Vol1 Ch 9

Kim Jinkyung lay down on the bed and closed his eyes. Perhaps because of the unfamiliar bed, he couldn’t fall asleep easily. After tossing and turning for a while, he got up.

 

He should drink some water and go to sleep.

 

Kim Jinkyung left the room without turning on the lights. The sensor lights along the hallway turned on as he quietly walked.

 

It was as Secretary Kang had said. The mansion was vast. He had always entered from the front door and only went to the study, so he didn’t know the exact layout of the mansion. He started to worry that he might get lost, and soon he began to wonder exactly where he was.

 

“Uh….”

 

Kim Jinkyung looked around. He had just come from there, but… how did he get here?

 

He was even more confused because he had been walking without turning on the lights, relying only on the sensor lights. Kim Jinkyung gave up on finding the kitchen and decided to go back. But before long, Kim Jinkyung had to admit that he was lost in this vast mansion.

 

Kim Jinkyung sighed.

 

What should he do? He couldn’t wake anyone up to ask….

 

As he looked around, he saw a balcony connected to the garden. Kim Jinkyung went outside, thinking he could find the front door from outside the building. But he didn’t have to walk far to realize how wrong he was.

 

“Haa….”

 

The garden was also vast. All Kim Jinkyung had seen until now was the front part leading to the front door, and the back was an unknown “territory.” How much money would you need to have to build a house like this in Seoul?

 

It was wealth on a violent scale. He didn’t dare to compare it to his own situation, nor did he feel like it. He was simply in awe.

 

“…….”

 

As he was walking, Kim Jinkyung heard a rustling sound and stopped, startled. He turned around, but no one was there. Had he mistaken the sound of the leaves rustling in the rain?

 

Kim Jinkyung started walking again.

 

This time, he heard a clearer rustling sound than before.

 

“W-who is it?”

 

When he watched horror movies, he never understood why the main character would ask such a frustrating question when they heard a sound, but when he was in that situation, that was the only thing he could say.

 

Instead of an answer, the bushes rustled even more. Goosebumps rose on his skin. Just as he was about to run away, something black suddenly leaped out in front of him.

 

“Eek!”

 

Kim Jinkyung screamed and jumped up in fright. Amber eyes were looking at him as if he were pathetic.

 

“Oh…. Why….”

 

Kim Jinkyung blinked and asked.

 

“Were you taking a night walk? …Are leopards nocturnal?”

 

The black Leopard sighed at the added mutter. His tail tapped his calf.

 

Why are you here.

 

He seemed to know what he was asking.

 

“I couldn’t sleep, so I was going to drink some water, but I got lost…. Haha.”

 

He felt pathetic even saying it himself. Getting lost in a house.

 

Having heard that, the black Leopard glanced at Kim Jinkyung and started walking ahead.

 

Was he telling him to follow?

 

Kim Jinkyung followed the black Leopard silently.

 

The rich scent of flowers mixed with the smell of rain felt even stronger. The lilac trees and the clustered garden were blooming with lush beauty, as if a purple mist had settled.

 

Kim Jinkyung stopped walking without realizing it and muttered.

 

“…Beautiful.”

 

Kim Jinkyung was at a loss for words at the unexpected wonder. The black Leopard looked up at Kim Jinkyung, who was staring blankly at the lilac garden.

 

“Ah, I’m sorry. You were going to guide me….”

 

Kim Jinkyung scratched the back of his neck, coming to his senses. The black Leopard, who was thinking about something, leaped over him and moved to another spot. Then, he entered the glass garden that had been built next to the garden.

 

“Oh, I’m….”

 

What about me.

 

Kim Jinkyung, who was left standing alone in the garden, hesitated for a moment and then followed him into the glass garden. He didn’t have the confidence to find his way through the vast garden alone in the middle of the night.

 

Inside the transparent garden, all sorts of colorful flowers he didn’t know the names of were blooming. The sight of Black Leopard settled inside was like a masterpiece that had just been completed by a master, with the wet paint still seeming to be wet.

 

“It’s a nice place.”

 

Kim Jinkyung muttered anything to ease the awkwardness.

 

“Do you often come here alone at night? Is it like a secret base or something?”

 

“…….”

 

“I also had a secret base when I lived in the countryside. There was a shed in the back mountain that was used as a warehouse, and since no one ever came there….”

 

It was a small town. You knew how many chopsticks the next house had and how many broken rice bowls they had. He had spent his school days quietly without ever rebelling, but sometimes he needed a space and time where he didn’t mix with anyone.

 

“It wasn’t as pretty as this place, but it was still nice….”

 

Kim Jinkyung, who was talking to himself with a smile, suddenly felt a gaze. The black Leopard, who was sitting far away, was looking at Kim Jinkyung.

 

Was it because of his golden eyes? It felt like looking at the moon. In the garden with two moons, the sound of rain was tapping on the glass. His throat tickled, and a stuffy heat spread through his chest.

 

“The name….”

 

Kim Jinkyung turned his head. Words that didn’t go through his head poured out, thinking he had to say something.

 

“When I first heard the name, I thought it was a cosmic name. …It reminded me of Jupiter.”

 

It was a complete disaster of words. Scattering invitations in the air, but no one accepted them.

 

“Jupiter, well, Jupiter plays a very important role in the creation of life on Earth. People think that life can exist on Earth because of the sun, but Jupiter is as important as the sun, and if there was no Jupiter, Earth would have been destroyed a long time ago. No, Earth wouldn’t have been born in the first place.”

 

He thought he should stop talking, but his mouth wouldn’t stop.

 

“It’s called the Goldilocks zone, and Jupiter plays a role in protecting the Earth. It prevents asteroid collisions and maintains the proper gravity with the sun, so in the end….”

 

Kim Jinkyung’s mouth was blocked by a completely unexpected presence. The fluffy, long tail that had approached him at some point tapped his lips.

 

Shut up.

 

He could immediately understand what the tail wanted.

 

Kim Jinkyung quietly closed his mouth. Kim Jinkyung carefully spat out the black fur that remained on his lips.

 

Black Leopard, who had settled right in front of him, stretched out his body again with his eyes closed.

 

The sound of rain tapped on the glass. A quiet beauty filled the garden.

 

How long had they been there?

 

Kim Jinkyung felt a quiet peace for the first time in a while. Kim Jinkyung, who was sitting on the bench and looking out the window, suddenly muttered.

 

“Thank… you.”

 

A look of bewilderment crossed the black Leopard’s eyes.

 

“Just because.”

 

Kim Jinkyung added quietly.

 

In fact, he hadn’t told anyone, but his mind was worn out. The very situation of staying here because he had nowhere else to go was one of the stresses for him. But he hadn’t thought that the rainy garden he had accidentally encountered would be a comfort to him.

 

The black Leopard didn’t show any particular reaction. He was just lying down quietly, as if he were a part of the scene, with his eyes closed.

 

It had been almost a week since it had rained. It felt like a long time ago that he had seen a human.

 

“The rain should stop soon.”

 

Kim Jinkyung uttered the thought that crossed his mind. Then, the black Leopard looked at Kim Jinkyung. He hadn’t said anything, nor had he shown any action.

 

His eyes, which seemed to be emphasized by his black fur, stared at Kim Jinkyung. A deep, dark lake where the light didn’t reach the yellow moon’s surface was dwelling. It wasn’t a human’s eyes. The sense of alienation he felt there aroused an unexpected thought in Kim Jinkyung.

 

“…Do you prefer it when it rains?”

 

The black Leopard moved his tail slightly. He could understand what that meant. Kim Jinkyung was a little embarrassed. He thought it would be more uncomfortable to turn into an animal when he was human, but he hadn’t thought it would be the opposite.

 

Wouldn’t it be harder if you were an animal? You can’t talk, you can’t walk around outside as you please, and you can’t do what you want….

 

Then, Kim Jinkyung suddenly realized that he couldn’t judge what Mok Seongha wanted or liked based on his own standards.

 

Of course, that could be the case.

 

The first emotion he felt when he realized he liked men was embarrassment and resentment. He grew up in an ordinary family and lived an ordinary life, so the unexpected ‘peculiarity’ was very disconcerting. Then, resentment reared its head. He had never voted for the law of nature that said he should like the opposite sex.

 

Since then, Kim Jinkyung had always believed that anyone could make any choice as long as it didn’t harm others.

 

“Then I hope it keeps raining.”

 

If it’s not enough to cause a flood, he added timidly, and the Black panther slightly bared his teeth and slowly inhaled.

 

Was he… mocking him?

 

Kim Jinkyung broke out in a cold sweat, wondering if he had made a mistake. No matter how beautiful the scenery and how good the atmosphere, he was, strictly speaking, trapped in the same space as a wild beast.

 

Be careful.

 

Kim Jinkyung quietly admired the rainy garden.

 

The sound of rain tapping on the glass, the smell of wet soil, the smell of grass. And the occasional scent of lilac carried on the wind immersed him in a peaceful mood.

 

***

 

Kim Jinkyung knew better than anyone that one of his few strengths was sleeping well. He was able to greet the morning with a refreshing feeling every time he opened his eyes.

 

But when he opened his eyes this morning, he had to feel with his whole body that he had not been able to use that strength at all.

 

“…Ugh….”

 

His whole body was stiff and sore as if he had been beaten.

 

His body felt like he had slept on the ground….

 

“Huh.”

 

Kim Jinkyung was startled and opened his eyes. Looking around, he saw trees and flowers instead of a bed. He must have fallen asleep while looking at the night sky while lying on the bench yesterday.

 

Kim Jinkyung sighed. Now he was even sleeping outdoors.

 

“…Couldn’t you have woken me up?”

 

Kim Jinkyung muttered, brushing off the leaves stuck to his body. Even if he couldn’t wake him up with words, he could have shaken him with his paws or bitten him with his mouth….

 

Just then, he felt a presence next to him. Kim Jinkyung turned his head without thinking and froze.

 

“I woke you up. You just didn’t get up.”

 

The man who answered that slowly got up. Naked, without a single thread on.

 

“……”

 

He realized for the first time that when people are too surprised, their minds freeze white and they can’t react at all.

 

The man raised his arms and stretched his body. It was a flexible movement, like a cat stretching.

 

A sculpture with steel bars and clay was moving. The muscles spreading to both sides around the spine moved like wings. The line that came down along the hollowed-out spine was blocked by the raised mound of his buttocks. Rough traces that had not been finished remained on the back of the sculpture. When he realized that it was an old scar, the man turned around.

 

…What is that? Why is the tail still in front…?

 

Kim Jinkyung made eye contact with the man.

 

“I heard you like men.”

 

“…Pardon?”

 

“You must have seen enough of men’s bodies to be sick of them. What are you staring at?”

 

It felt like the little blood left in his brain was evaporating.

 

“I, I’m sorry.”

 

Kim Jinkyung’s face, as well as his neck, turned bright red, and he covered his face and bowed his head, and he heard laughter.

 

“I’m going to, to my room, to die… no. I’ll be going now.”

 

“Do as you please.”

 

Go die. He should die. Why live?

 

Kim Jinkyung was about to go out of the glass garden when Mok Seongha called out to him, “Hey.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Can you find your way?”

 

“……”

 

Honestly, he wasn’t confident.

 

“Follow me.”

 

Kim Jinkyung followed the man. Under the blue morning sky that was painful to look at, Kim Jinkyung had to walk with his head bowed like a criminal.

 

***

 

As soon as he finished showering, Kim Jinkyung escaped from the mansion, saying he had to go to school. But even during class, he had a hard time staying sane. Whether he was listening to lectures, eating, or reading a book in the library, the sight he had seen in the morning would not leave his mind.

 

“…Kyung.”

 

“……”

 

“Kim Jinkyung!”

 

“Yes?”

 

“What are you doing? I’ve called you several times and you haven’t answered.”

 

Go Jinyoung said, putting down his bag.

 

“I’m sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment….”

 

“Is the assignment preparation going well?”

 

“I was going to contact you about that. I have a situation and the data organization will be a little late.”

 

The USB with the data organized had been stolen with his laptop, so he had to start all over again.

 

“Why? What’s wrong?”

 

“There was a fire at the place I was living.”

 

“Ah.”

 

Go Jinyoung pretended to know.

 

“There, that villa in front of the school? Wow. You lived there?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Wow. It was completely burned down. Then all your stuff must have burned down too?”

 

“…Haha. That’s right.”

 

“What a pity. Did you have fire insurance or anything?”

 

“I didn’t have any….”

 

“Then the landlord must have had it. Of course, they’ll compensate you. Make sure you get compensation for mental distress too.”

 

People always whispered behind his back that the word ‘flower garden head’ clearly existed for Go Jinyoung.

 

“Yes. I hope it works out well.”

 

When he saw the landlord’s face as he stood blankly in front of the burning building, it was obvious that he wouldn’t get his deposit back, let alone compensation, but Kim Jinkyung said so.

 

“Then where are you staying?”

 

“Uh, that’s….”

 

The broad back he had seen in the morning naturally came to mind at the word ‘where’, and Kim Jinkyung’s face turned bright red.

 

“Oh, girlfriend.”

 

“No, I’m not.”

 

“No, what do you mean no? Who is she? Same school?”

 

“I’m staying at an acquaintance’s house for a while. She’s not my girlfriend.”

 

“You’re shy. Is she pretty? Does she have an older sister or younger sister? Introduce me if she does.”

 

It was a moment when he was ashamed of his past, when he had briefly harbored feelings for a crazy bastard who asked a junior whose room had burned down to introduce him to a girl.

 

“Anyway, I’ll send you the data as soon as it’s organized.”

 

“Okay, then.”

 

Kim Jinkyung packed his bag and got up from his seat.

 

“Hey, Jinkyung. Are you going to move into the dorm then?”

 

“You can’t move in in the middle of the semester.”

 

“No. In special cases, you can move in if there’s a spot. Check with the administration office. Should I ask for you?”

 

Go Jinyoung was kind without malice. He had even gone to a convenience store far away to buy him a hangover cure when he had drunk too much at the freshman orientation and couldn’t come to his senses. …Ah, he fell in love at first sight back then. What a cheap and easy threshold for unrequited love.

 

“No. I’ll ask. Thank you for letting me know.”

 

“If you’re thankful….”

 

“Goodbye.”

 

Kim Jinkyung quickly bowed his head and left his seat before he started talking about girls.