009 ★ magical hotteok and talking cats!

The market was alive with chatter and sizzling pans, the air perfumed with roasting chestnuts, tangy tteokbokki sauce, and sweet cinnamon sugar. ( Name ) clutched two shopping bags that were already too heavy for her wrists, mentally running through the list again. Fish and rice for the boys, some vegetables for stew, bread, and—because she had no self-control—an entire bag of ( your favourite ) snacks.

Ever since finding her cats in that soggy cardboard box months ago, ( Name's ) apartment had never been the same. Loud, chaotic, messy, filled with suspiciously diva-like feline behavior—but not the same.

She turned down a row of stalls when a voice called out.

" Miss ( Name )," someone said warmly.

( Name ) blinked and spotted the same hunched figure I remembered from that night. White hair pulled into a bun, sharp eyes glimmering beneath her wrinkles. Mago. She was manning a stall lined with bubbling pans of golden-brown Hotteok, flipping them with a skill that looked like it came from years of practice.

"Oh! You're the tea lady," ( Name ) said, setting her bags down for a second. "You came to my café that night, right?"

Mago chuckled. "That I did. A fine cup you poured me. Better than most."

The ( h/c ) girl flushed. "Ah, thank you."

She waved a hand. "Here, have a pancake. On the house." She slid one into a paper cup and pressed it into ( Name's ) hands. "Good people deserve sweetness."

She started to protest—"Oh, no, I couldn't—" but the smell of caramelizing brown sugar shut ( Name ) up. My stomach growled, traitorously.

Mago just smiled, like she already knew. "Eat. It's best hot."

Touched, she didn't hesitate. ( Name ) bit into the pancake, burning her tongue slightly on the molten sugar, but nearly moaning at how good it was. Crisp edges, chewy dough, and the warm burst of cinnamon and nuts.

And for the briefest second, she swore the Hotteok glowed.

Just a shimmer of golden light, pulsing faintly through the steam before fading. ( Name ) blinked, rubbed her eyes, then laughed it off. "Guess it's really good if I'm hallucinating."

Mago just hummed, watching her closely, the corner of her mouth curling upward. "Enjoy it well, child. You'll... find it useful."

( Name ) didn't understand what she meant, but thanked her again before heading off, stomach happy and hands warm from the paper wrapping.

₍^. .^₎⟆...

By the time ( Name ) reached her apartment home, the sun was already down, and her arms felt like they'd been through a weightlifting session. She balanced the groceries against her hip and fiddled with the keys.

The second ( Name ) opened the door, and her furry group of chaos greeted her.

"Meow!" Jinu trotted up immediately, rubbing against her legs like the world's politest cat.

Baby sprawled on the couch, tail twitching lazily. Romance rolled on the rug like a drama queen. Abby darted between the bags, sniffing everything suspiciously. Mystery was perched on the bookshelf, looking down at her like a silver fur gargoyle.

"I know, I know," she said, kicking off her shoes. "Dinner's coming. Look, I even got your favourite spicy squid pieces."

That perked Baby right up — he shot to his paws, eyes gleaming.

( Name ) carried the bags to the kitchen, humming to herself. Everything was normal. Completely normal.

Until the voices started.

₍^. .^₎⟆...

At first, ( Name ) thought it was the neighbors, but it sounded closer. Loud, muffled voices carried down the hallway, like someone had turned on a TV at full blast. Except... it was coming from her room.

She froze, groceries half-unpacked. Her heart kicked against her ribs.

"...No way," she whispered.

Very carefully, ( Name ) set the groceries down, grabbed the closest thing to her — the broom leaning against the wall — and clutched it like a spear.

The voices grew louder. Male voices. Distinct.

She crept down the corridor, broom raised, every horror-movie scenario playing in her head.

And then — something crashed inside her room.

( Name ) yelped and jumped through the doorway. "Back off! I got a mother-flipping broom and I'm not afraid to use it!"

Everything happened at once.

"W-Wait (Y/N), put down the broom!"

"Ey, ey, watch the ears!"

"Abby, watch out—!"

The broom connected with something solid. There was a thunk, followed by a spectacular smack.

Abby — poor Abby — went flying across the room in a blur of hot, pink fur, hitting the window with a dramatic splat. He slid down slowly, like a cartoon character.

She froze, broom still raised. "...Broey?"

All five cats were staring at her. Wide-eyed. Silent. ( and to be honest... slightly scared of her )

And then, "...Ow," Abby groaned, in a distinctly male voice. Her jaw dropped. "WHAT."

The room went silent.

Five pairs of feline eyes stared at ( Name ), wide as saucers.

"Meeeooow?" Baby tried lamely, curling his tail.

"No," she snapped. "Don't you dare meow at me. I heard you."

Mystery, sleek silver-purple fur, and sass muttered, "Well, crap."

" Calm down—" Jinu started, his tone soothing. " Don't tell her to calm down, she just whacked me with a broom! " Abby snapped.

Romance snorted. "You deserved it."

"Can we not start this again?" Mystery hissed.

( Name ) stood there, staring at them, her brain short-circuiting. Her cats... were talking. In voices.

Not cute meows. Not chirps. Actual words.

"Smooth, Abby," one of them snorted. "Real smooth."

"She attacked me with a broom!" Abby shouted back, still sprawled on the floor.

"Because you couldn't shut your mouth!"

"Shut up, Baby—"

The ( h/c ) girl let out a strangled noise. "You—you TALK?! " still gobsmacked that her weirdly, crazy colorful cats can talk.

Her knees buckled, and she plopped onto the bed. " I'm—am I hallucinating? Is this—did someone spike my coffee? Oh my god, the pancake—did Mago drug me with magical pancakes?"

Jinu, the calmest of them all, padded over and placed a paw (hand?) on her knee. His amber eyes softened. "You can... understand us now?"

She gaped. "Now?! You mean you've been—this whole time—?!"

They exchanged glances, equally panicked.

Abby groaned. "This is bad. This is really bad."

₍^. .^₎⟆...

The next hour was pandemonium.

The cats, the Saja Boys, as they finally admitted, tried explaining everything in the most roundabout, chaotic way possible.

There was something about them once being idols, something about Huntrix, something about a final battle concert where they "technically" died but not really. Something about Gwi-ma, punishment, and waking up in a cardboard box in the rain.

( Name ) sat on the couch, face in her hands, occasionally looking up to make sure she wasn't dreaming. Knowing that her friends were demon hunters and her cats were actual demons... she needed a drink after this.

"So let me get this straight," she said flatly. "You're not normal cats."

"Nope," Baby chirped, far too smug.

"You're actually—" she jabbed a finger at them, " a demon boy band that got killed by Mira, Rumi, and Zoey, who are... magical girls?"

"Hunters," Baby corrected with a scoff. "We were very popular."

"Focus," she snapped. They winced.

"Yes," Jinu admitted gently. "That's... the truth."

( Name ) slumped back. "And I can only understand you now because... what? Fate? Magic pancakes?"

They all froze.

"...Wait. Pancakes?" Abby asked slowly.

"Oh my god," She groaned, throwing a cushion at them. Romance squeaked, barely missing the large cushion thrown at him. " You okay ( Name )? Not freaking out anymore..."

"I AM FREAKING OUT!" she yelled, clutching my head. "MY CATS ARE MEN! YOU GUYS ARE DEMON BOYBAND MEN?!"

" ... I'VE BEEN BABY-TALKING GROWN MEN THIS ENTIRE TIME?! "

They all exchanged glances. Then Baby snorted.

"You... have been."

( Name ) once again buried her face in her hands and groaned. This couldn't get any worse for her.

₍^. .^₎⟆...

By the time ( Name ) sat down with tea, she was exhausted. Like hearing that her cats are ( supposedly ) hot and her best friends are demon hunters was weighing her mind.

Forget relaxing and watching her latest episode of her favourite K-drama, she felt like she was in one but one with supposedly magical demon cats.

She scrolled through her phone, answering texts from Rumi, Zoey, and Mira. They were planning another visit soon, maybe a girls' movie night. She smiled at their messages. The girls had become good friends since that night at the café, and she'll still be their friend even if they killed the Saja cats at one point...

ehhh potato, potahto

But the moment ( Name ) smiled, the room temperature changed. "Who are you texting?" Abby asked sharply.

"Rumi," she said casually. The room went still.

" Blughhh those girls," Baby said, voice curling into disdain.

"Yes," ( Name ) said. "They're still my friends."

Mystery hissed under his breath. "Friends, she says..."

Romance flopped dramatically onto the couch arm. "Unbelievable. We die in glorious battle, get cursed into furballs, and now we're losing to them again. "

( Name ) frowned. "Excuse me? You're not competing with anyone."

"Oh, we're competing," Abby muttered. She stared. "...Are you guys jealous?"

Silence.

Baby scoffed. "Don't flatter yourself." Romance piped up instantly: "Yes."

"ROMANCE!" the others shouted.

The ( h/c ) girl sputtered, tea halfway down the wrong pipe.

"Oh my god. You are jealous. Of Huntrix. Over me."

Five cats glared at her with a mix of embarrassment. She laughed so hard she nearly spilled her cup. "This is—this is the stupidest thing I've ever heard!"

Baby growled, tail lashing. "You think it's funny?"

"Yes!" ( Name ) wheezed. "Oh my god, you're cats fighting idol hunters' grudges over who gets my attention. This is—this is sitcom-level ridiculous... "

Jinu hopped into ( Name's ) lap again, gazing at her calmly, though she saw his fluffy ear glow in embarrassment. "At least you're laughing."

( Name ) just smiled at them, not really understanding their real reasons for their jealousy, and as usual, just watched as her cats pouted at her for not taking them seriously.

Like they were in cute cat bodies, but she wondered are they good-looking as they claimed?

∧,,,∧
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                                / づ♡ author secrets...

🐾 ( name ) wasn't on the saja boys trends only hearing it on the radio at the cafe, and she was out of the city visiting her grandparents during the final battle.

🐾  there's still abby's body mark on the window, even can see the nose and paw smudge as well.

🐾 ( name ) is not adrien agreste oblivious level, but still sometimes can't pick up romantic gestures... let's just say she have little love experience.

🐾 hotteok is a pancake filled with sugar syrup and walnuts inside. One of the common and favourite korean street food to eat ( i ate one and literally fell in love with it, like perfect to eat for the winter months )

🐾 so ( name ) finally hears the saja cats talk now, which she's only one that can hear them ( ... for now ), and later on in the story, they will become men once again ( well kinda ... you'll see what i mean )

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