PUPPY 54

“I’m going to ask another question.”

At Seowoo’s words, Juwon barked in a happy voice.

“Woof!”

‘Okay.’

Do you want a kiss this time too? Do you want a hug? It would be nice if he asked something like that. Then he was planning to quickly choose ‘O’ and get a kiss or a hug. ‘Drumroll, please’ Seowoo even made a sound effect with his mouth, as if he were about to ask a very important question.

“Jjokko has an owner.”

“Woof…”

At Seowoo’s question, Juwon let out a dejected sound. It was the same question as before.

“Choose, Jjokko has an owner.”

“Whine…”

‘That’s a difficult question to define.’

O and X. It was not an easy question to answer by choosing one of the two. Juwon just looked back and forth between the two cards, unable to easily extend his front paw.

“Is it too difficult a question? Or do you not want to answer?”

“Woof!”

‘The former.’

Juwon answered with a short, firm bark.

“I don’t know what you mean…”

“Woof woof.”

‘The former, I said. It’s a difficult question, Seowoo.’

Juwon explained calmly, but Seowoo seemed to want a clear-cut, all-or-nothing answer. Juwon, who was looking down at the O and X cards that were getting closer to him, looked up at Seowoo and tilted his head.

“Jjokko, you don’t have an owner?”

“Woof…”

‘Strictly speaking, I don’t really have a reason to call anyone else owner… so no.’

Juwon answered, looking at the card marked X. But his paw didn’t readily go on top of it.

“Jjokko. Own. Er. Do you not know what the word owner means?”

“Woof!”

‘Of course I know!’

Wouldn’t even a non-hybrid dog know that much? Juwon thought, barking shortly at Seowoo.

“An owner is someone who takes care of you and is responsible for you.”

Seowoo explained the meaning of the word ‘owner’ slowly while stroking Juwon’s head.

“In return, you… have to listen well and obey. Is the word obey too difficult?”

Seowoo continued to explain, stroking Juwon’s head with a gentle touch.

“Uhm… what I mean is, if I say paw, you give me your paw, and if I say lie down, you lie down. You just do everything I tell you to.”

“Woof…”

‘I know what obedience is, too…’

“Jjokko, paw.”

At Seowoo’s words, Juwon automatically extended his front paw. It was something Seowoo had him do every day, so it had now become a habit.

“See? It’s no different from what Jjokko does every day.”

Juwon looked down at his front paw resting on Seowoo’s white palm. No different from what I do every day…?

‘Have I been obeying Seowoo all this time?’

“In return, your master has to love Jjokko and take good care of him. And praise him when he does well…. That’s what it is, okay?”

“Woof…”

‘Huh…?’

Listening to Seowoo’s explanation seemed to make him even more confused. Seowoo threw another question at the confused Juwon.

“Jjokko, do you have an owner?”

“Woof…”

‘I thought I didn’t… but I guess I’ll have to say I do from now on.’

Juwon, after contemplating, placed each of his front paws on the O and X cards.

“What am I supposed to do if you pick both.”

Seowoo, oblivious to Juwon’s inner turmoil, laughed brightly.

So the relationship between me and Seowoo right now was that of a master and a dog…?

Juwon, who had thought he had a fairly equal relationship with Seowoo even in his puppy form, was a little shocked.

In fact, the image that came to mind when he heard the phrase ‘master and dog’ was, no different from what other humans thought, a very extreme image. Juwon let out a groaning sound and imagined it. Himself in human form wearing a harness, and Seowoo brandishing his leash.

‘Huh, that’s not bad…?’

The gentle caresses and the fluttery kisses were nice, but a determined Seowoo as his master wasn’t bad either. He thought a Seowoo who wielded both carrot and stick and provided appropriate discipline would also be very enchanting.

“If that was too hard, I’ll ask a different question.”

Seowoo said, gently pushing away Juwon’s paws that were on top of the cards.

“Woof.”

‘Go ahead.’

“Jjokko has a home to go back to.”

“Woof! Woof!”

‘It’s right across the street!’

This time, Juwon had no trouble placing his front paw on the card marked ‘O’.

“You have a home. That’s a relief.”

Seowoo smiled brightly. Looking at Seowoo, Juwon also stuck his tongue out and smiled. Thinking about it again, the dog language translator was useless. Communicating with cards like this seemed much better. The fact that Seowoo, who only had about 200,000 won even if he saved up all his allowance, had spent that much money on the translator still made Juwon’s heart ache.

Juwon, who had checked the time on Seowoo’s cell phone screen, walked to the door.

“Whine, whine.”

It was time to go. Juwon scratched the door with his front paw.

“I’ll open the door for you.”

“Woof!”

‘Thanks. Sleep well.’

“Bye. Jjokko.”

At the same time as Seowoo’s farewell, a piercing, creepy sound was heard from far away.

What was that. The sound was coming from somewhere other than this alley, so the human Seowoo didn’t seem to have heard it at all. Besides, it was so faint that even Juwon was unsure what kind of animal it was.

Juwon held his breath and waited where he stood. But only a deep silence flowed, as if nothing had happened.

“Be careful on your way, Jjokko.”

Juwon looked at Seowoo, who was watching him with worried eyes. He thought it would be best to stay near Seowoo and protect him. This was a very instinctual thought.

Juwon passed the stairs and the yard and went outside Seowoo’s house through the doggy door. And instead of going straight home, he walked with his body pressed closely against the wall.

With his lowered vision, he could see things he couldn’t in his human state. Turning into a puppy was also useful for acquiring olfactory information left on the ground.

Flicker, flicker.

When he raised his head at the unfamiliar noise, a streetlight was flickering as if it would go out at any moment.

🦴

Seowoo, back from school, headed downstairs where his grandmother and grandfather were staying, instead of going up to his room on the second floor.

“I’m home.”

As he greeted his grandmother and grandfather who were sitting facing each other at the dining table, a gentle “Oh, Seowoo, you’re here?” followed. He was hungry because he had eaten a poor lunch that didn’t suit his taste. While Seowoo opened the refrigerator and looked inside, his grandmother and grandfather resumed their interrupted conversation.

“You know, that red brick house has been empty for a long time…”

The red brick house was a dilapidated-looking house in the same alley where Jinsooni’s owner, the grandmother, lived.

“Didn’t someone say they were moving in?”

“I thought so too, but when I saw it yesterday, they said the house wasn’t sold.”

“That’s strange…. Then who was that young man?”

“I don’t know. They said he was going to check it out soon…”

Seowoo took out a bowl of fruit from inside the refrigerator and ate it with a fork. His grandmother called out to Seowoo, whose one cheek was bulging.

“Seowoo.”

“Yes.”

“Did you find someone to take the dog?”

“Ah…”

His grandmother asked Seowoo in a gentle voice. Underneath her, Gureum was slowly wagging his tail. Gureum was particularly fond of his grandmother. His grandfather was the one who took care of his food and water, and his grandmother didn’t treat Gureum in any special way, but he was always by his grandmother’s side.

“Juwon and I are looking for someone. We posted online and asked people we know, so we’ve gotten a lot of responses.”

In fact, Seowoo had seen his grandmother stroking Gureum a few times. But then, if their eyes met, his grandmother would take her hand off Gureum and use a lint roller to pick up the fur that had fallen on the floor.

Every time he saw that, Seowoo felt dispirited, as if he was the reason his grandmother and grandfather couldn’t even have a pet, because he wasn’t healthy.

He knew that in reality, it wasn’t his fault, but his family’s consideration and love. He knew it in his head, but when he wasn’t feeling well or was on edge, he would feel as if everything in the world was his fault.

“Hey, take your time looking…. Don’t stress yourself out worrying about it when you should be studying.”

His grandfather said, looking back and forth between Seowoo and Gureum. Seowoo forced the corners of his mouth up and answered, “Yes.” Even though he had eaten sweet fruit, only a bitter taste remained in his mouth.

🦴

“Have you been waiting long?”

Juwon asked, naturally wrapping his arm around the waist of Seowoo, who was standing in front of the study room.

“No. I came out right after you texted.”

“That’s a relief. Did you not want to study today?”

At Juwon’s question, Seowoo smiled and nodded. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to study, but he had too many distracting thoughts and wanted to get out of the study room.

“Let’s go.”

Juwon said, leading Seowoo to the elevator. Not long after, the elevator doors opened, and a group of female students got out. Seeing Juwon and Seowoo, the girls made a ‘gasp’ sound and then passed by, laughing amongst themselves. Their gazes went precisely between Juwon and him, and just as he was wondering why, he saw Juwon’s hand wrapped around his waist. It had been so natural that Seowoo hadn’t been conscious of Juwon’s hand at all.

“…Is this okay?”

Seowoo whispered to himself as he got on the elevator with other students.

“What is?”

Juwon, who had heard Seowoo’s muttering, turned his head to meet his eyes and asked.

“No, it’s nothing.”