Squished Mornings and Vanished Posts

I opened my eyes, and I couldn't breathe.

Not figuratively. For real.

Heukgu—I'd given him a name—was sprawled across my legs. When a medium-sized dog uses a person's lower half as a bed, your legs stop being yours.

Ah, right. They were never mine to begin with. This whole body wasn't.

My right arm was a prisoner. The kid had it wrapped in a double hug while she slept. I'd laid out a separate blanket for her last night. Useless. She'd missile-launched herself over in her sleep, jammed her forehead into my forearm, and clung like letting go would end the world.

All that was left was my left arm. My last bastion of dignity.

"...Cramped."

A 7-flat one-room with one person, one dog, one kid. It'd felt cozy enough when it was just me.

I tried to extract my right arm. She twitched and squeezed harder. If her sleepy grip was this strong, what would it be like awake?

But her sleeping face was peaceful. Chubby mochi cheeks, mouth slightly open, breaths like a hamster's.

She's cute. Objectively. Hate to admit it, but objectively.

"Not going anywhere. Making food."

Three times, and she finally let go. Instead, she rolled herself up in my entire blanket like a silkworm cocoon.

Heukgu cracked an eye when I got up, then closed it like he didn't care. But his tail gave a little wag.

I see you pretending not to be happy, you rascal.

I opened the fridge. Three eggs. A bit of rice. Half a green onion stalk. The end.

Fridges are cruel. Every time you open one, it shoves your asset list in your face and judges you.

I made fried rice. Humanity's default when options run dry: dump everything in and stir-fry.

The pan sizzled, and the kid appeared. Eyes half-shut, hair like a bird's nest, blanket as a cape. She must have a rice sensor. Three seconds later, Heukgu stirred. Tail spinning like a propeller.

Three plates of fried rice. Set them on the floor.

The kid's spooning was tragic. Half succumbed to gravity. But surrender wasn't in her dictionary.

Heukgu buried his face in his plate and cleared it in ten seconds flat. The plate skidded to the wall. Then he looked up at my plate. Tail wagging.

"No."

Tail wagged harder. Did he not understand, or was he ignoring me?

Then the kid scooped some of hers and fed it to Heukgu. He scarfed it, tail storming. She gave another spoonful.

"Hey, what if you give it all away?"

She looked up at me. Fried rice mapping the world around her mouth, so I wiped it with tissue. Then she took that tissue and wiped Heukgu's muzzle.

Good kid.

Anyway, time to ask her name. Can't keep calling her "hey."

"What's your name?"

She looked up.

"No... name?"

Still no answer. Super shy, maybe.

"Then I'll pick one? Kong-i, for you."

Why Kong-i? No real reason. Small and round. Names are like that mostly—easy to say, not some grand meaning.

She tilted her head.

"Kong-i."

I tried it out.

"...Kong-i?"

She echoed it, like hearing her name for the first time.

"Yeah. Your name. Kong-i."

Kong-i stared at me for a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠long moment.

Then she nodded. Tiny nod.

Didn't hate it, looks like.

Heukgu wagged his tail. Not asking you, buddy.

Anyway.

"Where's your mom?"

Asked Kong-i.

"None."

"Dad?"

"None."

Same as yesterday. Even the weightless tone.

I called the police. Told the station to come get her.

Got ready to head out right away. Tried putting shoes on Kong-i, but she grabbed my pant leg. Training pants stretched long.

"Not ditching you. We're going together."

Only then did she let go and take my hand. Gripped two fingers tight.

Heukgu followed to the door. Eyes begging to come.

"You stay home."

Tail drooped.

"Back soon."

One centimeter revival.

Heukgu pawed my knee. "Really?" eyes.

"Really."

Three more centimeters.

Of course, the police station yielded nothing big.

No facial match. No fingerprints. No missing child database hit. Triple no.

"I'll keep her for now. Call if a guardian shows."

Left my contact and bounced.

Stopped by the neighborhood convenience store on the way. Two lunchboxes, large-dog food. Balance: 380,000 won.

Kong-i reached for the bag. It was half her height. Dragged on the ground, but she wouldn't let go. Lift, drag. Lift, drag.

"The bag's winning."

She pursed her lips. No-way face.

Cute, though.

Got home, and Heukgu circled the room like a top.

But something was off.

I hoisted Heukgu up with both hands. And lifted him—with my strength.

"...You've definitely shrunk."

Morning, he was waist-high. Now, just over my knee.

"On a diet or something?"

Tail wag. Universal dog language.

Weird, but no answers pondering deeper.

Ate lunch, afternoon hit. Nothing to do, so flopped on the floor.

Kong-i flopped beside me. Heukgu glued to her side. She reached out, patted his belly. He flopped over belly-up. Pose of absolute trust.

Kong-i patted-thumped his belly. More drumming than stroking, but Heukgu didn't mind. Anything-goes face.

Kong-i looked at me.

"This."

Doing good, right? eyes.

"...Yeah, good job."

Kong-i's mouth corner twitched up.

Then she laid her head on Heukgu's belly. Pillow. Heukgu rested his chin on her head.

Checked later: both asleep.

Kong-i on Heukgu's belly. Heukgu's chin on Kong-i's head. Afternoon sun through the window.

Kong-i squirmed in sleep, grabbed Heukgu's ear. He stayed stock-still, ear caught. Just a tail twitch.

Ah.

...Gotta snap this.

Grabbed my phone. Click.

Perfect shot. Composition gold, light gold, subjects overwhelmingly cute. Kid ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠asleep on medium dog, grabbing ear; dog wagging tail patiently. If this ain't cute, what is?

Set as wallpaper right away.

Then, greed struck.

Opened Animal Gallery on habit. Place I'd lurked forever. No posts from me, just ogled others' dog pics. Ghost member.

Today, wanted to post.

Debated. Three seconds.

Hit new post.

Posted.

First post ever. Heart kinda racing.

Comments would take forever, obviously. Lurker-three-years me knew anon posts barely hit double-digit views.

Set phone down, tucked Kong-i's blanket.

Five minutes later, picked it up again.

Post was gone.

"...?"

My post list. Gone.

Gallery new posts. Gone.

Nowhere.

Deleted.

"...What?"

Definitely posted. Confirmed before setting phone down. Five minutes ago.

Broke rules? No kid mosaic? Reported as animal abuse? Kid on dog?

...Delete for that?

Fuming. First post of my life.

Hit bottom 'Inquiry/Report' board.

Ten minutes later, reply.

Not ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the admin?

I didn't delete it. Who did?

Phone glitch? App bug? Confirmed it posted.

Made no sense. Arguing more wouldn't help if even admin didn't know.

Kong-i squirmed, let go of Heukgu's ear. He flapped the freed ear. Both still asleep.

"...This cuteness is mine alone anyway."

Set phone down.

Curious, but tucking the sleeping kid first.

Awakener-only community. Anomaly board.

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