Min Yoongi's POV

Today, being around Soo Ah brightened my mood. She tries her best to be sweet, even though sometimes I annoy her with my words. She's like the sweet maple syrup drizzled over a hot pancake, bringing a source of happiness with each bite. I wondered why I compared her to food. I sighed as my mind wandered with quirky thoughts. Maybe I am hungry and sleepy as well.

As we entered the house, I saw Hazel sleeping on the floor. I approached her and noticed red stains around her mouth, which startled me. I rubbed Hazel and patted her head, looking around to find what happened. I breathed heavily, hugging Hazel closer when I felt Soo Ah's fingers gliding through my hair.

"What's wrong with her, Is she okay?" she asked, appearing fretful. She quickly removed her hands, looking around and squeezing them together as I stared at her.

"I'm not sure. Let's look around to find out what she ate?" I said, darting my eyes around the room.

"Yoongi! Look here," Soo Ah pointed toward the floor where the raspberries were scattered all over.

"Can it eat raspberries?" she asked, taking a half-bitten raspberry.

"It's safe to eat in small amounts, but we don't know how much she ate. It's better if I take her to the pet hospital," I said.

"Let me drive you," she said, hurrying to grab the car keys. As we drove to the hospital, I continued to pet Hazel out of fear. When we reached there, a nurse greeted us and took Hazel after asking a few questions. While Hazel was being treated, all I could think about was her.

She is the one who comforts me during my lonely times. When I return from a hectic day at work, it always brings me joy to find Hazel curled up at her favorite spot to welcome me. She appears like a freshly scooped vanilla ice cream, her tiny paws tucked beneath her chin and her tail twitching occasionally.

Thinking back to three years ago, we regularly visited our client's house to work on a case. He had around eight cats, and among them was Hazel, a curious one who loved to weave between Hoseok and me while we worked.

One day, as we wrapped up and prepared to head home, Hazel unexpectedly followed us, her soft paws paddling quietly behind us down the road, which we did not know. We both were chatting, unaware of her presence until, when we heard a frantic meow. Turning around, we found her tangled up in between the wild grapevine that clung to the weathered wall of the house.

The vibrant, heart-shaped green leaves were wrapped around her, and the tiny berries got smashed against her white fur, creating pink patches here and there as she wriggled to free herself from the creeper. We carefully untangled her from the vine and placed her in front of her house, only to find her following us again. Hoseok convinced me to keep Hazel as he believed my house lacked warmth and that having Hazel would bring it to life. So we asked our client if we could adopt her, and he agreed.

Every day upon entering the house daily, she always follows me wherever I go from room to room. Her soft purring and playful antics fill the house with life.

Soo Ah tapped my shoulder, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"She did not have much Raspberries, and her vitals are stable. Keep her hydrated and monitor her for any signs of discomfort." The doctor said before leaving us alone. After hearing that Hazel was fine, I felt relieved.

"Yoongi, look, she's fine, and stop worrying," she said, smiling widely, making me feel more relaxed. I glanced at Hazel and placed a kiss on her forehead. As an important call came in, I handed Hazel to Soo Ah and stepped away to take it.

When I returned, I found Soo Ah standing in the same spot, holding Hazel tightly with her eyes closed and wrinkles forming in the corner of her face. Then I realized she was afraid of cats and felt bad for leaving her alone.

"Soo Ah, you could have put her down. Why are you standing there frozen?" I asked, gently taking Hazel from her.

"What if she runs away? This is a new place for her, and I got worried that she might get lost," Soo Ah said, her eyes fluttering as she breathed heavily.

I couldn't help but giggle at her worry. "Look, she's not going anywhere. You don't need to be scared of her," I said, gently placing Hazel on the floor. Hazel immediately went near Soo Ah and pounced on a loose thread of her sweater, her little paws batting at it playfully.

"She's cute, but I need some time because I'm scared of cats. What if it scratches me? I know it's a dumb reason to be scared, but..." she replied, a small smile beginning to form as she watched Hazel.

"She won't hurt you. Sometimes she is curious and likes to play," I said.

"Let's go," Soo Ah said, walking toward the car. "Are you hungry?" she asked, just as my stomach started to growl. I nodded as she drove us to a nearby restaurant.

"Why are you ordering a takeaway? We could have dinner here and not bother Hoseok and our grandparents," I asked, glancing at her. But Soo Ah ignored me. She tugged at my sweater and dragged me to a place. We walked a short distance and reached a quaint spot with a huge lemon tree, as we both settled onto the bench.

"Yoongi, how's this place? My grandma usually takes me here whenever I'm worried about something." She said, dropping the takeaway bags on the bench.

"This place is good," I said, looking around. The gnarled branches of the lemon tree had a few dried leaves and a couple of bright lemons. A delicate layer of snow blanketed the branches of the tree, glistening under the soft glow of nearby lanterns. The zesty aroma of lemons mingled in the air with the tantalizing food we ordered.

"It's a perfect spot for relaxing and filling our stomachs with our favorite food. I ordered some Korean cuisine to make you feel comfortable," she said, unpacking the containers.

"This place feels like a secret hideaway?" I chuckled.

"It's so frustrating how Jimin can't stop thinking about work, even during the holidays! Can't he just relax for once?" Soo Ah shouted while scanning her phone. She kicked her feet as the snowflakes scattered in the air.

"Who's that? And don't use your phone while we eat,"

She slightly rolled her eyes and replied, "Just an annoying colleague of mine,"

"Soo Ah, you can't speak ill of others. Remember, in Korea, defamation laws are strict. It's always good to be mindful of how we speak about others."

"I'm just expressing my frustration, and I'm not slandering him." She replied, looking annoyed.

"I was just kidding," I said as she crouched down to make a snowball and threw it at me. Hazel ran happily around the tree. As the wind blew, a strand of Soo Ah's hair brushed against my cheek, making my stomach twitch. The sweet scent of lemons mixed with her perfume wrapped me in a warm and joyous feeling.

"What's wrong with you? Why is your face red?" she asked, coming closer to me.

"What's wrong?" I asked her, moving further away from her. I noticed she was hiding something behind her hand.

How's everyone doing? I apologize for taking more than two months to update.

How was the chapter? Are my chapters predictable?

- Shin Haari