TL/Editor: looloo

    Status: ongoing

    Illustrations: posted in discord

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    Thursday.

    As planned earlier, it was the day to take Sarang to the cat cafe. Because of this, Sarang had been making a fuss since early in the morning.

    "Daddy! I want to see the kitties! We said we’d see them today!"

    "Sarang, the kitties are still sleeping. Is it okay to wake them up when they''re sleeping?"

    "No... When do the kitties wake up?"

    "After Sarang eats her meal and brushes her teeth well, Daddy will wake the kitties up."

    "Okay! Sarang will eat! I''ll eat my meal!"

    It was just before noon, and Sarang was chanting for the kitties. Honestly, I could have left a bit earlier, but Heena, tired, was enjoying a rare late sleep. So, I was keeping Sarang entertained while waiting.

    Sarang had been talking about kitties all week.

    On Monday, when I dropped her off at daycare, she told the teacher:

    "Sarang is going! With Daddy and Mommy! To see the kitties!"

    "Oh, really? That sounds fun."

    "Teacher, have you ever seen kitties?"

    "It''s been a long time since I last saw them. Sarang, tell me all about it when you see them, okay?"

    "Yes!"

    "Please take good care of our Sarang today..."

    She boasted to everyone she met that she was going to see the kitties with Daddy and Mommy.

    At home, she would ask:

    "Daddy, Daddy!"

    "Yes?"

    "How many nights until we go see the kitties?"

    "Three nights."

    "I want to see them soon... Sarang wants to sleep three times now!"

    "Sarang, you know it''s three nights, not three naps, right?"

    Every night, she asked how many more nights until she could see the kitties. It was enough to wear my ears out.

    Watching her, I felt a bit guilty for not taking her sooner, knowing how much she loved cats.

    -Click

    "Sorry... I woke up so late..."

    Reflecting a bit on the past days, I was feeding Sarang lunch when Heena came out of the bedroom, rubbing her eyes. It had been a long time since I saw Heena sleeping in and looking so disheveled.

    It seemed like working for a big company was both tiring and busy. It wasn’t easy to see her like this.

    "Mommy! You slept like a kitty too!"

    "That''s right. Now that Mommy''s awake, the kitties must be awake too. Sarang has to eat well to go see the kitties, right?"

    "Yes! Sarang is eating well!"

    "Good girl. That''s our Sarang."

    As she patted Sarang''s head, who was busily eating, I greeted Heena for both breakfast and lunch.

    "Did you sleep well?"

    "Yes. How''s Sarang? She really wanted to see the kitties. Was she okay?"

    "Of course. The kitties are still sleeping, right?"

    "...Oh, that''s right. The kitties must have just woken up and are having their breakfast."

    Heena said loudly for Sarang to hear, following my lead. Then she winked at me and went into the bathroom.

    "Munch munch... the kitties are sleepyheads..."

    Sorry for the slander, kitties.

    Now that Heena was awake, it was time for me to start getting ready to leave.

    After a simple lunch, we went out to the city center on a weekday for the first time in a long while. Since Heena started working, it had been hard to find time like this outside of weekends.

    "Do you like all the kitties?"

    "Yes! Wow... Ah! Look! There''s a spotted one and a white one! Just like at our house!"

    "They must be friends with Spotted and White~ Sarang, give me your feet~"

    Heena sat Sarang down to take off her shoes, while I went ahead and paid for our entry, which included three drinks.

    I also received two blankets for Heena and Sarang, put on slippers, and we all headed inside. Since it was just after opening, we were the only customers.

    We took a seat at a spacious table, and I gave Sarang some instructions.

    "Sarang, do you see the kitties sleeping over there?"

    "They''re sleeping soundly!"

    "Since some kitties are still sleeping soundly, we need to be quiet here, okay?"

    "Yes! Yes... Sarang will be quiet."

    "And if you touch them too hard, the kitties might get scared. You have to touch them gently."

    "Okay."

    One of Sarang''s strengths was her enthusiastic responses, though I wasn''t sure how long the quiet would last. For now, she was just looking at the cats, wiggling in her seat.

    She had seen cats while walking around before, but it was rare for her to get this close to touch them. So, she hesitated to approach.

    "Mommy! The spotted kitty is looking at Sarang!"

    "Maybe it wants to be friends with Sarang."

    "Sarang wants to be friends with the spotted kitty too..."

    "Hehe... Honey, take a picture of Sarang."

    "I''m always ready."

    It was the perfect chance to capture Sarang''s fascination with the cats. Many people asked for photos or videos of Sarang, so whenever we went out, I aimed to take at least a thousand pictures.

    While Sarang was engrossed in watching the cats and Heena and I were busy taking photos of her, the drinks we ordered arrived.

    "Enjoy your drinks~"

    "Thank you. By the way, is there a calm cat around? Our child really wants to pet one..."

    "Oh, sure! Please wait a moment."

    The kind staff member went to the cat tower and soon returned with a fluffy, slightly chubby cat.

    She placed the cat next to Sarang and gave a brief explanation.

    "This is Happy. She''s the calmest and gentlest cat in our cafe. As long as you don''t bother her too much or touch her roughly, she won''t move."

    "She''s big! Daddy! The kitty''s fur is so fluffy!"

    "Shh, Sarang. You''ll scare the kitty."

    "Oh! Sorry, kitty... Can Sarang pet you?"

    "If you gently stroke her and say ''good kitty~'', like this on her neck and back~"

    The staff member demonstrated by gently stroking the cat''s back. Sarang followed, carefully placing her small hand on the cat.

    I recorded the historic moment on video.

    "Good kitty~ Kitty is good... Hehe! Daddy! Sarang is petting the kitty!"

    "You''re doing great~ Is the kitty pretty, Sarang?"

    "Very pretty! Kitty, what''s your name?"

    "Her name is Happy. Try calling her Happy."

    "Happy~ But Happy seems sleepy. She''s not moving at all!"

    Despite saying that, Sarang didn''t stop petting the cat. Seeing her look so happy while petting the cat was, well.

    I wanted to pet the cat too. Honestly, ever since I walked in. But taking care of Sarang was more important, and if I got too engrossed in the cats, Heena might get upset. So I tried my best to hide my desire.

    But Heena, as if she knew everything, spoke up without stopping the filming.

    "Honey."

    "Yes?"

    "You want to pet the cat, don’t you?"

    "......"

    Was it that obvious?

    Author’s Note:

    Calm down. It’s not time for the second child! Calm down!!