Churu for the Angry Guide

15

Geonho immediately rushed to his room.

His only thought was to check on the cat’s safety first. When he heard the sound of breaking glass, his heart nearly stopped.

“Wh-what was that sound?” 

The secretary quickly followed Geonho, glancing at Taebeom. He too was more concerned about the cat.

Geonho stood silently in front of his bed. Only traces of someone having lain there remained on the bed.

“Looks like that wall shelf fell,” said Seojun, who had entered the room with them, pointing at the wooden shelf on the floor.

Geonho had made it himself for the cat, even painting it. He made it to be used as a cat tower, but the cat showed no interest, so it became a holder for cups and remotes instead.

The glass cup on the shelf had fallen and broken along with it.

“This part came off,” the secretary sighed, examining the shelf. The hook for the nail was missing, probably due to poor construction. It was clearly homemade by Geonho. He could have just bought one.

Taebeom merely observed the situation from afar before leaving the guiding room. Thankfully, he showed no interest.

After waiting for the front door to close, the secretary glanced at Geonho.

“How could you put a glass cup there when you have a cat?”

He clicked his tongue but carefully gathered the broken glass pieces. He cleaned up quickly, worried the cat might step on them. Seojun also helped clean the floor.

“…He’s gone.”

Geonho looked dumbfounded after lifting the blanket. After checking the empty bed, he bent down to thoroughly search under it.

“He’s not there either?”

The secretary had assumed the cat would be under the bed. But judging by Geonho’s expression, it wasn’t.

“Um… he’s not in the bathroom either,” 

Seojun said after checking the en-suite bathroom, watching Geonho’s reaction. The bed and bathroom were the only places the cat could hide. There was nowhere else to go in the room without a desk or storage cabinet.

“Could he have gone out the window?”

At Seojun’s casual remark, Geonho’s expression became even more serious. The Baekya Guild’s guiding room was on a high floor, not a height one could jump from.

“Shit…”

Geonho cursed under his breath and ran to the window, turning the handle. Click. Fortunately, the lock was engaged. The door was firmly locked.

Then where on earth did he go?

Meow…

Just then, a faint meow was heard. It clearly came from inside the room.

Geonho reflexively moved towards the sound. With a ‘no way’, he lifted the small trash can beside the bed.

The trash can, which should have been light, felt heavy.

“Ha—”

As he opened the lid, a sigh of relief escaped Geonho’s lips.

“You… why are you in here?”

Seeing the cat squeezed into the cramped trash can, his startled heart pounded.

Meow, meooow—!

The cat flailed its white paws, making distressed sounds as if stuck. Thinking it wanted to be taken out quickly, Geonho promptly removed it.

“Wow, how did it get in there?”

The secretary marveled deeply at the small trash can meant only for tissues. Although the cat was small, it wasn’t nearly small enough to fit in there. That’s why no one had thought to check the trash can.

Seojun just chuckled and finished cleaning up the broken pieces. He did glance at the cat once, finding it a bit interesting.

“Why were you in there?”

Geonho hugged the cat tightly while vigorously dusting off its white fur. He didn’t look happy despite finding the cat.

“That’s interesting. It’s not like it can understand human speech.”

The secretary tilted his head, looking at the cat resting its face on Geonho’s chest. The timing seemed as if it knew it shouldn’t be discovered. But that couldn’t be possible.

“They understand everything.”

Geonho sighed deeply and left the room, stroking the purring cat’s back.

‘Why did you get all gloomy again?’

Siwoo looked up at Geonho, puzzled.

He thought Geonho would be happy that he had hidden so well. He was displeased with the unexpectedly somber reaction.

‘Hey, just smile. Don’t be annoying.’

He meowed, bumping his face against Geonho’s chest. Wasn’t it good that he wasn’t discovered as wished? Thinking this, he suddenly looked ahead and his mouth fell open.

‘Why, why are we going here…’

Geonho was heading to the bathroom. Before the distracted Siwoo could escape, the door closed.

“I’ll give you a nice clean bath.”

‘Why! I did well, didn’t I!’

He had done something praiseworthy, but instead of a carrot, he was getting the stick. Feeling wronged, he made loud meows trying to escape Geonho’s arms.

“Stay still. I’ll finish quickly.”

‘Don’t touch me! You pervert!’

As he twisted his body around, his gaze fell on the spacious bathtub and his resolve wavered.

‘What… it’s even bigger than I thought.’

When warm water gushed into the tub, he only pushed Geonho away with his front paws, his head already turned towards the bath.

Geonho, thinking Siwoo had calmed down out of fear, moved quickly. Even though it was empty, he needed a wash after being in the trash can. He also hadn’t been able to bathe him since he arrived, worried about causing stress.

“See, it’s not scary. It’s just water. Water.”

Instead of putting him directly in the tub, he let Siwoo touch the warm water bit by bit. Seeing less resistance than expected, he fully immersed him and adjusted the water temperature.

“Shall I help with the shower?”

The secretary who had entered the bathroom quickly closed the door. He seemed to think the cat might run out. But there was no need.

“Oh, looks like he likes water.”

“Seems so.”

The secretary handed bath supplies to help Geonho while relaying information. He had to leave soon for his next schedule.

“Official guiding will start tomorrow. I’ve sent you the guide’s profile in advance.”

“Want more water? Not scared?”

Geonho didn’t pay any attention to the secretary’s words. He chuckled and turned on more water as Siwoo tapped the faucet with his wet paws.

“We’ll start with Esper Seojun’s guiding first.”

“Do as you see fit.”

The secretary sighed at Geonho’s expectedly indifferent response. Used to his lack of enthusiasm for new dedicated guides, he didn’t add more.

“What’s the cat’s name?”

The secretary asked finally. Seeing the white cat relaxed in the warm water, he understood why Geonho was so smitten. It was the prettiest cat he had ever seen.

“You haven’t named it yet?”

“Haven’t decided yet.”

Geonho gave a halfhearted answer and told him to leave. The secretary left the bathroom obediently, narrowing his eyes at Geonho waving his hand as if shooing away a bird.

‘Hey, turn on more water.’

Siwoo, feeling good from the half-body bath, tried to touch the faucet again. He wanted to be fully submerged up to his chin.

“Are you a seal? Why do you like water so much?”

Geonho was rubbing Siwoo’s thin, slender body when he suddenly took off his own clothes. Surprised, Siwoo frowned and retreated to a corner of the tub.

‘Ah, damn. It was just getting nice.’

His mood soured as the fool, seemingly naked though Siwoo didn’t look, entered the tub. But he couldn’t give up the precious bath, so he stayed huddled in the corner.

“I’ll turn on more water. Come here.”

Unaware of Siwoo’s feelings, Geonho turned on more water and placed the white body on his thigh. Siwoo, after brief resistance, closed his eyes tightly and rested his chin on the muscular arm.

He’d just have to think of this solid naked body as a chair. Not just any chair, but a massage chair, which is why he tolerated it.

The water was warm, and with the hand massaging his back, it was paradise. Thanks to the fool’s high body temperature, the water felt even warmer, eliciting purrs.

‘Hey, don’t move your leg.’

When Geonho tried to move his thigh, a startled Siwoo squeezed his eyes shut again. He didn’t want to accidentally see that part of him. Absolutely not.

“I’m sorry.”

At Geonho’s sudden apology, Siwoo’s ears perked up and he opened one eye. What was he sorry for?

“For making you go in there.”

Siwoo opened his eyes fully and looked intently at the dejected Geonho. He’d been stuffed in trash cans before, but this was the first time someone apologized for making him go in one.

‘Why apologize for something like that.’

Though he turned his head away with a huff, he gently pressed Geonho’s hand with his wet paw. It meant it was okay.

“My brother isn’t a bad person. He doesn’t even dislike animals.”

Geonho muttered in a calm voice while playing with Siwoo’s tail. To Siwoo, it sounded like nonsense. Both Jihan and Seojun often said the leader disliked animals.

Everyone seemed to find that grim-faced leader difficult. Even the sly Jihan couldn’t budge when it came to the leader’s words, which was surprising. Just how scary was he?

“He’s a bit scary, but kind inside. The kindest and strongest in the world.”

Geonho continued, carefully stroking the body with only a protruding belly.

“So when you see our brother later, be nice.”

‘We’ll see about that.’

“Keep your claws nicely hidden like this, okay?”

Geonho grinned, gently shaking the cat’s paws. He couldn’t help but smile as the pink tongue licked his hand.

By the way, what should he name him?

He stared into the clear sky-blue eyes, pondering the same question again today. He had been thinking about it all week but still hadn’t decided on a name for the cat.

He was being extra careful, as it would be a name he’d use for life.