25. Formulating the Plan
Under the bright fluorescent lights, only the clatter of cutlery echoes through the cafeteria. It's so quiet that even the smallest noises make their presence felt.
I grip the fork—barely manageable with cat paws—and stubbornly twirl it against the spaghetti. Strands coated in meat sauce wind around the tines, spinning round and round. Twisting the flat handle isn't easy with paws, but I manage somehow.
Until recently, I'd stuck to easy-to-eat stuff or whatever Tyranno ordered. Who cares if I'm just a cat? But ever since getting the humanization implant from the Doctor, I've been practicing human-like behaviors bit by bit. Alone in empty rooms, I've rehearsed with chopsticks; I've tried adapting to human toilets instead of litter boxes. Now I drink water from a cup instead of lapping it up with my tongue.
"Mmm, this is good. First time ordering this menu—solid choice."
I stuff the diligently wound spaghetti into my mouth. The sauce, packed with ground meat, is tasty enough, but fish is still way better.
"Tyranno, you should try some. Not just tteokbokki every day. Here, I'll feed you."
I wind more noodles on the fork and sneak a glance at him. Tyranno stares blankly at the table edge, his eyes unfocused. His plate of tteokbokki has barely been touched.
".........."
Again. He's spacing out again.
Ever since we got back from Earth, Tyranno's been off these past few days. He just holds his beloved tteokbokki on a toothpick without eating. Like his mind's drifted off somewhere, he sits there in a daze. He doesn't always respond when called, and he'll suddenly zone out mid-daily routine.
Watching him sink deep into some distant place, eyes unfocused, twists my gut. Is he sick? Or harboring some worry he won't share with me?
I've asked several times if something's wrong, but he always brushes it off with "I'm fine."
"Fine? If you're that sick, go rest."
"Hmph, as if a loser cat♥ could worry about me. I'm totally fine♥"
Tyranno pulls his usual bratty face and starts chomping his tteokbokki. Brushed it off again. How's anyone supposed to buy "nothing's wrong" after that serious look just seconds ago?
I have my suspicions. No hard evidence, but my instincts as a beast—as a female in love—tell me.
Chae Sua. That filthy, loathsome magical girl I could rip apart a thousand times and it still wouldn't be enough. Just picturing her face makes my heart ache like it's about to burst.
Tyranno's phone KakaoTalk messages flicker in my mind. Chae Sua Owner♥ Contraception. Pregnancy. Don't worry. I'll handle it. The words gnaw at my brain like termites.
I've tried not to dwell on it since seeing them. Obsessing will make my head explode, so I look away and whisper to myself: I'm okay. I can accept it. Calm down.
Whatever Tyranno did with Chae Sua, it's in the past. My fault. I'm the bad one. Too indecisive, unsure of my own feelings, too late getting this human body to confess.
I'll do better from now on. Just from now on. Let the past go and make it right starting today...
"Don't bottle it up—tell me. You've been weird since Earth. Something bothering you?"
"Pfft! Worries? Yeah, I've got one♥"
"Really? What?"
"It's you, loser snot-nosed cat♥ When're you getting a boyfriend? When're you popping out kittens, you dumb cat♥ Loser♥"
I want to say, like some bold ghost, Then date me. But I hold back. Haven't shown Tyranno my human form yet. Planning to soon, but I want maximum impact, so I'm saving it.
I'll reveal it when I snatch the whip back from Chae Sua's clutches with a snap. Hand it over and say, "Want it back? Date me first." He'll freak. Hehe. Even got date plans ready—scouted a restaurant where the spaghetti's supposed to be amazing.
So for now, just laugh it off.
"Ha, that's it? Totally fine then. Wasted my worry. Whatever."
Clang. Silly banter and I drop the fork.
"Pfft♥ Lolol♥ Can't even hold a fork, you baby loser♥ Baby Lion's just a kitten♥"
Tyranno teases mercilessly, grabs a fork, and winds up some spaghetti.
"Here, baby kitty, time for num-nums♥"
And thrusts it right at me. What'd he eat to act like this? Not his style at all. Something's definitely up.
But that's that, and this is this. First time Tyranno's ever fed me directly—can't pass it up.
"Aaaah..."
I open wide, but instead of spaghetti, I get teased.
"Pfft! Thought I'd really feed you? No way♥ Stupid wide-mouthed Lion queen loser♥ I'll eat it myself♥"
The spaghetti vanishes into Tyranno's mouth.
"Ugh, seriously. You're dead meat later. You'll die by my hand."
"Yeah? What're you gonna do about it♥ What're you gonna do♥ Totally untouchable♥ Mad now♥ Sue me♥"
Damn, forehead flick time. Decision made. I'll settle this grudge in bed.
"Shut it."
I spear an olive with the fork. Not bad.
"Spaghetti's good. But why spaghetti? Yesterday too, day before too. Spaghetti, cream soup, steak. All fork stuff lately."
"Practice."
"Practice? Practice eating?"
"Lifetime of this body means even eating needs practice."
So I look better at that restaurant with you someday.
"If you just ate tasty tteokbokki, no practice needed♥"
I chuckle at Tyranno's words. Does he know the chef makes mild tteokbokki because he can't handle spice?
We're killing time with dumb chit-chat when the cafeteria door opens and the Doctor walks in.
"I'm here."
"Oh? Loser Doctor♥ What's up, Doctor leaving the lab♥ Thought you died in there since you never come out♥ Wait, are you not Doctor but Mister♥"
I nearly drop the fork again at Tyranno's English. Our Tyranno's not that smart! Someone swapped him out. Or a mesugaki robot imprisoned him and's impersonating—crying in some dark corner right now?
"Hey, don't even joke like that. I put up with years in the lab just to hear 'Doctor'..."
"Lab? Nowadays it's lab for rap, then make 'em doctors?"
Oh, this airhead. Yep, it's him. Matches his brain level.
"Uh, yeah. In Darknis, you rap the periodic table for your PhD."
Doctor's teasing him with obvious nonsense.
"Periodic table what?"
Tyranno's even dumber than I thought. Fair enough, but it hits different when he doesn't know versus others.
"Not important, forget it. Joke's over. Here, it's done. Behold: the Mesugaki Dowsing Rod. Made from emotions craving to properly discipline mesugaki, hence the name."
The Doctor pulls a pair of L-shaped rods from her pocket. Shiny silver, just like dowsing rods for finding water veins.
"This finds my whip? Looks so loser-cheap. Bet it snaps if poked."
Tyranno swings them like a kid with sticks.
"Hey, stop! Won't break easy, but in your hands? Sketchy. Know how much hell I went through making these?"
Doctor snatches them back. Should've played nice.
"How's it work?"
Last time, we planned: Tyranno lures Chae Sua to hold her down while I infiltrate her base and steal the whip. Hate seeing them together, hate sending him there even more. But to restrain a magical girl long, street fight's best—outside, even that damn girl won't touch him.
Anyway, I'll use it, so I ask first.
"This? Obvious."
Doctor grips the short ends in a V shape. The parallel rod tips start trembling.
"Hold a pair like this—see? Tips quiver. That's the urge to discipline mesugaki leaking out."
Looks just like an adult's clenched fist holding back a knuckle flick on a mesugaki.
"Picked spots likely for Chae Sua's base. Grip these, walk the area—the tips'll spread like this."
Doctor nudges with her thumb; rods part slightly.
"See? Spread direction's where the whip is. Wider angle, closer it is. Like water dowsing rods, but 100% accurate and scientific."
"Oho, cool."
Doctor gets flak from upstairs and "loser" from Tyranno, but damn, she's competent.
"Loser Doctor total idiot? Lion's a cat—how's a cat use this? Loser Doctor total moron♥ Strip that Doctor title♥"
Human mode works, but Tyranno doesn't know I can transform yet.
"Eh, ways around it. Wanna try?"
"Dunno if a toy this loser suits me. More my level: Maldives for a Maldives cocktail. But if Doctor insists."
Tyranno grabs the rods, holds them in both hands, and wanders the cafeteria. Wasn't it "Maldives cocktail for my level" a sec ago?
"Having fun, huh. But you still haven't told him?"
I know what Doctor means.
"Not yet."
"Why? I mean, why? Went through hell implanting human mode—you should've advanced full throttle by now."
Advance? Yeah, full throttle.
Planned to show human form right away. But while I endured bone-shattering pain for him, he was probably rolling in bed with that bitch Chae Sua.
Emotions surge despite convincing myself it's past.
Still hung up? If only a day earlier for the body. Or scheduled surgery a day later, stuck to him all day.
"It's complicated."
"Doesn't compute. Just confess already. Tyranno's feelings aren't romantic yet, but care for him in human form and he'll fall easy."
"Fall"? One word and I snap.
"No, it's not that!"
I yell loud enough to echo. Late hour—only us three, thank god.
"Why yell? Something wrong?"
"No, just... haa. Sorry. Emotions all over lately."
"Emotions? Side effect?"
"Not a side effect. Your skills are top-notch. Not that, but... haa. Sorry. Just off lately."
Wanna vent to someone, but not Doctor. Embarrassing to admit to a friend, ashamed I can't control my feelings.
"Fine, whenever. Tell me when you're ready."
"Thanks for understanding. You're a good friend."
"Don't get sappy. Oh, seen Arcade today?"
Arcade? That cocky mosquito punk who picked on Tyranno last time?
"Come to think, no Darknis run-in today. Long-term dispatch?"
Doctor's face turns serious at my question.
"Watch that guy. Acting sus lately. I'm monitoring, but you're with Tyranno—keep an eye. That's it. I'm off to crash. Operation and gear approved—good luck."
With that, Doctor heads out.
Time for us to prep for the plan too.
"Tyranno. Let's go."