chapter 8
“I’m holding both your hands, so I can’t grab the door handle.”
“Right. I’ll open it for you—but next time, you have to open it yourself.”
Deon chuckled as he opened the door, and bright sunlight poured in, making me squint. The maids, who had been cleaning the room with the windows open, bowed politely.
Deon’s voice turned a bit curt as he told them to leave.
“Soft paws, I’ll introduce you to the staff properly after your name is added to the family registry. For now, let’s think about the drawing for the funeral.”
“Okay.”
When he spoke to me, his voice softened again. He must be making an effort because I’m small.
I sat down on a sofa covered with freshly sun-dried fabric, feeling cozy. My room was bright too, but Deon’s room was much larger and more comfortable—just like a noble’s.
While Theo prepared high-quality paper, an empty frame, and colorful art supplies, Deon sat me on a chair.
“You’re so light. I should’ve ordered twice as many snacks.”
“Wouldn’t that be too much…?”
“Hm. If you ever crave something, come to my room anytime. It’s right next to Theo’s. I’ll keep dried salmon ready every day.”
“Thank you, Deon.”
“Hmm… but that ‘Deon’… no, never mind. Take your time. A proper older brother can wait.”
It seemed like he wanted me to call him oppa (big brother). It was so obvious.
I held back a laugh, and Deon smirked, gently stroking my perked ears.
Theo, who had just set down all the art supplies, looked at us with a pout—well, more specifically, at Deon.
“You’re monopolizing her while I wasn’t looking.”
“You’re the older brother—show some generosity.”
Theo, who was usually more mature than Deon, now wore a childish expression. When I stared at them, they both cleared their throats.
Theo spoke again, trying to sound composed.
“If you draw on this paper using these tools, it’ll fit perfectly into the frame.”
“Thank you.”
I gripped the pencil tightly. I remembered Mom, Dad, and my brother’s faces clearly, so I planned to draw them carefully.
As I immersed myself in drawing with artistic focus, I could hear Theo and Deon whispering nearby.
“Hyung, see this? Her tail is moving exactly like the pencil.”
“I’m losing it…”
Their gaze was fixed on the edge of my chair.
I puffed my cheeks and quickly tucked my tail out of sight.
“Even baby wolves can make mistakes!”
“Sorry, soft paws. We were teasing.”
“It won’t happen again.”
Moving my tail along with the pencil was unconscious.
Mom used to laugh and say it would go away when I grew up—but it felt embarrassing, like something only little kids did.
Just as I tried to focus again, someone knocked. A servant entered carrying a tray full of snacks.
“Kitty, your snacks are here. Shall I feed you?”
“Hmph. Just one, please.”
I nibbled on a cookie filled with white chocolate chips and looked back at my drawing. Crumbs fell onto my brother’s portrait.
‘Oh no… now my brother smells sweet and buttery.’
I quickly brushed the crumbs away and focused again.
As I ate the sweet snack and drew my family in their human forms, my expression naturally softened.
They always smiled at me, after all.
I accidentally drew Mom, Dad, and my brother all the same size—but since they were all bigger than me, it should be fine.
Carefully holding the crayon so it wouldn’t break, I began coloring.
Mom’s hair—gray, just like mine.
Dad and my brother—dark brown.
After putting in a lot of effort, I finished. Seeing all three of them smiling made me feel happy.
“What were your family like, Kitty?” Theo asked, still watching.
I pointed at each figure in the drawing as I explained.
“Mom was very warm. She always hugged me tight. She gave me the nickname ‘soft paws.’”
“She did well.”
“Dad and my brother are heroes! That’s what Mom always said. They had missions, so they couldn’t come home often—but they always brought me gifts.”
“We’ll try to be like that too.”
“And… there are three little babies in Mom’s belly… but they weren’t born yet, so I couldn’t draw them.”
I gently stroked the finished drawing. Now that I had drawn them, I felt even more attached.
Seeing that there was still time before sunset, I asked,
“Can I draw on the back too? I’ll be quick.”
“Sure—but be careful not to damage the front,” Theo said.
They leaned back and waited while I curled my hand around the paper so they couldn’t see and started drawing quickly.
I wanted to remember them in their cat forms too.
First, Mom—a beautiful gray cat with one folded ear. White fur like socks reached up to her ankles.
‘Such a beautiful mom… that awful Jerian…’
Next, Dad—dark brown fur that glowed golden in the sunset, with sharp emerald eyes.
Finally, my brother—a tabby cat with perky ears like mine. His fur, like Dad’s, turned a rich caramel color in the sunlight.
‘I’ll remember all of you.’
Since drawing them from the front was hard, I drew them from the side—lined up in order: Dad, Mom, then my brother.
They’re going to a wonderful heaven. They’ll all be happy… so I should be happy too.
I kissed each of their faces—mwah, mwah, mwah—and then kissed Mom’s belly three more times before quickly flipping the drawing over.
Theo and Deon’s eyes looked slightly teary—maybe from boredom, or maybe something else.
“Ah! The sun is starting to set!”
Lady Karis had said to finish before sunset. Seeing me rush, Theo quickly placed the drawing into the frame.
Right then, there was a knock, and Lady Karis entered. After looking at the drawing, she smiled softly.
“You’re very talented, Kitty.”
“Thank you. Is this good enough for the funeral?”
“Of course. Let’s go. You two come along as well.”
I thought they’d follow immediately, but Theo and Deon said they had to grab something and stepped out.
Holding Lady Karis’s hand tightly, I walked beside her.
“Where are we going?”
“To your room, Kitty.”
Huh? This isn’t the way to my room.
We entered a room with a wolf-shaped door handle. Lord Jackal stood inside, arms crossed, leaning against the wall—like a piece of art.
“You’re here.”
“Lord Jackal, where is this?”
“Your room.”
“But I was assigned a different room…”
“This is Kittia Gridwolf’s room.”
Ah—I see. The wolf-shaped handle must be for Gridwolf family members only.
Even if it’s temporary, being accepted made my chest feel warm.
I smiled brightly.
“Thank you so much. I didn’t expect you to even move my pillow.”
Lord Jackal raised an eyebrow as if to say it was nothing, then placed the framed picture inside a small cabinet.
The cabinet looked like a birdcage, with glass doors that opened on both sides—protecting what was inside while still letting it be seen.
Inside were already three candles and three large white chrysanthemums, prepared for Mom, Dad, and my brother.
“When Theo and Deon return, we’ll light the candles. Once they burn out, it means they’ve all gone to a happy heaven. Prepare your heart.”
I clasped my hands and looked at the smiling faces in my drawing.
For some reason, looking at Mom made my heart feel heavy.
‘I wish I could’ve drawn the babies too…’
Not knowing what they looked like made it feel incomplete.
But I didn’t want to make them up either—what if they got upset in heaven for not looking like that?
I stood there, troubled, unable to move away from the cabinet—
Then I heard loud footsteps rushing from afar.
The door burst open. Theo and Deon rushed in, out of breath, their hair a mess.
“We’re not too late, right?”
“We stopped to get something for you, soft paws. Sorry.”
They staggered over and placed something in my hands.
Three small chrysanthemum buds.
Three tiny candles like the ones used on cakes.
The moment I realized what they were—and what they meant—my eyes filled with tears.
“You… remembered the babies…?”
As my voice trembled, Theo and Deon gently stroked my head and opened the cabinet.
“Of course. You kept thinking about them—how could we forget?”
“Soft paws, don’t cry. Hurry and place them. The sun’s about to set.”
My real family—and the family who would soon become my temporary one—were all waiting.
I wiped my eyes and answered bravely,
“Yes!”
