* * *

“Uh… ah…”

Saewoo stood frozen, his pupils dilated in shock.

He couldn’t move or speak, only trembling as he stared blankly at the transformed Jibeom.

The black panther before him was radiating an overwhelming presence, just as it had when they first met.

Fully beast-like now, the sheer force of his existence was suffocating.

“W-What are you planning to do…?”

Saewoo stammered, struggling to keep his composure.

His voice was barely audible, but Jibeom’s fierce eyes glinted as they turned toward him.

“Grrr…”

“What?! You’re going after them?!”

Understanding Jibeom’s growl, Saewoo gasped in alarm.

Though Jibeom’s black fur concealed it, blood was still oozing from his injured paw.

“You’re hurt! No, you can’t!”

Saewoo cried, gripping Jibeom’s massive foreleg with his whole body.

The moment his hands touched the panther’s fur, a chill ran through him.

Beneath the soft exterior, the muscles were as hard as tree trunks.

He knew Jibeom wouldn’t harm him, but the sheer size and power of his form were terrifying.

“Grrr…”

Jibeom narrowed his golden eyes, sensing Saewoo’s fear.

Yet, his expression seemed to question why Saewoo was stopping him despite being so scared.

“W-Why? Because you’re hurt, that’s why!”

“Grrr.”

(That’s not what I meant.)

Jibeom clearly wasn’t satisfied with that answer.

He let out a loud huff, blowing a sharp breath through his nose that sent Saewoo’s hair into disarray.

“Ugh…”

Despite his fear, Saewoo couldn’t let Jibeom leave like this.

“B-Because… If you keep moving, you’ll keep bleeding, and… that’ll hurt, won’t it?”

Practically clinging to Jibeom’s leg, Saewoo fumbled over his words.

Even as he spoke, he was puzzled why such an obvious reason needed explaining.

“Grrr?”

(Who?)

“Huh? Of course, it’s…”

Saewoo hesitated, unsure of what Jibeom was asking.

He lifted his head—and immediately froze.

Right in front of him were Jibeom’s golden eyes, close enough to see his own reflection in them.

Saewoo hadn’t realized Jibeom had leaned down to meet him at eye level.

The black panther’s mystical gaze held him captive, silently urging him to speak.

“I-I meant you… Jibeom…”

“H-Hyung!”

Just then, a subordinate wearing glasses ran up, shouting.

“Wait here! I’ll call the others to track them down!”

“Grrrr…”

Jibeom snapped his head toward the subordinate, his golden eyes brimming with annoyance.

Why would they even mention this to him instead of handling it already?

Focused on Saewoo moments ago, Jibeom felt his fury flare again.

He was determined—it had to be his hands that ended this.

“Grrr.”

(Stay here.)

“Ah!”

Jibeom turned sharply, preparing to chase the leopards.

But Saewoo wasn’t about to let him go.

He threw himself at the panther’s injured leg, holding on with all his might.

“I said no! You can’t! You’re bleeding, and I—!”

“Grrrr.”

(Then come with me.)

“W-What?”

Though it would’ve been easy for Jibeom to shake him off, he didn’t.

Instead, mischief glimmered in his eyes as he suddenly opened his mouth wide.

“Ah—ah?!”

Saewoo shuddered, staring into the crimson abyss lined with sharp, steel-like teeth.

❀❀❀

‘Nooo! I want to go back!’

Clinging to dear life, Saewoo screamed internally, realizing Minho’s scooter felt like a luxury compared to this.

Like a mother carrying her cub, the enormous black panther had Saewoo clenched in his jaws as he chased after the leopards.

‘What is even happening?!’

The sounds of claws hitting the ground filled Saewoo’s ears as Jibeom darted forward.

“Ji-Jibeom…!”

Saewoo’s eyes stayed tightly shut as he called Jibeom’s name.

It wasn’t pain from the bite that scared him—it was the effortless way Jibeom leapt across rooftops.

Tap.

Heavy breaths resonated in Saewoo’s ears as Jibeom finally stopped running.

They must’ve covered a significant distance because when Saewoo opened his eyes, they were in a village filled with ordinary beastmen.

“L-Look! Is that a bird beastman? Is that predator hunting him…?”

“H-Hey, should we call the cops?”

Voices murmured in alarm.

Some had already reached for their phones, their expressions tense.

“No, it’s not—!” Saewoo started to explain, flailing his arms.

“Grrraaaawr!”

Jibeom let out a thunderous roar, silencing everyone.

Phones dropped to the ground as beastmen stumbled backward in fear.

Without wasting another moment, Jibeom clamped his jaws around Saewoo again and leapt to the next building.

“Eeeeek!”

Though Saewoo was technically a bird beastman capable of flight, the dizzying heights still terrified him.

❀❀❀

Finally, Jibeom landed on an empty rooftop terrace. Gently releasing Saewoo, he sat, scanning the area.

“Ugh…”

Still shaking, Saewoo leaned against the black panther’s massive body for support.

“Grrr?”

(Does it hurt?)

“No… It’s not that…”

Shaking his head, Saewoo removed his now-soaked protective cape.

“What if those beastmen actually called the police?”

“Grrr.”

(That’s not important.)

Jibeom dismissed the concern, sniffing the air to pick up the leopards’ trail.

“You’re… really going to keep chasing them?”

❀❀❀

Saewoo, who had been watching closely, cautiously asked a question.

He couldn’t stop worrying about Jibeom’s injured paw earlier, and his gaze kept drifting toward it.

The blood had seemed to flow a lot; he wanted to confirm if it was really okay.

“…….”

Rustle.

Reading the concern in Saewoo’s eyes, Jibeom quietly extended his front paw.

Once he retracted his sharp claws, his paw turned into a large, fluffy, black ball of fur.

“Can I… take a look at your injury?”

When Saewoo asked hesitantly, Jibeom nodded and flipped over his paw.

The soft, chubby pads reminded Saewoo of chocolate jelly, looking irresistibly squishy.

Resisting the urge to poke them, he carefully examined the cut.

“Huh…? The bleeding stopped, it seems.”

Although it had bled heavily earlier, it appeared to have clotted now.

The wound from the blade had scabbed over, and no fresh blood was visible.

“Thank goodness…”

As Saewoo sighed in relief and patted his chest, the black panther’s golden eyes, which had been quietly watching him, narrowed slightly.

Suddenly, Jibeom stretched out his tongue and licked Saewoo’s cheek.

“Eek! W-What are you doing?!”

Saewoo, who had been focused solely on Jibeom’s paw, shrieked in shock at the unexpected contact, retreating hastily.

As he did, the panther playfully snorted through its nose.

“Stop it, seriously…!”

When Saewoo tried to push the fluffy black mass away, the panther instead shoved its nose closer, rustling Saewoo’s hair while letting out a deep growl.

Sniff.

Jibeom suddenly stretched his neck and turned his head sharply.

His pupils thinned as he locked onto a group of leopard shifters lounging on a rooftop in the distance, grooming themselves leisurely.

“Huh? When did they get there…?”

It seemed the leopard shifters hadn’t noticed Jibeom and Saewoo nearby.

“Grrr…”

Once again, Jibeom opened his jaws wide as if intending to carry Saewoo away.

Thunk!

This time, Saewoo swiftly blocked his open mouth with both arms.

“Hold on! If you’re planning to chase them again, then…”

“……?”

Saewoo unfolded a grooming cape he had set aside earlier and spread it wide.

Holding the edges in his hands, he approached Jibeom’s back.

Although reluctant, Jibeom decided to let Saewoo continue with whatever he was doing for now.

Rustle, swish…

After struggling a bit to secure the cape around the black panther’s large body, Saewoo stepped back with a satisfied expression and dusted off his hands.

“There! How’s that?”

“…….”

The shimmering grooming cape was tied snugly around the enormous panther’s waist, resembling a makeshift sling.

* * *