The Kittens

I watched Noona gently swaying while cradling the baby cats in her arms, and I couldn't help but smile and nod. It made perfect sense that she'd do exactly that.

The baby cats in Noona's arms were the young ones born to Namcat and Poksini, only a few months old, and there were four in total.

They were still too young to even open their eyes properly and kept squirming around, so I wasn't taking them to the cafe but caring for them right here.

Watching them flail without the strength to support their own bodies, bumping into the floor with a thud and the wall with a bang, I found it impossible to hold back my warm smile. Seeing them made me want to hug them like Noona did. Even their little "peep-peep" whimpers were incredibly cute.

"My babies are so cute, right?"

And the one who had sauntered over, looking all proud, was Namcat.

"Hmph, So-eun is cuter!"

Since Namcat was just as smitten with So-eun, he couldn't really protest and placed So-eun on the same level.

I smiled lightly and patted Namcat's back.

"Hmm, good boy."

After patting his back and lightly tapping his tail, Namcat shivered in delight. Then, as if asking for more, he lay down and poked me with his paw.

If I didn't, he'd nudge my neck like a puppy, and from higher places like stairs, he'd drop small things to try to assassinate me, so I had no choice but to comply.

"Aish. The babies are cute."

"Ahwoo. So-eun is cute."

"...What to do with this guy?"

As he repeated my words and looked at Namcat pleadingly, asking to be stroked, I sighed. Since he wouldn't listen anyway, it was easier for me to just give in.

But as I was gently stroking Namcat, another cat sauntered over.

"Hey, what are you doing here?"

"Kyaa!"

Namcat, who had been getting petted, stiffened up and immediately stood up. It was because the visitor was Poksini.

Poksini, the mother of the baby cats squirming in Noona's arms, and Namcat's female.

And Poksini approached Namcat and stepped on his head. Heh, how satisfying.

"I clearly told you not to bring the kids. It's time to nurse them. What are you doing here? You're not bringing the kids, you're getting petted instead."

"N-no way!"

Namcat tried to protest desperately, but Poksini, as if he wouldn't listen, gave Namcat a nyangnyang punch to the face.

The guy who doesn't even flinch from getting hit in sparring with Cheongho trembled from Poksini's light nyangnyang punch.

Laughing heartily at the sight, I looked at Noona.

"Noona, it's time to nurse them, so send them to Poksini."

"Yeah. Poksini, let's go."

Noona hesitated a bit, but as a mother who knew they needed to nurse, she took the babies to Poksini's spot.

It was a nest made to provide a sense of security, with soft, fluffy cushions inside.

"Thank you."

Poksini bowed her head as if thanking Noona for her action. Noona smiled bashfully at the sight and placed the baby cats in Poksini's arms.

"Food!"

The baby cats who had left Noona's arms and entered Poksini's, instinctively started looking for food.

The four cats poking into Poksini's belly were pure cuteness.

So-eun, who had come over and stuck to my thigh with a slap, stared at the scene.

"Appa! Are they being mean?"

"No, it's nursing. So-eun also drank mom's milk, remember?"

"Uung... I don't know!"

"So-eun grew up drinking mom's milk just like the baby cats drink Poksini's milk."

So-eun looked at Noona as if to ask if my words were true, and Noona nodded while hugging So-eun.

"Should we eat too while the baby cats are eating?"

"Yeah!"

Noona and So-eun, who had been watching the baby cats suckle intently for a while, headed to the kitchen.

I didn't go with them but stayed a bit longer by Poksini's side. Since my superpower affected them more strongly the closer I was, it was good for the baby cats and Poksini too.

And as if knowing that, Poksini looked at me and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wagged her tail.

"Me too, I want to see the babies!"

"Get lost!"

"Kkuang!"

Chikin-i, who had come to see the baby cats, got hit by Namcat and ran away, but I focused on stroking Poksini's head.

Poksini, who had been enjoying being petted while the baby cats nursed for a while, stood up only after the babies were full.

Poksini started licking the bodies of the baby cats as if patting their backs after Noona nursed So-eun. Thanks to Poksini's efforts, the baby cats became clean, huddled together, and soon fell asleep with a "gororong" sound.

"You should sleep too."

"Then, just a little."

Poksini fell asleep right there next to the baby cats, and I dimmed the surroundings ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a bit and got up from my seat.

And I immediately went to another place. There was one fox with a bulging belly and another fox being harassed by the first.

"Bring something delicious instead of this!"

"Kke-eeng..."

It was the male fox who had brought puppy food and was being harassed by the female. After being abandoned by the nest for So-eun, he kept getting harassed.

So, his nickname and name became "Poks" (Poks-i). The female fox's name that harassed Poks-i was Miho. Originally, I had wanted to give her another name, but Noona said female foxes are gumiho, so she named her Miho.

Anyway, I smiled and approached Miho, taking out the dried meat I had prepared in advance.

"Hmph, this is way better than that ugly thing!"

Miho, who spotted the dried meat in my hand, kicked Poks-i with her hind leg, then chewed the meat I offered with a "chomp-chomp" sound.

"Is there any place that's uncomfortable?"

"Thanks to you. No need to worry about finding food, and it's safe too. It's great."

Miho rubbed her head against my hand in thanks. After all, for a creature living in the wild, having food appear out of nowhere and forgetting about predators would be like heaven.

And Miho, who started living in such a heaven-like place, gave birth to three small red foxes after a few months.

Of course, the news of the red fox breeding spread across the country through articles.

As the first successful breeding after the smuggling incident, people's interest was even greater.

Reporters from various media came to cover the story, and the red fox kits, squirming and huddled together, became instant celebrities. Even an investigation showed that the sales of fox dolls were increasing.

But these guys who were focusing the world's attention didn't know anything, just like the babies of Namcat and Poksini, they were growing rapidly by nursing from their mother's milk.

"Heehee!"

And So-eun, who was melting like Noona did with the baby cats, hugged the kits of Miho as well.

Even the slightly grown red fox kits that were waddling and following So-eun were hugged by Noona and melted with.

"Heehee!"

And So-eun, who was next to Noona melting, smiled as if wanting to join in, and snuggled into Noona's arms.

"Kyaah!"

Noona, who was hugging the baby cats, the fox kits with fluffy fur, and So-eun, melted with happiness.

"Aish."

I shook my head at the sight and took the fox kits out of Noona's arms.

"Why!"

"Last time too, when does it become time to nurse, you just hug them like that? Look there."

Noona, pouting her lips at being deprived of the fox kits, looked at where I pointed and made a disappointed face.

Instead, where I pointed, Poks-i was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠wandering around looking for the kits.

"Poks-i! Take the kids!"

Poks-i ran over at my call and took one kit each in his mouth.

"...What happened?"

"Nothing happened..."

But every time he returned, there were marks as if he had been hit somewhere, but Poks-i tried to avoid my gaze.

'Of course he got hit for being late.'

I understood why Poks-i had become weird. Even though he had joined our house for a while, Miho still hadn't forgotten that Poks-i had abandoned the nest.

'Let's go get some steak for Noona after a long time.'

Seeing Poks-i getting beaten up by his wife for not bringing anything but getting scolded, I thought I should be a bit nicer to Noona.

"Shall we go eat steak tonight?"

"Stew-ku!"

"Steak? Good!"

Not only Noona but also So-eun jumped up happily ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠at my words.