The Happiest in the World
“…Eunhyuk…….”
I could feel it myself—my body growing hot, my voice melting away. Every sense sharpened; my heart hammered. The warmth seeping through the shirt I clutched so tightly felt unbearably precious.
“Eunhyuk…….”
I nuzzled my cheek against his stomach, rubbing back and forth. I drew in a deep breath and took in his scent.
“…♥”
And then the happiness that followed left me dazed, drunk on it. Strength drained slowly from my legs and waist, so I only clung to him tighter. Every inhale was filled with Eunhyuk; that heat warmed me through and left me pleasantly hazy.
…Mm.
It’s all Eunhyuk’s fault….
I never knew I could be this kind of girl. Just being held like this made me so happy. His scent made my head float; the urge to stay exactly like this forever washed over me.
…I don’t want to let go.
I want to stay like this forever.
…Eunhyuk made me this way….
My cheeks burned. The back of my neck flushed hot. My lips trembled faintly; my fingertips tingled. All of it—every last bit—was Eunhyuk’s fault.
……So.
So, just for now….
“Cecilia?”
His voice reached me suddenly. Startled, yet gentle and calm.
“Mm…?”
When I lifted my head, the first thing I saw was Eunhyuk’s smile, tinged with worry. He hesitated, then his large hand returned to stroke my hair with quiet tenderness.
“Hyaang…♥”
The sound slipped out of me. Feeling my own hot breath, I buried my face against his stomach once more.
“Huu, mm…♥”
That big hand pressed firmly over my ear and swept past—left ear, hair, the back of my head. And finally my cheek.
“Mm….”
Eunhyuk’s warm hand kneaded and stroked my cheek. It tickled, and a laugh bubbled up. The sweet feeling that came with it only deepened the smile.
“Ehehe….”
“You’re extra clingy today, Cecilia.”
“…Mm♥”
The gentle touch stroking me. The soft voice whispering. …The scent I loved.
Suddenly a few old memories floated up—hazy fragments of the very first time we met….
[What’s your name?]
[Why’d you drink so much? Did something happen?]
[…Do you have somewhere to stay?]
[Want to try some?]
The first time I touched that kind heart of his….
[…Well, at least you don’t look as scared anymore. That’s good.]
[Wanna toast?]
[You can stay here. It’s okay. I’m not mad.]
[I’ll never kick you out. I promise. Housework? Fail as many times as you need. I’ll teach you again and again.]
The time the police came to the house and I was terrified.
[…Yeah, yeah. It’s okay, Cecilia. You don’t have to be scared anymore.]
[…Can I touch your head?]
…And after going through heat.
[I’m right here. Tell me anything. Okay?]
[Bite and suck as much as you want. As much as you need.]
[…I just thought that’s what I should do.]
And then….
[…Our cute Cecilia.]
[You’re not scary. I’ll help you. So tonight, just sleep well, okay?]
[I’ll pet you every day.]
….
[It’s okay, Cecilia. You’re allowed to be happy. You—you’re more than worth it.]
[…Please don’t be afraid. Stay happy. If it gets heavy, we’ll carry it together. We’ll laugh together and cry together….]
I had heard so many words.
[Cecilia.]
[Cecilia?]
[Cecilia~.]
He had called my name countless times.
A warmth I had never known before surged up in my chest, wave after wave. It made me restless and anxious, yet it was so irresistibly sweet I couldn’t push it away.
[…Because I like you.]
Had that really been a dream?
Or was there even the tiniest chance that Eunhyuk had truly said those words to me?
Nothing is sweeter than being loved. Just the possibility alone left me this ecstatic right now.
And now I understood: whether it was a dream or not didn’t actually matter.
I wanted to hear those words—“because I like you.”
I wanted Eunhyuk to like me.
I wanted to be loved.
Why?
“…do …you…”
“Hm?”
The words that left my mouth never fully formed; they scattered and vanished.
Uwaah, this is harder than I thought….
“…It’s nothing!”
So embarrassing….
I jerked my head up and shouted at Eunhyuk, then immediately buried my face in his stomach again.
“…Uuu.”
Embarrassing….
H-how does Eunhyuk say things like that so calmly?
Just speaking the words makes my heart feel like it’s going to explode!
“Uuu…!”
My hands and feet curled in on themselves. The thunder of my own heartbeat pounded in my ears.
…Eunhyuk is amazing.
I’m not as honest as he is.
All the things he’s said to me—I want to give them back to him just as much….
“….”
[‘I like you too.’]
The words I tried to say, swallowed by a mumble.
My true feelings, finally recognized and spoken inside myself.
…I like him.
I like him. …Really.
I like you, Eunhyuk…!
“You’re somehow extra….”
“Hyaak?!”
“…cute today, yeah.”
H-he hugged me…?!
Eunhyuk hugged me…?!
Both hands cradled my head, kneading my ears….
U-haang♥
……Uuuu…!
“…Gently!”
“Ah—aah. Sorry.”
Startled, he pulled his hands away. When those hands moved from my ears to my hair, I felt relief and, at the same time, a strange little disappointment.
“…Hnn.”
Honestly, a little more kneading wouldn’t have been so bad.
Even I thought I was being selfish. Refusing and then missing it—my heart didn’t feel like it belonged to me anymore.
My feelings wavered, dithered, spun in circles. Dizzying.
The problem was that even that dizziness felt beautiful.
[Love is blind, Cecilia.]
Yeah. I think I understand now, Mom.
I finally get what that feeling is.
[I hope our cute Cecilia finds someone she likes someday too.]
[Just like Mom and Dad—someone you can cherish each other with.]
Yeah.
Mom, Dad. I found him.
I have someone I like.
“…♪”
Suddenly I wanted to hum. The whole world felt beautiful, sparkling.
I like him.
This feeling only keeps growing; I can’t ignore it anymore.
“…Mm.”
And at the same time, I decided.
I’ll put off telling him just a little longer.
I want to savor this warm feeling a bit more.
I want to linger in this flustered, fidgety state a little longer.
I want to ache with that ticklish longing.
I want to pour out this swollen heart when I want to be loved by Eunhyuk the most—the absolute most.
It might be greedy.
But if… if confessing or being confessed to only happens once in a lifetime, I want to treasure it a little more.
I want to be loved at the most precious, most aching moment.
…Absolutely.
Absolutely!
It’s not because I’m too scared to say it!
Really!
I just…!
I just….
….
…I just want to stay with him a little longer.
I want to be together for a long time.
With Eunhyuk, just a little more like this.
“Eunhyuk….”
“Ah, yeah?”
I lifted my head again. Those gentle eyes. Looking into the eyes of the person I loved, I opened my mouth.
“Stay with me forever?”
“Of course.”
The answer came at once, and I grinned, all soft and happy.
I was the happiest catgirl in the world.
….
“Ehehe….”
Uh, well.
“Mm…♥”
So, how do I put this.
My part-time job vanished, so I was lounging around the house when the catgirl came home and suddenly started acting all clingy?
Does that cover it?
“Sss—…. …♥”
Cecilia’s deep breathing reached me. At the same time her hot breath brushed my stomach, and I flinched involuntarily. It tickled and itched. Trying to hold down the surge of feeling, I focused on the soft sensation in my hands.
“Mm….”
Cecilia being extra affectionate today. I could see her clinging tightly, nuzzling her cheek against me over and over. Unbearably cute. That said, it was also pretty confusing.
What happened at school to make her like this all of a sudden?
…I wonder if she drank…?
“…♪”
But she doesn’t smell like alcohol.
Hmm, what is it then?
“…do …you…”
Maybe because I was thinking that, I completely missed the words that slipped from Cecilia’s mouth.
“Hm?”
I asked belatedly, but—
“…It’s nothing!”
—all I got was a mumbled dodge. Cecilia, who had briefly lifted her head, buried her face in my stomach again. Both hands gripped my waist firmly while she rubbed her soft cheek this way and that….
…The continuous warm breath left my head feeling pleasantly foggy.
“…Uuu.”
Then she’d suddenly make a sound again.
“Uuu…!”
Or make a noise like she was holding something back.
She was in a strange state today. Unusual, odd, and….
“You’re somehow extra cute today, yeah.”
“Hyaak?!”
Cute.
Trying to cover the words that had slipped out unconsciously, I pulled her head into a sudden hug. Then I kneaded those silver-white ears that had come even closer.
“Ohh….”
A sound of pure admiration escaped me. The texture was incredibly soft. Heavenly was the only word for it.
I lost myself for a moment, just petting them, until—
“…Gently!”
“Ah—aah. Sorry.”
—I got scolded. Sheepishly I moved my hands from her ears to her hair.
“…Hnn.”
But the second I let go, Cecilia pouted with a look that said something was missing.
What am I supposed to do with that?
Still, well.
“…♪”
She looked happy, so that was enough. When she was making such blissful little sounds, did the reason for the affection even matter?
If Cecilia was happy, nothing else mattered. If she wanted to be held, I’d hold her as much as she wanted.
“…Mm.”
Every time I stroked her, those ears twitched. And that tail that had been swaying nonstop since earlier caught my eye too.
Cute.
Cute!
Cute—!
“Eunhyuk….”
“Ah, yeah?”
Then Cecilia lifted her head. Those beautiful eyes. While I was looking into the eyes of the person I loved, she opened her mouth.
“Stay with me forever?”
“Of course.”
I answered without a second’s hesitation. Then I patted her back again, gently.
“♪”
She looked happy.
I was happy too.
But, well, yeah.
Just staying like this forever wasn’t exactly practical….
“Cecilia.”
“Mm?”
“Want to go out for dinner tonight?”
“Out?”
“Yeah.”
How about we walk around a bit?
I spoke to her as she tilted her head slightly.
“I found a restaurant that looked good while I was out walking. If you’re okay with it, let’s go together. And today’s a full moon, so we can look at the sky a little on the way back. In other words—…”
“In other words?”
“…Let’s go on a date, Cecilia.”
“! …Okay!”
She nodded hard, beaming. Watching that smile, I smiled softly myself.
Cute.
Really, truly cute.
“Let’s get ready!”
“Okay~!”
Wearing happy smiles, we started to move.
A date with the person I love.
I really was the happiest person in the world.