Hello Vet! How are you?

The wardrobe, bookshelf, and desk had collapsed in a tangled mess.

Go Gijin clicked his tongue upon seeing the situation.

“Aigoo, I guess this is why it fell over.”

Where Go Gijin was pointing, there were broken pieces of wood, seemingly parts of furniture.

The two of them thought that it must have broken, causing the stacked furniture to collapse sequentially.

However, it was not an information that was crucial at this moment.

Regardless of the reason, the priority was rescue.

The two of them quickly recognized the gravity of the situation.

“Whew!”

Go Gijin stood by one side of the heavy wardrobe and attempted to lift it.

Creaaaak.

As a slight gap formed, Lee Joon’s eyes widened.

“It’s moving!”

“It seems so, hyung. I’ll lift this side, so could you support that side a bit? It looks like when I put strength here, that side will shake.”

“Alright, got it.”

Just as Lee Joon moved to apply force to the edge of the furniture, he heard a faint sound.

『Ah, it hurts…』

Lee Joon’s eyes turned to the injured cat.

However, the cat in his sight remained with its eyes closed.

‘If it’s not that one, then who is it? Could another cat be trapped?’

As Lee Joon pondered this, his brow furrowing, Gray one approached him.

『There’s another comrade in there.』

Thinking he hadn’t misheard, Lee Joon spoke up.

“Hold on. Let’s take a look inside.”

“Why so, though?”

Responding to Go Gijin’s inquiry, Lee Joon switched on the flashlight on his phone and peered through the crevice.

“Ah, just confirming if others are trapped. As expected, you’re thorough, hyung.”

Go Gijin also switched on his flashlight and peered into the gap, just like Lee Joon.

“There’s one over here.”

“There’s also one over there, too?”

Thus, they discovered two cats.

Including the cat visible to them, a total of three cats lay buried under the pile of furniture.

“That would have been a disaster if not for you, hyung.”

If they had carelessly lifted the furniture to rescue the cat, it might have endangered the others.

“It’s a relief. However, the situation has become more complicated. We should probably call 911 for rescue and wait.”

“Nah, it’s night, and the firefighters need their rest too. It wouldn’t be right to call them for this. While it might be hard to set everything upright, creating a gap is something we can manage. I’ll pull it apart, and you can rescue them, hyung.”

“Are you sure about this?”

“Now that we’re aware they’re there, don’t worry.”

Lee Joon questioned if Go Gijin could lift the heavy furniture alone, and Go Gijin assured him he would carefully lift the furniture without harming the cats.

“Let’s rescue this one first. I’ll create the gap, and you pull it out, hyung.”

“Alright.”

“Huuuup!”

As Go Gijin applied force, a significant space opened between the furniture.

『Wow!』
『Amazing!』
『Oh, how extraordinary.』

The cats were impressed by Go Gijin’s tremendous strength in lifting the massive wardrobe.

Lee Joon quickly pulled out the cat and laid it safely aside.

The cats hurriedly surrounded it.

Returning to the scene, Lee Joon spoke to the cats.

“Make sure it’s breathing fine.”

The cat he had just rescued had already been checked as he carried it, but he still instructed them to be vigilant for any unforeseen situations.

『Got it.』

Hearing Gray one’s response as the spokesperson, Lee Joon focused on the next cat to be rescued.

Go Gijin hefted the uppermost pieces of furniture from the pile and set them aside with ease.

“You’re a strong fellow.”

Marveling, Lee Joon illuminated the area below with his flashlight and continued checking.

Working in tandem, the two managed to rescue the cats efficiently.

As furniture was neatly piled on one side, they managed to rescue a second cat, leaving only one more to be freed.

The cats watched the rescue scene with their front paws brought together, filled with suspense.

However, the cats weren’t just observing with their eyes.

They were employing their keen sense of smell and hearing to survey the scene.

Lee Joon and Go Gijin completed the rescue of the third cat, relief evident on their faces.

“Phew, finally all done.”

“Great work.”

“It’s no big deal. They were the ones in real danger.”

Go Gijin wiped the sweat from his forehead with a bright smile.

It was then that Gray one approached Go Gijin and courteously brought its front paws together.

『Thank you for saving them.』

Even if he couldn’t understand the words, the gratitude was clear through the atmosphere.

Go Gijin’s small eyes widened slightly.

“Is, is he thanking me?”

“Yes, that’s exactly what he’s saying.”

“Aigoo. This little head… how does it know…?”

Go Gijin’s saucepan-sized hand patted Gray one’s head.

Though the firm hand jostled Gray one’s head this way and that, it stayed still without fleeing.

Lee Joon, meanwhile, double-checked with the flashlight, inspecting between the stacks of furniture again.

“It seems like there are no more left now.”

『No, there’s more.』

Gray one, having been patted, replied with its head looking like a bomb had hit it.

“More?”

『Yes, there’s a smell.』

“Really?”

Reassured moments ago, Lee Joon’s face turned serious once more.

He knelt again to peer inside more diligently.

However, nothing more was visible to Lee Joon’s eyes.

“Why the serious look, hyung?”

“It seems there’s another cat in there, but I can’t see it.”

“Really?”

Go Gijin eyed the furniture pile.

“If it were only those, we could leave, but it seems we can’t.”

Muttering thus, Go Gijin continued to lift the remaining furniture one by one and set them aside.

Upon lifting the final piece of furniture, they discovered a small kitten trembling.

Lee Joon picked up the shaking kitten, which seemed to barely weigh a kilogram.

The kitten, frightened, simply darted its large eyes around without even letting out a mewl.

“Thank goodness.”

Lee Joon stroked the trembling kitten with his free hand.

After several gentle strokes, the kitten let out a soft mew.

Meow~

“Hey, little one. What were you thinking being in such a dangerous place?”

Go Gijin looked pitifully at the small creature, the kitten in Lee Joon’s hand, and questioned.

Lee Joon placed the small kitten into Go Gijin’s hand.

The small frame fit perfectly into Go Gijin’s large palm, a fragile little life.

Go Gijin looked at the small and weak creature with sympathetic eyes.

“This is the kitten you saved.”

The tiny kitten licked Go Gijin’s palm.

Lap.

Go Gijin’s lips curled into a smile at the rough yet soft sensation.

“I must be careful not to drop it while carrying…”

Cautiously, Go Gijin cradled the kitten to his chest.

Writhing for a moment in his arms, the kitten soon settled tranquilly.

Comforted by the warmth.

“Come on, let’s take them with us. We need to check if they’re injured.”

Lee Joon and Go Gijin, holding the cats, headed towards the Woof Woof Animal Clinic.

***

“At least it’s a relief—only one is injured, and the others including this one are okay except for the tail.”

“That’s good to hear.”

The first cat they found had its tail crushed between the furniture and was fractured.

Aside from that cat, the others were mostly just startled with no major issues.

“So, will this one need a caudectomy?”

He asked whether the tail would need to be amputated.

“I’m planning to observe and then decide. I’ve told it not to move it or lick it, so if there’s a nerve issue, we can do it then.”

“You told it?”

Go Gijin’s eyes widened at what seemed an absurd statement, but Lee Joon chuckled while looking at the cat.

“It’ll obey if it wants to keep its tail.”

『Of course, I definitely won’t shake my tail!』

The bandaged cat widened its eyes and meowed solemnly.

Go Gijin skeptically considered whether the cat would indeed refrain from moving its tail.

“The others just need to be monitored for a day or two with fluids.”

“Still, I wonder why these cats were there.”

“There were bookshelves and beds, you know? It seemed they liked the idea of a new hiding place.”

Lee Joon shared what the cats had told him.

“Ah, that could be it.”

“Well, all’s well that ends well.”

“Exactly.”

“You really did a great job.”

“I feel proud, you know?”

“Sure, you should be. Despite exerting so much effort… it’s too late today, but tomorrow after work, I’ll treat you to some meat.”

“Meat sounds good, but…”

“What? You’d prefer sushi?”

“Cake. I’d like to try some.”

“What?”

“On this occasion, I’d like to try a whole cake.”

Being told cake instead of meat, Lee Joon was lost for words and let out a chuckle.

“Well, that’s just like you.”

Recalling Go Gijin’s nickname, Lee Joon laughed.

As the tension subsided and a warm atmosphere settled in, Gray one and the alley kitties walked up to Lee Joon and Go Gijin.

『Thank you for saving our friends.』

Gray one was the first to bow, followed by the cats exclaiming loudly.

『Thank you!!』

The cats rubbed against Lee Joon and Go Gijin’s legs, expressing their gratitude physically.

“Haha, what in the world. Receiving such treatment from the cats. What’s the matter, I wonder?”

Pleased, Go Gijin petted the cats.

“Hyung, these guys don’t even show their claws to you?”

“It’s because they’re grateful.”

“Is that so? The cats in my neighborhood should see this.”

Seeing the beaming Go Gijin, Lee Joon also smiled and spoke.

“Now, you take them home.”

“What about you, hyung?”

“I’ll watch over them.”

“Then I’ll stay too.”

“You had a lot of night shifts when Sugar was hospitalized, didn’t you? Go rest.”

“I’m fine though.”

“Sure you are, but don’t come complaining about exhaustion later. Rest when you can.”

“I’ll stay here anyway. I’m worried about this one too.”

To Go Gijin, who usually dealt with cows, the cats appeared so small and frail.

Seeing them all laid out receiving fluids stirred an unrelenting concern.

Especially towards the kittens.

Yet, that alone wasn’t why he opted to take the night shift.

He keenly wanted to witness for himself how Lee Joon treated the cats firsthand.

“And I’m curious about how you treat the cats too, hyung. There must be a reason why the some people call you Vet-nim. How can I just rest when I have this chance to learn?”

“When did you hear about that?”

Lee Joon smiled, taken off guard.

“Well, I’m down in Hongseong, but I hear things. Like how you revamped the park nearby, too?”

“Really? Then let’s start with you learning how to handle cats.”

That night, Lee Joon painstakingly taught Go Gijin how to carefully handle the feline patients.

The models were Gray one, Kkamnyang, and the alley cats.

“It’s quite hard.”

“Of course, if you handled them like you do with the cows, it’d be disastrous. Their ribs might just break!”

“Really? Oh dear.”

“Just focus on being gentle; that’s all you need to remember.”

“Like this?”

Go Gijin held an ultrasound probe against a cat’s belly and asked.

Laying on the ultrasound table was the very cat that had come to Lee Joon’s house to alert them of the accident.

『Ah, that hurts!』

“No, ease up a little more.”

“Like this?”

Go Gijin applied the probe without any pressure.

“Yeah, that’s good. You’re a quick learner.”

Applauding Go Gijin’s control, Lee Joon continued with other practical lessons.

With cooperation from the cats, Go Gijin rapidly gained understanding of handling small animals.

As knowledge grows, so does empathy. Watching the cat careful not to move its tail, Go Gijin felt a surge of sympathy.

“Furry one, is it hard for you?”

“Furry one.”

A name Lee Joon had given to keep its tail lush, nodded its head at Go Gijin.

『Yes. It’s hard.』

“Yeah, I bet it is. I once had a broken toe, so I understand your pain well.”

Understanding Go Gijin’s words, furry one gently brought its head to Go Gijin for a patting.

Responding naturally, Go Gijin’s hand reached out to Furry one’s head.

Stroking cautiously, worried the tail might shake, his gentleness was palpable.

Seeing this, Lee Joon smiled with satisfaction.

‘I can have him handle cat cases soon enough.’

***

Lee Joon’s understanding of animals and his remarkable expertise in treatment were already well recognized, but the Woof Woof Animal Clinic wasn’t renowned among owners of large dogs.

People with powerful large dogs tended to avoid small clinics handled by a single person, since both the exam equipment was suited for smaller animals and the staff weren’t equipped to handle those big-sized patients.

However, with Go Gijin joining, large dogs began to gradually visit the Woof Woof Animal Clinic.