at least to himself) that he’s got a tiny crush on Jongdae.

Who wouldn’t with that radiant smile?

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It takes three days before Minseok allows himself to watch the video evidence of the so-called date. It's mostly due to his work, late nights from the office and back-to-back dinner arrangements with his clients didn’t give him much energy to do anything else aside from plopping down on his bed after a long day.

Plus, Minseok wanted to make sure all his attention is on the video itself, without any chores to distract him from the entire thing. 

After a complicated argument with one of their newer clients, Minseok decides that he deserves something nice for himself after dealing with all the bullshit at work. So one Tuesday night, he finally finds himself sitting comfortably on his couch armed with a couple of beers and snacks, ready to finally relax.

Yes, his choice of relaxation tonight leaves a little to be desired, but that’s between him and his couch to settle for tonight. 

After sifting through Ron’s entire journey to Jongdae’s unit (not without some cooing and praises from every neighbor Ron encountered on his way), Jongdae opened his door with a huge smile on his face. He was especially generous with compliments and pets as he inspected Ron’s outfit, “If I had known I’d be accompanied by someone this handsome, I’d probably dress better for the day.” 

Minseok would beg to disagree. Jongdae looked so exquisite, it pains Minseok that he didn’t see Jongdae with his own two eyes that day. For one, Jongdae made an effort to style his hair, seeming like he even trimmed it a little for the occasion. Minseok briefly mourns the missing hair that usually curled up at the nape of his neck, but he can’t deny how crazy gorgeous Jongdae looked that day, a feat in itself considering that Minseok had always thought him as very beautiful since day one. 

It was obvious Jongdae made an effort to work with his curly hair, as it looked especially glossy, brushing the tops of his cheekbones so nicely that Minseok couldn't tear his eyes off of him. This, paired with jeans and an oversized baby blue sweater with a crisp, white collar peeking out of his neckline is just too lethal for Minseok to bear. Nevertheless, he is giddy that Jongdae put in the same amount of effort as he did (for Ron). 

Jongdae yapped the entire time he put on his shoes, explaining diligently to Ron his planned itinerary for the day. It was endearing how Ron meowed back every now and then in response, a favorite pastime Ron now shared with Jongdae aside from Minseok. 

Jongdae led Ron to the apartment’s parking area, which makes Minseok curious. This is the same area where his car is parked, and he briefly wonders if Jongdae’s car is somewhere near his. 

To his surprise, Jongdae took a left which is away from where his car is, making Minseok discover that there is a designated area for bikes and motorcycles in the building. Since his last one got stolen in his old apartment, Minseok made it a point to buy the foldable ones he could stash in his apartment. Thus, he never really had the opportunity to visit around this area of the building. 

Jongdae led them to a light blue beach cruiser, with an already attached pet basket. Judging by how pristine it looked, it seemed like it was newly bought just for the occasion. 

The idea does funny things in Minseok's stomach, he’ll have to find a way to reimburse Jongdae later. He knows for a fact that his neighbor doesn’t have any pets of his own. 

“The places I have in mind may be too far for you to walk. And I’d carry you, but I am not sure we’d get very far. You look like you weigh more than 10kg,” Jongdae explained as he securely tucked Ron in the basket for his comfort.

Atrocious, Minseok thought. His princeling wouldn’t be happy about that. Right on cue, the camera turned to show Jongdae’s playful grin, which meant that Ronnie turned to face his offender, and the vindictive meow showed just how unhappy he was with that statement. 

Jongdae only giggled in response, sitting on the bike himself before finally whisking him away on their journey. 

The entire ride reminds Minseok just how much he should make it up to Ron. He hasn’t taken Ron out on his bike for so long, only going for a short walk around the area most days as his busy work schedule never gives him time (and drains all his energy) to do anything else. Minseok should really look into taking a vacation soon where he can take Ron with him. Maybe in the countryside, where he and Ron could hike freely. 

When Jongdae finally parked his bike, Minseok recognized the area within Myeongil Neighborhood Park. It’s not an area he frequented in the past, but he’s passed by it often enough during his runs to recognize the area. 

Recalling Jongdae’s mention of wanting to visit an exhibition before, Minseok has a pretty good guess on where he was planning on taking Ron, though he isn’t sure if it’s a place that welcome his princeling.

As if on cue, Jongdae’s face entered the frame once more, “Furry friends aren’t usually welcome here, but when I was browsing their site a few weeks back, they posted about this contemporary art exhibition that allows visitors to experience art with their pets. I signed up so fast, I got the tickets way before I asked hyung for permission,” Jongdae chattered animatedly as he unbuckled Ron from the pet basket.” He looked at the camera lens directly before sporting a playful grin, “Sorry, hyung!” 

There’s a couple of people already when they finally got into the art exhibit, different variations of four-legged friends in terms of size, colors, species. It’s a good thing Ron is a social butterfly, not just among humans, but among his kindred spirits, too.

The layout of the exhibit was different from how Minseok imagined it’d be. But it does make sense considering the central theme of the exhibition. Unlike the usual paintings or sculptures that are visible at a human’s usual eye level, Minseok immediately feels the thoughtfulness that came in designing the room. 

It was obvious that the life-sized sculptures of cats and dogs, and pathways were designed in colors that’s easily perceived by the pets. Minseok almost gasped when Ron decided to jump on a bigger-sized one, but Jongdae’s non-reaction seemed like it was intended to be experienced that way. There was a point where Minseok caught Jongdae taking a photo of Ron among similarly-sized statues, and he makes it a mental note to ask Jongdae for a copy of it sometime soon. 

Other times, Jongdae carried Ron in his arms so they could inspect the paintings closer. Minseok isn’t sure if Jongdae did it for Ron’s sake or his through the GoPro, but he's grateful all the same. 

They spent a couple more minutes roaming around the area, with Jongdae just holding on to Ron’s leash. Just as Minseok predicted, Ron’s dapper outfit was a hit, receiving coos and hellos from every stranger they met. On the times that there weren't people to greet or art displays to perceive, Ron just looked up at Jongdae, observing him as he glanced at each display in the exhibit. 

If anyone asked, Minseok thinks Jongdae just might be the loveliest piece of art in that museum. 

Jongdae then took Ron next to a cafe near the area, saying, “I’ve been searching for the best cafe around the area, but I wanted to make sure they can also serve the best treats for Ron! I think Ronnie would hate me if I just ate in front of him.” 

It's a wonder to witness Jongdae really interact with the owner (who was there when they arrived) at the cafe they went to. If it weren’t for the fact that Jongdae explained how he just searched it up, Minseok would think that they’ve been friends for a long time now. 

They were seated on the second floor veranda of the restaurant which turned out to be pretty windy. Minseok, merely a spectator in this, truly enjoys how the wind blew Jongdae’s hair. Despite Jongdae’s pout (an enjoyable view of its own) about how his hair that took him hours to fix got ruined, Minseok thought that his wind-tousled look was just as exquisite to look at. The blue sky behind Jongdae also made the view even more scenic. Minseok hopes Ron wouldn't move from the dedicated small table they gave him for Minseok’s sake. 

Then came the food, which was a separate entertainment show in itself. Minseok has always known how much of a foodie Jongdae is, especially when the majority of the clips he’s seen were Jongdae eating during lunch or dinner. But never would he have guessed the quantity of food that came in one after another, from iced coffee to different types of pasta, and other meat dishes. 

Jongdae talked to Ron about each dish that came in, almost as if he’s doing a vlog of his own and Minseok is simply watching a very drawn-out video on YouTube. At some point, it seemed the same thought occurred to Jongdae, chiming in with, “It truly feels like I am doing my own vlog this time! I am so lucky I got the best cameraman in Seoul,” as he petted Ron, adoration so clearly evident in his face.

The video came to a lull when Ron’s food finally came, then it was just a view of Ron’s separate food bowl. The dish prepared for his princeling also looked good and Ron’s speed in inhaling his prize spoke for itself. The list of things that Minseok needs to ask Jongdae is growing by the second. 

For a minute, Minseok contemplates whether he should finally bite the bullet and ask for Jongde’s number. 

The clip went dim after that, and Minseok's face fell as he realized that the battery of Ron’s GoPro camera had finally run out. It’s not a usual occurrence, as Ron mostly wears it when he’s roaming inside the apartment, his usual strolls not taking up too much time as he tends to run back to Minseok to demand dinner and more pets. Then there’s Ron’s usual visit to Jongdae, which is also just a couple hours max before the battery drains out, so Minseok just charges it up quickly the moment his princeling gets home.

Now faced with a situation that he doesn’t quite know how to fix, Minseok allowed himself to feel sad and bummed out about the whole thing, the feeling of missing out setting in heavier than he expected it to. It’s a thing that most of his friends know about him, he likes to be part of the hangouts as much as he can, which is why his place is almost always open to friends. It’s only Baekhyun and Hyungwon who come to visit often, but that’s fine with Minseok as those two are the only ones who know Minseok well enough about his cleaning habits, anyone else will just drive him up the wall. 

Which is why Minseok knows that it isn’t worry for Ron that made him feel a little upset. Afterall, Ron came back in one piece, fur looking a bit ruffled because of the wind but still looking like the majestic creature he is. 

It's the feeling of curiosity that’s winning at the moment. That, and frustration, because Minseok really wants to know the rest of the adventures that Jongdae arranged for him and Ron to enjoy. Minseok had hoped that he’d get to be part of it, too, if only through the screen. 

Minseok is about to turn off the TV when Jongdae’s face finally appeared again, waving at the camera. “Oh? Is the camera up? Hi, hyung! I think you’ve noticed it, but Ronnie’s GoPro camera finally ran out of juice. I checked on it earlier and decided to look for a shop to buy a charger of my own. We’re on our last stop for the day, it’d be a pity to let you miss out.”

Who would’ve thought that Minseok’s adoration for Jongdae can grow three sizes? As impossible as it was in this kind of arrangement, somehow, Jongdae found a way. And they haven’t even met in person, yet. 

“Hyung, I removed the GoPro from Ronnie’s harness to charge. I hope you don’t mind,” Jongdae scooped up Ron from where he was sitting out of the frame, raising one front paw to wave at the camera. 

“The GoPro can’t exactly charge while it’s recording but I figured that’ll do for now. I can charge in a bit so it can work again on our way back. Expect the video to cut at some point again, okay?”

Then, Jongdae proceeded to regale him of the activities he’s done with Ron in between looking for a GoPro charger. Yet another thing that Minseok must pay Jongdae back for. He talked about the books he got, the shirts he didn’t expect to buy but did. Luckily, all the spaces were cat-friendly, allowing Jongdae to bring Ron inside the boutiques and ask him for his opinion. 

“Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m quite adept yet at deciphering the different meows of Ron. It was hard to know whether he approved the shirts I got. I guess I only know when he wants a snack or attention?” Jongdae grinned at the camera, scratching the nape of his neck. “Promise me you’ll teach me how to be a Ron expert, okay, hyung?” 

Minseok stills in his seat. Since Jongdae’s invitation to Ron, he knows that this silly little crush is bound to jump down the rabbit hole at some point. Who knew that Minseok was already one foot in the hole the moment he hit play tonight. And as much as Minseok wants to cherish this alone, he knows he’s bound to ask Baekhyun or Hyungwon whether Jongdae was being flirty or friendly. 

He brushes off the butterflies swarming in his stomach as Jongdae continued talking. It truly was amazing how Jongdae went on despite the topic getting off tangent with his continuous stream of thoughts. Ron, only armed with his different set of meows, seemed the perfect companion with his appropriately timed meows when Jongdae so much as looked in his direction. 

At some point, Jongdae’s one man and one cat conversation grew into a lull as he occupied himself with writing his journal, explaining that he wanted to really cherish the day he shared with Ron. “My work at the studio kept me busy for a while, and Ron’s company while I slaved away at work felt like a soothing balm to my already stressful day.”

With the GoPro set at a more stable angle, it truly feels like watching one of those cafe-hopping videos Minseok likes watching on YouTube. As much as Minseok enjoys hearing Jongdae talk endlessly, there's something quite beautiful, too, in the shared silence between them. That in itself was another side of Jongdae that leaves Minseok in awe and a tad bit confused. Was he really allowed to witness such an intimate and vulnerable moment of his neighbor? However, Minseok can only find himself glued to his seat, unable to take his eyes off Jongdae’s face, watching every emotion cross his face as he wrote. 

It feels therapeutic to just observe Jongdae working on his journal accompanied by the audible scribbling and Ron’s diesel-engine purrs. 

Then, Jongdae paused from writing and looked straight at the camera, there’s a determined look on his face despite the hint of fluster in his tone, “Thank you for letting Ron come with me, hyung. I feel privileged that you let me take him out today.” 

But instead of immediately resuming his work, for what felt like forever, Jongdae just stared at the camera, an expression etched on his face that Minseok couldn’t quite decipher.

However, Minseok hears an almost inaudible whisper, “Maybe next time you’ll let me invite you, too?” It was delivered so softly Minseok almost thinks he misheard, only he’s armed with excellent lipreading skills so he knows he won’t be able to just chalk it up to delusion.

Suddenly, Minseok is hit with a sudden wave of aching and wanting so strong he doesn't know what to do with himself. He looks out the window to gather himself, mind awash with nothing but overwhelming feelings that he doesn’t know how to process at the moment. 

The matter of the fact is that after all these years of being alone, Minseok doesn’t know how to share his time with anyone else now.  He’s so content with his work, his friends, and the companionship of Ron to the point that Minseok never thought how it’d feel to welcome another person in his life now. He’s gotten used to being himself for so long, it feels foreign opening himself up for someone new. 

But with Jongdae, it feels almost easy. He thinks of Jongdae's smile and his bravery increases tenfold, somehow. Perhaps, he could try again. 

He hopes Jongdae will let him.

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For some reason, Ron has started perching on his customized windowsill again. Typically, it’s a signal that Ron wants to go outside, so Minseok makes it a mission to go walking and biking with his princeling as much as he can. Ron’s date with Jongdae had been an eye-opener as to how much Minseok’s been spending time with his own cat, so he takes it upon himself to hit two birds with one stone- be more active while bonding with Ron. 

But that means having less time to let Ron out on his own ‘unsupervised’ walks within the building and sadly, less time with Jongdae. 

It isn’t like Minseok had done this deliberately, it’s just that Ron is also acting weird after that one time he came home with an arched back, eyes dilated more than usual, and a little withdrawn. 

It worried Minseok to no end, and he’d wanted to immediately watch the clips to know what happened. Unfortunately, in between pampering his princeling and calming him down, he somehow misplaced the SD card of the day. He knows it’s somewhere in his house, but he hasn’t had the time to look for it just yet. 

In between taking care of his cat and preparing for his upcoming business trip, there isn’t any time to turn his house upside down. There are reference documents for his work to finish, reports that need to be submitted before his almost three-week long business trip, stocking up supplies for his Ronnie, and creating another set of guidebooks for when Hyungwon and Baekhyun take turns to officially cat sit.

It’s times like this that he feels like an irresponsible pet owner, wishing he didn’t have to leave his princeling all by his lonesome. Baekhyun and Hyungwon know Ron well enough to know what he needs and likes, and this isn’t the first time that he left Ron for a long trip. But he worries, sometimes to the point that he wonders if he has attachment issues he should be looking into.

Nevertheless, he is glad that his princeling is endlessly adored. Not just by him but the people within his building, even Jongdae whom he still hasn’t met. 

Minseok wonders if Jongdae has been looking for Ron. Even if he doesn’t know Jongdae that well, it could be jarring that the cat you are besties with suddenly disappeared for no reason. It’s a shame that despite wanting to get Jongdae’s number, he couldn’t really find an opportunity to do so. Baekhyun calls him a chicken on this, harping on losing his powers just when Ron already took it upon himself to get a second parent just because Minseok was taking too long. 

It’s not like he could force Ron into going out all of a sudden, too (even though that would’ve been the best opportunity just to lay it on Jongdae without making it awkward or forced).  Minseok still hasn’t quite figured out why Ron suddenly doesn't like going out when there was a time that Ron would be yowling by the door almost every time Minseok stayed at home.

He does instruct Hyungwon and Baekhyun to let Ron out every now and then while catsitting. He hopes that the missing SD card will turn up somewhere too, there might be something there that will clue him in on Ron’s skittishness to visit his favorite neighbor. It’s only a matter of time anyway. 

And so, Minseok’s trip came and went. In the earlier years of his career, it was something that excited Minseok to no end, seeing sights, new kinds of alcohol to try, and a new set of snacks that he could pair with alcohol, too. But then he grew older, perhaps a little more jaded than his younger self, wanting peace and contentment instead of that constant chase toward the corporate ladder. Minseok had come to realize that ambition came with a price. Being very, very important at work was a burden he wasn’t sure that he could tolerate much longer. For a time, he wondered when his definition of corporate success shifted. 

When it finally did, he noticed his inclination to spend more time with himself after work. Sure, he’d never turn down an invitation for a dinner or a drink or two with colleagues, friends, or even potential suitors. But more often than not, he’d exercise, lounge around, or tend to his needy princeling instead. During trips, he found that he’d rather stay in his hotel room, order room service, and catch up on whatever is showing on his numerous streaming app subscriptions.

It was a great way to decompress after dealing with someone else’s problem. When his client organizes a big dinner party after finally resolving a big contract dispute that he had to personally fix, he finds an excuse to leave early despite being the guest of honor, citing having an early flight to catch the next morning. He couldn’t be more excited to finally be back in his own apartment.

Minseok feels the relief seeping into his shoulders the moment the familiar smell of his apartment hits his nose. He can faintly hear the sound of his air purifier running, a specific request Minseok made sure that Baekhyun and Hyungwon knew about. 

Minseok is sure that a huge smile is etched on his face when he finally hears the soft pitter patter of Ron’s paws as he comes to the door. When Ron finally slinks against his ankles in greeting, albeit not as energetic as his usual greetings, Minseok can’t help but be ecstatic. Ignoring his usual routine of immediately showering and changing into clean clothes, he opts to carry Ron and shower him with the biggest smooches. 

Years back, Ron liked to ‘punish’ Minseok back when he left him to travel. More often than not, it was in the form of Ron hiding and not interacting with him for days. Sure, Ron still ate at regular times, but it was bothersome to be woken up at an ungodly hour in the morning because of his princeling’s zoomies. And when he got out of bed to check, he’s only met with complete silence. 

Nevertheless, he makes a mental note to still observe his princeling. Minseok knows that Baekhyun and Hyungwon did their best to give Ron the best care he could possibly ask for. Given the nature of his work, Minseok and Ron had their fair share of different cat sitters over the years. Some had been passable at best, while some were downright horrible that Minseok had to take drastic measures to put a stop to their atrocities and prevent them from being near any cat or any animal ever again. 

It was a good thing that Minseok lived near his parents during that horrible time, so it had been easy to maneuver Ron away from that horrible situation. But his last trip had been his longest to date after a long while, Minseok hopes there wasn’t anything amiss in his absence. 

Unfortunately, Minseok still feels like something is amiss. He chalks it up to only being back for a day or two, especially with a few hours time difference. It doesn’t help that Ron is being skittish that morning, which just raised his suspicions even more. Ron is usually a cuddlebug in the mornings, a trait that Minseok loves about his princeling.

Sure, he wakes up with fur in his mouth most of the time, or the sudden weight on his chest makes it kinda hard to breathe. But he loves it. He loves Ron being affectionate, he loves it when Ron deliberately chooses to. It’s like winning the lottery, but a thousand times better. 

So Ron being skittish first thing in the morning doesn’t add up. Over the course of the day, his worry continues to nag at him when Ron didn’t even bother finishing his food.

Then, it finally reveals itself when Minseok decides to give Ron a good brushing. Despite being spoiled rotten by Baekhyun and Hyungwon, Minseok still is the only person who Ron allows to brush his fur nicely. Jongdae came close, but not enough for Ron to completely melt into a goo like he does with Minseok. 

This morning, however, Minseok is kicked off Ron’s safe list. An event that made Minseok so distraught he contemplates having a group call with Baekhyun and Hyungwon at seven in the morning. A risk in itself since he knows that Baekhyun would spit fire for being woken up before ten a.m. 

Instead, Minseok tries to find the root cause, only to find an abscess just by Ron’s hip, hidden underneath all his fur. Discovering the real reason for Ron’s skittishness gave Minseok mixed feelings. Of course he wasn’t happy at all, who knows how long Ron had been enduring this wound. He thinks about his poor princeling suffering in silence, licking his wound to soothe himself without anyone knowing just stresses him out so much. 

At least Minseok knows where to direct his restlessness now. His latest trip was the longest as of date, it’s understandable that an incident or two would arise since he wasn’t there to supervise.

Baekhyun and Hyungwon couldn’t have known, they were gracious enough to cat sit and spared their time to live in Minseok’s house for the time being without making it hard enough for Minseok arrange everything. But they had jobs and schedules of their own, Ron doesn’t need to be watched over 24/7 anyway. This is what the GoPro is for. 

Right. He almost forgot about that. Minseok’s got some investigating to do when he finally finds some time. Luckily, the missing SD card that Minseok lost was found by Hyungwon underneath his bed when he miraculously did some vacuuming. It seemed it fell as he was fixing the camera one night in his bedroom. 

But all that could wait. Within the next hour, Minseok had whisked Ron immediately to his trusted pet clinic. The vet deduced that the abscess was formed after Ron got bit around his hip. Since cats like to lick their wounds in private, any traces of blood had been licked off by the time Ron went home leaving Baekhyun and Hyungwon none the wiser. 

“Most cats respond well to the standard treatments, but Ron needs to stay overnight so he can recover for a bit after surgically debriding the abscess. You can return first thing in the morning to check on his status,” the vet explains as he goes over the medication instructions and points out the bootload of antibiotics Ron needs to take everyday for his recovery. 

The night away from Ron is hell for Minseok. It’s the first time that Ron has slept away from his apartment, and Minseok can’t imagine how his princeling would feel all drugged up, possibly still in pain, in a strange place with even stranger smells. So Minseok returns at the earliest time he’s allowed to so he can fret over his princeling once more. 

It’s just as well that Minseok managed to get a few weeks off work after his business trip, he made sure to get the better end of the deal for himself since he was basically offered as a sacrificial lamb by his office when they asked him to represent their team. He had looked forward to relaxing without a worry, though given how he’s there at the vet’s clinic this early, maybe the universe had a different plan for him instead. 

The only silver lining is Ron’s state the next morning. While his princeling is still a tad bit lethargic and loopy because of the meds wearing off, at least his cuddlebug nature has already returned. This might be clingiest and sleepiest version of Ron he’s seen, and while it isn’t technically the happiest memory at the moment, he knows that he’d never forgive himself if he didn’t take a photo to commemorate the event.  

Minseok wants to coo at his princeling and shower him with compliments for being brave and powering through the surgery, but he couldn’t help but snort as he finally took in Ron’s new look. Given the fluff of Ron’s fur, the vet decided to just shave off most of it around his hip, leaving the skin pinkish and very, very bare. 

It looked like someone took off Ron’s pants. Obviously, Minseok takes a picture at the first opportunity and sends it to Baekhyun and Hyungwon. A pity that he doesn't also have Jongdae’s number, Minseok knows Jongdae would equally fret and laugh at Ron’s misery. 

They also put him in cone jail, a first for his princeling, so Minseok is under strict orders to monitor Ron carefully since any accidental removal of the cone meant that the wound will be licked one way or another. It is delightful to see that the cone is yellow and sunflower-shaped, though. 

If anyone asks, Minseok will be sure to let everyone know that this Ron just might be the cutest sunflower he’s ever seen. 

Back home, after Minseok makes sure that the wounds are clean and Ron is comfortable, he lets himself relax for a bit with some beer and snacks. It isn’t the most ideal way he’d spent his hard-earned vacation, but he is very thankful that he managed to get one during such a critical time. At least he can monitor Ron without any worry.

It’s too bad that Ron is under strict orders to stay indoors in the meantime, it’s only a matter of time before his princeling gets bored. Sure, Minseok can take him outside from time to time to monitor, but he’d really rather not risk any potential infections the moment he steps foot outside the house. That means the windowsill will be the star of the Kim household for the next two to three weeks. It’s the safest alternative that Minseok could provide, he just hopes that it will be enough to stave off Ron’s longing for the outdoors, even if it technically played a part in how they got into this mess anyway. 

Looks like Ron’s GoPro will be put on a break for the time being, too. The sudden thought of the GoPro made Minseok remember the remaining clips he has yet to watch. First on the agenda is the SD card that has been missing for a couple of days prior to his business trip. 

Minseok remembers this was also around the time that Ron just stopped recently going outside for a bit. He hopes the SD card will give some answers on his princeling’s strange behavior.

The clip in the recently found SD card started out like any typical adventure of his kitty, Ron was running around the familiar halls of the apartment, getting a few pats and scritches, purring so hard Minseok can’t quite make out some of the adoring praises of his neighbors. 

Ron finally arrived at the familiar door Minsok’s seen so many times now. Usually Ron will scratch at the door two times max until Ron’s second favorite human opens the door and beckons him inside. Instead, Ron was left waiting with no response from the other side.

How odd, Jongdae’s never been out whenever Ron visits. Minseok did notice that Ron’s time of visit in this video seemed a little later than his usual hours, so it’s understandable that Jongdae had plans.

Minseok wonders if the timing of it all had anything to do with Ron’s odd behavior since then. Minseok would be crushed if Jongdae had done anything untoward that would scare off his princeling.

However, instead of leaving, Ron decided to wait by the door. Just waiting patiently until Jongdae arrived. It took about ten minutes when the camera pans to the left, with Jongdae now visible in the frame. He was carrying several grocery bags, he must’ve stocked up his supplies for dinner.

Sweet. Minseok internally celebrates, he likes watching Jongdae cook. Jongdae sings to himself and it mesmerizes his princeling enough that Ron idles by the kitchen to keep Jongdae company and hear him sing. 

No one needs to know that Minseok is just as mesmerized, if not even more. 

Upon noticing who was waiting for him by the door, Jongdae smiled so hard that Minseok felt a bit blinded by his smile. Jongdae hurried over to where Ron was sitting, crouching a bit as he spoke to him, “Ronnie! You’re coming over, too? Seems like I got the really special guests tonight!” 

Minseok doesn’t think much of Jongdae’s guest at this point, he isn’t all that interested. Okay, maybe he is but it still feels off especially as this is yet another endeavor that Minseok isn’t supposed to be privy to. Plus, he’s a tad bit worried that Jongdae’s guest might not be too receptive to the idea of being caught on Ron’s GoPro camera. 

As if on cue, Jongdae looked directly at Ron’s camera. It seemed as if he completely forgot its existence, looking a bit surprised.

How odd, Jongdae’s never been the type to be flustered like this, going so far as to avoid eye contact with the tips of his ears looking a bit red.

Even odder, Jongdae barely squeaked out a tiny “Hi, hyung,” before scurrying into his apartment with Ron in tow.

It took one look inside the apartment for Minseok to fit the pieces into the puzzle. 

Even through the camera, it was obvious that Jongdae did a bit of cleaning and decorating. Minseok has always approved how neat Jongdae’s apartment from the start, but the dim lighting and soft musc were new. Not quite to imply anything, as Minseok is the type to opt for some warm lighting at night when he wanted to relax. But the lit candles at varying heights, fresh flowers, and elegant tableware on Jongdae’s dinner table really sealed the deal. 

It doesn’t help that Ron decided to perch on an empty shelf cabinet that night, giving Ron a spectacular view (and therefore Minseok too) of the entire dinner table. It’s a prime spot when Ron wanted to supurrvise Jongdae’s cooking, but now, Minseok isn’t quite sure of Ron’s choices.  

It was quite cute how Jongdae fussed around the little details on the table, though. It wasn’t much of a surprise to witness how Jongdae is in his element in this sort of thing. Given how Jongdae orchestrated his entire date with Ron, of course Jongdae was just as meticulous in planning a date with an actual human. It’s not a surprise to know that Jongdae is this much of a romantic. 

Minseok can’t quite explain the knot in his stomach, though.

He can. But there’s no need to dwell on any of that. 

That being said, watching Jongdae cook and hearing him softly hum along with the music is still just as enjoyable. Ron’s purrs added into the mix made it all the better. 

After deeming the food perfect to his standards, Jongdae set off to prepare for his date.

Somehow, the knot in Minseok’s stomach seems a bit tighter when Jongdae stepped out of his bedroom. He was wearing a black, long-sleeve shirt that softly followed his frame. Minseok slightly mourns that it wasn’t as tight like he wears his own shirts, but he figures what’s his face doesn’t deserve to see any of that anyway. It was paired with dark, black jeans that hugged his silhoutte nicely. 

Upon a closer look, it’s obvious that Jongdae cut his hair since his date with Ron. Even then, Jongdae was no less devastatingly beautiful. In fact, his neighbor’s comma hairstyle may just be another favorite of Minseok’s. It was softly parted away from his face, exposing most of his forehead that Minseok never realized he’s been a fan of until now. The kicker was the single loose strand that fell delicately just above his eye. 

Jongdae carefully approached Ron who’s still sitting on his favorite shelf, doing a 360 spin to show the details of his outfit. 

“What do you think, Ronnie?” Jongdae asked with a shy smile. "I think I cleaned up pretty nicely for tonight’s date, right?"

Minseok can’t even blame Ron for meowing so enthusiastically, even if said look was for someone else and not for his princeling (or him) to fully appreciate.

Baekhyun would say he’s jealous, and at this point, there’s no use denying that he is. Minseok can’t even get Jongdae’s number like he planned, and now some bastard got invited to Jongdae’s own home just like that? How appalling. But like the respectful adult that Minseok is, he’ll try to keep his tantrum in privacy of his own home. 

Minseok does feel pretty triumphant that his most beautiful state was for Ron’s (and his) eyes only, though. But no one needs to know that.

If anyone asked, what happened afterward felt like some divine retribution on Minseok’s behalf. Well, that might be a little too harsh, but Minseok does feel pretty vindicated, enough that he has to pause the clip and give his groggy, confused princeling a big old smooch and even more cooing than what his spoiled kitty is probably used to. But Minseok can’t help it. It may be petty, but Ron scaring off Jongdae’s date may be the most satisfying thing Minseok has seen in a while. 

The asshole deserved it, anyway.

A few minutes after Jongdae showed off his outfit, his doorbell rang, indicating the arrival of Jongdae’s date. What Jongdae didn’t realize in his haste to reach the door was Ron following suit, doing it so swiftly that Ron reached the door much faster than Jongdae.

Much like his dad, Ron was just as curious who Jongdae was dressing up for. He placed himself by the doorway in such a way that when the front door opened, he’d be the first in line to see who was visiting. 

While Minseok had easily predicted Ron’s curiosity, he wasn’t prepared for Ron's hissing when said stranger came into view. Obviously, said ‘date’ wasn’t also ready given the yelp that he let out when Ron attempted to scratch him for entering Jongdae’s apartment. 

In his haste to escape Ron’s sudden lashing, said date slammed the door shut, not even daring to step foot inside his house. 

Jongdae’s confusion could be heard in the background, despite not being visible in the frame. Minseok can hear him scrambling, looking for ways to distract Ron who was still staring at the door.

Minseok may not see what Ron was doing at the moment, but he knows that his princeling had his tail puffed up.

Outside the door, Minseok can hear the guy just as confused and panicked, “What the fuck is going on Jongdae? I didn’t know you had a cat!”

“I don’t know what came over Ronnie! I’m sorry!”

That conversation went back and forth, with Ron interfering with the guy’s entrance at every turn. It’s pretty hilarious hearing the guy getting more and more worked up, but Minseok knows that it’s also unusual for Ron to be aggressive like this. 

Admittedly, Minseok was already preparing to send an overdue apology gift to Jongdae when said guy banged on the door loudly in a fit of tantrum, “Forget it, I only came anyway because you looked like a good lay. But dealing with your vermin isn’t worth all this trouble. I wooed the fuck out of you and you can’t even be bothered to get rid of the devil’s spawn for the night?!”

Well, that’s not a very nice way to treat Jongdae nor his princeling. Good riddance. Minseok thought.

Silence followed after that, indicating that Jongdae’s would-be date finally left the premises. Then, Ron turned around and saw Jongdae crouching near him holding a bunch of toys and treats in his hands.

Ron’s probably pretty agitated still given the amount of bribery that Jongdae armed himself with.

There’s a tight smile on Jongdae's face, it’s obvious that he’s still putting up a facade given all that’s transpired. Minseok can’t help but ache on Jongdae’s behalf. He went all through that trouble to prepare for the date, going so far as to cook and dress up just for the occasion. It wasn’t his fault he got tricked by that bastard. 

Jongdae extended his free hand for Ron to sniff. “I should’ve known better when he insisted on having our first date at home, huh? He never had the best reputation around at work, but I figured I’d give him the benefit of doubt. Good thing you were looking out for me, Ronnie.”

Jesus, of course Jongdae has a heart of gold. Of course it wasn’t Ron’s fault at all. Plus there’s something to be said about a cat that generally loved humans’ attention to hate you upon their first meeting. That being said, if it were some other guy, Minseok wouldn’t blame them if they partly blamed Ron for the shitshow that just transpired.

Instead, Jongdae just sighed heavily as he sat by the doorway. 

“Maybe love just isn’t for me,” Jongdae softly murmured. When Ron approached Jongdae carefully, he looked directly at the camera with a very sad smile on his face. “I ought to thank you for having my back. I should thank Minseok-hyung too for raising a gentleman. Maybe I should ask for Ron’s blessing for dating anyone else, yeah?” 

At that, Ron only stared at Jongdae until he scrambled at the door scratching at it until it opened. The moment it did, Ron sprinted across the hallway, never once looking back. The faint call of Jongdae’s voice is still ringing in the background.

Looks like Ron took it a bit more personally when another human he didn’t approve of entered Jongdae’s domain without his permission.

The next SD card was just as eventful but only for different reasons. 

Based on the timeline, this must be around the time Minseok was already on his business trip. Hopefully this one will give answers to the cause of Ron’s wounds.

The clip started out the same, which was just Ron walking around the hallways. It was a route familiar enough that Minseok guessed that Ron was on his way to Jongdae’s house. 

That makes Minseok chuckle, it’s been more than a week since the Incident.  But that was apparently deemed as enough time for Ron to forgive Jongdae for his ‘betrayal.’

Things unfortunately got dicey when Ron came across another cat on his way to the second floor. It was a sudden thing, the first minute the camera was bobbing along to Ron’s usual gait. The next second, he froze and a flash of bright orange fur entered the frame, visible at the end of the hallway. 

Looks like another cat parent had been added to their apartment’s roster. As a cat dad, Minseok is delighted. But given the time and place of the cats’ first meeting, Minseok is less than happy about it.

Things just snowballed from there, the camera picking up Ron’s low, vibrating growl. Unfortunately, this is yet another example of Ron not liking any newcomer.

From the distance, it seemed that the orange cat saw Ron, too. Judging the way its shoulders bunched and rose like a coiled spring, Minseok knows it was only a matter of seconds for shit to hit the fan. 

And hit the fan it did. 

In the next seconds, all Minseok can see is a chaotic blur paired with high-pitched yowls and claw scratches across the wall. 

Minseok began to worry at one point because that the fight was bad. It was no wonder Ron got wounded really badly. 

Thankfully, a pair of human legs finally entered the frame and the dizzying footage came to a stop. All of a sudden a piece of cardboard was all Minseok could see, which made Minseik feel a little bit better about the whole thing, at least his new neighbor knew to sever their line of sight to de-escalate the fight. 

Ron apparently took this opportunity to bolt away from the crime scene, running so fast the floors were blurring into a streak of brown. 

Minseok couldn’t really track where his princeling ended up after his hasty escape, only somwhere that’s dim and dusty. It must’ve been a utility closet that’s left open during the day. Then, the entire frame was just showing how Ron aggressively licked his wound around his hip, which revealed two distinct, deep punctures. Minseok’s heart ached for Ron, who knows how long his princeling endured this all on his own. Given Ron’s inclination to hide away instead of scurrying home was enough to prove that even under his friends’ supervision, they wouldn’t know any better seeing as the wound was hidden deep in Ron’s fur. 

Nevertheless, Ron’s safe (albeit loopy) now, which is probably the most ideal situation he could be in. Plus, the vet advised that there wasn’t anything else to worry about as long as the post-surgery recovery instructions were followed to a tee. 

And so begins Minseok’s days as a personal butler, which mostly focus on attending to his princeling’s every need. Some days, Hyungwon and Baekhyun drop by and hang out, often bringing treats (both for humans and cat alike). 

Admittedly, it's a bit harder than Minseok imagined it would be. Sure, he deeply enjoyed seeing Ron wearing his sunflower cone (he has an entire folder called Sunflower Ron in his phone), but it wasn't really fun to see Ron hiding more often than usual. 

The decrease in his appetite also makes Ron shed some pounds, which makes Minseok a little sad. Despite the numerous reassurances from his vet that this is normal, there’s still a bit of worry and guilt in Minseok’s heart that just won’t go away.  

So on the easier days of Ron’s recovery, Minseok makes it a point to sit with Ron on the windowsill, people-watching as they bask in the warmth of the sun rays. He may not be able to soothe the pain, but Minseok can make sure to accompany Ron and offer his presence.

It’s very peaceful, Minseok should really take a page from Ron’s book every once in a while.  

This peace takes an exciting turn when one day, there’s a sudden knock on Minseok’s door. 

Weird.

The only guests that Minseok would be expecting (Baekhyun and Hyungwon) know his passcode that there isn't any need to go through all that formality.

Minseok can’t believe his eyes when he finally opens the door. 

On the other side of it is Jongdae. 

Truthfully, Minseok had imagined multiple times how he and Jongdae would meet each other. One of those scenarios was either one of them just finally plucking the courage to knock on the other’s door. 

Minseok had always imagined doing it, but couldn’t justify the action without feeling like an absolute creep. Who knew that Jongdae would be the more courageous one between the two of them? 

One thing that Minseok isn’t prepared for is Jongdae’s beauty. He’s always known Jongdae’s drop dead gorgeous, but seeing him up close, it is obvious that the GoPro didn’t do any justice to Jongdae’s face.

No wonder his princeling’s smitten. He’d take the chance to visit that beauty, too, if he got the chance. 

Too entranced by Jongdae’s beauty, Minseok doesn’t immediately notice the subtle flush on his neighbor’s face. 

Cute.

It's obvious that Jongdae isn’t the type to knock on a stranger’s door.  But is admirable how Jongdae looks very determined despite the obvious discomfort.

“Does Ronnie hate me, hyung? Please tell him I’m sorry and that I miss him,” Jongdae squeaks as he shoves a gift basket in Minseok's hands. 

The action is so abrupt, Minseok almost drops the paper bag shoved in his face. “Whoa, what's all this about?” Minseok asks as he secures the bags better in his hands. 

“Oh, I am forgetting my manners. Hello, Minseok-hyung. I am Kim Jongdae, your neighbor from unit 219,” He bows in front of him, looking like the most polite guy Minseok’s had the pleasure of knowing.

If only Minseok could ease the tension in Jongdae’s body. It must’ve been uncomfortable to knock on a stranger’s home, but Minseok can’t be that bad, right?

With his inner turmoil unbeknownst to his neighbor, Jongdae rattles on, “Sorry for the abrupt visit. Ron hasn’t visited in a while and I got worried about him. Our last interaction wasn’t really the best and I wondered if that played a role in him being MIA for the past couple of weeks. I didn’t have your number so I figured, I might as well check.”

“Wait, how do you know I’m Minseok?” Which, in hindsight, feels ironic for him to say given the imbalance of their association. But Minseok is curious. As far as he knows, this is the first time they’ve seen each other face-to-face. 

At this question, the tips of Jongdae’s ears turn redder. He's scratching the back of his neck, looking a bit unsure how to answer the question. 

“There was a time I wanted to give Ron an extra treat, so I followed him when he went home. But before I reached him, I saw you carrying Ron before you entered your apartment. At that time, I figured there’s no one else who’d carry Ron like that except for his human.  kind of just connected the dots. Sorry, does that sound creepy? I’ll just leave the treats and get going if it does.”

Absolutely endeared by his earnestness, Minseok grabs Jongdae by the wrist and leads him inside the apartment. 

They’re standing at the end of the hallway when Minseok quietly points out where Ron is snoozing by the windowsill, still wearing that yellow sunflower cone on his neck. From where they’re standing, Ron looks like a plump, yet very droopy sunflower. 

Minseok thinks it’s cute, so he captures a quick photo before turning to Jongdae, who seems to be doing the same thing. Minseok can’t help but snort, Ron really got Jongdae wrapped around his paws, too. 

Jongdae turns to Minseok with a pleading look on his face, “Hyung, can I sit with Ron on his windowsill? I promise to be really quiet.”

As if Minseok could say no to that, so he nods. “Sure. He’s extra drowsy, though, so don’t take it personal if Ron ignores you. Besides, Ronnie’s on strict bedrest until he recovers,” Minseok explains, recalling the details of Ron’s encounter with the new neighbor cat. “I can’t really let him out until his wounds have fully closed up. Plus, I plan to visit our new neighbor so they can be introduced properly. I’d rather this be the last cat fight Ron will be in. It may take a while for Ron to visit your place again.”

Jongdae nods, sitting gingerly beside Ron on the windowsill. From where Minseok is standing, Jongdae looked like a dream dipped in sunlight, wrapped in so much warmth that he wouldn’t mind basking in it himself for hours on end. “That’s fine. Ron has been through a lot. I didn’t make it easy for him when he last visited anyway.”

Minseok lets out a snort at that, but he’s thankful that Jongdae brought up the topic first. “I don’t think Ron made things any easier for you, either. I’d like to apologize on his behalf. I know you prepared a lot for your date.”

Jongdae averts his gaze at that, a nervous smile on his face. Right, maybe Minseok shouldn’t have referenced that moment. It isn’t exactly his business, even if Ron decided for himself that it was.

But Jongdae continues, as if it’s the most normal thing in the world that the neighbor you’re meeting for the first time knew about your romantic encounters because of a GoPro, of all things. Jongdae carefully reaches for Ron, adjusting the crooked sunflower cone as Ron fell into a deeper sleep. It wouldn’t do if Ron slept on his neck at a weird angle. “Ah, right. You saw that disaster date. Well, it was barely a date, anyway. There’s no need to apologize, really. Ron being there basically let the trash take itself out.”

“Still, it didn’t have to turn out that way. I’m not sure how to make it up to you, but I want to,” Minseok answers, determined to take responsibility for the mess his princeling caused.

“There’s really no need,” Jongdae shrugs, but then his eyes brighten, making it obvious that an idea is coming to mind. “But tell you what, if you really want to make it up to me, would you let me visit Ron from time to time? I’m afraid I’d miss him too much if I wait until he recovers.”

Of course, Minseok wouldn’t be Minseok if he let this opportunity to flirt pass him by. “And if I say yes, it’s only Ron you’d be visiting, then?”

Minseok playfully fakes a pout at that, “Ah, my princeling is very lucky to be missed by such a gorgeous guy. I can only hope to be just as lucky.”

Jongdae just giggles. “Well, you’d have to let me get to know you a little better for me to miss you too, you know?”

Minsekk goes in for the kill. “Yeah? So you’re not too traumatized yet if I invite you to a date at my house next time?”

Jongdae’s smile turns coy, “I mean, I’m sure Ron approves of my date this time. There wouldn’t be any violent clawing. Hopefully.” Jongdae’s smile was so blinding, so enticing that Minseok couldn’t help himself, inching closer and closer until he dropped a kiss on Jongdae’s left cheek. 

“Then I guess it’s a date,” Minseok whispers as he puts a short distance between them.

So maybe it was a little too forward, but seeing the twinkle in Jongdae’s eyes and the obvious blush on his cheeks, Minseok knows he did the right thing. 

It was only after that cheek kiss that Minseok notices Ron is finally awake. It seems he’s been watching them for a while now, slowly blinking at the scene before him. For a moment, Minseok wonders if there’s any inkling of truth in Baekhyun’s words when he said that Ron is getting a second dad for himself.

He’d shrug it off, but Ron’s purring is so loud that Minseok couldn’t help but think that his princeling must’ve orchestrated this somehow. It’s not the first time that Ron lured Minseok into doing something for his benefit anyway. Minseok couldn’t be mad about it. For once, it tremendously benefits him, too.

Jongdae seems to notice where he's looking, but instead of saying anything, he reaches for Minseok’s free hand, giving it a tight squeeze in reassurance. 

It’s too bad that Ron didn’t get to capture their first (cheek) kiss on camera, but maybe that’s for the best. The first times are always something special that needs to be savored in private. 

If things would go Minseok’s way, that kiss would be the first of many between them. 

End.