Night descended slowly. A single bulb hanging from the ceiling gave off a soft yellow light, barely bright enough to chase the shadows from the walls. Crickets sang from outside the window, occasionally joined by the rustle of branches brushing against the wind.
On a small wooden table in the corner of the room, Hana sat cross-legged.
She'd changed out of her uniform into thin pajamas covered in flower prints. Her hair was tied up messily, and in front of her lay several textbooks, marked with chaotic, colorful notes.
She leaned over, biting her pencil, then scribbled something down.
Meanwhile… Mathien sat in the corner of the room. The bowl of dry food in front of him was half-empty. He chewed slowly, then stopped.
His eyes… were fixed on Hana.
"She's just an ordinary human."
"No magic. No powers."
"Then why... doesn't she ever stop moving?"
Mathien tilted his head slightly. His ears caught the sound of a pencil dragging across paper, occasionally followed by small grumbles.
"Ugh, where's that formula…?"
"Wait, was this from page five or six?" "Aaaah… why did I draw a cat?!"
Hana's voice echoed softly.
Mathien sighed. But a small smile slipped onto his round cat face.
And right at that moment—
Hana turned around.
"Eh?? Were you watching me?" She tilted her head, then grinned widely.
Mathien reflexively looked away. "My food's more interesting."
"Aww~ you missed me, huh? You've been staring at me, right? Riiight?"
"No. I was considering the possibility of escape."
"Liar!" Hana laughed and scooted closer to Mathien.
She leaned against the bed and hugged her pillow.
"Today at school I had to present and I forgot my cheat notes, so I just stood there in front of the class—ugh, so embarrassing!"
Mathien raised an eyebrow. "And why are you telling me this?"
"Because you're my roommate! Hana's roommate has to hear Hana's stories~"
"I am not your roommate. I'm your priso—"
"Then during lunch I sat under the tree and Daichi walked by! He offered me candy! Do you know Daichi? The guy who's ranked second in class?"
Mathien blinked.
"He's sooo cute—eh, but not my type! Don't get the wrong idea!" Hana quickly turned to him, flustered.
Mathien snorted. "I didn't even ask anything."
Hana laughed again, filling the small room with her voice. She kept talking—about class, her friend falling asleep during PE, the math homework she couldn't finish…
And Mathien… no longer looked at his dry food.
He just listened. Calmly. Attentively. Without realizing, he was memorizing Hana's voice better than any palace spell.
Hana kept rambling. Her eyes sparkled, and her smile grew wider. She even sat up straighter than usual, too excited to sit still.
"...and then on the field, Daichi ran so fast! Like—woosh! All the girls screamed, and he just gave this tiny little smile. LIKE A DRAMA LEAD!"
Mathien—who'd been elegantly licking his paw—froze.
His head slowly lifted. His eyes narrowed. His orange tail twitched.
"Daichi?"
"Yeah, Daichi! The one with the light brown hair. He plays basketball and he's smart too."
Mathien stared at Hana, as if trying to confirm that the creature in front of him was still sane.
"He's just an ordinary human?"
Hana nodded. "Of course."
"No magic?"
"Well… obviously not."
Mathien let out a long sigh, then stood and began pacing in front of Hana, his round body swaying like a furry rice sack.
"Then why do you look so dazzled by him?"
Hana chuckled. "Aww, are you jealous?"
"I am NOT jealous," Mathien snapped.
Then, with a firm voice and full of royal pride, he turned and stared at Hana.
"Listen carefully, human. I am far more handsome than Daichi. Far more."
Hana fell silent.
Mathien raised his tiny chin. "My true form is tall, muscular, perfectly symmetrical, hair like obsidian, eyes glowing blue. Full royal magic. One glare and enemies flee."
Hana remained quiet.
"I've mastered five elemental magics. I'm trained in Valtherion martial arts. I can tear through dimensions and summon lightning from thin air."
Hana opened her mouth slowly.
"But right now… you're a fat cat."
Mathien froze.
"Why do all our conversations make me wish I could turn back time."
Hana burst out laughing, hugging her stomach. "Oh my gosh! You sound like a manhwa character hyping himself up!"
Mathien marched back to his pillow. Sat down. Turned his back to her.
"I'm still more perfect than Daichi."
"Yaaa~ Maybe once you're back in your real body, I'll give you a proper rating."
"I don't need your rating."
"Aww, you're sulking~"
"SILENCE!"
With one final huff, Mathien buried his face into the little pillow on the edge of the bed.
"Stupid. Stupid human."
"Knows nothing about noble beauty standards."
But as he peeked slightly through the fluff—
…he saw Hana leaning over her desk.
Her head drooped, chin resting on her scribbled notebook. Her breathing steady. Eyes closed. One hand still holding a pen, the other hanging limp by her pencil cup.
Mathien was quiet.
He slowly stood. Jumped down from the bed. Then walked over, steps light and careful.
"She fell asleep. Again."
He gazed at her face. Cheeks flushed from the night chill, hair messy, breath soft and steady.
"And she called me fat."
Mathien huffed—gently. Not annoyed. More… sheepishly.
Then, silently, he bit the edge of the blanket rolled up on the bed. With some effort and a clumsy tug due to his round body, he pulled it down.
He dragged it toward Hana. And dropped it onto her shoulders, covering her slowly shivering body.
Done.
Mathien sat. Watched her for a second.
"Even in cat form, I'm still more noble than Daichi."
Then he returned to his pillow. Curled up. And slept.
With one quiet thought gnawing in his chest:
"Why did her comment about looks hit me so hard?"
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That morning, the sun hadn't risen high yet. The village air was still cool, dew clinging to leaves.
Mathien walked slowly down a narrow path lined with fields and wooden houses. His round body shimmered a bit in the sunlight, and each step landed softly on the dusty ground.
"Finally... a little freedom."
He glanced around. No Hana. No grandma. Just birdsong, rustling wind, and the scent of moist earth.
Mathien looked up. Stared at the sky.
"When was the last time I saw the sky without the palace ceiling?"
He exhaled through his nose. His face scrunched. "Fat, she says. Fat."
He picked up his pace. His ears twitched with every crack of a twig or neighbor's chicken. Until—
From behind a bush, a dog appeared.
Dark brown fur. Tall, lean frame with a broad chest and long legs. Sharp yet calm eyes. He just stood across the road, silently watching Mathien.
Mathien froze.
The breeze blew through the dog's coat, making him look like he'd stepped out of a premium pet food commercial.
"…Dang… he's… cool."
Mathien gulped.
He looked down at himself. Short legs. Round belly like a ball. His fluffy orange tail wobbled with every move.
Then looked back at the dog.
"If I were a dog… maybe Hana wouldn't call me fat."
"Maybe she'd go 'waaaah Chirooo you're so handsome like Daichiii~' and hug me in awe."
"Not… choke me while crying that I feel like a pillow."
Mathien grunted.
The dog was still staring. Calm. Naturally majestic. While Mathien stood across the road, lifting his chin slightly—trying to look taller.
"But he's just a dog. I'm a prince."
"Though… he looks like a fashion magazine prince."
The dog finally turned and walked away, disappearing into the bushes.
Mathien sighed. He stared at where the dog had vanished.
"Not fat. Compact."
Mathien kept walking. His orange fur fluttered gently with every breeze. He had no plans to go far. But somehow… his feet didn't stop.
Until finally— He looked up.
A giant gate stood before him. Tall iron bars. Mossy walls. And the sound of teenagers—footsteps, gym teachers yelling, whistles blowing.
Mathien squinted.
"This is it…"
"The source of all the noise and excessive praise for some boy named Daichi."
He stepped closer to the gate. Sniffed. Tilted his head.
"Scent of ink pens. Paper. Instant noodles. Sweat."
"And… one very familiar scent."
He closed his eyes briefly. A warm, clumsy aura, like a sunflower growing out of nowhere.
"Hana."
Mathien opened his eyes again. Then, with the agility of a cat and the struggle of a not-so-light body, he leapt onto the gate.
CLAK!
His claws gripped the bars. He sat atop the gate like a ruler surveying his kingdom.
His blue eyes scanned the schoolyard.
Hana... was walking toward her class. Books in hand. Her uniform—wrinkled and faded. Socks loose. Shoes clearly worn out.
As she passed two girls sitting on a bench…
"Heh, still wearing those shoes? New semester, you know."
"OMG, yeah… your shirt looks faded, Han. You wash it in ditch water?"
They laughed.
Hana laughed softly too. "Ahaha, yeah, maybe the laundry at home's acting up~"
That laugh was fake. Mathien knew it.
Then a boy from the sports field muttered loudly.
"Wearing those torn-up shoes but always bringing flowers. Like a wandering peddler."
The others giggled.
Mathien froze.
"This... is what she faces every day?"
"And she... never told me."
Hana's face didn't change. She smiled. Bowed her head slightly. As if… none of it mattered.
"You're not angry, Hana?"
"You don't want to fight back?"
But Hana just kept walking.
She stopped in front of her classroom. Took a deep breath. Then stepped inside lightly.
And everything went back to normal.
Except for one thing: Mathien didn't move.
He was still on top of the gate. But his eyes weren't cold anymore.
"I've never… been mocked like that."
"Even in this round cat body, no citizen of Valtherion dared laugh at me."
"But this human girl... she's mocked, teased… and still…"
"…smiles."
Mathien looked down. The breeze blew gently. But his chest felt heavy.
Then suddenly—
"EEEEHH?? THERE'S A CAT ON THE GATE!!" a student's scream broke the silence.
"OMG IT'S SO CHONKY!!" "IS IT LOOKING AT US??" "WHO OWNS THAT CAT???" "IT'S ROUND LIKE A BASKETBALL!!"
Mathien's eyes widened. "—What?!"
Dozens of eyes stared at him.
"NO. THIS WASN'T PART OF THE PLAN."
"I ONLY CAME TO OBSERVE. NOT TO BE A CIRCUS ACT."
Mathien leapt off the gate, landing with a soft thump behind it. He dashed for the bushes.
He hid behind a small wall near the trash area. His breathing quick, fur a mess.
"Stupid. Stupid. Stupid."
"Why did I even come here?"
"And why can't I STOP THINKING ABOUT THAT GIRL?"
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