Ruby's Cat Friend and Dahong's New Look
The group escorted the girl all the way to the dorms.
"Just keep going straight down this path, and you'll see it. It's a big building, so you can't miss it."
Han Isol pointed in the direction, where the dorm building came into view. The girl bowed repeatedly, her Korean-style greeting a bit awkward.
"Thank you…. kam-sa-ham-ni-da. Really, thank you."
Isol waved her hand.
"No big deal!"
The girl dragged her suitcase toward the building and disappeared. Once she was out of sight, Harin spoke up.
"Coming at a time like this… Think she's a transfer student?"
"Transferring into the academy isn't easy, though."
"Maybe she was at another academy before."
"Yeah, could be. Anyway…"
Isol pulled out her phone as she said that.
"Shall we head here next? Time to make a friend for Ruby!"
"Nyaong?"
Ruby blinked. On the screen was a cat café.
As soon as they opened the door, about a dozen cats were lounging around—on the sofas, the cat trees, the windowsills, the cushions.
Harin clapped a hand over her mouth.
"……Heaven."
"Ahaha…."
Harin approached the nearest cat, a fluffy gray longhair. It sniffed her hand and rubbed its head against her. Harin's lips curved up to her ears.
Isol giggled.
"Never seen that face on Harin before."
"I can hear you, you know."
"Meant for you to."
Dahong settled on a sofa in the corner and set Ruby down from her lap.
"Go play."
"Nya."
Ruby hopped to the floor, tail straight up, golden round eyes scanning the café with curiosity. The cats perked up at the arrival of this unfamiliar creature.
The first to approach was a pitch-black Siamese. But…
"……?"
It sniffed Ruby up close, then shrank back with a hunched neck and backed away.
Ruby, nose still forward, blinked as the Siamese fled.
"Huh?"
"…Doesn't like Ruby?"
Ruby didn't give up and approached another cat—a brown tabby sunning itself on a cushion.
"Myaaang."
But as Ruby meowed and drew near…
"……."
The tabby bolted upright and scampered off.
"????"
Ruby turned, looking baffled. A nearby tuxedo cat went further, hackles raised. As Ruby padded toward the cat tree, three cats leaped down and fled.
"Wha… Why are they all running away?"
Isol looked flustered. Dahong sipped her drink.
"Behemoth."
"Oh."
No matter how kitten-sized, a Behemoth was a Behemoth. The cats instinctively sensed the aura of a high-rank mana beast.
Ruby slunk back to Dahong, wings and tail drooping. Dahong stroked her back impassively.
"Aww, poor Ruby…."
Isol made a pitying face. Harin scooped Ruby up.
"There, there, our little Ruby… It's okay. I'll play with you."
"Nyaa…."
Ruby buried her head in Harin's arms.
Then.
Tap.
Something nudged Ruby's tail. She whipped her head around. A chubby orange cat stood there—long fur, squished face. Honestly, not the cutest guy.
All the other cats had bolted, but this one approached Ruby.
"Gyauung."
It let out a voice that wasn't cute at all.
"Huh?"
Hoping for the best, Harin gently set Ruby down. The orange cat sauntered over, sniffed her, and—
Bonk.
—bunted its forehead against Ruby's.
"Nyaong?"
Ruby's eyes went wide. The orange cat, unfazed, sniffed her wings and butt, then flopped down.
Ruby crept closer and sniffed tentatively. The orange cat lay there leisurely, letting her.
Isol beamed.
"Ruby made a friend!"
Harin whipped out her camera and snapped photos. Before long, Ruby was grooming in the orange cat's embrace, purring contentedly.
Dahong watched, her lips quirking up faintly. She'd been alone in hell, but Ruby wasn't.
Time passed, and the group left the cat café. Ruby looked back wistfully. Through the glass, the orange cat sat watching them.
"Nya…."
"We can come back."
"……!"
Ruby's tail perked up at Dahong's words. Isol held up her phone.
"Okay, next! There's a good clothing store nearby. I scoped it out before."
"More clothes?"
"Obviously. Main event of the day. Can't have you showing up in the same old suits, sis."
Dahong looked unimpressed. Harin shook her head helplessly.
"Give up. Can't stop Isol when she's like this."
"I know."
At the clothing store, Isol rifled through racks, picking out options.
"Sis, summer clothes this time. Not just suits every day."
"Suits are comfy."
"It's already April. It'll get hot fast. You gonna wear that suit in summer?"
"……."
Heat didn't bother her. Demon and all. Plus, hell was hotter.
Isol held out a white sleeveless blouse.
"Sleeveless?"
Harin eyed it like it was too bold.
"Your shoulders are pretty, sis. This'll suit you."
Dahong took it and headed to the fitting room. The curtain closed, then opened.
White sleeveless top. Bare white shoulders and collarbone. Long hair cascading down. A navy long skirt cinched her waist and fell to her ankles. Cool flat sandals completed it. A far cry from her stuffy suits.
Isol's jaw dropped. Harin blinked, Ruby in her arms.
The hills usually buried under jackets asserted themselves boldly.
"Whoa. Tits."
"……."
Dahong narrowed her eyes.
"Good enough?"
"……Sis."
Isol said seriously.
"You have to buy this."
"Eh…."
"You have to!"
Dahong glanced in the mirror. Unfamiliar.
"Try tying your hair up."
Isol handed over a hair tie. Dahong fumbled, so Isol did it—a high ponytail. Neckline, ears, horns all sharper now.
"Whoa… It really suits you, right?"
"Yeah."
Isol gushed. Harin couldn't deny it. Dahong checked the mirror.
Did it? She didn't see the difference.
Then Isol said casually.
"Seha would definitely like it."
Dahong froze, hand halting.
"……Yoo Seha doesn't matter."
"Come on, it does."
"It doesn't."
Swish.
Dahong yanked the curtain shut. Isol grinned at Harin, who just shook her head.
In the fitting room, Dahong eyed the mirror. Sleeveless her. Ponytail her. Imagining standing before Seha like this.
…Just clothes. Doesn't matter.
She wore shorter tees and dolphin shorts at home anyway—more skin. Still… she wondered. What would Seha's reaction be? Would he blush? Teasing him would be fun.
After a moment, she stepped out.
Evening. Seha opened the front door.
"……Ugh, I'm dead."
He dropped his bag and kicked off his shoes. His whole body ached. Since facing Dahong, Noeul's classes had ramped up. Imbuing mana bullets with attributes, firing multiples at once—like drawing circles with one hand and triangles with the other. While handstanding.
Handstand? Can't draw on the ground? Exactly. He couldn't do it at all.
Oh Daehyun said his stamina was finally building. That made him a bit happy. In the shower mirror, he swore he saw some muscle definition…? Secret: he struck poses in front of it.
The house was quiet, lights off.
Where'd they go?
No Ruby either, so out together. He chugged water in the kitchen, then spotted the washer blinking done.
"Dahong did it?"
She'd started helping around more lately. Said she was bored, but living together felt nice.
Better hang laundry before she gets back.
Seha transferred the clothes to a basket and headed to the balcony, shaking and hanging each piece: tees, socks, towels.
Then his hand stopped.
"……!"
In his grip: white lace fabric. Dahong's panties.
Seha's face burned red. Over a month living together, but this? Still not used to it.
What now? Hang it? But if not, it won't dry. Hanging it feels weird. Shove back in washer?
Then—
Beep beep.
Door code. Seha's heart dropped. He stuffed it in his pocket without thinking.
Click. Creak.
"We're back."
Dahong's voice.
"W-Welcome home!"
Seha bolted from the balcony. Heart pounding like mad. In the living room, he froze.
Dahong wore something different. White sleeveless. Bare shoulders. High ponytail. Navy long skirt to her ankles.
Ruby trotted in, tail up.
"Nyaa."
Dahong stood there shoeless, arms crossed.
"……?"
Seha blinked, confused.
"Uh… Coming in?"
"……."
Dahong uncrossed her arms.
"No comment?"
"……?"
Seha blinked. Dahong sighed.
"Bought new clothes."
"Oh, yeah! Looks cool!"
That was it. Dahong's eyes narrowed. Seha just blinked with his usual innocent face.
Dahong kicked off her shoes—seemed a bit snappy.
"……You okay?"
"Fine."
Mood thing?
Seha tilted his head, following her to the living room. Dahong flopped on the sofa and turned on the TV. He approached.
"Dahong, what do you want for dinner—"
Poke.
"Gah!"
Dahong jabbed his side.
"Wh-Why!?"
"Just."
"'Just' what!?"
Dahong ignored him, flipping channels. Seha gaped. She seemed off, but why?
"Something happen outside?"
Dahong's eyes narrowed more.
Poke.
"Yow!"
Poke. Poke.
She poked his side relentlessly, silent.
"Hey, stop!"
Seha flailed like a fish out of water, fleeing. Dahong pursued doggedly, jabbing.
"Agh! At least tell me why…! Whoa!"
He lost balance.
Stumble.
Something tumbled from his pocket.
Flutter.
White fabric with lace hit the floor.
"……."
"……."
Their eyes locked on it. Seha's mind went blank white. Dahong's panties from the balcony.
"Th-This is—!"
Dahong slowly picked up her underwear. Looked at Seha. Back at it.
"……."
Grin.
Her pout vanished.
"Yoo Seha."
"Misunderstanding!!! Hanging laundry, heard the door, panicked and—!"
"Hmm, panicked right into your pocket?"
"Not like that…!"
"My panties."
"I swear!!!"
Seha wanted to die of injustice. Such bad luck.
Dahong leaned in close.
"Perv~ert."
"!!!"
Dahong twirled the panties, humming cheerily. Mood fully lifted.
Seha faceplanted, covering his head. He wanted to die.
"Nya?"
Ruby approached, head tilted questioningly.
"……Ruby. What's wrong with me? Is it 'cause I'm a demon summoner?"
"?"
Ruby tilted her head.