The Old Cat Under the Lighthouse

On the cliff's edge where the sea breeze howled, stood an old lighthouse. The lighthouse keeper, an old man, had rescued a dying kitten in his youth and named it 'A-ju'. From that day on, A-ju became the lighthouse's most loyal guardian. As years passed, the old man's steps grew slower, but A-ju always stayed by his side. Whenever night fell and the lighthouse's powerful beam lit up, A-ju would hop onto a wooden crate next to the control panel, quietly keeping the old man company during night shifts. Later, the old man fell ill and was admitted to the hospital, never to return to the lighthouse. A-ju, however, did not leave. Every evening, it would still jump onto the wooden crate, gazing out at the dark sea. The villagers, feeling sorry for it, wanted to take it home to raise, but it always stubbornly ran back to the lighthouse. One night, a few months later, the lighthouse beam flickered a few times and then went out. A-ju was found curled up gently on the old man's worn-out coat, its eyes peacefully closed. It had fulfilled its promise of companionship throughout its life, until its very last moment.