Luna was searching the third house in the street behind her lane. It was one in the morning by now and the rain had stopped. Haemin was searching the house opposite to this one.
They hadn't gotten quite far because all the houses were basically mansions and their backyards were close to tiny forests.
It was a nightmare, her throat was parched from all the tutting and shouting 'Leo'. He could've taken shelter somewhere because of the rain and was probably sleeping by then but her worry still remained.
And due to the ungodly hour, it took time waiting for the security guards to let them in, Luna mostly. The whole neighbourhood seemed to know Haemin.
Having not found Leo yet again, she exited the house and walked to the next one. In front of her, Haemin was also on his way to the next house.
He hadn't acknowledged her presence yet,
"This'll make a good enough entry right Haemin?" She taunted.
He stopped walking but didnt turn around.
"The subject has no control over its emotions, my analysis is irresponsibility and irrationality." She mocked further.
"I never used 'it' or 'subject'." He defended.
She rolled her eyes and pushed past him muttering, "Whatever."
"Can I explain now?" He spoke softly but she was already talking to the security guards and seconds later he let her in.
After another couple of hours, Haemin was tired but he didnt show it.
Luna was losing hope but she didnt dwell on it.
They both kept searching.
"Subject is a danger to others, must be locked away from society." She was at it again, but every time she did, she broke a little inside.
"Luna.." Haemin stopped mid sentence.
She finally gave him a chance to speak and he wasnt taking it.
"Wha-" She began but he hurriedly shushed her. She turned around to look at him and he had his ear cupped, listening to something.
For a second she heard nothing but then there it was, a cat's growl.
Her eyes widened, "Where's it coming from?!"
"I think over there!" They turned a curb and in the middle of the street, two cats were in the middle of a pre-showdown and one of them was Leo.
The other was a black stray and was bigger than Leo, clearly the dom.
Leo was slightly cowering but he also had his fur standing on his back and with an arched predatory stance, he was prepared to retaliate.
"If you grab Leo now, he may attack you and if we try to scare off the black cat, Leo might run away too." Haemin commented.
"Leo's vaccinated, even if he hurts me, its fine." Luna answered and taking off her jacket, she slowly approached them. A worried Haemin followed her hesitantly.
"How dare you step foot in my territory?!" The black canine howled raising his head further.
"I was just passing by." Leo sneered with a lowered back, clearly afraid.
Luna suddenly brought her jacket between them disabling them from seeing each other. Just as the black cat was startled by the humans' intrusion, Luna picked up Leo and Haemin waved his hands and shooed the other car away.
Leo was still in an angry state and he was furiously biting and scratching Luna's arm, trying to get away.
She hissed but still hugged him tightly and soothed his fur calming him down.
"He's hurting you." Haemin said in distress.
"It's okay, Ill get it treated later."
They started walking back and Leo was comfortably purring in her bloody arms now.
Wow, he's so much like me. Spontaneous. Thought Luna while smiling at him lightly.
"Do bad, bad will happen to you." Haemin said out of the blue, "Do good and good will happen to you."
Luna looked at him, his expression was confused.
"I did everything right by Ella, I always put her first. I did our relationship the utmost justice. But look what I got. A popular singer as a cheating girlfriend. And with her manager of all people! He's fifteen years older than her!"
Despite her confusion towards him, she wanted to give him a big hug and smooth away the creases on his forehead.
"You see, that kinda messes things up. It contradicts everything I believe!" His eyes were big and his hands were raised mid action, "I did good, the favor was not returned. And I know Im supposed to be selfless in this but even the grandmas at the shelter, smile in return. Im no angel, Im only human."
Luna spoke up lightly, "What exactly do you want in return?"
"Anything that means my help has not been wasted. A simple thank you or proof that my help
mattered. Because honestly, Im not sure if my support really helped Ella."
"Why are you telling me this?"
He came in front of her and held her shoulders in a light grip, "Luna, the world has stomped on you, rained on you, an incredibly just person. And I pity you. Sincerely." He said, intensely.
She looked at everywhere but his face, she couldn't handle it.
Luna knew she would have to mull over every word of his later because he was giving various confusing vibes.
"If a stranger knew your story, regardless of your identity, even his humanity would be awakened. You're like a fish that washed up ashore, lost, alone, withering."
He stretched a hand and pet Leo, "I still believe good things happen to people who do good, if karma is true then this must be too. I just need to prove it one last time, and if I can help you then that would be it. My magnum opus."
Luna stared at the ground with furrowed eyebrows, she had a lot of thinking to do but it was definitely not happening with his bright eyes burning holes in her face.
"You're not an experiment or a subject, Im sorry I seemed unattached, I didn't know you then." He placed his hand on her head softly, "You're my best deed." He patted lovingly, " You're going to save me, you'll make me believe in good again."
Luna swallowed and turned her head, making his hand fall, "We should keep going, it's getting late."
The sun had blessed the sky with a peachy hue and Luna could swear, Haemin never before looked this beautiful.
"So, you'll forgive me?"
"I'll think about it."
He nodded, "Okay. You need sleep anyway, you take all the time you need."
Luna gave a small smile, "Nahh, sleep isn't the issue."
"Why, when'd you sleep yesterday?"
"4 I guess?"
Haemin peered at her arm again with an anxious gaze, " That.. is actually very late, you should be sleepy."
"As if there is anything normal about me, Haemin." She grinned sardonically, "Sleep doesn't exactly come naturally to me either."
"Sleep.. what?"
"Im insomniac. Ever since the incident."
He sucked in a breath but kept quiet.
"Subject desperately needs medical help." Said Luna in a robotic voice but this time she was purely joking.
"I never used subject." He cried and she laughed.
"I know I know Im just joking. But yeah I also know I need help. And Im gonna take it."
For you. She added in her head.
"So, do get me that brochure for the Psychologist Clinic from that box." She said lightly.
"He awarded her with a bright smile and she thought of how she could ever live on without seeing that gem.
"Im not mad but what were you even doing there?"
Luna chuckled, "I had to get my mp3. Your mum let me in."
"Oh right right. I added songs and rearranged them."
Luna gave him a poke face, "Yes its going to be an absolute delight learning the new sequence."
He gasped slightly, "Oh shoot I didnt think of that, Iv never had an mp3.. Im sorry."
Luna shook her head lightly.
They were on their street now, "Something's different." Said Luna as she stared ahead, "Or is it just me?"
Haemin looked over at her with a glint in his eyes and mild smirk playing at his lips, "Yeah, there is."
Luna silently anticipated whatever brightness he was about to spew.
"You see, we're used to coming out of the house at daytime, after twelve. And we only ever see the sun when it is either right above us or moving to the west and we see those specific angles of shadows produced by that sunlight." He explained seriously and Luna nodded slowly.
"But in the morning we see new shadows formed because the sunlight is coming from a newly positioned source. And even though everything is the same, the lighting and the shadows are different so every thing seems new."
"Huh, its prettier."
"I know right." Haemin exclaimed, "Thats why I often wake up early to go to the university's garden, the scene just looks breathtaking."
"Ohhh thats why you're early." Luna put her hands together, happy in remembering the first time she saw him.
They were infront of her house now and Haemin looked at her gate and then back at her, "So, you're not at all sleepy?"
"Nope. Even if I go lie down now, Ill be thinking about all that has happened and stuff and will probably just be lying there for hours."
He smiled, "Wanna take pictures? Just as we are, in this haggard condition."
"Uhh I should take Leo back in first."
"Okay. Ill go get my camera."
Luna smiled at his back, though he had already said that he was not an angel, she knew he was still, incapable of ever intentionally hurting someone.