The sun peeked shyly over the edge of the city skyline, its light cutting through the last traces of morning mist. Outside Jihoon's apartment, rainwater still clung to the windowsills, forming small rivulets that reflected gold and blue. The storm from the night before had passed, leaving everything washed and still.
Inside, Jihoon stirred slowly beneath his blanket. He didn't wake up with a jolt or to the shrill sound of an alarm. He woke naturally, the warmth of the room and the soft rustling of curtains inviting him to greet the day.
He sat up, blinking sleep from his eyes, and immediately glanced at the windowsill.
There was Hodu.
Perched like a quiet guardian, her tail wrapped neatly around her paws, she blinked once in acknowledgment but didn't move. Her ears twitched slightly at his motion, but otherwise, she remained poised, basking in the sunlight like royalty.
Jihoon chuckled softly. "Still pretending you own the place, huh?"
She turned her head slowly, offering him a look that said, I don't pretend.
Stretching, Jihoon slipped into his slippers and walked quietly into the living room. The floor was cool beneath his feet, the air smelling faintly of rain-soaked wood and fresh linen. A stillness hung in the space—peaceful, but not empty.
Then he saw the box.
The makeshift bed he'd prepared the night before sat nestled in the corner, lined with an old towel and a folded hoodie. And inside, exactly where he had left them, was the tiny orange and white kitten—curled into a ball no larger than a folded sweater.
Jihoon crouched slowly beside the box.
The kitten stirred, blinking open its eyes with a drowsy slowness. It didn't flinch this time. It didn't try to run or shrink back. Its wide, amber eyes met his with something that wasn't quite trust yet—but it wasn't fear either.
"Good morning," Jihoon whispered, his voice soft and warm. "You made it through the night."
He reached a finger into the box and brushed it gently beneath the kitten's chin. It leaned in ever so slightly—tentative, but willing.
It was enough.
He stood up and padded into the kitchen, flicking the kettle on for tea. Hodu followed at a distance, giving the kitten one last glance before making her way to her food bowl. Jihoon poured her kibble and watched her dig in, her tail flicking with quiet satisfaction.
"Don't worry," he said under his breath. "Still your kingdom."
He opened the cupboard and pulled out a can of wet kitten food—something he had bought just in case, before Hodu ever arrived. He'd never opened it. Now, it felt like it had been waiting for this moment.
He placed the soft meal into a shallow dish and set it beside the towel-lined box.
The kitten sniffed the air, slowly rising to its feet with a quiet wobble. Its nose twitched. After a few hesitant steps, it lowered its head and began to eat.
Jihoon sat at the table with his tea, watching silently as the kitten ate in calm, focused bites. Its ears perked, its tail flicked once. There was still wariness, but the desperate fear from the night before had melted away. What remained was something softer. Something fragile. But alive.
He glanced toward Hodu.
She had finished eating and now sat grooming herself, her eyes occasionally flicking toward the kitten. No hissing. No growling. Just distant observation—like a cat silently judging whether her new housemate had potential.
Jihoon smiled.
He cradled the mug in his hands and looked back at the tiny kitten now licking its paws clean.
"You need a name," he said gently. "Something that's just yours."
The kitten looked up at him—head tilted, eyes curious.
Jihoon leaned back in his chair. A name wasn't just a label. It was a declaration. A promise. A beginning.
He looked out the window. The sunlight was gentler now, diffused through the light clouds that lingered beyond the skyline. The world outside shimmered, still wet from the night's storm, but glistening in hope.
His eyes returned to the kitten.
Something quiet. Something warm.
"Haru," he said aloud.
The word drifted through the room like a note in a song.
"It means 'spring,'" he added, smiling. "A new start. Feels right for you."
The kitten mewed softly in response—a sound almost too small to hear, but real.
Ding!
[Kindness Opportunity Completed!]
Reward: 42,000 KRW
A gentle vibration buzzed in his pocket. Jihoon reached for his phone and tapped the notification.
[Daily Kindness Reflection]
"Sometimes, the simplest kindness is seeing someone—not for what they've been through, but for who they can become."
He put the phone down and watched as Haru curled up again in the box, more relaxed this time. Not hidden. Just resting.
Across the room, Hodu climbed back onto the windowsill and sprawled lazily, pretending not to notice the new presence in her home—but her tail curled toward the inside, not away.
Jihoon sipped his tea.
The room felt fuller. Warmer. Not just because of the sun.
Yeah.
That sounded about right.
One small act at a time.
End of Chapter 57
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