PUPPY 14

‘I’m actually good at waiting patiently. If you think it’s commendable, you can praise me.’

He remembered how Juwon had said he was good at waiting and asked for praise instead of thanks.

“Good…, boy.”

“Good boy?”

“Yeah.”

It felt awkward to give praise instead of thanks. But seeing Juwon’s bright smile, he felt it was a good decision.

“Did you do well on the exam?”

“So-so. It was a bit hard, but it was manageable.”

Juwon answered Seowoo’s question with a shrug. To be honest, Seowoo had judged Juwon by his looks and assumed he wouldn’t be very interested in studying, but that was a misjudgment. Juwon’s grades were quite good.

His momentary focus and endurance were unmatched, and given that his hyung also attended Korea University, it seemed he had a good head on his shoulders.

“And you.”

“I did well too.”

A quiet silence lingered between them after Seowoo’s answer. For some reason, Seowoo felt resentful of his own personality, which didn’t know how to make funny jokes.

Perhaps because his mood had sunk a little after the conversation with the teacher, he felt at a loss as to how to bring up the everyday stories he would normally have chattered on about.

They weren’t awkward with each other, but the conversation that followed was awkward. Not awkward in a negative sense, but an awkwardness born from the subtle tension between them. Before they knew it, the two had arrived in front of the study hall building where the convenience store was.

“Are you going straight to the study hall?”

Seowoo shook his head at Juwon’s question and replied.

“No, I’m going home first.”

“Are you tired?”

“I’m not tired, but I guess I was nervous because it was the first mock exam. Now that it’s over, I just want to rest.”

The two walked past the study hall building and down the alley towards home. And not long after, they arrived in front of their respective houses.

Now they just had to turn around and go into their own homes, but they didn’t move, as if their ankles were tied. Seowoo felt a lingering sense of disappointment as well, but he couldn’t just stand on the street.

“I’m going.”

Seowoo, who was opening the gate with his key, mustered the courage to turn around. And just as he was about to call Juwon’s name.

“Juwon, let’s….”

Juwon, who opened his mouth at almost the same time as Seowoo, asked a very impulsive question.

“Do you want to come over to my place?”

“To your place?”

“Yeah.”

Would it seem a bit creepy to suddenly invite him over? Juwon ran a hand through his hair, frowned as if in thought, and said.

“Do you want to see my dog?”

“A dog?”

It was as if his mother and father were shouting ‘No,’ and ‘Cha Juwon!’ in both ears, but there was no better excuse to naturally invite Seowoo into his home.

“Yeah.”

Faced with Seowoo, who was smiling softly with an expectant expression, his parents’ warnings faded far away. Juwon took Seowoo’s hand and led him to the gate.

“Come in.”

A gasp of admiration naturally escaped Seowoo’s lips as he entered Juwon’s house.

“Wow….”

The tile-roofed house where Juwon lived was right in front of Seowoo’s, but he had never seen inside because the gate was always firmly closed.

He had heard that it had been under renovation for a long time, and indeed, the tile-roofed house was very neatly organized.

“…Your house is really nice.”

The tiles covering the roof and the wooden pillars supporting the foundation were as they had been before, but the ceiling with built-in lighting and the newly installed flooring gave it a modern feel as well. The yard was covered with soft grass, and because the area was so large, it looked just like a soccer field.

He took off his shoes and stepped up onto the wooden floor. Juwon explained the purpose of the rooms lined up to the side as he guided Seowoo to the largest room, which was used as the living room.

“I’ll get you something to drink.”

“Just water for me.”

At Seowoo’s answer, Juwon disappeared into the kitchen. Seowoo, sitting on the sofa, took in the view visible through the floor-to-ceiling window that filled one entire wall. Juwon, who had filled a glass with water in no time, tapped Seowoo on the shoulder and asked.

“Do you want some dumplings?”

Seowoo shook his head at Juwon’s question and asked with sparkling eyes.

“Where’s the dog?”

“Ah—.”

Juwon, who had been so focused on the thought of hanging out with Seowoo that he had already forgotten his excuse about showing him the dog, suddenly lowered his head to Seowoo’s shoulder.

“Arf.”

Then he lightly bit his nape and made a dog sound.

‘Get out before I bite you for real.’

Sometimes, when his friends were being annoying beyond a certain point, Juwon would threaten to bite them in a low voice. No one had actually been bitten so far, but somehow Seowoo became the first.

It wasn’t a painful bite, but it was enough to leave a slight teeth mark, and a groan naturally escaped Seowoo’s lips.

“Ahh—.”

Startled by the sound he had made, Seowoo tried to get up. But Juwon, not caring at all, leaned against Seowoo, putting his weight on him.

The difference in strength due to their size difference must have been quite large, because no matter how much he pushed, Juwon didn’t budge an inch. Instead, he lifted his face from Seowoo’s shoulder and said.

“I’m the dog. Woof—.”

His tone was playful, but the ‘woof—’ bark sounded quite realistic.

“What is this?”

“How is it?”

In front of Seowoo’s eyes was Juwon, wearing white puppy ears. Juwon had a cool and aloof image, but the sight of him with white, round puppy ears suited him surprisingly well.

“…Cute.”

“Not cool?”

“Just cute.”

Seowoo replied with a laugh to Juwon’s serious question. Juwon confirmed once again that when Ryu Seowoo smiled pleasantly, the cute fat under his eyes became prominent.

“But where’s the dog? You do have a dog, right?”

Seowoo asked Juwon, who was still wearing the puppy ears. He looked around, but the only sign of a dog was an incredibly expensive-looking dog bed.

There was none of the characteristic smell of a house with a dog, and the floor was so spotlessly clean that not a single dog hair could be seen.

“…You want to see the dog?”

“Yeah, my grandma said she’s seen it, so I’m curious.”

Juwon, who had paused for a moment, said in a voice that sounded as if he had made a firm resolution.

“…There’s only one dog today.”

Juwon’s mind recalled the unwritten rule of beastkin society that his parents had made him memorize a few days ago. But it made no sense to lure Seowoo over by saying he would show him a dog, only to say that there was actually no dog in the house.

“Where is it?”

Seeing Seowoo’s expectant face, his resolve solidified. He loves dogs this much, it seemed too cruel not to show him.

It would be fine as long as his beastkin identity wasn’t revealed. Although he had carelessly transformed last time and gotten caught, forcing a hasty transfer to clean up the mess, he was confident he wouldn’t get caught this time.

“Then sit and wait. The dog will walk out on its own.”

“Okay, I got it.”

The dog will walk out on its own, not be brought out? It was a little strange, but Seowoo just accepted it and nodded his head.

“I’m going to rest in my room for a bit. See you later.”

Juwon said that as he walked away, unbuttoning his school uniform shirt one by one. By the time he reached his room, all the buttons on his shirt were undone. Juwon took off the shirt, tossed it aside carelessly, and muttered quietly while looking at his reflection in the mirror.

“I’m dead if I get caught….”

If I don’t get caught, I won’t be dead.

The decision was quick, and the speed at which a person became a dog was even quicker. Changing from human to animal or vice versa required skill and energy, and Juwon was quite adept at it.

“Yip!”

Juwon, who had shrunk in size upon turning into a dog, was buried in his school uniform pants. After making his way out of the uniform, Juwon shook his head quickly, and the dog’s white fur scattered in the air.

Juwon scratched his face with his paw and walked towards the mirror. The small-sized mirror was mainly used by humans to look at shoes in shoe stores, but it was the perfect size for reflecting his small dog form.

Juwon turned his head right and left, examining his face. Getting groomed a few days ago was a stroke of genius. Juwon nodded his head after confirming his neat, short-trimmed fur, black and shiny eyes, and clean tongue. At a glance, he looked like a cute puppy, but on closer inspection, the wildness and dignity inherited from his stray dog ancestors stood out. At least, that’s how Juwon assessed himself.

Juwon, who had gained confidence after checking his reflection in the mirror, diligently moved his short legs. Then, he picked out the most expensive piece of clothing from the pile of dog clothes at the bottom of the closet and bit down on it. It’s not easy for a dog to put on clothes by itself.

But he was no ordinary dog.

Juwon held the clothes in his mouth, spread them out well on the floor, and then flopped down on his back, exposing his belly. He skillfully put his paws into the cardigan by turning his body this way and that.

Pant. Pant.

Perhaps because it was hard work, he was out of breath after putting on the cardigan. Juwon stood up and approached the mirror once more to check his appearance. The combination of the brown-toned cardigan and his white fur wasn’t bad.

If his noona had been home, he would have asked her to groom his fur, but he was disappointed that he couldn’t. Juwon, who genteelly tucked in his pink tongue that kept trying to pop out in his good mood, began to walk confidently towards the living room.