Preparing for Delivery
Why Yoo Sena, who should have been busy working in Westtown, was here in Eastheim, and why that cat of all things was sitting on her lap eating a Churu treat...
Swoo and Angela had many questions, but they decided to move first.
If it could understand human speech, they could just ask the cat directly.
Of course, it didn't speak out loud but wrote on the ground, but since they could communicate anyway, they would be able to get an answer.
"Long time no see, Sena."
"It has been a while, but why are you calling all of a sudden?"
Once again, it was a video call.
Swoo waved happily to Sena, whom she hadn't seen in a while.
"I saw you while I was standing here."
"...What do you mean you saw me while standing, not even passing by?"
"Anyway, that's how it is. By the way, do you have any Churu left?"
"You really did see me. Why the sudden interest in Churu? You're not... planning to eat this, are you?"
Yoo Sena held up the Churu.
It was a tuna and salmon flavored Churu.
Just looking at it, it seemed incredibly fishy.
"I'm not eating that."
"...Really? I feel like you'd try it just out of curiosity."
"Is it Sena who wants to eat it?"
"Ahem, I do have some left. There are five in a pack, and I've only fed it one so far."
"Four left is plenty. Feed it as slowly as possible. I'll be right there."
"...Why? Is it by any cha—"
"Don't say it. It's a cat that understands human speech. If Sena says that and the cat runs away..."
"W-what... Why, what is it? Why did you stop talking?!"
"If it runs away."
"O-okay, I get it. I won't say it, so just hurry up."
"Yep."
Swoo hung up with a satisfied smile.
Angela's hacking continued within a narrowed scope, allowing them to keep monitoring Yoo Sena and the cat.
Naturally, they saw Yoo Sena repeatedly flipping the bird and throwing punches at the spot where she guessed Swoo's face had just been displayed.
"...Swoo?"
"Don't worry. Sena and I are friends."
"Violence between friends is bad... you know that, right?"
"Yep."
She knew violence was bad. Swoo herself wasn't particularly fond of violence either.
So she only planned to play a little prank.
A little joke between friends could easily be laughed off, couldn't it?
Sena would surely feel a deep sense of intimacy and love it.
"Swoo, why are you packing that rope and box? And why on earth is the rope made of leather?"
"I think I'll need them."
"Could you please hold back for my sake?"
"Then I'll use this instead."
Clink—
A metal chain slid out from Swoo's clothes.
When on earth had she prepared that chain, and where had she been keeping it? Angela stared at Swoo with trembling eyes. Swoo, of course, just looked up at Angela with an innocent expression.
What was this? Was she going to beat her with the leather rope?
Was this a threat to replace it with a chain instead?
"...I think the rope is better than the chain."
"Yep."
At Angela's words, Swoo tucked the chain back inside her oversized zip-up hoodie.
No clinking sound was heard after that.
Just where was that chain hanging? For the first time, Angela found herself curious about the inside of Swoo's bulky jacket.
No, should she ask why she had packed a chain in the first place?
"Let's go."
"Uh... right, let's go."
Putting her complicated thoughts aside, Angela started walking toward the park where Yoo Sena was.
She comforted herself with the thought that Swoo surely wouldn't beat her with those. At worst, she might tie her up and tickle her; Swoo wasn't a sadist who enjoyed inflicting simple physical pain.
"...You really got here fast."
"Good to see you, Sena."
Yoo Sena was feeding the Churu slowly, just as Swoo had ordered—no, requested. The proof was that two of the remaining four Churus were still left.
But looking at it now, it seemed the cat wouldn't have run away even without the treats.
Just look at that satisfied face.
It must have taken quite a liking to Yoo Sena's lap, as it was even purring softly.
"So..."
Yoo Sena's gaze shifted to the box.
The box Swoo held in both hands was large enough to easily fit a person. However, judging by the rattling sound, there seemed to be a much smaller box inside it.
"Yep, I'm going to sit next to you for a second."
"Why are you... asking for permission for tha—"
"Meow—"
Cutting Yoo Sena off, the cat loafing on her thighs let out a soft cry.
"Meooow— Meow—"
"You're saying I can sit?"
"Meow."
"Thanks."
"...W-what are you doing? Are you seriously holding a conversation with a cat now?"
Swoo nodded to Sena, then looked back at the cat.
"Should I give you something to write on?"
"Meow?"
"Yep, I came here knowing."
The cat's pupils narrowed. In response, Swoo's pupils slit vertically. The cat, which had immediately puffed up its fur, widened its eyes. Its pupils softened and rounded out again.
"Good cat."
"Me-meow..."
"Yep, you must have had a reason to run away. I understand."
"Meow...?"
"Really. So, do you need something to write on? I prepared a notebook and some sand for you. Which do you prefer?"
"Meow."
"Yep, I'll make some sand for you."
Angela's eyes widened.
Right now, didn't it look like Swoo was having a conversation with the cat? No, it wasn't just 'looking like' it; she was actually conversing. The cat responding to Swoo's words was proof.
They said it was a cat that had eaten the wrong feed and turned strange, but wasn't Swoo, who was talking to such a cat so casually, even stranger?
"W-what... what is... what's going on? What is this? Huh?"
Yoo Sena, who didn't know the cat's true identity, was simply dumbfounded.
First, Swoo called out of nowhere telling her to hold onto the cat, and now she was sitting next to it, casually chatting with it.
And now she was muttering about filling the box she brought with sand.
Is this a prank camera?
Hidden camera pranks are a popular concept on streaming sites. Have I become the target of one? Are those reactions actually real and not scripted?
Yoo Sena quickly turned her head, searching for a camera.
No matter where she looked, there was nothing.
Since Swoo and Angela were exceptionally good-looking, many people were staring in their direction, but none of them looked like they were recording.
Then what on earth is this...?
Yoo Sena's gaze shifted back to Swoo.
Swoo was...
Crunch— Grind— Crush— Scrape—
She was picking up large stones and crushing, breaking, and grinding them with her bare hands. The sand created this way gradually piled up in the box.
So that was what she meant by preparing it? She wasn't opening a bag of cat litter; she was making it by hand.
Just as the incomprehensible mystery was turning into dread and terror...
"Huh...?"
[Thank you for showing mercy, Great One.]
[And hello, Ms. Yoo Sena.]
The cat, which had been licking Churu just moments ago, began writing on the sand.
A cat like this didn't need tools. It was writing in the sand with its flexibly moving tail.
It was even a master calligrapher. Its handwriting was so neat that one might wonder if it could take on freelance work ghostwriting letters for wealthy humans.
[Twelve years ago, on that day. When Ms. Yoo Sena took me in, I remember how you protected me despite Chairman Yoo Seung-chul's order to send me back.]
[I have endured until now on the strength of that memory. And so, at last, the opportunity to repay you has come.]
"W-wait... Huh? Uh... The cat is writing...?"
[Though I am called Florence now, I remain Bori in my heart. I have not forgotten the name Ms. Yoo Sena gave me.]
"...B-Bori? You're Bori?"
[Yes. Thank you for not forgetting me.]
Yoo Sena's eyes widened.
Swoo's eyes widened as well.
Though both were surprised by the cat's names, their reasons were slightly different.
Yoo Sena was shocked by the name Bori, while Swoo was taken aback by the name Florence.
Florence. Wasn't that a bit too serious and heavy of a name to give a cat?
Bori was much cuter. Its yellow fur and the savory scent it gave off made Bori the perfect fit.
While Swoo was thinking that, Yoo Sena, whose face had turned pale, gasped for air and grabbed Swoo's arm.
"I-I'm so shocked, I feel like I'm going to faint."
She couldn't keep up with the situation.
A cat suddenly writing in human language, a cat holding memories from ten years ago, a cat coming to repay her—everything about this cat was so shocking that her breathing became erratic.
Swoo blinked at Yoo Sena's reaction.
Was this really something to be that surprised about?
Considering how she had handled Swoo visiting her office relatively calmly, this seemed excessive.
There must be some hidden story here.
Since it didn't seem like she would get a coherent answer if she asked now, Swoo decided to just knock Yoo Sena out.
But now, she had to ponder the method.
First, knocking her out with a chop to the back of the neck would be difficult. Hadn't she failed even after hitting Miko's neck more than five times in the past?
If she hit any harder, she might break her neck bone.
So the neck chop was out.
Should I choke her?
Cutting off the oxygen supply would make her pass out quickly, so that seemed more effective.
I'll choke her gently so I don't break anything.
Swoo reached out with both hands.
Just as she did, a soft pfft sound came from behind, and Yoo Sena's body began to slump toward Swoo.
Swoo turned her head toward the source of the sound.
"I did it."
Angela smiled, rubbing her wrist.
It seemed she had used a pre-prepared anesthetic dart.
Swoo tilted her head at that.
Angela had never used such anesthetic darts before. If it was strong enough to make someone lose consciousness instantly, it must be quite potent, yet Angela had never thrown one even in the most urgent situations.
That meant she had prepared them recently. Who on earth had she prepared them for?
Patting her tail, which was trembling with anxiety inside her clothes, Swoo looked back.
"How long will it take for her to wake up?"
"She'll wake up if you shake her in about two minutes. The immediate effect is strong, but it doesn't last long."
"I see."
Her tail trembled even more anxiously, but Swoo remained calm. Once two minutes had passed, she shook Yoo Sena, who snapped her eyes open just as Angela had said.
"...I think I'm feeling a bit better now. Thanks."
"Angela was the one who knocked you out."
"Ah... Thank you, Ms. Angela."
"So, why were you so surprised?"
"...Ah, well."
Wiping away her drool, Yoo Sena looked at Bori, who was sitting quietly inside the box.
"Um, by any chance... Bori. If I ask you a favor, could you do it for me...?"
[Should I cover my ears?]
"...You already know."
[No. I simply felt that, judging by the current atmosphere, I ought to cover my ears.]
"Right, then... Yes, please cover your ears."
After digging in the sand a few times, Bori buried its head in it and pressed its ears down tightly with both paws.
Could it really block the sound properly like that?
Swoo briefly considered sticking her fingers in Bori's ears, but then turned her head away. She decided there was no need to go that far.
Whether it eavesdropped or blocked it out completely, it was certain that an entertaining situation would unfold either way.
"...I know you won't believe me even if I tell you."
"No, I'll believe you."
"Even if I say it, it sounds absurd. Honestly, I... still can't believe what I'm seeing, but if I had to say it..."
Closing her eyes tightly, Yoo Sena whispered softly.
"...Bori died ten years ago. Right in front of my eyes."