PUPPY 48

Lately, his parents had been wearing serious expressions more and more often. Even when he thought he hadn’t done anything wrong, seeing their serious faces made him recall one or two things that had been bothering him.

“They say a therianthrope was seriously injured. It wasn’t a dog therianthrope, but it’s enough to be a problem.”

It seemed the story that had been circulating as a rumor had already been confirmed as fact.

“Most importantly, the incident happened not far from here, so an advisory has been issued for the therianthropes in this area to be especially careful.”

“In this area?”

This time, Juwon spoke in a surprised voice. He had heard that a therianthrope of a different species had nearly been kidnapped, but he had never imagined it had happened somewhere so close.

“We don’t know for sure yet if they’re targeting a specific species of therianthrope or if all therianthropes are targets. Looking at the methods, using tools and weapons, it seems to be the work of humans.”

“……”

At the words that it was the work of humans, Juwon’s mouth closed shut.

“…You must always be careful.”

“I will.”

Juwon couldn’t bring himself to meet his parents’ eyes, lowering his gaze with a complicated expression.

Humans.

Juwon believed that while his identity was also that of a dog, it was fundamentally based on being human. However, whenever he encountered humans harming the therianthrope race or animals, he felt as if everything from the very foundation of his identity was being shaken.

“Juwon.”

“Yeah.”

“Complete humans are different from us.”

“……”

“Even if it’s a pet they doted on and found cute and pretty, they can abandon it, and if necessary, they can kill it.”

Hearing his father, who always spoke in a gentle and warm manner, speak so firmly, Juwon’s mouth clamped shut even tighter.

“I saw it myself this time, didn’t I? How easily people can abandon a dog.”

Juwon gave a slight nod at his mother’s words. Just a few days ago, he had witnessed with his own two eyes a person who felt nothing at all, even as a small puppy was slowly dying on the street.

“Don’t transform carelessly in other places. This time, it won’t end with just transferring schools. We’ll send you to study abroad without any regard for college.”

“I understand.”

As Juwon nodded and replied, his mom and dad finally wore expressions of relief. The moment he scooped the last spoonful of kibble into his mouth, a message came from Seowoo.

「The hyung’s friend who broke my phone before seems to be interested in adopting Gureum. Should we meet him together?」

「I think it would be better to see him together than for me to meet him alone. What do you think?」

「(Sticker)」

「When did you guys decide to meet?」

「I’m definitely going.」

「(Sticker)」

「Thanksㅋㅋ We haven’t set a detailed date yet, but I’ll ask him today.」

「Alright」

「(Sticker)」

At the successive messages from Seowoo, the corners of Juwon’s mouth crept up without him realizing.

‘Ah, he’s so fucking cute….’

Juwon stood up, clearing his dishes. Seowoo’s profile picture on the screen was a photo of Gureum, neatly groomed.

Ryu Seowoo. Reading Seowoo’s three-syllable name to himself, Juwon thought.

Humans could harm or even kill animals, but Seowoo was not like that. He didn’t want to distance himself from or doubt Seowoo, who had such a kind heart, because of the cruel acts committed by other humans.

🦴

Seo Jaeha was the person who had contacted Seowoo almost immediately after he changed his messenger profile picture. He had tried posting a feed on his social media, which he didn’t normally use, about Gureum’s health condition and that he was looking for a home, but the response had been disappointing.

Comments praising Gureum’s appearance, like ‘Ah, so cute’ and ‘He looks like a dollㅠㅠㅠ,’ made up the vast majority. A few adoption inquiries did come in, but once he informed them that Gureum was receiving outpatient treatment and gave them a rough estimate of the medical bills so far, they all fizzled out.

That was when Seo Jaeha had contacted him. He said a friend he knew was looking into adopting an abandoned dog, and he asked questions that were distinctly different from the others.

He asked if Gureum had any separation anxiety, or if there were any prominent behaviors or abnormal physical reactions when he was stressed. Seeing how seriously he seemed to be taking the dog adoption, Seowoo couldn’t help but feel a personal liking for him. Although there were still a few other adoption inquiries left, Seowoo personally hoped that Seo Jaeha’s acquaintance would be the one to adopt Gureum.

「My friend was asking if you could possibly take a video of the puppy. Would that be too much of an imposition? Sorry, I think it’s because it’s hard for him to make time.」

「How should I film it?」

「Could I possibly film it myself?」

「Yes. That’s fine, too!」

「I’ll go to your neighborhood, Seowoo. It’s that alley, right^^?」

「Yes.」

🦴

Not long after exchanging messages, Seo Jaeha contacted him to say he had arrived near Seowoo’s house. His grandmother and grandfather were inside, so Seowoo took Gureum and slowly walked out toward the main road.

“Hello.”

“Hi, glad I found it okay. I thought I might have forgotten the way, but I saw the convenience store and it came right back to me.”

“I’m surprised you got here so quickly. Where’s your car?”

“I didn’t have any outside appointments, so I was nearby. I just walked.”

“Ah, this is the puppy I told you about. Gureum.”

Seowoo said, gently pulling Gureum closer. Unlike usual, Gureum was stuck right at Seowoo’s feet, shivering with a brrr.

“I guess it’s a bit cold today.”

“I know…. His fur is cut short, isn’t it? He’s cute.”

“He is, right?”

Crouching down, Seo Jaeha smiled gently as he stroked Gureum. Gureum neither barked nor wagged his tail, just stood there as if he had frozen completely solid.

“He looked small in the pictures, but he’s really young.”

“Yes. My friend said he looks like he was just weaned.”

Seowoo explained, recalling what Juwon had said. Seo Jaeha turned on his phone camera and captured Gureum’s face and the way he walked.

“What exactly is wrong with the puppy?”

“He had malnutrition and dehydration symptoms, but those have gotten better. He’s on medication for tick-borne dermatitis. His joints aren’t in great shape either, and they say that will require lifelong management.”

Seowoo recalled the cautionary notes he had heard from the veterinarian and explained them to Seo Jaeha step-by-step. Most people were understanding about malnutrition or dehydration, as those are common conditions for abandoned dogs, but many became troubled when the conversation turned to dermatitis and joint issues.

“It’s not easy taking care of a sick puppy. You’re really kind, Seowoo.”

“Ah…, not at all.”

Embarrassed by Seo Jaeha’s compliment, Seowoo replied awkwardly.

“My friend is a bit busy right now because it’s his business trip season, but he usually works from home. Just in case you were worried.”

“What kind of work does he do?”

“My friend? He works in import-export.”

“…Ah.”

“He’s a friend I got to know while working on app development.”

At Seo Jaeha’s words, Seowoo slowly nodded his head. Import-export, app development—they all felt like the domain of adults, far removed from his own life, so he couldn’t think of an appropriate response.

“I showed him the pictures, and he really liked Gureum.”

“Ah, really…?”

Seowoo was just about to be a little disappointed, wondering if he was just taken with Gureum’s cute appearance and young age.

“Still, he said he can’t decide based on pictures alone, so he suggested we all meet next time. Would that be okay? I feel like I’m taking too much of a high school senior’s time.”

Only at Seo Jaeha’s added explanation did Seowoo’s face brighten a little.

“Ah, if it’s a short meeting, that’s fine. I take one day off on the weekend without studying anyway….”

After taking a few more pictures and videos of Gureum, Seo Jaeha said he would be on his way. Since he had come all this way to help with Gureum’s adoption, Seowoo, having no other way to express his gratitude, offered to walk with him to the main road. He felt his mind would be a little more at ease if he at least saw him off.

“He’s a friend who already has one dog, but the dog at home is lonely, so I think he’s planning to get another one. But he wanted to do a good deed if possible, so he was looking into abandoned dogs when your profile picture, Seowoo, caught his eye.”

“Wow, the timing is really amazing.”

It was the moment the two of them turned at the convenience store and entered the main road that connected to it. A voice resembling a mechanical sound flowed from a speaker attached to a truck passing in front of them.

“We buy dogs and cats. We buy goats.”

“There are still dog meat traders these days.”

“…Ah, I did hear they’ve been going around the neighborhood lately.”

Seowoo recalled the conversation he’d had with his grandmother and her friends. The memory of them saying the man had looked at Jinsooni and asked if she was for sale came to mind, and his grip on Gureum’s leash tightened.

“You said you keep Gureum outside, right?”

Rusted wire cages were stacked on the dog meat trader’s truck. Seowoo answered without easily taking his eyes off the truck.

“Yes.”

They had said that even the noisier dogs would become quiet when the dog meat trader passed by. Gureum, who was quiet to begin with, stood on the spot and shivered with a brrr without making a sound.

“…You should be careful.”

He didn’t specify a subject, but Seowoo could guess what Seo Jaeha was worried about.

“They said the truck is too big to enter our alley….”

“So you haven’t heard the rumor yet, Seowoo.”