“……Haah.”
It was the first time I’d ever seen Aria sigh like that. Watching from beside her, even I felt disgusted — I could only imagine how she must have felt.
Wanting to get rid of him as fast as possible, Aria steeped the tea at a startling speed.
“Here — your tea.”
She usually told customers it was hot and to drink slowly, but this time Aria just set it down and immediately turned to go.
At that moment, the man shot to his feet. Aria, startled, stopped mid-step on her way back to the kitchen.
“Heh heh, where do you think you’re going? Keep me company for a bit.”
And then, bold as you please, he reached out to grab Aria’s arm. I’d had enough — I launched myself forward and bit down hard on the man’s left calf.
“AAAGH!!”
I clamped down with full force, and the man screamed and kicked out at me.
But I was faster. I jumped back to dodge his foot, and the man swung at nothing and crashed straight to the floor.
“AGH…!”
“…….”
Aria, who hadn’t quite caught what had happened, looked shaken by the sudden chaos.
Even so, she checked on me — hiding under the table — before she looked at him sitting crumpled on the floor.
“Roro…? It’s okay, come out here.”
“OW… that cat just bit me!”
“…What? How did—”
At that, the man made a show of rolling up his left trouser leg, and immediately let out a sound of grinding fury.
“That little cat bit me! Can’t you see?! My leg is bleeding!”
He glared at me like he wanted to kill me on the spot. I glared right back without flinching.
“…I’m truly sorry. Roro doesn’t usually do this….”
Even while apologizing, Aria kept me as her first priority.
“Something must have really frightened you. Are you okay, Roro?”
I must have been growling without realizing it. I steadied my breathing, then spoke to Aria, who was watching me with worried eyes.
“…Aong. Uuung.”
I’m fine — but watch out for that bastard.
“What a pain…. Feel like throwing him out….”
Aria had been crouching down to look at me, and when the man stood up behind her, grumbling under his breath, she quickly straightened.
Then she stepped in front of the table like a shield between us. The man, still muttering, came to stand before her.
“Aria, you saw what my leg looks like — you’re still going to keep that cat?! Lock it up right now!”
“…….”
“If you don’t, I’m never coming back! You hear me?”
He kept switching between informal speech and formal speech — his composure was clearly cracking. The man jabbed a finger at me in rage, but Aria responded with calm composure.
“Locking Roro up — I’m afraid I can’t do that.”
“What…? What did you just say?”
“Cats think with their small heads and feel emotions, just like people do. That’s why I consider confining them to be a form of cruelty. If our cat makes your visit uncomfortable, I’d prefer you not come to our shop in the future.”
Aria said it plainly, without wavering, and the man looked almost flustered — he stumbled over his words.
“Oh……. Oh, all right. Fine, don’t lock it up……. But I got bitten. What are you going to do about that? I have a wound on my leg!”
“I’ll apologize for Roro biting you. I’m sorry. If you’d like, I can cover the cost of treatment.”
Aria bowed as she apologized.
That bastard was trying to put his hands on you! Aria, you don’t need to apologize! It was self-defense!
I came out from under the table and tried to pull her back, but Aria kept her head bowed, firm and steady.
The man looked down at the top of Aria’s head, and the corners of his lips curved up in a smirk.
“Heh heh heh, alright.”
“…….”
“I’ll forgive you just this once. It seems like a sincere apology, so I’ll let it go.”
That absolute — I want to smash that expression right off his face!
“And I won’t take any treatment money either. But next time I come, have a proper conversation with me. I want to know more about you, Aria. You’re curious about me too, aren’t you?”
“…No, I—”
“I’ll come again tomorrow.”
He cut her off, smirked that sly smirk of his, and walked out. Aria’s face scrunched quietly, her expression sour.
“KYAHHAAAAAK!!”
What kind of disgusting piece of work is that? Drop dead!!! I hissed at his retreating back until he was completely out of sight.
“Haah.”
At the sound of that deep sigh, I stopped hissing and looked up. Aria forced a smile and said to me:
“It’s okay. That must have been really scary, wasn’t it?”
“Myamamang! Myaaang!”
Why did you do that?! I told you not to apologize!
Give someone like that an inch and he’ll take a mile. The thought of him carrying on like this indefinitely made my blood boil.
“…He seems like a strange person, so don’t go near him from now on. Okay?”
“Uyok myaang.”
“I’m worried you’ll get hurt. Roro.”
“Myaaaaaaa!”
Bursting with frustration, I wailed loud enough to shake the walls. Take care of yourself first, please!
After that day, the bastard showed up at the same time every single day and harassed Aria without fail. It seemed deliberate — he always came when there were no other customers around.
That stalker could do something at any moment — do I really have to keep watching this unfold?!
I knew from the webtoon that he eventually gets caught in the act and arrested by the male lead. But having to face that repulsive face every single day until that happened was taking a real toll on me.
It felt like going to the police station only to be told, “You haven’t been the victim of a crime yet? Then there’s nothing we can do~.”
It was absolutely maddening.
Maybe it was the constant stress — I could barely get food down. It was the first time I’d ever learned that cats could suffer from stress-induced gastritis.
“Roro. Have you lost your appetite?”
“…Aeyo.”
I wasn’t even reacting to the meat right in front of me, and Aria’s eyes filled with worry.
“…There’s no veterinarian here either… what do I do.”
Hearing Aria’s quiet, troubled murmur, I roused myself. I circled around Aria and cried out.
I’m fine! Feeling more alive than you’d think!
“Roro. You don’t have to push yourself. If you’re not feeling well, you can just lie down.”
“Maong.”
“I’m sorry. I haven’t been paying you enough attention…. Starting today, let’s close early and rest.”
That was the best news I’d heard in a while. If we closed early, Aria wouldn’t have to deal with that bastard either.
I immediately flopped down flat on the floor, putting on my best listless-cat performance.
“……Aeyo.”
“No energy? Let’s try to eat just a little bit. Okay?”
Aria was so worried that I had no choice but to get up and try a piece of the finely cut meat. Once I actually started eating, it was good enough that I kept going.
Only then did Aria look relieved. She stroked me gently, then moved somewhere with an air of purpose. A little later she came back from the storage room with some twine and a small wooden board and started making something.
[Closed for the Day]
It was a closed sign she could hang on the door.
The sun hadn’t even set yet, but Aria locked the shop door and hung the sign. Then she took me upstairs to the second floor.
It was the earliest we’d ever clocked out.
I should have faked being sick sooner.
I crawled into my hideaway house on the second floor and settled in for a rest. It was my own little bed — a cushion stuffed full of cotton and a fluffy blanket spread inside.
Ah, this feeling….
I kneaded the soft blanket contentedly and soaked in the comfort.
Aria changed into something comfortable too and sat in the rocking chair reading a book. An evening to actually enjoy — the best.
BANG BANG BANG!!
In the middle of our peaceful evening, an abrupt noise tore through it. The sound of someone pounding on the door downstairs startled Aria right out of her chair.
“It’s okay. Stay here and rest.”
When I tried to come out of my hideaway, Aria stopped me. She quickly threw on her outer jacket and left the room.
She’d closed the door behind her to keep me in, but I stood up on two legs and pulled the door handle. Opening a door was nothing.
I padded quickly down the stairs, and Aria’s voice — already in the middle of a tense exchange with someone — came through clearly.
“I’m sorry, but starting today we’re not open in the evenings. Please go back.”
“Out of nowhere — how can you just do this. I came all this way….”
There was the man with straw-colored hair, standing at the shop door.
“Aria, is this because of that cat? So you are avoiding me.”
“That’s not what—”
“It is. You’re closing up the second I show up! Don’t tell me it isn’t!”
The man shouted and tried to push his way into the shop. Aria moved to block him, but he outmuscled her and the door swung wide open.
He advanced toward Aria. Aria stumbled back, visibly frightened.
“Heh heh, sorry. Did that scare you? But don’t be like that. Women who play hard to get aren’t attractive.”
“…Wait — what do you think you’re doing. Let go of me!”
“You’re playing hard to get right now.”
And then he crossed the line. He grabbed Aria’s arm and started yanking her toward him by force.
I shot forward like a rocket off a launchpad. I extended my claws and slashed wildly at the air, shrieking at the top of my lungs — and the man recoiled in shock and released Aria.
“KYAHHAAAAAK!! HYAYAAAAAAK!!!”
You $#@%ing piece of garbage — GET OUT!! Come any closer and I will END you!!
Meeting madness with madness was the right call. Even a lunatic couldn’t bring himself to step forward when faced with a full-blown possessed hysterical freak-out — and he didn’t.
The problem was that I’d pushed myself too hard — I was gasping for air. I stood there open-mouthed and panting, and Aria quickly gathered me into her arms and soothed me.
Let go, Aria — I’m trying to finish this with that bastard today.
