The Senior Doesn't Like Cats
Eunbyul didn't like cats. Scratch, scratch. She was peeling an apple with focused dedication. Even something as ordinary as slicing fruit with a knife transformed into a picture-perfect scene when she did it.
"It's a relief there was a fruit stand right by the hospital. They must sell stuff for hospital visits, right?"
"I suppose so?"
"I've always wanted to try peeling fruit for someone in a hospital like this. It happens all the time in novels, doesn't it?"
"Whenever someone gets hospitalized, that scene is bound to show up."
Even while chatting, Eunbyul's hands never stopped moving. It seemed her impressive cooking skills from before hadn't been an act. Her apple-peeling technique was more than natural—it was downright masterful. She held the apple steady in her left hand while her right guided the knife, gently stripping away the skin. Beginners usually left thick, clumsy peels, but hers were so thin they reminded him of delicate paper. In moments, the entire apple was perfectly peeled and neatly sliced.
...Is this really okay?
Beside her, Jinwoo lay in bed with a hint of anxiety clouding his face. He had gotten hurt while trying to protect her, which was why she had insisted on nursing him herself. It made perfect sense, and he knew he would have done the same if their roles were reversed. But the thought of making a star writer like Eunbyul wait on him like this left him feeling deeply uncomfortable.
Eunbyul was the kind of author whose latest upload easily broke ten thousand views. If she accidentally cut her finger while slicing an apple for him, wouldn't that be a national loss? Okay, that was a massive exaggeration and would never actually happen, but it was still how Jinwoo felt.
"Here, Jinwoo. Say 'ah~'"
She held out a perfectly cut piece of apple.
"I-I'm fine. My hands aren't injured or anything. I can eat by myself."
"Aaaah~!"
"Mmm."
"Good boy."
After feeding him the slice she'd prepared with her own hands, Eunbyul beamed with satisfaction. Of course, Jinwoo didn't actually dislike the situation. Having her—Eunbyul—stay by his side and take care of him? It was beyond joyful. It felt like a dream come true.
But if you asked whether I could just accept it all without any guilt, well... that's another story.
Jinwoo wasn't the type with a heart made of stone. When a beautiful woman like Eunbyul sat so close, his pulse would race and his chest would flutter. Just glancing at her sculpted profile was enough to make his face flush without him realizing it. So even though his body was resting more comfortably than ever, his mind remained strangely uneasy. He couldn't tell if this was happiness or something else entirely.
How did it even come to this?
He was grateful that Eunbyul worried about him, of course. But to go this far just because he'd wrapped his ankle in a bandage and gotten admitted? He'd wanted to find happiness with his senior, but not like this...
"Am I making you uncomfortable?"
"No, not at all! I'm currently the most comfortable man in the world."
"Whew, that's a relief. I was worried I might be disturbing your rest."
"Hahaha..."
There was no way he could admit his real feelings. But asking her to leave because he wanted to be alone? How could I possibly say that to Eunbyul?
The image of her walking away dejectedly, shoulders slumped, floated into his mind unbidden. It was better to steel his heart than witness that. For all his internal conflict, Jinwoo was weak when it came to her.
The only downside was that no one here could appreciate his noble efforts. If his little sister saw him now, she'd probably sneer and say something like, "What an idiot, complaining when he doesn't even realize he's the luckiest guy alive." And Jinwoo knew she wouldn't be entirely wrong.
I guess I'll just have to get used to it.
Once he resigned himself to that thought, he felt a little lighter. With the serene expression of a monk accumulating good karma, Jinwoo chewed his apple thoughtfully. At least he was the only patient in this hospital room, which was something to be grateful for.
"Hehe! The way you're munching makes you look like a rabbit."
Eunbyul watched him with a soft giggle. A rabbit, huh? He'd never heard that comparison before in his life. The animal seemed far too delicate and adorable to apply to him. At best, maybe he'd rate himself as bear-adjacent.
Wouldn't a rabbit suit Eunbyul better?
The thought crossed his mind instantly. Then again, she could probably pull off any animal. Cute creatures would look cute on her, and even larger animals would somehow create a striking image.
"What’s your favorite animal, Senior?"
"Hmm~ Animals?"
It hadn't been a question loaded with deep meaning. Still, since she'd been the one to suggest visiting the zoo, it clearly meant she liked them. He was simply curious what her top pick might be. Wanting to know the preferences of someone you cared about was only natural.
Eunbyul thought for a moment before answering.
"Hmm, I'd have to say dogs, I think?"
"Dogs?"
"Yeah!"
It was a surprisingly ordinary answer. He'd half-expected her to name something more unusual—like a beluga whale or something equally exotic.
"Dogs are cute and loving. They'll always take your side no matter what, act spoiled with you, and if anything dangerous happens, they'll come running to protect you faster than anyone else."
She glanced at Jinwoo as she finished speaking. It was just talk about her favorite animal. Yet her cheeks had taken on a faint pink glow.
"They're adorable, cute, and reliable. If possible, I'd want to stay with one forever."
"Those are some pretty specific reasons."
"Ahem! Ahem! This is what you call an author's powers of expression!"
Eunbyul puffed out her chest proudly, hands on her hips, looking thoroughly pleased with herself. The sight made Jinwoo chuckle before he could stop himself.
"So is the protagonist of your new work going to be a dog beastman?"
"Hmm~ Well... I'm not sure. I'll have to think about that. If it's the protagonist, there'll be romance with the heroine... hmm..."
She stared at him intently, lost in thought. Of course, the best writing came from pouring your own tastes into it. Eunbyul knew that approach produced stronger stories and drew readers in more easily. But... making her absolute favorite the protagonist and then pairing it with another heroine...
Given it's a fantasy novel, there will probably be romance scenes.
The heroine would fall for the protagonist, obviously. They'd start as strangers but gradually grow closer. They'd share meals, conversations, dates. Once they became intimate, they'd hold hands, kiss, maybe even...
"...Thieving cat."
"Huh? What did you say?"
"Ah, nothing! It's nothing!"
Eunbyul shook her head quickly, snapping out of her brief daydream. Her ears had turned bright red from embarrassment. Worried she might say something else, she hastily changed the subject.
"S-so what about you, Jinwoo? What's your favorite animal?"
"Me? I don't really have one."
It wasn't that he disliked animals. If anything, he liked them well enough. But there wasn't any specific creature he could point to and declare, "This is the one for me." Nothing stood out as a clear favorite.
"Hmm~ That's tricky."
"Why make it complicated? It's just about favorite animals."
"Well, after hearing your elaborate reasons, it feels wrong to give some half-hearted answer..."
"Hehe! We just came back from the zoo. So whatever comes to mind first is probably your favorite, right?"
The first thing that came to mind from their zoo trip? Jinwoo's expression turned strangely conflicted. Unfortunately, what surfaced first in his head wasn't an animal at all. It was the image of Eunbyul wearing those cat-ear headbands, meowing playfully. She'd been so cute. He wanted to see it again...
"...Did something come to mind?"
"Um, maybe... cats?"
He answered with a cough, feeling oddly guilty. It wasn't a complete lie. Or was it? Even as he debated his own response and excuses, Jinwoo tilted his head in confusion.
"Hmmm~"
For some reason, Eunbyul's expression had shifted dramatically. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at him, clearly displeased about something.
"So you like cats, Jinwoo?"
"W-well, compared to the others, I guess?"
"Hmmmmmm~"
She looked thoroughly dissatisfied. Jinwoo had no idea why she'd suddenly become so sulky. Why is she acting like this? He couldn't think of anything he'd done wrong, and for once, he was completely clueless. Besides, was liking cats really such a crime?
"Fine. I'll make a note of cats too, then."
"Oh, for your novel characters?"
"Hmph!"
Eunbyul let out an adorable little snort. "Absolutely not. They will never appear."
She scribbled something in her pink notebook, then vigorously crossed it out. From the motion of her hand, it looked like she'd marked a big X over it. Jinwoo had no idea why she'd suddenly gotten like this.