Ji-Ah stepped out of the office, still smiling to herself.
Apartment.
Problem solved.
Life slightly less chaotic.
The door closed behind her.
And immediately she came face to face with Yoo-Na.
Yoo-Na stood in the hallway with her arms crossed, leaning against the wall like someone who had been waiting.
Her eyes scanned Ji-Ah slowly.
"Well," Yoo-Na said dryly. "You really are like a pest."
Ji-Ah blinked.
"You're everywhere."
Ji-Ah folded her arms too.
"Good evening to you too."
Yoo-Na tilted her head.
"I heard something about a party."
Ji-Ah froze for a second.
Then shrugged casually.
"Maybe."
Yoo-Na's eyes narrowed.
"And a contract."
A pause.
"What contract?"
Ji-Ah waved her hand dismissively.
"Oh that? Nothing."
She stepped around Yoo-Na.
"Excuse me."
Yoo-Na watched her suspiciously.
Ji-Ah continued walking down the hallway.
"Oh! I need to feed Earth and Yuki," she said loudly. "Poor things must be starving."
She rolled her eyes.
"Unlike some people, they don't have servants doing everything for them."
Then she headed downstairs.
"Earth!" she called cheerfully.
No answer.
"Earth!"
Still nothing.
Ji-Ah frowned.
She walked into the living room.
The couch was empty.
The carpet empty.
The little corner where he usually sat… empty.
Her stomach tightened.
"Earth?"
She checked under the table.
Behind the couch.
Near the stairs.
Nothing.
Her voice became sharper.
"Earth!"
People began looking up.
Arisoo looked up from the sofa.
"What's wrong?"
"My cat," Ji-Ah said quickly. "Did you see him?"
Arisoo shook her head.
"No."
Ji-Ah turned.
Nisa and Do-Hyun were near the dining area.
"Did you see Earth?" Ji-Ah asked.
They both shook their heads.
"I haven't," Nisa said gently.
Ji-Ah's chest tightened more.
She hurried toward the hall.
"Min-Jea!"
Min-Jea looked up from his phone.
"Nope," he said immediately.
"Didn't see the fluffy king."
She turned again.
Seo-Jun appeared from another hallway.
"Earth?" he repeated.
Ji-Ah nodded desperately.
He shook his head.
"Not today."
Then Yoo-Na stepped into the room slowly.
Ji-Ah looked at her.
"Did you see my cat?"
Yoo-Na shrugged.
"No."
Her voice was smooth.
"I haven't seen Earth."
Ji-Ah's stomach dropped.
She turned instantly and rushed upstairs.
She burst into the office again.
Ha-Joon looked up.
"I can't find Earth."
His brows knit.
"What?"
"My cat," she said quickly. "He was here a minute ago but now he's gone."
Ha-Joon stood immediately.
"You lost him?"
"I didn't lose him!"
Her voice cracked.
"He was just here."
Ha-Joon didn't argue further.
Instead he grabbed her wrist.
"Come."
They hurried out into the hallway.
Everyone downstairs looked up as they rushed past.
Ji-Ah's voice shook.
"If something happens to him…"
"He's fine," Ha-Joon said firmly.
"We'll find him."
They stepped outside.
Night air.
Cold.
Silent.
"Earth!" Ji-Ah called.
Her voice echoed into the garden.
They searched everywhere.
Behind bushes.
Under the porch.
Near the gate.
Nothing.
Ji-Ah's breathing became uneven.
"I should have watched him."
"Ji-Ah."
"He's just a cat, he doesn't know the road, what if he—"
"Ji-Ah."
They moved toward the street.
Then Ji-Ah suddenly stopped.
A small white shape lay near the side of the road.
Her heart stopped.
"…Earth?"
She ran forward.
Ha-Joon followed.
The streetlight flickered softly above them.
The white fur was stained.
There was a dark smear across the pavement.
Ji-Ah dropped to her knees.
Her hands trembled as she reached for him.
"Earth…"
The cat didn't move.
Not even a twitch.
Her fingers shook as she lifted him slightly.
His body was limp.
Cold.
Ji-Ah's voice broke.
"No… no no…"
Her shoulders began shaking.
"He was just here…"
Ha-Joon stood beside her, silent.
The faint sound of a distant car passing echoed down the road.
Ji-Ah held the small white cat against her chest.
Tears fell silently onto his fur.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
Behind them, the night felt unbearably quiet.
The cold streetlight hummed faintly above them.
Ji-Ah knelt on the pavement, holding Earth tightly against her chest.
Her fingers trembled in his white fur.
"...How?"
Her voice was barely there.
She looked up at Ha-Joon.
"How did he get out?"
Her eyes were red.
"He was inside the house. How did anyone let him out?"
Her voice cracked.
"He was just a cat… and now he's gone."
She clutched the cat closer.
"My mother gave me this cat before she passed away."
The words came out broken.
"He was all I had left of her."
Her shoulders shook as quiet sobs finally escaped.
Ha-Joon didn't speak at first.
He crouched beside her slowly.
Carefully.
Then placed a hand on her shoulder.
Not strong.
Not commanding.
Just steady.
"Ji-Ah."
She shook her head weakly.
"He was always there," she whispered. "Not like people… people leave."
More tears slid down her face.
Ha-Joon's voice softened.
"We should go home."
She wiped her face roughly with her sleeve.
Took a deep breath.
And nodded.
"…Okay."
When they stepped back into the mansion, everyone immediately rushed toward them.
Arisoo stood up first.
"Ji-Ah! Did you find him?"
Min-Jea stepped forward.
"Where's the fluffy king?"
Do-Hyun and Nisa followed behind.
"Did you find Earth?"
"Is he okay?"
Ji-Ah stood still in the middle of the room.
Ha-Joon beside her.
At the far corner, Madam Han watched silently.
Beside her stood Yoo-Na.
Yoo-Na was smirking.
Openly.
Ji-Ah's voice came out quiet.
"We found him."
Everyone leaned forward.
"…But he's dead."
The room froze.
Dead silence.
Nisa's voice broke it.
"Dead?"
Ji-Ah nodded slowly.
"Yes."
Nisa's face crumpled instantly.
"No… no…"
She stepped forward with tears filling her eyes.
"Not Earth…"
Since coming to this house, Nisa had always been the one feeding him little snacks, brushing his fur, laughing when he jumped on the couch.
"He always waited for me in the mornings," she whispered painfully.
"He would follow me around the kitchen…"
Her voice shook.
"That little fluff…"
She covered her mouth as tears fell.
"I can't believe he's gone."
Across the room, Yoo-Na's smirk slowly disappeared.
Her hand dropped stiffly to her side.
"The cat's… dead?"
Her voice was quieter now.
"I didn't mean for him to die…"
Everyone turned toward her.
Madam Han's eyes narrowed.
"What do you mean?"
Yoo-Na froze.
The room suddenly felt heavy.
Her mind flashed back.
Earlier that evening.
The house had been calm.
People working.
Talking.
Moving quietly.
Earth had been sitting on the couch, licking his paw like the tiny king he believed himself to be.
Yoo-Na had walked past him.
Stopped.
And slowly picked him up.
"Well aren't you cute," she murmured.
The cat blinked calmly.
She walked toward the door.
Then suddenly—
"Where are you taking him?"
Min-Jea stood in the hallway watching her.
Yoo-Na smiled sweetly.
"Oh."
She lifted the cat slightly.
"I'm just taking him outside for some air."
Min-Jea frowned.
"The cat hates outside."
She laughed lightly.
"He'll survive a few minutes."
Min-Jea still looked suspicious.
But after a moment, he shrugged.
"Just don't lose him."
Yoo-Na nodded politely.
Then walked to the gate.
She opened it.
Placed the cat down on the pavement.
Earth blinked and looked around curiously.
Yoo-Na crossed her arms.
"Run along."
The cat slowly walked away down the road.
Yoo-Na smirked.
Then closed the gate.
The memory faded.
Back in the living room, the silence was suffocating.
Ji-Ah's voice cut through it quietly.
"He got hit by a car."
Her hands clenched at her sides.