PUPPY 37

“But what did you need to talk about?”

“I don’t think I can have dinner with you tonight. My cousin hyung suddenly asked to have dinner, and it seems like he has something to say.”

Juwon said with a shrug of his shoulders. Seowoo stared intently at Juwon’s face, then smiled faintly.

“Why?”

“It’s nothing.”

He wasn’t sure when he had started attaching meaning to such trivial things, but everything felt wondrous. The fact that Juwon had called him first right when he was about to contact him, and the coincidence that they both had other plans on the same day. After all, if Juwon’s plans had been made even one day later, it would have meant less time together for two whole days.

“Are you going to the study room now?”

“…Yeah.”

“Then I’ll walk you to the study room. Are you okay eating dinner alone?”

Juwon said, holding his palm out toward Seowoo. Seowoo naturally placed his clenched fist on top of Juwon’s palm. Juwon’s warm hand enveloped Seowoo’s hand before letting go.

“I had plans too, so I was going to tell you that.”

“Dongdongju?”

“No. With the hyung who broke my phone before.”

“Why? Your phone is all fixed.”

Juwon frowned slightly at Seowoo’s words.

“I don’t know, he said he’d buy me a meal because he has something to ask me.”

This time, Juwon’s hand came to rest on Seowoo’s open palm. Slap—he clapped their hands together and then made a fist. Seowoo tried to wrap his hand around Juwon’s, just as Juwon had done a moment ago. But Juwon quickly pulled his hand away.

“What could he want to ask that he’d buy you a meal for it…. Where are you going to eat?”

Juwon brought the hand he had mischievously pulled away back on top of Seowoo’s. Watching Juwon clench his fist again and prepare to pull his hand away, Seowoo thought to himself.

‘He’s like Jjokko….’

“I’m just going to eat something simple nearby and then go back to the study room.”

“Got it.”

Juwon nodded at Seowoo’s answer.

“I’ll go get my bag.”

“Okay.”

Left alone, Juwon idly tapped the ground with the toe of his shoe. Not long after, Seowoo opened the front gate and came out again. As soon as he saw Seowoo, Juwon opened his arms and pulled him into a tight hug.

“Ugh.”

A small groan escaped Seowoo’s tightly squeezed lips, and Juwon loosened his grip a little. Only then did Seowoo begin to breathe evenly.

If you looked at a classroom full of only boys, they were all so damn clingy with each other that it made you wonder if they were all gay. So a hug like this was something they could do under the guise of friendship. Of course, the mindset with which he was hugging Seowoo was entirely different.

“I think you’ve gotten taller.”

Juwon said, resting his chin on top of Seowoo’s head.

“…It’s hard to believe you when you’re saying it on top of my head.”

Juwon let out a low laugh at Seowoo’s reaction.

Unlike humans, the romantic relationships of were-animals, who could not rashly reveal their identities, were much more cautious. When forming a union with a human partner, they had to reveal their identity after establishing legal bonds. Like other unwritten rules, this one wasn’t followed very well, but Juwon was a rather exemplary were-animal. Even though he preferred his dog form, he consciously tried to maintain his human form when he was at home all day. He would also dutifully chew on the rotten-tasting kibble and supplements. He planned to proceed with his relationship with a human in the exemplary manner recommended in were-animal society as well.

Now that he had fallen for Seowoo, Juwon had only one goal.

‘Marriage with Ryu Seowoo.’

Based on thorough calculation and strategic planning, he intended to gently lure Seowoo in and get him to stamp a document that couldn’t be taken back. Seeing him stay still in his arms like this, it didn’t seem like he was completely devoid of human affection. To think they were just friends, Juwon was bursting with frustration.

‘You have to be gay. Seowoo.’

Gay. Gay. Gay.

Juwon gave strength to his arms, inwardly chanting a prayer for Seowoo to be gay. Because of that, he didn’t see the reddened face of Seowoo, who was held in his embrace.

🦴

The screen of Seowoo’s cell phone flashed as he was re-solving the problems he had gotten wrong. Seo Jaeha, who had something come up in the middle, had postponed their meeting time, so it had gotten quite late.

[Sorry I’m late. I’ll be waiting downstairs, so come down whenever you’re ready ^^]

After checking Seo Jaeha’s message, Seowoo finished checking the incorrect answers for the wrong problem and then packed his bag. It seemed like an awkward time to eat and then come back in, so he thought it would be better to just go home.

[(Photo)]

[Arrived at Hankuk University]

[(Emoticon)]

Has Juwon eaten already, I wonder.

Seowoo, who was in the elevator, opened the message Juwon had sent earlier again. He smiled faintly as he looked at the dog emoticon that was running as if its feet were on fire. Seowoo put away his cell phone, and as soon as he came out of the building, a familiar voice called out, stopping him in his tracks. It was Seo Jaeha.

“You came out quickly?”

“Oh, were you waiting here?”

As the distance to Seowoo closed, Seo Jaeha narrowed his brow ever so slightly. But he quickly composed his expression.

“I just went to the convenience store. I was about to move the car, so this is a relief.”

Seo Jaeha said, pointing to the car parked in front of the convenience store with its hazard lights on. This time, it wasn’t a domestic multi-passenger van, but an imported sports car.

🦴

When they said they were going to a restaurant near the study room, what Seowoo had in mind was a spicy stir-fried chicken, a soup-and-rice place, or maybe a pork cutlet place. However, the place they arrived at after leisurely passing through a small alley was a subtly high-class Korean formal-course restaurant.

He didn’t ask his exact age because he thought it would be rude, but Seo Jaeha’s age seemed similar to his hyung, Sunwoo. Perhaps because this was already the third time they were meeting, he felt less daunted than before. Today, he was again in a neat suit, just like when they first met.

“Hyung, do you have a girlfriend?”

Seowoo, who had been eating his rice, asked as he looked at Seo Jaeha. He himself didn’t know why such a question had suddenly popped out of his mouth. Seo Jaeha also seemed a bit surprised by the unexpected question from Seowoo, who was usually shy and awkward.

“Me?”

Seowoo nodded instead of answering.

“No. I’m too busy with work.”

“Ah…, may I ask what kind of work you do?”

“When you say ‘may I ask,’ it makes me feel so old. Ah, just various personal business ventures. These days, I’m preparing to develop an app.”

“Ah….”

He had responded playfully with a gentle smile to Seowoo’s question, but he hadn’t given a clear answer. The atmosphere was about to become awkward at Seowoo’s short exclamation, but Seo Jaeha quickly changed the subject.

“Seowoo, did you say you have a dog?”

Seowoo Jaeha asked toward Seowoo, inhaling slightly.

“Me?”

“Yeah. A brown-furred dog.”

“No…. I was just fostering it for a short time.”

The conversation felt somehow familiar. Thinking that they had had a similar conversation before, Seowoo answered honestly.

“I see. It’s not for any other reason, I was just looking for a nearby animal hospital since I moved.”

“Ah…. Hyung, you said you have both a dog and a cat.”

“Yeah. Since moving, I’m too far from the animal hospital I used to go to, so I’m looking for a new one. By any chance… do you know any good places?”

Was it because he had pets? His conversations with Seo Jaeha always flowed toward topics related to animals.

“Hyung, where do you live?”

Seowoo only knew of one animal hospital, but he asked just in case it was too far.

“Ah, my place? It’s not very far from your house.”

“Haetae Apartments? A lot of my friends live there….”

But Haetae Apartments was a large apartment complex with no small units, so it didn’t seem suitable for living with animals.

“No, I live in a house. The dog is a bit big.”

“I see…. The hospital I went to last time is this one.”

Nodding at Seo Jaeha’s answer, Seowoo sent him a message with the address of the hospital he had gone to with Juwon last time. Seo Jaeha, who checked the message, made an interested expression.

“Ah, I think I’ve seen the director of this place on TV.”

“That’s right. I guess it’s a famous hospital. And they said it’s open 24 hours.”

“Really? Thanks.”

Seo Jaeha, who added a short comment, put down his cell phone and looked at Seowoo. The temperature of his gaze was a little cooler than before.

“…Seowoo, didn’t you say you don’t have a dog?”

“Huh? Yes.”

At Seo Jaeha’s cryptic question, Seowoo looked surprised for a moment and then nodded. The white puppy had taken up residence in the yard, but it was still in a temporary foster situation.

“Really?”

“…Why?”

At Seowoo’s question, Seo Jaeha reached out his hand instead of answering. And he plucked a piece of fur that was on Seowoo’s shoulder. He had tidied up his clothes with a lint roller before leaving, but it was amazing how one or two strands always seemed to remain.

What was even more amazing was how he had managed to spot a pure white piece of fur on a white sweatshirt in a single glance.

“Let’s go if you’re done eating. I’ll take you home on the way.”

🦴

Juwon’s hyung, whom he met after a long time, had become a total pain in the ass. First, he whined about his unattainable dreams, and then he suddenly cried out about how to exude charm. As he was taking his drunk hyung to his studio apartment, he even heard some unpleasant remarks from a muscular handsome man in front of the building.

On the taxi ride home, Juwon had to resist the urge to stick his forehead to the window and hang his head outside. His whole body ached, perhaps because he had maintained his human form until quite late. The only thought he had was that he wanted to quickly turn into a dog, drop by Seowoo’s house, and then get a whole damn lot of kisses from Seowoo.