Chapter 1

I was pulled into a tragic novel and woke up as a stray cat. That's when I met him—Parker Mckenzie, the boy fated to become a ruthless villain.

He was cold, abandoned by the world, and drowning in loneliness.

But to him, I became the only light.

As a cat, I stayed by his side, curling up beside him through every sleepless night, guarding him through the storm no one else could see.

He named me Sunny.

But I knew a cat's life is fleeting. And his journey was just beginning.

I opened my eyes to a world that loomed unnaturally large.

No, the world didn't grow larger. I was the one who shrank.

My limbs were stubby and covered in soft fur, and my field of vision was absurdly close to the ground. Instinctively, I tried to rub my eyes—only to find, to my shock, that what I saw was a fluffy orange-and-white paw.

"Meow?" A faint, kitten-like sound escaped my throat—that wasn't my voice.

I froze. This wasn't my voice... This wasn't even my body.

I looked around and realized I was curled up inside a cardboard box, surrounded by dumpsters and piles of fallen leaves.

The autumn wind swept a few dried leaves past my whiskers, carrying strange new scents that spoke to me in a language only felines could understand.

"Memories came flooding back."

Just last night, I was staying up late reading The Extinction of Ashes, my heart aching for the teenage years of Parker Mckenzie, the story's future villain.

That prodigy boy, Parker—abandoned by his father, with a terminally ill mother, and relentlessly bullied at school—would ultimately descend into darkness and become a ruthless business tycoon, destroying countless lives, his own included.

"That damn author," I muttered, though all that came out was a soft purr. "How could you give poor Parker such a tragic ending..."

Suddenly, a muffled clamor of human voices reached me from the distance.

Instinctively, I perked up my ears, my whole body tensing.

My human instincts told me to hide, but feline curiosity drove me to creep stealthily toward the source of the noise.

In a secluded corner behind the school, several uniformed boys formed a tight circle.

In the middle stood a lanky teenager, his faded school uniform hanging loosely on him like clothes on a scarecrow.

The blond boy sneered, "Hey Parker, so your mom's in the hospital again? Let me guess—psych ward or cancer ward this time?"

Triston, the blond bully, shoved Parker's shoulder roughly.

My eyes widened sharply.

Wait, that scrawny boy was Parker, the future business tycoon from the novel?

Right now, he looked like nothing more than a scrawny, underfed high schooler. It was hard to imagine he would ever become the powerful man he's destined to be.

Parker remained silent, enduring the shoves without protest, his hands clenched into tight fists at his sides.

His gaze dropped, thick lashes casting shadows across his pale face, veiling whatever emotion might have shown in his eyes.

"What, cat got your tongue? Did your dad bail 'cause he couldn't stand your pathetic face?" Another boy snatched the book from Parker's arms and tossed it carelessly to his buddy.

The book arced through the air and splashed into a puddle.

Parker's body trembled slightly, yet he made no move.

I noticed his fingernails digging so deep into his palms that they must have left marks.

"Look at the straight-A student Parker. He can't even catch a book!"

Triston Harrison threw his head back with a cruel laugh, smacking Parker across the face. "Does your mommy know she raised such a pathetic loser at school?"

At that moment, Parker lifted his gaze.

A chilling glint flashed in Parker's eyes—a coldness I'd never seen in any human's gaze before. Even as a cat, it sent shivers down my spine.

But the bullies seemed oblivious, continuing their cruel torment undeterred.

Triston started rummaging through Parker's schoolbag, tossing the contents onto the ground one by one—a battered wallet, some hospital receipts, and a rice ball wrapped in a plastic bag...

Before I could even think, my body sprang forward—propelled by a surge of courage I never knew I had.

With feline speed that surprised even myself, I pounced on Triston in a flash.

Triston yelped, "Ah! What the hell was that?!"

"It's a stray cat!"

"It scratched Triston!"

My claws raked three bloody gashes across Triston's arm. With a yelp, he let go, sending Parker's schoolbag crashing to the ground.

With my back arched and fur bristling, I planted myself in front of Parker, hissing menacingly.

The bullies were clearly caught off guard, momentarily frozen in shock.

I turned to glance at Parker, only to lock eyes with his wary, bewildered gaze.

Parker crouched down slowly, gathering his scattered belongings, his eyes never leaving me, wary yet curious.

His gaze was so complex—a hint of gratitude, but even more suspicion and wariness, as if he were asking, "Why are you helping me? What do you want from me?"

Triston snapped out of his shock, cursing loudly as he lunged forward, only for Parker to suddenly draw himself up to his full height.

Though Parker was much scrawnier than Triston, the commanding presence he radiated in that moment froze them all in their tracks.

"That's enough." Parker's voice was low but razor-sharp. "The dean's coming this way."

Obviously a lie, but the bullies, their guilty consciences showing, exchanged nervous glances and hurried off. Before leaving, Triston couldn't resist throwing in a threat: "This isn't over. You're dead tomorrow!"

Only Parker and I remained standing there, the sudden silence heavy between us.

Autumn leaves swirled between us in the wind. He stared at me, I stared back—time seemed to stand still.

Parker was the first to move.

Parker bent down to pick up the last book, gently shook off the water droplets. Then, much to my surprise, he reached into the plastic bag, took out the surviving rice ball, broke off a small piece, placed it on the ground, and pushed it toward me.

"Here. Consider it a thank you," Parker said flatly. "Not that I needed your help."

I hesitated for a moment before cautiously padding toward the dry bread.

My heart ached inside this cat's body. This bread was probably Parker's only lunch, yet he didn't hesitate to share it with a stray cat he'd never met.

Just as my nose was about to touch the bread, Parker suddenly stood up and took two steps back.

"Don't follow me." With those terse words, Parker turned away, his gaunt frame soon vanishing around the school building's corner.

I lingered there, the warm scent of the bread filling my senses.

My feline instincts had me devouring that precious morsel in seconds, but the human in me was already grappling with a far more complex question:

I'd become a cat inside the very story I once read, and now, it seemed, my calling was to save Parker, the boy destined to fall into darkness.