008 ★ a pawsome afternoon tea...or not!

The day started with ( Name ) dragging the vacuum around her apartment in a rhythm while playing her favourite song on her phone.

Dust bunnies under the couch? Eliminated.

Stray crumbs on the coffee table? Wiped into oblivion.

The living room rug got beaten within an inch of its life, and the kitchen counters were scrubbed until they reflected the morning light.

Today, the Saja cats, were planted like statues across the apartment, watching her clean like it was the most suspicious thing she'd ever done.

"Don't give me those looks," ( Name ) huffed, feeling the stares while sweeping dust and fur into the pan. "I just want the place to look nice. We're having company tonight."

The moment she said company, their ears twitched in unison.

Unaware of the cat's reaction, she was dusting the bookshelf when she said casually, "I hope you guys are on your best behavior. The Huntr/x girls are coming over today."

The reaction from the cats was... immediate.

Baby's head snapped up like he'd just been tasered. "Huntr/x?!" Standing up but yelped, accidentally stepping on his tail, tripping head first into the cushions.

Silence... everyone heard a muffled yell from him

Mystery froze mid-groom, eyes narrowing into slits. "Of all the people..."

Romance groaned, flopping onto his side. "I can't do this today. I emotionally cannot."

Abby choked on air. "They're coming here? " his mind went back to when Mira cut him up like she was drawing a game of knots and crosses on his precious abs.

He shuddered, licking his fur in stress, and he picked up on Romance's grooming habit.

" Another hairball..." she grumbled as ( Name ) swept it up, by the rich, dark pink fur... it was obviously it was Broey's balls.

"Don't give me that look. It's not a big deal," she said, noticing her cats' judgy looks ( yes, they side-eyed her HARD ), shoving a stack of magazines into place. "Just friends visiting. Haven't seen them in a while."

"The Huntr/x girls. I bet Zoey will be ecstatic to snuggle you guys. They're sweet."

From behind me, Romance made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a sarcastic snort.

"Sweet? Sure. That's one word," he muttered under his breath in that way cats do—half meow, half growl.

( Name ) gave him a raised brow, she knew that they usually didn't like people, but today they were in a mood, sour mood. "You're acting like you know them."

The silence felt loaded, but she just shrugged and went back to cleaning.

Jinu padded over, brushed against her leg, and gave a loud, reassuring purr. He always did that—like he was trying to cover for the others' bad attitudes.

"See? Boss's on board," ( Name ) said, scratching under his chin. "He gets it."

Jinu leaned into the touch, but the moment she turned away to fluff the couch cushions, she could feel his sharp eyes flick toward the others, like a silent warning: Behave.

The others... didn't look like they were planning on behaving.

₍^. .^₎⟆...

By the time ( Name ) finished tidying, the place smelled faintly of citrus cleaner, the cake she'd baked was cooling on the counter, and the cats had strategically spread themselves around the room like they were setting up a defensive perimeter.

By the time the tea cups were set, the apartment was sparkling. ( Name ) took one last look in the mirror, tucked her hair behind my ears, and grinned.

The doorbell rang.

Immediately, chaos.

Baby bolted under the table. Abby leapt onto the fridge like the doorbell had been a war horn.

Mystery slinked into the hallway shadows. Romance was trying to hop into one of the cat tower hidey boxes, but ran into a problem.

His fluffy butt wouldn't fit through.

Jinu alone trotted calmly to the door with ( Name ), sitting by her feet like a proper little gentleman.

She opened it, and there they were.

Zoey's squeal nearly knocked the ( h/c ) girl backward. "( Name )!" She lunged forward, hugging her tight, bouncing on her toes like she'd just reunited with a long-lost sister.

Mira, cool as ever, gave ( Name ) a polite nod. "It's good to see you again."

Rumi, serene smile in place, lifted a bag. "We brought snacks. Thought we'd share."

"Come in, come in!" she ushered them inside, heart warmed. ( Name ) hadn't seen Huntr/x in a while. She'd never forget when they first stumbled into her café after experiencing their first fan swarm in public, ordered half the pastry case, and declared the ( h/c ) their unofficial best friend.

Behind her, the other Saja cats cautiously looked at the girls, leaning like a domino. Romance managed to pluck himself free from the box in the tower.

If cats could grimace, they were grimacing.

Zoey was the first to spot one of them. "Ohhh my GOSH!" She crouched, eyes wide with delight. "Who's this fluffy little guy?!"

( Name ) followed her gaze. The unfortunate cat was picked up by someone who loves cute animals.

That someone who once hugged a stuffed animal so tight that the head and eyes popped off, and that unlucky kitty who's going to end up having to lose one of his nine lives is....

Baby.

Before teal cat could slink away, Zoey scooped him up in an armful of glittery nails and perfume.

"This is Bloom," ( Name ) said, suppressing a laugh, seeing how happy Zoey was holding one of her cats. "He's a bit fiesty, so be gentle—"

Baby's eyes bulged. His paws pressed against her shoulder like he was trying to push away an ugly troll hugging him (from his perspective )

He shot ( Name ) a look so desperate it could've been painted on a Renaissance fresco: Save me.

Zoey nuzzled his head. "He's purring! He loves me!"

( He was not purring. That was growling. )

From the windowsill, Romance muttered, "He's plotting your demise." Zoey squeezed tighter. "You're sooo soft! You smell like vanilla!"

Zoey, of course, didn't hear

Baby flailed dramatically, one paw stretching toward his favourite human like a soap opera hero.

( Name ) just chuckled as she turned to Rumi, helping set up the snacks as Baby felt inner shelf shatter from the unintentional betrayal.

Mira, meanwhile, had zeroed in on Abby, who was now pretending to be invisible atop the fridge.

"Your pink cat," she said flatly, "he feels... familiar."

( Name ) frowned. "Broey? Really? He's just been with me a couple of weeks."

Mira's gaze sharpened. She took a slow step closer, and Abby visibly shrank back, pressing against the cabinet. His tail bushed. His ears flicked nervously.

"...We've never met," he said in a low, panicked meow. Of course, the girls didn't understand his cat talk.

Mira's brow furrowed. "Strange." The silence stretched until ( Name ) broke it with a clap. "Okay! Who wants tea?"

Abby exhaled so loudly that ( Name ) could hear it from across the room.

Rumi settled gracefully onto the seat. The moment she did, Jinu hopped up into ( Names ) lap, curled into a ball, and pressed his head against her arm.

"This is Boss," she said, scratching him between the ears. "He's usually aloof, but... wow, he's clingy today."

"He must love you very much," Rumi said with a gentle smile.

Jinu purred loudly, but his eyes never left Rumi. Jinu didn't hate the girls, unlike the other Saja kitties, as he remembered how she offered to save him.

Jinu thought of his sacrifice for Rumi as a quiet resolve born from care, believing she deserved to live unchained, free from the heavy burdens he had carried alone for a long time.

₍^. .^₎⟆...

Tea and cake were going well... until Zoey and Mira decided they wanted to "make friends" with all the cats.

Zoey was already busy trying to coax Mystery into her lap. He sat just out of reach, expression unreadable, until—quick as lightning—he batted her hand and leaped away from her.

"Hey!" Zoey laughed, chasing him around the coffee table. "Come back, you little cutie!"

Mystery bolted toward the hallway.

Romance, usually one of the well-behaved ones, went out of his way to push Rumi's phone off the counter just as she reached for it.

"Guys!" ( Name ) scolded, hands on her hips. "You're embarrassing me."

The cats exchanged smug glances at the Huntr/x girls. Rumi, Zoey, and Mira stiffen as a particular memory pops in their heads, rubber suits, colourful slides, and mischievous grins from a particular (supposed to be dead ) boy band.

Through it all, Jinu never left ( Name )'s lap. Purring. Watching as the Saja kitties exact their revenge on the girls.

Let's say they huddled up to rethink their strategy after they realised that Zoey was the most terrifying person right now after seeing Baby's disheveled form.

By the time the cake was gone, the apartment looked like a pillow fight had gone down. ( Name ) apologized a hundred times. The girls laughed it off, though their smiles had a suspicious edge.

"We should do this again soon," Rumi said warmly as they left.

Zoey waved. "Next time I'm stealing Bloom!"

Baby visibly shuddered.

Mira gave one last glance at the cats before stepping out. Her gaze was sharp, questioning, almost... remembering.

The door clicked shut. Silence fell.

( Name ) turned around to find five cats lined up in the living room looking at her as if they didn't do anything naughty.

∧,,,∧
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/ づ♡ author secrets...

🐾 rumi, mira and zoey brought over their favourite snacks and gifts since they feel bad that they haven't talked to ( name ) lately

🐾 abby and mystery still get nightmares from the girls killing them. abby's nightmare is mira carving the games knots and crosses which the poor pink kitty snuggles up to ( name ) on one of those night

🐾 baby was huddled and sulked at the corner of the living room, as he tried to get his sanity back after zoey's constant kisses and snuggles he received. there's only one person he'll put up with the cute aggression treatment.

🐾 ( name ) started to notice how slightly spoiled they've become, especially from eating her homemade cat treats and meals ( have a wild guess which of the cats ( name ) thought of... )

🐾 somewhere out there, a specific goddess is making a magical treat for a ( name ) as a surprise gift for her and her special cats...

🐾 author here, i've been planning to create two more k-pop demon hunters. one of them is going to be a male reader who is an ex-idol and now figure skater who's end up becoming a manager to the saja boys. this fic will follow the movie plot. another fic is going to be heavily based on one of my favourite k-drama which is hotel del luna.

🐾 plz comment on here for any funny, cute, slice of life ideas or scenarios for the demon kitties in this book.