Part 1The Cat Who Came Back for Her Ex

Two years after I died, I reincarnated as a stray cat.

My cat mom carried me by the scruff of my neck to a familiar house. I looked up at the building I knew by heart, then at my ex-boyfriend—and his eight-pack abs—and swallowed a mouthful of kitty drool.

My ex squatted down, scratching my mom’s chin, and muttered to himself, "I really want to adopt it, but she is afraid of cats."

Wow. He moved on that fast?

I widened my kitten eyes and glared at him.

"Babe, what's wrong?"

A familiar male voice drifted out from behind my ex.

Wait a minute. Hold on. His current partner is a guy?

* * *

It was the second year after my death when I came back as a stray.

I was the only kitten in the litter to survive. When I could finally wobble around on my paws, my cat mom stared at me with her big, round eyes for a long time. Then she started grooming me obsessively, meowing while she licked.

I understood her. She was saying, You need to be clean. That way, a nice human will adopt you, and you’ll have a good life.

I asked her if she would come with me.

She didn't answer. She just grabbed my scruff and dragged me out the door.

Even though I was getting used to walking on four legs, I was still terrified of heights. I’d watched cat livestreams before, but experiencing "parkour mode" in first-person view was dizzying.

Mom agility-jumped us into a gated community and didn't drop me until we reached a specific door.

My head was spinning. I spun in a few circles and flopped over.

Mom scratched at the door until it opened. I looked up.

It was the same layout I remembered. And there stood Liam, my ex, dripping wet, wearing nothing but a towel.

"???"

I exploded into a fuzzball on the spot.

Liam must have just stepped out of the shower. Water droplets were racing down those abs.

He crouched down, petting my mom with one hand and opening a can of wet food with the other.

"Sorry, got caught up with something today. Didn't put food out. Starving, huh?"

The towel gaped a little as he squatted.

Cover your shame, man!

I tried to shout, but it came out as a soft, sticky "Meow."

That’s when Liam noticed me.

"Is this your baby? It's so cute. I think we still have some goat milk powder. I’ll go make some."

He headed to the kitchen. I stood at the door, peering inside.

The furniture, the clutter—it was exactly how I left it.

I wondered how he was doing.

Did he still... think of me?

While I was lost in thought, Liam came back with the milk. His warm palm covered my head, rubbing gently. I purred involuntarily.

The last time we touched like this, I was in a hospital bed. Liam had covered my eyes and whispered, "Don't be scared. Our Riley is the bravest girl in the world."

Deep-seated emotions bubbled up. I let out a stifled meow, my eyes getting wet.

I had planned to find him once I could walk properly, but I didn't expect my cat mom to bring me straight here.

To let him adopt me.

Driven by that thought, I stumbled toward him.

My cat mom nudged me from behind, encouraging me.

Liam paused, seeming to understand her intention.

He scratched her chin and whispered, "I really want to adopt it, but she is afraid of cats."

I had just rubbed my face against his ankle.

Never mind.

Cat head retraction initiated.