SLC 6

Kim Jinkyung rubbed his eyes several times, unable to believe what he was seeing. Only when the acrid smoke made it nearly impossible to open his eyes did he stop.

The cause of the fire was an electrical short. The firefighter explained that it was the kind of accident that often happened in old buildings. It was easy to contact the landlord, since he lived on the top floor and was now standing dumbfounded in front of the building in his pajamas.

When Jinkyung saw the dazed old man’s face, he couldn’t bring himself to ask what to do next. All he managed to say was that he’d get in touch later once things were sorted out, and then he left the building.

There was nothing to salvage, not even clothes or books. The building was completely burned down, leaving only the frame. Since he’d been living alone, there hadn’t been anything valuable anyway. His laptop was with him for class, and he hadn’t owned any expensive belongings. The problem was money. He’d sent most of his savings to his parents, leaving almost nothing in his account. The tutoring fees he’d saved were still in envelopes inside his desk drawer in case he needed to issue a refund.

In the end, all he had left was around 100,000 won. It wasn’t even enough to get through the week. The only bit of hope was that he had a tutoring session scheduled for tomorrow.

He contacted a friend he could ask for help.

Can I crash at your place for a few days?

Ok.

It was a short reply, very much like Seo Sangil. Thinking an explanation might be necessary, Jinkyung started typing another long message.

The place I was staying caught fire, so I think I’ll just need to stay for about two weeks. And…

Before he could finish, his phone rang. It was Seo Sangil.

“I was just about to send you a message…”

–Figured as much. So what happened? Something wrong?

“The place I was living in caught fire.”

–What? How?

“They said it was an electrical short, but I’m not sure yet.”

–Hahaha. Why is your life so eventful these days?

Rather than showing concern, his friend just laughed, high on dopamine.

“Tell me about it…”

Jinkyung sighed, if he added everything he hadn’t told Sangil, he’d been through more in recent days than in all the incidents before combined. The kind of fantastical stories people loved lately—time travel, world destruction, towers rising, awakened heroes—were more believable than his current life.

–Anyway, I’m out right now, so just let yourself in. You remember the door code, right?

“Yeah. Thanks.”

–If you’re grateful, buy me meat.

The guy was obsessed with grilled meat, but he wasn’t a bad person. That was why they were friends.

“Alright. I’ll treat you when I get paid.”

Feeling a bit relieved now that he had somewhere to stay, Jinkyung smiled. Then Sangil went, ‘Oh right,’ and added,

–I’ll be bringing my girlfriend later, that’s okay, right?

Jinkyung frowned and asked, “What?”

–We planned to drink together. I’ll let my girlfriend sleep in the bed, and you and I can crash on the floor.

….Was he insane?

Hearing that ridiculous nonsense, Jinkyung turned him down.

–Why not? You know Ahyeon-noona too. She’ll be fine with it.

He knew they had similar personalities and she really would say it was fine, but he just couldn’t do it.

“No. I’ll ask another friend today.”

–You have friends other than me?

“I do.” He didn’t.

–Alright, then I’m hanging up.

The call ended. His friend’s kindness never lasted long.

The bit of relief he’d felt was gone again. Rubbing his brows, Jinkyung started searching for nearby saunas.

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“…What on earth is that?”

Secretary Kang, who met him at the door, was so startled that he couldn’t hide it. The man looked like someone who wouldn’t even raise an eyebrow at most things, which only made Jinkyung shrink even more.

“I’m sorry.”

“No, there’s nothing to apologize for… but you came like that?”

“…Yes.”

Jinkyung’s face was red. He was wearing light brown shorts and a T-shirt with the sauna’s name printed across the chest, he didn’t need to ask where the outfit came from.

“Why?”

Secretary Kang looked baffled.

Where should he even start? His rented room had burned down, he’d tried staying with a friend but that didn’t work out, so he’d gone to a sauna. Then the next morning, both his laptop and clothes were stolen. He’d spent the morning at the police station, and since it was almost time for tutoring, he’d rushed onto a bus, attracting stares and whispers all the way here. How could he possibly explain that in a way that sounded believable?

“Something happened…”

He didn’t have the energy to make his situation sound reasonable. Even the bus fare to get here had come from a police officer who’d taken pity on him and handed him a 10,000 won bill. The umbrella he carried had three broken ribs, a cheap disposable one he’d barely managed to use.

“The young master will hate it.”

“He already hates me,” Jinkyung said with a weak smile.

“If he hated you, then on the first day…”

Secretary Kang quickly shut his mouth before finishing the sentence.

“Anyway, can you still teach?”

“Yes. I still have the textbook.”

Jinkyung raised the book he was holding and smiled. Apparently, the thief had no use for a high school math book. The only thing they’d left behind was his tutoring material.

“I can’t tell if you’re mentally strong or just living in your own little world…”

Secretary Kang’s muttering was loud enough for Kim Jinkyung to hear.

“I’ll go with the first one.”

Jinkyung said weakly, then walked into the study. He wasn’t mentally strong at all. His mind was a mess, and the only thing he had in excess was a useless sense of responsibility.

As soon as Jinkyung entered, he saw the displeased black panther. But he didn’t bare his claws or growl.

After forcing himself through two hours of tutoring, Jinkyung finally stood up.

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t prepare properly for today’s lesson, so there’s no homework. You don’t have to pay me for today either.”

Even though he was desperate for just ten thousand won, he couldn’t bring himself to take any money. When he bowed with a gloomy face, the black panther stepped in front of him.

“Do you have something to say?”

The panther’s tail drew a curve through the air.

“Should I call Secretary Kang for you?”

The panther nodded. Jinkyung immediately called for Secretary Kang. While the man bent over and whispered something, Jinkyung slipped out of the study.

He was completely drained.

Maybe this was all a dream. It didn’t make sense. He had been just an ordinary college student who happened to like men, but now there was this strange tutoring job, humans turning into animals, a fire, and even a robbery.

It was hard to believe all of it had happened within a single month. When he’d written his statement at the police station, he’d sat there absentmindedly for a long time, rendered speechless by the absurdity of his situation.

If someone sold a good luck charm to ward off misfortune right now, he would’ve scraped together what little money he had to buy it like a fool.

“…Teacher.”

“……”

“Teacher.”

“Yes?”

Startled by the voice calling him, Jinkyung lifted his head.

“I heard the place you were staying in burned down.”

“How did you know that?”

…No way.

“We are not arsonists. We prefer to handle things more efficiently and directly.”

It seemed Secretary Kang saw the suspicious sparkle in Jinkyung’s eyes and spoke before he could ask.

“The young master just ordered me to check.”

“……”

Can your young master even speak right now?

Jinkyung couldn’t bring himself to ask the question.

“He said you could stay here for the time being, since you must need somewhere to live.”

Behind Secretary Kang, Jinkyung caught a glimpse of the black panther’s dignified face. He quickly waved his hands.

“No, that’s alright. I’ll ask a friend.”

“Does your friend run a sauna? A clay room in the forest, perhaps?”

“……”

Jinkyung quietly tried to hide the sauna’s logo on his shirt with one arm.

“This isn’t an act of charity. The young master is requesting additional tutoring sessions, so he’s offering accommodation in return.”

“Ah, that’s… I can’t cause that kind of trouble…”

At the mention of “trouble,” the black panther scoffed and turned his head away.

“Teacher.”

“Yes!”

“Did you notice the house next door on your way here?”

“Yes.”

“That’s also the young master’s property.”

“What?”

“And the one next to it?”

“…Yes.”

“Same there. The one next to that, across the street, and the one opposite too.”

Secretary Kang clapped his hands together.

“All of them belong to this family.”

“……”

“In a mansion this large, do you really think there’s nowhere for you to stay?”

The words could’ve sounded kind, but to Jinkyung they sounded more like, “Isn’t there plenty of space to bury you?”

“Stay.”

At Secretary Kang’s command, Jinkyung nodded with a pale face. The black panther beside him stretched his front legs lazily, looking satisfied, then padded away.

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Lying on the bed, Kim Jinkyung closed his eyes. Maybe because the bed was unfamiliar, he couldn’t fall asleep. After tossing and turning for a while, he sat up.

I should at least drink some water before trying again.

Without turning on the light, he stepped into the hallway. Every time he moved, the motion sensor lights flicked on below his feet.

It was just as Secretary Kang had said. The mansion was vast. He had always gone straight from the front door to the study, so he had never really known the extent of the place’s size. He started to think he might actually get lost here, and soon enough, he realized he had no idea where he was.

“Uh…”

He looked around. He had come from over there, walked this way, and then… how exactly had he gotten here?

Because he hadn’t turned on the lights and relied only on the motion sensors, the path became even more confusing. Jinkyung gave up on finding the kitchen and decided to head back. But a moment later, he had to admit that he was lost inside this massive house.

He sighed.

What should I do? I can’t just wake someone up to ask.

As he looked around, his eyes landed on a balcony connected to the garden. Jinkyung stepped outside, thinking he could find the front entrance from there. But after only a few steps, he realized how wrong that idea was.

“Ha…”

The garden was enormous too. He’d only ever seen the front path that led to the entrance; the back of the estate was completely unfamiliar territory. How much money did someone need to build a house this size in Seoul?

He was overwhelmed by the wealth. He didn’t even have the nerve or the mood to compare it to his own life. All he could feel was awe.

“……”

As he walked, he heard something rustling and froze. He turned around, but no one was there. Maybe it was just the sound of wet leaves moving in the wind.

He started walking again.

This time, the rustling became louder than before.

“Wh-who’s there?”

He used to wonder why the protagonist in horror movies always asked such a stupid question whenever they heard something, but now that he was in that same situation, it was the only thing that came out of his mouth.

Instead of an answer, the bushes shook harder. Goosebumps rose on his arms. Just as he was about to back away, something black jumped in front of him.

“Ahhh!”

Jinkyung jumped in fright. Disapproving golden eyes belonging to the black panther were looking at him.

“Uh… why…”

Jinkyung blinked once and asked, “Were you out for a walk? …Are panthers nocturnal?”

He muttered the last part. The black panther sighed. His tail flicked and tapped Jinkyung’s calf.

Why?

Jinkyung could tell what he meant to ask.

“I couldn’t sleep, so I went to get some water, but I got lost… haha.”

Just saying it made him feel so pathetic. Who gets lost inside a house?

As soon as he heard that, the black panther gave him a brief glance, then started walking ahead.

Was that an invitation to follow?

Jinkyung silently trailed behind him.

The air was permeated with the scent of rain mixed with the sweetness of flowers. Lilac trees clustered across the garden, blooming in rich purples that looked almost like a mist.

Jinkyung unconsciously stopped walking and murmured,

“…It’s beautiful.”

The unexpected sight left him speechless. While he stood there staring absentmindedly at the lilac garden, the black panther looked up at him.

“Ah, sorry. You were trying to lead the way for me…”

Coming to his senses, Jinkyung scratched his neck.

The black panther, after thinking for a moment, jumped over him and moved toward the glass conservatory beside the garden.

“Uh, I…”

What am I supposed to do?

Left alone in the garden, Jinkyung hesitated, then decided to follow. He didn’t trust himself to find his way back through this vast place alone at night.

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Flowers of every color bloomed inside the glass conservatory, many he didn’t even know the names of. The black panther among the flowers looked like a painting that hadn’t yet dried, a masterpiece just completed by a great artist.

“It’s a nice place.”

Feeling awkward, Jinkyung said whatever came to mind.

“You must come here alone often at night. Like your own secret hideout or something.”

“……”

“When I lived in the countryside, I had a secret hideout too. There was a small shack behind the mountain that people used as a storage shed, and nobody ever went there…”

It had been a small town, the kind where you even knew how many chopsticks and cracked bowls your neighbor owned. His school years were uneventful, never even falling in love once, but sometimes he needed a place and time where no one else existed.

“It wasn’t as beautiful as this place, but I liked it.”

As he spoke with a soft smile, Jinkyung suddenly felt a gaze on him. The black panther was sitting a short distance away, watching him.

Maybe it was because of those dazzling golden eyes. It felt like staring at the moon. Rain pattered softly against the glass. Standing in the garden where two moons seemed to hang, Jinkyung felt a tickling warmth spread through his chest.

“Your name…”

Jinkyung turned his head. Words spilled from his mouth before his brain could stop them.

“When I first heard your name, I thought it sounded cosmic. It made me think of Jupiter¹.”

He was speaking nonsense, like throwing party invitations into the air that no one would ever take.

“Jupi…um, Jupiter played a huge role in the creation of life on Earth. People think life exists thanks to the sun, but Jupiter’s just as important. Without it, Earth would’ve been destroyed long ago. Actually, Earth might not have even formed in the first place.”

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

“They call it the Goldilocks Zone, and Jupiter protects Earth. It prevents asteroid impacts and maintains the right gravitational balance with the sun, so in the end…”

Jinkyung’s rambling was cut short by something unexpected. A soft, long tail had reached forward and tapped his lips.

Shut up.

He instantly understood what the tail meant.

Jinkyung closed his mouth and carefully spat out the few black hairs that had stuck to his lips.

The black panther, now right in front of him, stretched out again and closed his eyes.

Rain pattered against the glass. The garden was completely quiet.

He didn’t know how long they stayed like that. For the first time in a long while, Jinkyung felt a complete sense of peace. Sitting on the bench, looking out the window, Kim Jinkyung muttered.

“Thank you.”

A look of puzzlement flashed across the panther’s eyes.

“It’s just …”

Jinkyung continued softly. He had never told anyone, but his mind was worn thin. Even staying here because he had nowhere else to go was stressful enough. He never expected that a rainy garden he stumbled into would bring him any comfort.

The black panther didn’t respond. He simply lay there, eyes closed, like he belonged to that tranquil scene.

It had been nearly a week since the rain began. It felt like ages ago since he’d last seen his human form.

“I hope the rain stops soon.”

Jinkyung said what crossed his mind, and the black panther looked at him quietly. He hadn’t said or done anything, yet his gaze alone made Jinkyung pause.

The eyes stood out against his dark fur, deep and black like a shadowed lake on the pale surface of the moon. They weren’t human eyes. That otherworldly feeling brought an unexpected thought to Jinkyung’s mind.

“…Do you prefer it when it rains?”

The black panther’s tail moved slightly. Jinkyung could tell what that meant. It surprised him. He had assumed it would be harder to live as an animal, not easier.

Wouldn’t it be uncomfortable? You can’t talk, can’t walk around, can’t do what you want…

Then it occurred him that he couldn’t define what another person wanted or liked based on his own standards.

That made sense.

When he had first realized he liked men, what he felt was confusion and unfairness. He had grown up in an ordinary family, lived an ordinary life, and suddenly he had this strange “different” label on him without warning. Then he felt resentment. He had never voted for nature’s rule that said one must love the opposite sex.

After that, as long as no one was hurt, Jinkyung believed anyone had the right to choose whatever they wanted.

“Then I guess it’d be nice if it keeps raining.”

As he softly continued, “As long as it doesn’t cause a flood,” the black panther bared his teeth slightly and took in a breath.

He’s… laughing at me?

Kim Jinkyung started sweating, wondering if he had just said something wrong. No matter how beautiful the scenery was or how peaceful the atmosphere felt, the truth was that he was still trapped in the same space as a predator.

Be careful.

Jinkyung quietly watched the rainy garden.

The sound of rain pattering against the glass, the smell of wet soil and grass, and the subtle lilac scent carried by the wind all filled him with a sense of peace.

1. 목성 Mokseong = Jupiter (the planet) ↩︎