As soon as I stepped in and turned left, I saw it. A small cat bed sat on the floor near the wall, round and plush, with faded fabric that had been kneaded too many times. Next to it was a litter box, tucked neatly into the corner, clean but clearly used. A small food bowl and a water dish were placed nearby, both stainless steel, reflecting the light from the window.

The cat was curled up in the bed.

She was black from head to tail, her fur thick and soft-looking, stretched lazily over the cushion. She wasn't fat, not really, but she had a noticeable little belly that rose and fell as she slept. The kind of cat that looked like she enjoyed comfort a bit too much.

She stirred as we approached, lifting her head slowly. She yawned wide, showing small teeth, then blinked at us. That was when I noticed it. One of her eyes looked cloudy, pale compared to the other.

"Oh," I said quietly. "She can't see out of that one, can she?"

"No," Emma replied. "She lost sight in it when she was a kitten."

I nodded. "She's a British Shorthair, right?"

"She is," Emma said. "Her previous owner put her up for adoption. I always wanted one, so I bought her."

"You paid for her?"

"Yeah. But I couldn't take proper care of her long-term, so I asked Minne if she wanted her. She didn't even hesitate."

I glanced down at Kim as she shifted in her bed. "Guess she really loves cats."

"Who doesn't?" Emma said.

Kim stretched, climbed out of the bed, and padded over to me on silent paws. She circled my legs once, brushing against my ankle, her fur still warm from the blankets, then veered toward Emma as though I'd been only a brief distraction.

Emma bent down without hesitation and lifted her easily, settling the cat against her chest. Kim went limp in an instant, limbs dangling, eyes drifting half-shut as Emma's fingers moved in slow, steady strokes along her back. The purr started soft and quickly deepened, a steady rumble that seemed to settle into the room itself.

"She doesn't eat much," Emma said, her voice calm and even. "So you don't have to worry about food costs."

I tilted my head, eyeing the soft curve of that little rounded belly as it rose and fell with each breath. "She looks kind of… chunky. You sure about that?"

Emma's lips twitched—just the smallest hint of amusement. "She needs more activity. But she's lazy. She likes lying around. That's where the little tummy comes from."

"Got it," I said, nodding once. Kim opened one eye, fixed it on me for a long second, then delivered a slow blink before letting the lid sink again.

I stepped closer to Emma, closing the narrow gap between us. She was shorter than me—about Minne's height—so I ended up looking down at her without meaning to. Up close, I caught the faint lavender scent of her shampoo tangled with the warm, slightly dusty smell of cat. She tilted her head back to meet my eyes, wearing that familiar half-lidded expression, like the world had long since run out of ways to surprise her—yet today the edges felt softer, less guarded.

I reached out and gently patted Kim's head. The purr instantly grew louder, vibrating under my palm like a small motor. She yawned wide enough to show every tiny sharp tooth, pink tongue curling lazily, then stretched one front leg straight up into the air, toes flexing before the paw dropped back with exaggerated heaviness. Finally she let her head sink fully against Emma's arm, cheek squashed flat, eyes sealed in complete surrender.

"Wow," I said quietly. "She's already sleeping?"

"Yep," Emma replied, tone flat but carrying a thread of affection. "Told you. Lazy."

I kept my hand there a moment longer, feeling the steady thrum, then let it fall away. For a few beats we stayed like that—Emma cradling the boneless cat, me standing close enough that our arms nearly brushed, the room quiet except for Kim's unbroken, contented rumble. It was oddly still, almost fragile, like we'd both stumbled into a small, unexpected pause neither of us wanted to break.

I kept petting Kim for another second, but as I shifted my hand, it accidentally brushed against Emma's chest. I froze instantly.

"Sorry," I said quickly, stepping back and clearing my throat. I rubbed the back of my head, avoiding her eyes. "Didn't mean to—"

Emma didn't react at all. She just adjusted her hold on Kim slightly, her expression unchanged, eyes still half-lidded.

"It's fine," she said, completely unbothered.

"Right." I exhaled. "Should we head back?"

"Yep," she replied in the same bored tone.

We left the bedroom and walked back down the hallway, our footsteps soft against the floor. When we entered the living room again, Hana was standing in front of the window, looking outside. The rain streaked down the glass, blurring the view. Minne was still sitting on the couch, holding her tea with both hands.

I sat back down in my spot and picked up my own glass, taking a sip.

"Thanks for the tea, Hana," I said. "But we really shouldn't bother you any longer."

"You can stay as long as you like," Hana replied gently, turning back to us. "Did you have breakfast?"

"We did," I said, then glanced at Minne. "Do you want to stay here for the day?"

"I'm okay," Minne said, shaking her head. "There's still work to be done at the penthouse."

"You could do it tomorrow," I said. "That wouldn't be a problem."

"No, really," she insisted softly. "I'm okay."

"Alright then," I said, nodding. I took another sip before continuing. "So… does Kim have a carrier or something we can use to take her with us?"

"No," Emma said from behind me.

"I can carry her," Minne said immediately.

I nodded. "Alright. Then let's do that."

I placed the half-finished tea on the coffee table and stood up. Hana stepped away from the window as if to come with us, but her movement faltered. She lost her balance for a second. I moved instinctively, but she managed to grab onto the TV unit and steady herself.

Minne stiffened instantly. She rushed over to her mother, worry written all over her face. She helped Hana sit back down on the couch, holding her arm carefully. Then Minne smiled at her, leaned in, and kissed her on the cheek.

Hana smiled back and returned the kiss, then waved at us gently. "Please visit me again sometime," she said.

"We will," I replied. "I promise."

"I'd walk you to the door, but…" she exhaled. "I feel tired."

"I'll do it, Ms. Drag," Emma said, still holding Kim. "Don't worry."

"You're a godsend, Emma," Hana said warmly. "Thank you."

"No problem," Emma replied.

We walked to the door together. Minne and I put our shoes back on, the small entryway feeling a little cramped with all three of us standing there. Emma crouched slightly and gently handed Kim over to Minne, who accepted the cat with care.

"Would you like to hold her, Master?" Minne asked, looking up at me.

"Uh… sure," I said, holding out my arms.

The moment Kim was in my hands, she shifted, climbed up my chest with lazy confidence, and hopped onto my shoulder. She settled there like she'd done it a thousand times before, her body draped along my collarbone, head tucked near my neck, tail hanging loosely down my back. Within seconds, her eyes slid shut again, her weight sinking comfortably against me.

I blinked. "That's like a superpower," I muttered. "Being able to sleep literally anywhere."

Minne smiled apologetically. "Yes… sorry, Master. Kim is very lazy. I don't know if Miss Tessa will like that."

"Tessa?" Emma asked, raising an eyebrow slightly.

"A friend," I replied. "The stray cat she was feeding died a few days ago. We're just… I guess we're giving her Kim as a gift."

Emma nodded slowly. "Cats are good for the soul."

I nodded back. "I hope that's true."

"Oh," Emma added, turning toward the hallway, "I'll give you the cat bed too."

"That'd be great," I said. "And her food, if that's okay."

"Yeah."

I glanced at the mirror by the door, quickly fixing my hair and tugging at the hem of my jacket. A few seconds later, Emma returned, handing a bag of cat food to me and the small cat bed to Minne.

"Thanks," I said sincerely.

We opened the door and stepped out. Minne and I waved goodbye as Emma lifted her hand in return, then she closed the door gently behind us.

We made our way down the stairs, step by step, Kim still asleep on my shoulder. When we pushed open the building's main door, cold air rushed in. Kim startled awake immediately and let out a loud, offended meow, claws gripping my jacket just enough to make her displeasure known.

"Okay, okay," I muttered, picking up the pace.

We hurried to the car and got inside. I carefully lifted Kim off my shoulder and passed her to Minne, who was already in the passenger seat. She cradled the cat securely as we buckled our seatbelts. I turned the key, the engine rumbling to life.

"I'll drop you off at the penthouse," I said as I pulled out, "then I'll head to work."

"Alright, Master," Minne replied softly.

The rain streaked across the windshield as we drove off.

Now… Nala's office was waiting for me.

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