Chapter 14 (1/2)

Myohan frowned, his hand still pointing at where Myo Cheong had just been. Round eyes, shocked face, nose trembling in fear. Myohan asked, a little bewildered, “….He is the rabbit, isn’t he?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

Jagyeom nodded, although he too looked a little confused. O Shin smiled as he liked the situation. Sajun muttered to himself with his arms crossed.

“Another prey, then.”

***

Myo Cheong of class 6. He was the Myo Cheong Jagyeom had meant when he said, ‘There’s a Myo Cheong in this school as well.’ Now they knew his name, his homeroom, and his face. Now that they had found the rabbit, everything was fine. Thinking so was their mistake.

“Hey, you.”

Myo Cheong was fast, even with a sprained ankle. Each time Myohan went looking for him, he was out of sight in less than a second.

Myohan didn’t know what to think of when he lost the rabbit yet another time. O Shin leisurely gave him a piece of advice.

“I told you, rabbits get afraid really easily.”

Myohan didn’t have that many opportunities to find Myo Cheong. He had to practice for the play at lunchtime and after classes, so he had very little free time.

So he had been going during breaks, but the rabbit wasn’t being cooperative.

“Myo Cheong.”

Whoosh-

“Hey, Myo…”

Whoosh-

“Let me just…”

Whoosh-

“You damn rabbit!”

Myohan angrily kicked a wall. The group was having ice cream by the taps to discuss the matter. Jagyeom flinched with ice cream in his mouth. O Shin put a hand on Myohan’s shoulder to calm him down.

“Calm down, prince.”

No, he was doing the very opposite of calming him down.

Myohan couldn’t help sighing. Myo Cheong had been running away from him for three days now. He wondered if he was supposed to go borrow a book on how to befriend a rabbit. He threw his ice cream stick, but it just bounced off the trashcan and he had to pick it up again. Damn, now even the ice cream stick was determined to go against his will.

“Why on earth is he running?”

Actually, he could have chased him. Even it was a long chase, he could have soon caught him if he wanted to. However, Myohan didn’t feel like catching him forcefully. He wasn’t cold enough to do that to a rabbit shuddering in fear. Sajun put his ice cream stick into the trash can for him and casually hugged his shoulder.

“Maybe I can give it a try…”

“The best thing you can do is nothing.”

But Myohan just swatted his hand off. The rabbit was afraid of even him, and he didn’t want to imagine what would happen if Sajun visited him. He wished he at least knew why Myo Cheong was running away. It wasn’t like Myohan looked dangerous.

“That’s called the instincts of an animal.”

Myohan ruffled his hair to hear O Shin say that. Then, it had to be someone who looked less scary than himself, someone who looked like he would never be able to hurt Myo Cheong. Yes, there was just the right person for that…

“Hey, Squeaker.”

Jagyeom looked up. Myohan put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a serious gaze. Sajun seemed envious of Jagyeom for getting Myohan’s whole attention like that, but Myohan just ignored him. He looked at Jagyeom as he blinked in fear.

Similar looks, similar size. Similar name, and they were both herbivores.

“Most rats are omnivores, although a few bigger species are herbivores.”

O Shin informed them of that, probably knowing what Myohan was thinking. Myohan cleared his throat, thinking O Shin had to be reading his mind. Jagyeom was still glancing at them, but then he frowned. Myohan’s hand suddenly clutched his shoulder.

“It hurts!”

But Myohan didn’t reply to that. His glistening eyes were full of ominous energy. The moment Jagyeom gulped hard in fear, Myohan nodded.

“Still, you’re our only option.”

“….For what?”

The afraid eyes blinked. Myohan pretended not to notice the rat’s fear and said firmly, “Do whatever it takes to bring the rabbit here.”