Saebyeok pounced on my tail.

Chomp—!

With her feline instincts, she bit down using her sharp canines.

It wasn’t a hard bite, but it was the first time I’d ever felt pain through my tail. Even someone like me, accustomed to pain, couldn’t help but flinch in surprise.

“Nyah!”

A catlike yelp escaped my mouth before I quickly shut it. It wasn’t an “ouch” or an “ah!” but a “nyah!”—a sound befitting a feline instinct that might have been deeply ingrained in me.

“S-sorry...”

Realizing what she had done, Saebyeok froze, fidgeting awkwardly while stealing glances at me to gauge …