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When I arrived outside my apartment door, I realized I had a problem. How am I supposed to open the door while I'm carrying Senpai like this?! I pressed my knee against the wall beside my door and supported Senpai with my thigh while I dug around for my keys. This would never work without the extra support from Kulau's spirit power... Eventually I was able to fumble the door open. Thank god nobody came out of their room and saw me out there.

I laid Senpai gently onto my bed, and then took a few steps back. He still hadn't moved, but at least he looked more like he was sleeping and less like he was dead. Hmm... I had this nagging feeling that something was off about my room.

Something grabbed me from behind and threw me onto the floor. The next thing I knew, Leopard Cat was on top of me, looking down at me with an animalistic grin. "I've got you now, Liao!" he exclaimed. "I finished off the old man, and now it's your turn!" Leopard Cat raised one of his hands, and then brought his claws down towards my neck.

I braced for the impact, closing my eyes and awaiting the feeling of his claws ripping at my flesh... but nothing came. In fact, the pressure from Leopard Cat's body was gone entirely.

"That was not funny, you stupid, foolish kitten."

That was Lin Hu's voice...! I opened my eyes to see my Guardian Tiger once again lifting Leopard Cat by his collar.

"Aww, I was just having a bit of fun. You gotta admit, Liao. I had you going there," said Leopard Cat.

I just kinda stared at him in disbelief. "Y-yeah, you did, but... Lin Hu's right. This isn't the time for jokes like that."

Leopard Cat's shoulders fell in defeat.

Guardian Tiger turned his attention towards me. "Welcome back, Liao. Glad you made it back in one piece, and with your Senpai as well." Tiger looked around. "Where's Kulau? Wasn't he with you?"

"Ah, yeah, he was. He's outside talking to Hynos right now."

"The city guardian that protected us earlier? What's he doing here?"

"Yeah. We ran into him at Senpai's place, and he followed us back for... some reason," I said. "He said he's been hunting Leopard Cat, and he was there to check Senpai's body for clues, or something like that. Now he's asking Kulau questions about what we did."

"Ugh, of course he's here. Just what I needed right now," said Leopard Cat. The yaoguai crossed his arms in front of his chest and glared at the floor, sulking over the news of the canine guardian's presence.

"He actually wants to talk to all of us, eventually. Said something about bringing us in front of the City God so we can tell him what happened."

Leopard Cat's sulking expression turned into one of full-blown panic. He looked back at me but didn't say anything. His eyes searched my face for... something. I'm not sure what he wanted from me. Reassurance? Whatever he wanted, I guess he didn't find it, because he went right back to sulking.

Meanwhile, Guardian Tiger just sighed. "Annoying, but not unexpected."

"A-anyway..." Guardian Tiger didn't seem pleased, so I decided to change the subject. "You're looking much better, Lin Hu. Much less... transparent. I guess all your spirit power's back?"

"Most of it, yes. I'm still a little weak, but I'll manage," said Guardian Tiger. "What's going on with Yan Shu-Chi? Why hasn't he woken up yet?"

"I'm fine too. Thanks for asking!" said Leopard Cat.

"I don't know. Hynos said it could take a while, so... we just gotta wait, I guess."

"Hmm. I see."

A knock at the door interrupted our conversation. "Ah, that must be Kulau." I opened the door and sure enough, it was Clouded Leopard. "Come in." Kulau slipped inside my apartment and I shut the door behind him. "What did Hynos want?"

"Many questions. About us. About Yan Shu-Chi. Hard to answer..." explained Kulau. "Left. Said... will be back."

Guess we won't be rid of Hynos anytime soon... Guardian Tiger was right. This is gonna be annoying.

"Well, now that we're all here..." said Guardian Tiger as he dropped Leopard Cat, who landed on his feet. "Start explaining yourself, kitten. Tell them what you told me." Leopard Cat continued avoiding eye contact until Guardian Tiger pushed against the smaller cat's back, making him stumble forward.

Leopard Cat gasped as he almost lost his balance. "Ack, fine! Just let me gather my thoughts first!" Leopard Cat took one long, deep breath and then looked directly into my eyes. "...This entire month, I've been deceiving you. I used your Senpai to get close to you. I almost killed him because I wanted your spirit power for myself..."

"Remember the god of soil in Miaoli? He's not in danger of disappearing, because... I made him up." Leopard Cat frowned and looked down towards the floor. "That day I came over to your apartment, I didn't realize your third eye had awoken. I was planning to eat you, right then and there. But seeing the old man and Kulau here... I just panicked and made something up."

"So... if I had gone to Miaoli with you..."

"I would've eaten your soul the first chance I got. You probably wouldn't even make it there." His words sent shivers across my body. Guardian Tiger's suspicions had been right from the start. "I should've ran away as soon as I saw you had a guardian tiger, but something drew me to you. I don't know whether it was Yan Shu-Chi's influence, or if I just wanted your spirit power that badly, but whatever it was convinced me to stay."

He continued. "And that's how our month together started. Like I told you, I tried everything I could think of to get you by yourself, but nothing worked. Even when I thought we were alone, the old man was always watching us from the shadows."

"Eating your soul was always on my mind. I won't deny that. I abused your Senpai's connections and did all I could to get you to trust me. But... It was strange. I..." Leopard Cat hesitated. "I actually enjoyed the time I spent with you. I felt like I had a friend, like you actually cared about me." The yaoguai refused to make any eye contact now. He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I told myself it was all fake, and that if you knew what I had done to your Senpai you'd hate me for sure. But... I still couldn't let you go. I still wanted to around you even if our friendship was a lie."

Leopard Cat let out a small, sad laugh. "The worst part of it all? I didn't understand why I felt like this. I was constantly struggling against my desires to both eat you and to hang out and have fun with you. It drove me mad. I wanted to go on more dates, but I knew my time was running out. I just couldn't stand these conflicting feelings anymore."

The half-yaoguai sighed. "It didn't help that you were the first person I've tried to eat that could actually see me. And you were the first person to care about me, the yaoguai, and not the one I was impersonating. When I disappeared and you went all the way to your Senpai's home looking for me... it honestly shocked me. I wanted to make you worry, but I didn't expect you do anything about it. What finally broke me was when you offered to build me a temple here in the city. The guilt and shame of what I'd done overcame me. But it was far too late to give Yan Shu-Chi back. I'd stolen so much of his soul already."

Guardian Tiger spoke next. "The unusual amount of foreign energy we felt floating around inside this kitten's body was his way of trying to return your Senpai's soul. Of course, yaoguai bodies do not work that way. As long as he resided within Yan Shu-Chi, he would continue to drain bits of his soul."

"The old man's right. I really did try, but it didn't work." Leopard Cat sighed again as his shoulders fell. "Then the yaoguai in me decided enough was enough. It's a lame excuse, I know, but I lost all my self-control. 'All I've ever done is steal other's souls. Why should I let now be any different?' I thought. So I took one last gamble... and I lost. The moment Kulau failed, I knew it was all over. I ditched Yan Shu-Chi's body and ran away. I wanted to see if you would follow me and what you would do if you caught me. I came back here despite facing certain death just so I could see you one last time. Part of me wanted to die... part of me wanted it to be you that killed me... but you didn't. Even if it was only to save your Senpai... you still showed me mercy."

Leopard Cat glanced up at me, exposing the glistening tears in the corners of his eyes. "I-I'm so glad you're still alive, Liao." His breath hitched, and he was unable to stop the tears from spilling forth. He quickly averted his gaze and wiped his eyes with the back of his wrist. "I... I've never felt this close to someone before, and I threw it all away before I realized what I had. Our chance for a normal friendship was gone before I'd even met you."

Hearing Leopard Cat speak made my chest tighten. The raw emotion I felt behind his words... it's just like what I felt on our date at the arcade. It's a side of him he rarely lets out.

He sniffled, keeping his head lowered. "At least now that the old man's turned me into a god, I won't be able to hurt anyone anymore. My yaoguai urges are completely gone. So if you want me to leave you alone I..." He trailed off.

I waited a few seconds until it seemed like he had finished speaking. "Leopard Cat..." I said. The half-yaoguai looked up at me. Streaks of fur under his eyes remained damp, but he was no longer crying. "I... I don't want that. I don't want you to leave."

Leopard Cat stared at me with shock. "W-what?! Why? After everything I've done to you...?"

"Do you still not understand, kitten?" said Guardian Tiger. "The only reason you're still standing is because Liao does care about you. He specifically asked us not to kill you. His capacity to forgive is far greater than mine."

"Initially I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with you... You've done so many horrible things, and to a lot more people than just Senpai and I," I said to Leopard Cat. "For some reason, I still wanted to hear what you had to say. I guess I really was looking for an excuse to forgive you, even after all that's happened. I do hate what you've done, but I can't hate you. I should, but... I just can't."

"It's just not in Liao's nature," said Guardian Tiger. "Honestly, I would be more surprised if he did order us to dispose of you, kitten."

Guardian Tiger was right. Part of me had always intended to let Leopard Cat go. "Was everything you said the truth, Leopard Cat?" I asked.

"Of course!" Leopard Cat said with a small jump. He looked at me with an unamused half-glared, as if I had insulted him by questioning his words. "The good and the bad! For once, I'll take responsibility for my actions. I don't want to lie to you or hurt you anymore, Liao."

I really do want to believe him. I want to believe he's changed. I want to trust him for real. "If you're really serious, then... I'll believe you. We can start over. You can live here with me and Guardian Tiger, and maybe Clouded Leopard too, if he wants to stay. We can all be friends for real. We'll even build you a shrine in my room if we have to."

Leopard Cat's eyes widened. "R-really?" he asked, and I nodded. "Liao... I don't know what to say. I don't deserve your kindness."

"You are absolutely right. You don't deserve it, kitten," said Guardian Tiger. "And if you take advantage of Liao again, I will personally deal with you. Understand?"

The yaoguai frowned and looked back down towards the floor. "Y-yeah... I got it."

There was still one thing I had to know. "Leopard Cat. Tell me, which you was the real Leopard Cat? Did you only want to be friends because you had Senpai's soul?"

"They were both real," he said. "I wasn't lying when I said your Senpai and I had very similar personalities," said Leopard Cat. "It's true I become what I eat. It lets me mimic their personality, but I never forget who I am underneath that. Senpai was almost a perfect match, so everything I did felt natural to me. The only thing eating his soul provided me with was the means to get close to you... and his crush on you. But now that Yan Shu-Chi is no longer influencing me, I can tell these are my own feelings." Leopard Cat looked directly into my eyes and steeled himself. "Liao, I... I like you!"

A confession?! Now, of all times?!

"Hmph. This kitten's delirious from all that power swimming around inside of him. Don't pay him any mind Liao," said Guardian Tiger.

"Shut up old man! I'm serious here!"

"At least wait until Yan Shu-Chi has woken up. What will you do, kitten, if he does not? How would you feel then? How do you think Liao would feel? Think about someone other than yourself for a change."

Leopard Cat opened his mouth to speak, but was unable to find any words to respond with. He just closed his mouth and stared at the floor to avoid our eyes.

"I've already thought about that," I said. The two spirits turned their attention to me. "Leopard Cat. Senpai is your responsibility now. Whether he wakes or not, you will take care of him." Both of them seemed confused. "If Senpai doesn't make it... then Leopard Cat will take care of his body, just like he did before." I turned towards the half-yaoguai. "You'd live your life as Yan Shu-Chi until his physical body died. His life, his goals, his relationships, his dreams... they'd all be yours to live out in his place. It wouldn't make up for robbing him of his chance to do the same... but it would help honor his memory."

"Seems fair to me," said Guardian Tiger.

"Of course you'd say that! You're not the one who has to do it!" Leopard Cat sighed. "But I understand. If it comes down to it... I'll do it."

"And what if Yan Shu-Chi lives?" asked Guardian Tiger.

"Then Leopard Cat will become his Guardian Tiger. He will protect Senpai just as Lin Hu protects me." Both of them seemed shocked by that.

"What?! So I'm stuck with him anyways? Ugh..." Leopard Cat's shoulders sank.

"I understand your intentions here, Liao," said Guardian Tiger. "But it is not so easy to become a Guardian Tiger. He would first need to be summoned by Goddess Mazu, and then have a guardian statue made. And even after all that, you'd still need to convince your Senpai to worship the kitten or else his power will fade. He needs faith to sustain himself now."

"Yan Shu-Chi can't even see me!" said Leopard Cat. "It would be so incredibly boring to watch over someone I can't even interact with! And besides, you told me I could stay here with you. What if he wants to move away? What if he doesn't want anything to do with you after this?"

"Oh... I... I don't know." I guess I hadn't thought this through.

"Settle down, kitten. Why don't we wait and see if Yan Shu-Chi actually wakes? Then we'll decide your fate."

"Yan Shu-Chi wakes," repeated Kulau.

"Yes, that's what I said," said Guardian Tiger.

"No," Kulau said and gestured towards Senpai's body. "Look."

All at once, the three of us realized what Kulau meant. We rushed over to my bed to see for ourselves.