Hello Vet! How are you?

Chapter 27

『Because of me, hyung Namul… couldn’t even say goodbye…』

Strawberry, who had finally uttered the words he had been keeping hidden, stared blankly ahead.

But he couldn’t see anything in front of him, as everything seemed cloudy.

“It’s not because of you.”

Lee Joon’s affectionate voice made Strawberry’s ears perk up slightly.

His gentle tone reminded Strawberry of the time when Nuna Milk used to speak kindly to him.

After getting scolded by his mother, nuna Milk would always come over to hug him and offer comfort.

And beside Nuna Milk, hyung Namul would sit silently, his body lightly leaning against his.

『Hyung Namul, I should’ve played quietly like Nuna Milk said… I’m sorry.』

Strawberry still vividly remembered the moment when Hyung Namul’s body went limp.

Breathing heavily, Strawberry suddenly opened his mouth wide and exhaled.

His eyes wavered erratically.

It was then.

Softly.

Something warm wrapped around Strawberry’s head.

It was Lee Joon’s large hand.

“It’s okay. It’s okay.”

Lee Joon embraced the trembling Strawberry and continued to speak soothing words.

“It’s not your fault, so it’s alright.”

『But… I hugged hyung… huff huff… and hyung… because I… huff huff…』

“No, Namul was already sick. It’s alright.”

‘Alright.’

The power of this word was tremendous.

Hearing it repeatedly could make one genuinely feel okay.

Lee Joon kept saying ‘it’s alright’ until Strawberry calmed down.

Perhaps the magical word ‘alright’ worked on Strawberry too because his rapid breathing began to stabilize as he nestled into Lee Joon’s embrace.

Eventually, his breathing returned to normal.

Lee Joon then patted Strawberry gently and continued speaking.

“Namul was sick, so he had gone to the Feline Star. It’s not your fault.”

『… Hyung wasn’t sick?』

It was Nuna Milk who was unwell, so Strawberry and Namul stayed by his side as he lay down.

“Do you think it was different from Nuna Milk?”

Lee Joon’s question made Strawberry blink.

『H-how did you know?』

“Cats are like that. Many, like Namul, who eat well, suddenly gone to the Feline Star.”

『But… if I hadn’t hugged hyung so tightly… it would have been alright.』

It might have been.

‘But sooner or later, he would have had a heart attack.’

That’s what hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is like.

“Strawberry, do you remember what Nuna Milk said to you when she went to the Dog Star?”

Lee Joon couldn’t know the private conversations among the animal family.

But he guessed from the stories he had heard about Milk asking the park dogs to look after Strawberry.

She probably told them to eat well and not get sick.

『… Yes.』

“What did Nuna say?”

『Nuna told me to play happily with Hyung Namul and to eat well and not get sick…』

Strawberry still thought Namul’s death was his fault.

Her eyes were dull, reflecting nothingness.

Looking at Strawberry, Lee Joon saw a reflection of his past, the time when he was tormented by the loss of Kongdori.

“Strawberry, could you tell me what happened that evening?”

The same question that Gwak Soo-ho had asked him during his grief over Kongdori suddenly came out of Lee Joon’s mouth.

『Pardon?』

“Would you share that day’s story with the doctor? Slowly.”

At Lee Joon’s prompting, Strawberry recalled that day.

A joyful evening, yet a day that ultimately became one of deep sorrow.

『Mom made us something delicious. She said hyung looked weak. We ate chicken, and it was delicious. Hyung ate it too, and he enjoyed it.』

Strawberry had been incredibly excited.

After eating a lot of chicken, he had felt energetic.

Overjoyed, Strawberry ran around the living room.

As he dashed here and there, he noticed hyung lying down.

『Nuna Milk used to rush over and hug us whenever we lay down.』

Strawberry loved that so much.

So he ran over to Namul and hugged him tight.

But suddenly, Namul body went limp.

Just like Nuna Milk who had gone to the Dog Star.

Strawberry had screamed.

And then the family rushed over…

『I hugged him too tightly… if I had just hugged him softly… because I’m too strong…』

Strawberry stammered his words, finally trailing off into a crawling whisper.

『… That’s why eating gives you strength, so you shouldn’t eat it.』

Oh dear!

‘Namul had already stopped breathing before Strawberry approached him. But he didn’t know that.’

It was such a sad and unfortunate misunderstanding.

“Strawberry, when you hugged Hyung Namul back then, did he lift his head? Did his body tense up?”

Lee Joon’s question made Strawberry tilt his head in confusion.

『Uh… no?』

“You said his body just went limp, right?”

『Y-yes.』

“Hyung went to the Feline Star before you hugged him.”

Suddenly!

Strawberry broke free from Lee Joon’s arms.

And his eyes shook wildly from side to side.

『I-it can’t be. Hyung ate with me. He watched me play after dinner and smiled at me?』

“Namul was happy. He went to the Feline Star while watching his adorable sibling smile.”

Strawberry stood there speechless, gazing blankly at Lee Joon.

“Strawberry, hyung Namul probably went to the Feline Star smiling. After eating a delicious meal and watching you, his precious one, smile.”

『… Really?』

“Yeah. If it were me, I would have felt really happy.”

『But still. Nuna Milk told us to be well, and we also told Nuna to go well. But I couldn’t say anything to hyung…』

Lee Joon sighed in relief as he watched Strawberry, who was now on the verge of tears.

‘Phew, one hurdle crossed.’

He hoped that Strawberry, free from guilt, would come to understand that Namul lived a happy life.

But it seemed that Lee Joon’s words of Namul’s happiness didn’t truly resonate with Strawberry.

Lee Joon turned his gaze towards the ward.

‘Then, we should ask for some help.’

Lee Joon opened the door to the ward and stepped inside.

Strawberry, who had opened his heart to him, followed.

The familiar smell made the room feel not so unfamiliar.

‘Why does it smell like the scary hyung?’

Strawberry tilted his head in curiosity as he entered.

At that moment, a voice came from inside.

『Strawberry, long time no see, meow.』
『Huh? Scary hyung!』

Strawberry had mixed feelings upon seeing Gray one.

She felt glad but also afraid.

Seeing a familiar face in a strange animal hospital felt reassuring, comforting even.

Yet recalling the times Gray one had scolded him made it still scary.

There were countless times he had been scolded for being noisy at the park.

Every time, those big eyes had glared at her.

Even now, Gray one’s golden eyes gleamed under the overhead lights.

However, hearing the ‘meow’ after such a long time felt truly comforting.

“Gray one, you heard what he said, right?”

『I did, meow!』

‘Meow’ again sounded in the air.

Strawberry trudged slowly to the front of Gray one’s kennel and plopped down.

Then he spoke up on his own.

『Hyung Namul went to the Feline Star.』
『That must be sad, meow.』
『Yes. A lot.』
『But why does your face look like that, meow?』
『Pardon?』
『Is your owner starving you, meow?』
『No.』

Strawberry shook his head from side to side.

『If you’re in that state, your hyung would be sad, meow.』
『Do you know hyung?』
『Of course, meow. How could I not know when you bragged about your hyung Namul all the time, meow?』
『Ah…』
『Namul must have been happy, meow.』
『How does hyung know that?』
『Didn’t Namul smile while eating and watching you, meow?』
『Yes. He did.』
『That was his way of saying take care, meow.』
『Really?』
『I envy you, meow.』

Gray one uttered the heartfelt words instead of a direct reply.

『I’ve had many comrades who suddenly left for the Feline Star, meow.』
『The park cat hyungs?』
『Yes, meow. There are some who say farewell, but many leave without us knowing where they spend their last moments, meow.』
『You don’t know?』
『Yes, meow. They likely left in solitude, meow.』

Gray one recalled the incident from just a while ago.

If the doctor before him hadn’t found him, he too might not have been different from them.

With memories of that time resurfacing, Gray one spoke slowly, reflecting on his feelings.

『It must have been scary, meow.』

Perhaps Gray one’s emotions reached Strawberry, for he remained silent.

『Namul probably went to the Feline Star smiling, meow. Because you were there to watch over him, and he was at home with family, meow.』

Gray one tapped the door of his kennel with his paw.

An indication for someone to open it.

The kennel door wasn’t closed to confine Gray one.

It was shut so he could relax without interruption.

Lee Joon opened the kennel door.

Gray one stepped out and placed his paw on Strawberry who was sitting in front of his kennel.

『You were your hyung’s pride, meow.』
『Sniff! Sniff!』
『So eat well, meow.』

Strawberry slowly nodded and leaned against Gray one.

Watching them, a smile appeared on Lee Joon’s face.

‘That’s something I couldn’t provide.’

Touched by the strong bond among the animals, Lee Joon left them to their moment and exited the ward.

***

The next day, in the late afternoon, the door to Woof Woof Animal Clinic opened to reveal Strawberry and Ddangkong entering.

Following them were Strawberry’s guardian and Ddangkong’s guardian.

“You came together?”

“Strawberry’s mom wanted to thank the doctor, so I tagged along.”

“Doctor, as soon as Strawberry got home yesterday, he ate. And he wagged his tail and even smiled… Thank you so much.”

“That’s wonderful to hear.”

“See? Isn’t our doctor amazing?”

“Yeah, I regret not bringing Strawberry to the doctor sooner.”

While the guardians expressed their gratitude to Lee Joon, Ddangkong and Strawberry walked toward the ward.

Tap tap.

Ddangkong confidently knocked on the ward door, prompting a chuckle from Lee Joon as he came over to open it.

“You came to see Gray one.”

『Indeed.』

Ddangkong looked up at Lee Joon.

『Doctor, thank you. Because of you, our younger sibling was saved.』

Ddangkong spoke as he casually walked into the ward.

Strawberry also smiled at Lee Joon before following him inside.

『Hyung, thank you. Because of you, our Strawberry regained her energy. We won’t forget your kindness.』
『Thank you, hyung.』
『Ahem, I’m more grateful. It’s because of you all that I’m here now, meow! So no need for thanks, meow.』
『Ahem, but what’s grateful is grateful.』

Outside, Lee Joon listened to the guardians talking, while keeping an ear on the commotion coming from inside the ward.

‘The more I get to know them, the more impressive they are.’

Watching those animals just warmed his heart.

Perhaps that’s why he wanted to care for them even more.

Then the bell over the clinic door chimed.

Turning his head, he saw Jamong’s guardian enter through the safety gate.

“Jamong, come on in.”

『Heehee, doctor!』

Jamong walked briskly over and leaned against Lee Joon.

Everyone inside the clinic smiled warmly at the sight.

“Jamong, you act so grown up, it’s wonderful.”

“It’s all thanks to Jamong’s nuna excellent training.”

Hearing the guardians’ words, Jamong’s guardian smiled.

“I didn’t do it. It was the doctor who helped Jamong turn over a new leaf. Before that, he was really… hehe, well, you know.”

As Jamong’s guardian proudly spoke about Jamong, Jamong asked Lee Joon.

『May I go see Hyung Gray one?』

“Go ahead.”

With quick steps, Jamong entered the ward and asked.

『Hyung Gray one, how are you today? Are you feeling better now?』

After witnessing Gray one’s near-death state, Jamong had been worried about him.

『Oh, little brother Jamong, you came, meow?』

Gray one also welcomed Jamong warmly.

『Little brother Jamong, you here?』
『Hyung, you’re here?』

Though Jamong’s way of addressing Ddangkong seemed peculiar, no one pointed it out.

Seeing Strawberry beside Ddangkong, Jamong spoke with surprised eyes.

『Hyung Strawberry! Are you feeling better now?』
『Little brother Jamong, it’s thanks to you that our hyung recovered.』
『Thank you. I heard you were worried about me.』
『Heehee, no problem.』

Jamong felt elated.

He was just helping out the doctor, but to be thanked by the hyungs felt great.

‘Heehee, even Hyung Gray one thanked me before.’

Jamong couldn’t help but smile broadly.

『We should be grateful to our veterinarian, aren’t we? It’s all thanks to him.』
『That’s right, meow. It’s all because of our kind vet, meow.』
『Heehee, our vet is great.』
『It’s thanks to him.』

All four animals spoke in unison, praising Lee Joon, deeply engaged in their conversation.

The discussion among one cat and three dogs was quite lively.

A short while later, the dogs each placed a treat in front of Gray one.

『Hyung, this is delicious. Eat this and get well soon.』
『Ahem, Gray one. Get well quickly.』
『Hyung, get well soon.』
『Thank you, meow!』

Gray one emerged from the ward, following the dogs as they headed to the waiting area.

And as the dogs stepped out, Gray one said to them.

『Be careful on your way home, meow!』
『Take care.』
『Hyung, see you again.』
『Hyung, let’s play together next time.』

The dogs bid farewell to Gray one as they left the clinic.

Gray one, now friends with these dogs, sat in front of the glass window long after they disappeared from view.

Her adorable paws waved gently from side to side.

—