The storm had finally passed.
By the time Lee Jihoon arrived at his apartment, the sky had cleared, leaving behind a crisp night breeze and the faint scent of rain in the air.
Inside, the apartment was dimly lit, the familiar quietness settling around him like a soft blanket.
Jihoon kicked off his shoes, sighing as he rubbed his damp hair with a towel.
It had been a long day.
And now…
He glanced down at the tiny bundle of fur curled up in the blanket inside the pet carrier he had borrowed from the vet.
The kitten.
Still sound asleep, its tiny chest rising and falling steadily.
Jihoon sighed.
"Guess I really brought you home, huh?" he muttered.
He hadn't exactly planned on becoming a cat owner, but after hearing that the kitten had nowhere else to go, something inside him had made the decision before he could stop himself.
A part of him still wasn't sure if this was a good idea.
Could he even take care of a pet properly?
Jihoon scratched the back of his head, then knelt beside the carrier.
"Well… welcome, I guess," he murmured.
The kitten stirred slightly, letting out a small yawn before curling deeper into the warmth of the blanket.
Jihoon smirked. "You sure settled in fast."
Jihoon stood up and stretched, deciding he needed to set things up properly.
He hadn't bought anything for a pet yet, but for now, he could improvise.
He found an old shoebox and filled it with a soft towel to make a makeshift bed.A small ceramic dish would work for water.As for food… the vet had given him a few packets of kitten formula, which should last until he bought proper supplies.
After setting everything up in a corner of the living room, Jihoon gently lifted the kitten out of the carrier.
It was small, fragile, its fur still slightly damp from the earlier rain.
He placed it onto the towel-lined box, watching as it stretched lazily, its tiny paws kneading the fabric before curling up again.
Jihoon sat down on the floor, observing the kitten for a moment.
"…You need a name," he murmured.
The kitten's ears twitched at the sound of his voice.
Jihoon tapped his fingers against his knee. "Let's see… I can't just keep calling you 'cat.'"
He thought for a moment.
Something small, simple.
Something that fit the little furball currently sleeping without a care in the world.
His eyes flickered to the soft orange patches mixed into the kitten's white fur.
"…How about Hodu?" Jihoon mused aloud.
The kitten shifted slightly, its tail curling closer to its body.
Hodu—walnut.
It was a simple, warm name, kind of like the little cat itself.
Jihoon smirked.
"Hodu it is, then."
Ding!
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Jihoon chuckled softly. "Of course, the system has to make this dramatic."
He reached out, gently scratching behind Hodu's tiny ears.
The kitten let out a soft, content purr.
Jihoon sighed.
"…Guess you're staying."
As the night deepened, Jihoon found himself sitting on his couch, a cup of warm tea in his hands.
Across from him, Hodu was still sleeping peacefully in the makeshift bed.
Jihoon exhaled.
His life had already changed so much since the system appeared.
He'd started noticing people more, realizing how much small acts of kindness could affect others.
And now, he had a tiny cat depending on him.
The old Jihoon might have hesitated—might have thought, "Taking care of something is too much trouble."
But now?
Now, he found himself thinking…
Maybe taking care of something is exactly what I needed.
He glanced at the kitten again, watching the slow, steady rise and fall of its tiny body.
A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Ding!
[Daily Kindness Reflection]
"Sometimes, kindness isn't about what we give—it's about who we choose to share our time with."
Jihoon took a sip of his tea, feeling a quiet warmth settle inside him.
Yeah.
That sounded about right.
One small act at a time.
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