Churu for the Angry Guide

4

The moment Siwoo saw the Churu, the curses about to spill from his throat disappeared.

Siwoo swallowed the saliva pooling in his mouth along with the curses and looked up at the man. With a different look in his eyes than before.

“Want to eat?”

What kind of question is that? Siwoo meowed and instinctively stretched out his front paws. His body reacted to the Churu first.

However, the hand that was about to offer the Churu as if giving it right away retreated, avoiding Siwoo. Angered by this, Siwoo’s cries grew twice as loud.

Nyaoong!

He stretched his front legs long, ready to strike the man’s hand, and threw a tantrum as if the Churu had been entrusted to him, demanding it be given immediately. His reason had half flown away due to seeing Churu after so long.

“Hey.”

The man who had been quietly watching this brazen behavior narrowed his eyes. He hadn’t noticed earlier due to only glancing, but upon closer inspection, the man’s eye color was unique. That was clearly…

“You’re not a beastkin, are you?”

He is a beastkin.

The word that had just occurred to Siwoo as he looked at the man came out of the man’s mouth as well. Beastkin. The man was not an ordinary human like Siwoo, but a beastkin. Of course, judging by his build and aura, he seemed to be of a different species.

“That’s right, it’s not. Answer.”

Is he an idiot? How can I answer in this body?

“You’re not, right?”

The man’s large hand lifted Siwoo’s soft body. Whether he couldn’t control his strength or chose not to, he handled the small body of an animal, more delicate than a human’s, without hesitation. Although he didn’t seem to intend harm, Siwoo’s front paws felt like they might come off in his grip.

“Last chance. If you’re a beastkin, confess now.”

He seemed too relaxed for someone making a warning. The man didn’t seem to seriously suspect Siwoo of being a beastkin. He was just teasing. Because Siwoo was so…

“Speak up now, you rascal.”

Small and cute.

The man opened his mouth wide and gently bit Siwoo’s protruding mouth with a “chomp.” Siwoo, with his nose and mouth engulfed by the man’s cave-like mouth, froze like a stone, bewildered by what was happening.

It was understandable. It was the first time in his life that someone had eaten his face.

The man chuckled, apparently finding Siwoo’s frozen reaction even cuter. He seemed genuinely amused. He appeared to really like cats.

‘This guy is completely crazy.’

However, his expression of affection was too excessive. Siwoo kicked the man’s chin with his hind legs, his face genuinely upset. The man, holding Siwoo’s white, rice-cake-like body up to face him, just grinned even after being kicked in the chin.

‘Oh yeah, you like that? How about this? Huh?’

Siwoo let out a sharp meow while repeatedly striking the man’s chin and cheeks with his hind legs. Finally seeming to realize that Siwoo was seriously angry, the man giggled and adjusted his posture.

“I’ll give you two treats if you stay still.”

He sat Siwoo on his firm thigh and tantalizingly waved the red Churu. Siwoo’s Adam’s apple bobbed again as he swallowed another harsh curse.

Fearing he might not get the treat if he hit the man again, Siwoo couldn’t even use his fists. He tapped the man’s thigh with his paws like frustrated cotton balls and meowed… whimpering. With his temper thoroughly subdued.

At this, the man lazily lifted the corners of his mouth and brought the Churu to his own lips.

Huh? Siwoo’s eyes widened, and he glared at the man, tilting his head. Surely he wasn’t going to eat it himself? The red packaging actually went into the man’s mouth. How dare he play around with the Churu.

“Here you go.”

Just as anger was about to surge to the tips of Siwoo’s fur, the man tore the package with his front teeth and offered an appropriately squeezed amount of Churu.

Why use teeth to open it when there’s a perfectly good tear line? What an idiot.

‘Complete idiot. Idiot.’

Despite grumbling, Siwoo’s eyes sparkled as he repeatedly swallowed his saliva. His heart was pounding at the thought of eating Churu after so long.

Hurry… hurry up and come into my mouth. Whimpering, he stood on his hind legs and grabbed the man’s wrist. That guy was acting like he’d give it right away, but he was testing Siwoo’s little patience to the very end.

“I’m asking for the very last time.”

The man closed Siwoo’s eagerly open mouth with his fingertip and spoke in a low voice. Unlike before, the amusement had disappeared from his voice. At this, Siwoo’s eyes, fixed on the Churu, moved to the man. He had quite a serious expression.

“You’re really not a beastkin, right?”

The man’s hand holding Siwoo’s body loosened a bit. As if telling him to break free from his grasp and turn into a human right now if he were a beastkin.

“I hate liars the most.”

This time it sounded like a real warning. As the corners of his mouth flattened, the man’s handsome face seemed even fiercer.

Realizing this was his last chance, Siwoo wiggled his feet. Judging by the man’s attitude, it seemed he wouldn’t even give the already opened Churu if Siwoo turned out to be a beastkin.

Should he reveal that he’s a beastkin? Or should he just close his eyes tight, eat the Churu, and bolt? He looked back and forth between the man with his fierce expression that overshadowed his handsome features and the Churu wafting a subtle scent of tuna. His stomach growled pitifully, stimulated by the savory smell.

Nyaoong―.

The deliberation ended in an instant.

Siwoo pretended not to understand the man’s words and cried mournfully. He was genuinely sad that he couldn’t eat the precious treat right in front of him when he was starving.

“Alright, I’m sorry. I’m sorry!”

The man laughed heartily and finally gave the Churu to Siwoo’s mouth. Seemingly truly sorry, he patted Siwoo’s bottom and told him to eat as much as he wanted.

Siwoo, his crying stopped by the savory tuna flavor, licked the Churu hurriedly. It was so delicious. The taste was so amazing that it was frustrating how it melted and disappeared in his mouth.

“Eat slowly. Slowly.”

The man diligently squeezed out the Churu to match Siwoo’s eating speed. He couldn’t stop smiling at the sight of the snow-white fluff ball pressing firmly on the back of his hand.

As he grinned like that, the man suddenly lowered his head and stared at Siwoo. Siwoo, busy eating, didn’t notice his gaze.

“…Are you crying?”

The man’s expression suddenly became serious. Siwoo’s eyes were moist as he hurriedly licked the Churu. They were glazed over as if thick teardrops would form at any moment if left alone.

“Is it that delicious?”

The man tilted his head, which he had lowered towards Siwoo, and took out another new Churu, worried it might not be enough. This time, he opened the package right away without playing around and presented it.

Cats wouldn’t cry from sadness, so he wondered if there might be a health problem, feeling concerned.

Moreover, upon closer touch, the cat was too thin. The fur was so fluffy that it wasn’t noticeable from the outside, but there was no flesh to grab, only hard bones could be felt.

Was he lying here because he was hungry?

“You idiot. If you want to get food, you should go where there are lots of people.”

The man sighed as he stroked Siwoo’s forehead, who was in a Churu trance. There were quite a few small animals in the center, so many people carried treats around. There were even specific areas where stray cats, who had a knack for finding food, often gathered.

You should have gone to places like that. Why did you choose this bench where no one passes by? This is where only I come.

The long bench oddly placed behind the building was installed at the man’s personal request. Perhaps because of the rumor, no one else dared to sit on this bench.

It wasn’t like there was a sign saying it was the ‘Kang Geonho Esper’ of Baekya Guild’s exclusive bench. Yet people instinctively avoided even coming near the bench. As a result, this place became even more secluded.

Ironically, the person who requested the bench didn’t care whether others sat on it or not. He just thought it was fine as long as he could sit when he wanted to.

‘Ah, I feel like I can live now.’

Siwoo, who had finished two Churus clean from where he sat, plopped down. He felt his mind clearing up as his nutrition was replenished.

‘Thanks for the meal, you fool.’

Siwoo tapped the man’s knee with his long tail and licked his front paws. Seeing that he had given two Churus, Siwoo had a better impression of him than expected. Indeed, one shouldn’t judge people by their appearance.

“What’s your name?”

‘As if I’d tell you.’

Siwoo snorted and replied in cat language. Now that his stomach was adequately filled, he wanted to return to his original form. Since it would prick his conscience to transform in front of the man, he looked for an opportunity to escape again.

Ah, right. My clothes.

Siwoo belatedly remembered his clothes placed next to the bench leg and looked down. Before changing his form, he had neatly folded his clothes and even placed a stone on top. This was a sign indicating that these were the clothes of a beastkin who had transformed into an animal.

“What are you looking at? There’s nothing there.”

Geonho followed the cat’s gaze and stared at the ground beneath the bench. He thought the cat might be trying to catch some bugs, but there was only a flat surface. Yet this guy kept moving his head busily as if there was some food to be found.

“Ah, are you looking for this?”

While firmly holding the skinny body, he held up a black plastic bag in front of the white face. How did he know when there shouldn’t have been any smell?

“You’re quite perceptive.”

He let out a laugh that sounded like a dry sigh and stood up, holding the cat in one arm. Due to his thick arms, he supported the body stably even with just one arm.

However, this prickly cat didn’t seem to like it.

Nyaong―!

Having regained strength after eating the treats, his resistance was even fiercer than before. Geonho, who held the body trying to escape from his arms more securely, gently rubbed the surprised face with the back of his hand. He was somewhat aware that his grip strength was excessively strong. He just couldn’t control it.

“I’ll give you all of this if you come along quietly.”

Geonho stopped walking for a moment and showed the inside of the plastic bag to the cat that was struggling violently.

He had worried about what to do if this didn’t work, but fortunately, the cat, who had been staring intently into the black bag, became docile in an instant. It no longer cried or wielded its fierce cotton paws. It just blinked its big eyes and stayed still in Geonho’s arms.