After an entire day of relaxing, I can't stop thinking about Yoongi.
Why is a man with that much money trying to buy rameyon two nights in a row at a fucking convenience store?
It feels surreal, but then again, why am I trying to hold him to a higher standard than everyone else just because he earns more money than me? I can't stop wrestling with my thoughts. I regret getting so excited that I got nervous and practically ran away from him, but my body and mind were not cooperating, just running on instinct instead of reason.
For a cat person, I sure as hell was giving off excited chihuahua energy!
Pacing around my apartment, I know what I'm trying to keep myself from doing, but I can't help myself. I check myself in the mirror and run a brush through my hair; the pink and purple hair dye is starting to fade, and I wonder what colors I'll choose next. Brushing my hand over my shirt, I grab my wallet and head to the door. I'm on a mission to see if he shows up again tonight. I need to make up for acting so spastic last night.
I walk into the 7-11 and wander the aisles, but Yoongi isn't anywhere to be seen, and I feel foolish that I came down here expecting he could possibly be waiting for me.
It was all a coincidence. I'm a fool!
Finally, accepting the fact that I won't be running into him this evening, I purchase a drink, mix it with ice, and head out the door after I've made my purchase. Swirling the concoction, I turn down the alley to head back home when I hear a noise.
Stopping in my tracks, I pause in place, ensuring I don't jiggle my cup.
"Mew...mew...meow...."
The tiniest meows, catch my ear, and I crouch down to find a tiny black kitten that looks like it is starving. "Oh, Lil baby. Are you okay?"
The kitten stops in its place, staring at me. It broke my heart when I left Australia, and I had to say goodbye to my old roommate's cats. I loved them as if they were my own, and seeing this little starving baby is breaking my heart all over again!
"Do you need some food? Do you want to come to me?" I ask as I sit down on the ground, trying not to scare it away. "Come here, Lil baby. I can help you..." I say quietly while I try and lure this adorable kitten from beside a trash receptacle.
The kitten begins to come forward but suddenly moves backward and hides part of its body behind a box.
"Ramyeon Girl, what are you doing sitting in this alleyway all by yourself?" a voice whispers near my ear, and when I turn, I find Yoongi crouched next to me with a curious eyebrow cocked.
"Look, there is a black kitten, and I want to help it. It's starving!" I whisper back desperately.
Yoongi is in the same black beanie and a face mask from yesterday. I watch as his eyebrow relaxes and his eyes soften. "I can help you. Hang on, I'll be right back," he says quietly as he slowly stands and then calmly walks into the store.
My heart is pounding, but I can't let my emotions get the best of me when this kitten needs me.
"Mew, meeewww," the little kitten cries, and it's as if it is asking me for help.
A few moments later, Yoongi returns with a green foil package in his hand. He approaches slowly and intentionally as he crouches down next to me.
"Tuna," he says quietly. "Give that a try."
The black kitten looks at me cautiously as I slowly open the foil packet, ripping it open lengthwise so that it opens the entire package revealing the contents hidden inside. Placing the package on the ground in front of me, I watch the kitten's matted tail swing up into the air. Its adorable tiny nose catches a whiff of the tuna scent as its whiskers move in all directions.
"Lil baby, it's okay; you can come and eat. We won't hurt you," I coax as the little black cat starts to take a few steps forward.
"Meeeeeewwww," the kitten calls out.
"I think we almost have it," Yoongi whispers, and I glance over, realizing he has sat down on the ground as well and is watching the entire scene play out.
Silently we wait until the kitten comes forward, mewing and sniffing nonstop until it finally reaches the tuna and takes a bite, then looks at the two of us.
"It's okay, little one. Eat, you need to eat," I urge. As if it understands, the dark-furred baby begins to eat, tail up in the air as if monitoring like a radar, ready to run if anything remotely scary begins to occur.
"Oh good, it's working," Yoongi offeres, seemingly proud his plan worked, but after a minute, the kitten stops eating.
"Please, kitten. Please eat it all," I say quietly, but instead of eating, it begins rubbing its cheek up against my denim-covered knee.
"If it hasn't eaten in a long time, it might not be able to digest this much food," Yoongi says.
Reaching out my fingertips, I let the little kitten smell my fingers, and then I boldly decide to pet the top of its head in the sweet spot in between its ears. Instead of running away, it moves up onto my lap, inviting me to keep petting.
"I think you just made a new friend. I don't see any other cats around. I think this little one has been on its own for a long time," he says.
Now that this kitten has taken up sitting in my lap and basking in the attention, I remember that I'm sitting next to Min Yoongi, and the quivering from the previous night returns. The deep tone of his voice settles into my senses and sets my synapsis into a frenzy.
"I want to take it home. I can't let it stay out here."
"Okay," Yoongi says simply as he gently rises. "You hold onto kitty, and I'll help you up," he says matter-of-factly.
In shock, I gently raise with the kitten gently cradled in my arm as I pet it, and Yoongi offers his arm so I can balance. "Thank you," I whisper.
"You can't go into the store with a kitten. Hang on, and just let me get a few more supplies."
Before I can really process what he's saying, he's gone, and I'm left petting the kitten who has taken to me quickly, and it's melting me.
"Okay, we're all set. Lead the way!" Yoongi says.
"Umm, are you coming with us?" I ask, confused.
"I don't think you can carry this needy little kitten, your drink, and a bag full of supplies at the same time," he says matter-of-factly. "Also, I don't care how safe Korea is. You really shouldn't be walking alone in the dark like this."
"No offense, but I don't think YOU should be just walking around in the dark like this! Isn't this completely unsafe for you?" I ask with concern for his safety.
"I thought you recognized me," he chuckles.
"I'm a little excitable, but I'm not stupid," I joke as we head in the direction of my apartment. "Sorry about last night; by the way, I get nervous..."
"Truly, you were adorable. Don't worry," he replies, and it's as if all the air leaves my lungs.
"Meew, mew," comes from my little furry friend, and I'm relieved this kitty has my back.
"It's okay, little one. We are almost home now," I reply as we walk.
When we reach my building, I gingerly type in my code, and Yoongi opens the entrance door for me, then I lead him down a hallway.
"This is me," I say as I gently balance the kitten and key in my code to unlock my apartment door.
"Would you like me to just come in and put this bag down for you? I don't want to intrude or make you feel uncomfortable..."
"That is so helpful, thank you," I say as he swings the door open for me to enter.
Using my elbow, I click the button to turn on the lights, and my small apartment comes into view. I walk in and sit down on the soft couch, being sure to pet the little one so it knows I'm still a friend.
"Cute place," Yoongi says genuinely as he looks around my dwelling. "Now you have tuna, and I found this little brush thing that I think will be okay to comb out its fur and some other items. Okay? Do you need anything else?"
"Umm, no," I stutter in shock.
Yoongi chuckles as he walks back to the door, "Oh wait! Before I go, Ramyeon Girl, what is your real name since you already know mine is Yoongi," he asks in his warm tone.
"It's Hayley," I reply, but it feels like the words are just floating in the air between us because this entire evening does not feel real.
"Okay, Hayley, I think you two will be all set for the night. Will you be out tomorrow night?"
I'm taken aback by his question. "Maybe after work," I trail off, my mind racing with questions.
"What kind of work do you do?"
"I work over at Beau Plat. I'm not sure if you've heard of it. I help run the front of the restaurant," I reply, still in awe that Yoongi is standing in my apartment.
"Oooh yes, I've heard one of the managers at my company rave about the food. I'll have to come by sometime." Yoongi comes over and gives the kitten, who has been cautiously sitting on my lap, slightly shaking and cautiously sniffing the air, a gentle scratch behind the ear. "You two have a good night. I'll see you tomorrow," he says, his eyes sparkling, and then he closes the door behind him politely.
You'll see me tomorrow?
💖
Last night little kitten finally fell asleep on a soft blanket, and in the morning, I awoke and called around until I found a veterinarian with availability. Yoongi had bought some more tuna for the kitten, which was so sweet of him, and I left some in a bowl for her as I ran around the city, finding cat supplies and food before I returned and brought her to her appointment.
"Hayley?" a clinician calls out.
"Yes?" I reply from my seat in the waiting area. They had taken lil baby for its appointment and returned with the little black cat in the new carrier I had purchased.
"Congratulations! You have a relatively healthy female kitten. It will take a bit for her to get to a healthy weight, but everything else is good. She's all clean, and we combed out her fur as well."
"Hi, little girl!" I say sweetly as I take the carrier.
"Meeeewwww," she cries, and it makes my heart flutter.
"It's okay, you are all cleaned up, and I have some nice toys for you at home. Let's go now."
When I arrive home, I set the carrier on the floor, open the door, and lay down on the couch, finally having some time to thoroughly analyze all that happened last.
I can't help but wonder why Yoongi keeps going to the convenience store in my neighborhood or why he helped me last night, but I'd be lying if it wasn't exciting to keep speaking with him. Not because he is a wealthy idol but because he's everything and nothing like I expected. He is more charming than I imagined him to be, and yet still seems matter-of-fact. As if everything he did, from speaking to me, to buying pouches of tuna, to actually following me home, was because it made logical sense to him even though it felt so unpredictable to me.
Taking a long deep breath, I close my eyes and think about how handsome he looked each time I met him, even though he was always partially covered. His eyes spoke volumes; however, it all still feels like some kind of fever dream I'm going to wake up from, and I'll be alone again with my thoughts, and my past.
As I wrestle with my thoughts, my eyes pop open when I feel a sudden weight drop onto my chest. "Oh!" I breathe out only to find the little black cat standing on me, looking me in the eyes. "Hi there, you really aren't afraid of me at all, are you? Do you want to live with me?" I ask as I pet her now soft downy fur, and my heart feels full as she begins to purr.
"I'm going to take that as a yes. I need a win today," I sigh as we stay curled up on the couch together until I have to get ready for work.
"So, what do we think of this Min Yoongi situation?" I ask her, and I watch her blink her eyes at me, as if just as flummoxed by the situation as I am.....