It's Not A Cheetah, It's A Jaguar

Ryung was waiting for Tim to use the bathroom before they went out for the evening. He was standing outside of their house in the gated courtyard. He wore a pair of black slacks, and a somewhat wrinkled white and silver dress shirt--he usually preferred t-shirts, so he had to rummage around in his closet until he found something suitable hidden under a pile of his other clothes. He hoped the club they were going to visit wasn't too upscale, although he suspected he would be disappointed, given that they had hostesses.

Many of the herbs his father had personally planted were beginning to bloom. There were small islands of colorful foliage and bamboo interspersed between cobbled river-stone pathways. On the left side of the courtyard, there was a sitting bench next to a burbling lion-headed stone fountain. It was one of his favorite places, and he often sat there to paint, sketch, or catch a break from his family.

He pulled out his phone. It was black, with a pink cherry tree sticker. He logged into the bank app, and checked his bank balance. Only six hundred thousand won, but that was fine for a night out. He wasn't planning to make any extravagant purchases.

"Bro, it's show time. Just wait until you meet Simba. You're going to love him." Tim called out, opening the door.

"Simba?" Ryung asked. He hadn't realized anyone else would be coming with them.

"It's a surprise. Let's go!" Tim headed to the entrance, without looking back. Ryung shrugged his shoulders, and followed along.

On the other side of the metal gate, there was a lime-green sports car parked in front of their house. Ryung wondered who it belonged to; it was obviously expensive. The windows were tinted dark and the Kanji for peace was painted in bold black characters on the side.

"It's a sweet ride, right?" Tim said enthusiastically.

"This is yours?" Ryung asked.

Tim walked over to the driver's side, "Yep, got this beauty over break." He said.

"It's very...colorful." Ryung said, neutrally.

"It sure is." Tim opened the door and got in. Ryung wondered how much time Tim had spent driving since arriving. But there was no going back now.

He opened the other door and slipped inside. The interior was a rich brown leather, with a number of digital panels displaying mileage, speed, and some other other numbers Ryung wasn't familiar with.

As he sank into the soft seat, Tim turned up the radio and said, "Ryung, meet Simba!" He gestured in the direction of the back passenger seats.

"Hello, it's good to..." his words trailed off, and he jerked backward, as if stung. There was a giant cat with black spots sitting in the back. Frantically, he grabbed the door handle and yanked. But the door wouldn't open.

"Tim, quick, pop the lock." Ryung yelled, shrinking back as far away from the cat as possible in the tiny space.

Tim laughed loudly and smacked Ryung on the shoulder. "You should see your face. Don't worry, Simba is harmless." Tim crowed.

Ryung tried to still his beating heart. It was clear this cat was Tim's pet. However, it was still a dangerous animal that could likely rip his head off in one bite. It seemed calm now, but who knew when that would change. "Tim, I'm not riding with a Cheetah!"

Tim started the engine, and pulled out from the curb. "Simba is a Jaguar, not a Cheetah. And if you keep acting like that, you'll hurt Simba's feelings. He's a very gentle cat. Don't be rude, Ryung." He reached out and stroked Simba's massive head.

Simba rumbled and leaned into Tim's hand. The cat was clearly enjoying the attention.

Ryung couldn't wait to get this car ride over with. He wasn't sure if Tim planned to drop the cat off first, or leave it in the car when they got to the club. However, either way, he'd only have to endure the close proximity for a short period of time. He didn't like the way the cat was eyeing him.

"You fed Simba recently, right?" Ryung inquired.

"Not today, but once we get setup in the club room, I'll order him some steaks. He likes them extra rare." Tim said.

A thought occurred to Ryung. "You don't intend to bring him into the club with us, do you?"

"Of course. I don't want Simba getting lonely. Anyway, why should we have all the fun?" Tim replied.

Ryung didn't know what to say. In all likelihood, they'd never let them into the club with a Jaguar. So, perhaps his evening would end with less hassle than he had expected. But on the off chance they did, he couldn't imagine this night ending well.