Chapter 11
Chapter 11
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Vet Doctor! Hello?
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“Ms. Dalkomi’s owner.”
“Yes.”
“Teacher’s waiting for you in Exam Room 3.”
“Already?”
Dalkomi’s owner looked puzzled as she headed to the exam room the staff member had indicated.
She’d figured it would take over two hours for tests and treatment, but not even thirty minutes had passed yet.
“That’s weird. Hope nothing bad happened.”
Her footsteps quickened. In an instant, she flung open the door to Exam Room 3.
“Teacher. Our Dalkomi is...”
“You’re here?”
She stopped short upon entering, startled.
There was Dalkomi, sitting on the exam table, gazing right at her.
Eyes sparkling bright.
“Wh-what happened? Is our Dalkomi okay?”
The owner pulled Dalkomi into a hug as she asked.
[Th-teacher. My owner’s voice is shaking. Is she hurt?]
Dalkomi’s voice brimmed with worry for his owner, too.
“She’s worried about you. I told you, didn’t I? She cares about you so much.”
[...Yeah.]
“Yeah.”
Lee Jun alternated glances between Dalkomi and his owner, a pleased smile on his face.
*What a heartwarming sight.*
As Lee Jun thought that, Teacher Ju began the consultation with the owner.
“Surprised Dalkomi came out so soon? We only did bloodwork and a bladder ultrasound.”
“Huh? I thought we were doing an endoscopy and nasal flush today.”
“That was the plan, but this teacher here suggested keeping it simple with just treatment today.”
“Simple treatment?”
The owner turned to Lee Jun.
She’d already been introduced to him as the one handling the nasal endoscopy.
Lee Jun explained the treatment plan to the owner.
“Today, we’ll just do a simple clean of his nasal passages. If there’s no improvement after that, we’ll move to endoscopy.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“I reviewed last week’s test results, and it looks like we can start simple. We’ll keep the nose at that level for now, and I have a few questions about the cystitis.”
“Y-yes... okay.”
“You’ve probably heard there are various reasons why idiopathic cystitis recurs.”
“Yes. Teacher Ju explained it. So we’ve been making sure he drinks lots of water, reducing stress... Sigh, I’ve been trying so hard my way, but I don’t know why it keeps coming back.”
The owner let out a deep sigh.
“Cystitis does recur easily. But Dalkomi’s kidneys are fine.”
“That’s a relief, at least.”
“First, can I ask about the litter box?”
“The litter box?”
“Yes. Could you tell me what kind Dalkomi uses? The chart only notes the litter type.”
“We use the usual kind everyone does. Like this.”
The owner tapped her phone to show a photo of Dalkomi’s litter box.
It was a hooded, fully enclosed model with a door.
Lee Jun looked away from the phone and asked the owner,
“Hmm... What did you use when you first brought Dalkomi in?”
The owner had no way of knowing Dalkomi had told Lee Jun, so she jumped in surprise.
*How did he know that?*
But pushing that aside as not the point, she answered his question.
“We couldn’t buy a litter box the day we brought Dalkomi home. We got food and litter, but overlooked the box. So we improvised with something at home.”
“Could you describe what it looked like?”
Dalkomi had said the first one was decent enough.
Lee Jun was curious what it had been.
“We had a tray like the ones for storing bread or tofu. It was worn out and we were going to toss it...”
The owner tapped her phone again to show a photo.
“It was too beat-up, right? So we got a nice new one recently.”
“No, this one looks good.”
It was a type of cat litter box Lee Jun hadn’t seen before, but he liked it a lot.
“This one?”
“Yes. It’s spacious, not too deep, and no dome.”
He figured Dalkomi wouldn’t have found it too unfamiliar and had adapted easily.
[That litter box was good.]
Dalkomi agreed. But the owner couldn’t believe Lee Jun.
*Why’s that old, shabby thing good?*
*Is he just saying that to spare my embarrassment?*
The owner tilted her head and asked,
“You think this is good?”
“Yes.”
“Looks decent to me. Why didn’t I think of that? We should switch our hospital boxes to these.”
Teacher Ju chimed in after Lee Jun, showing interest in the photo too.
“Is it that good? I didn’t know and thought I was getting something nice, so I switched to this one.”
The owner tapped her phone to show the new litter box photo again.
“The old one you had is better for the cat. This one seems clean since litter doesn’t spill out, but it’s not great for the cat using it.”
“When Dalkomi’s in the box, if we look, he bolts right out. That’s why we got this...”
Lee Jun fully understood the owner’s intentions.
She’d bought a box with roof and door so he could do his business in private.
But it had been a bad choice for Dalkomi.
“Dalkomi has severe rhinitis. A closed box like this kicks up litter dust—he must’ve hated going in. Plus it’s cramped.”
“...So that’s what caused the illness.”
The owner sighed.
“Now that I think about it... yeah, the cystitis started right after we switched boxes.”
“Not necessarily the only cause. But the stress from rhinitis was huge.”
“Still. He’s already small and delicate, and I piled sickness on top.”
The owner blamed herself.
“Listening to you, teacher... everything I did ‘for Dalkomi’ was just stressing him out.”
“Like trying the nebulizer or nasal aspirator? He just couldn’t adapt.”
“Still...”
*What on earth did I do to this timid little one?*
The owner gave a bitter smile and continued.
“Dalkomi hid a lot for a long time.”
Gray had said the same—timid Dalkomi would dart into bushes at any unfamiliar sound.
“Under the sofa, behind curtains, behind the bed—he was always hiding. He’d run if our eyes met. If we moved or got close, he’d freak out and scamper off...”
The owner sighed again.
“Seeing Dalkomi trembling in the corner was so heartbreaking. I wanted to show him he was safe, so I’d pet him, hug him... But hearing you, teacher, even that was stress for him.”
“People need time to get to know each other when they first meet. That’s how they gradually warm up.”
“That’s true, but... Seeing Dalkomi suffer now makes me feel so guilty...”
Lee Jun shook his head at the owner’s words.
“Dalkomi’s alive thanks to you.”
“...”
“If he hadn’t been rescued then, and stayed in that state just a few more days, he might not have made it.”
Teacher Ju, sitting nearby, added her support.
“That’s what you said back then...”
“And Dalkomi knows it. That you saved him.”
At Lee Jun’s words, the owner’s face softened a bit.
“I know you’re just comforting me, teacher... but I want to believe it.”
“It’s true. And Dalkomi likes you. A lot.”
[My owner’s the best. He loves it when she calls “Dalkomi~”—so, so much.]
Dalkomi meowed as if to comfort her.
A much louder meow than before.
“See? Dalkomi agrees.”
“Oh!”
The owner knew nothing about Lee Jun.
But seeing Dalkomi’s expression, his words felt true.
She even hoped they were.
“I like Dalkomi too.”
[Thank you!]
Dalkomi meowed again.
“Yeah, yeah. Dalkomi. Thank you too.”
The owner stroked him in response, as if she understood.
Dalkomi pressed his forehead to her arm and rubbed.
Then he did the same to Lee Jun’s arm, showing affection.
“Oh, teacher, look at Dalkomi. He must be so happy. He doesn’t even do this at home...”
“...Cats really like this teacher.”
Even Teacher Ju, who said it, was amazed.
*The cafe post was true.*
As the two shot admiring looks at Lee Jun, there was a *achoo!*
Dalkomi had sneezed.
Snot streamed from his nose.
Lee Jun casually grabbed a tissue and wiped it.
The owner and Teacher Ju gaped.
“This teacher is amazing.”
“Yeah. Trying to wipe at home is war...”
“Dalkomi says he’ll let you wipe from now on.”
“Huh?”
“We promised, right Dalkomi?”
[Yes.]
It almost sounded like *meow* meant “yes” to the owner’s ears.
“So anyway, today we’ll do a simple nasal clean. We’ll treat like that for a while, and if no improvement, then endoscopy.”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
“I reviewed last week’s results—it should be fine to start simple.”
“Even simply...”
*No anesthesia?*
*What if too much stress and something goes wrong?*
Words rose to her throat, but the owner swallowed them and shook her head.
No need to ask.
She just trusted Lee Jun.
“Okay, teacher. I trust you.”
And a short while later.
The owner knew she’d made the right choice.
“Oh, Dalkomi!”
His snot- and eye-gunk-caked face was spotless.
“Dalkomi held still so well, we finished quick.”
[Feels so good. Can breathe easy now.]
Dalkomi was thrilled.
Great owner right there, teacher relaying what he wanted to say to her.
Nose wide open too.
*Meeeooow!*
Dalkomi meowed happily and flopped belly-up in front of his owner.
A flop he hadn’t done since his nose clogged—so a first for her.
“Oh my, Dalkomi!”
The owner’s eyes moistened as she petted him.
“Rhinitis won’t clear overnight, but it’ll get better gradually. I’ll teach you what to do at home.”
“Yes, yes, teacher. Whatever you say.”
The owner’s eyes sparkled at Lee Jun.
A new fanatic devotee of Su-neunim was born.
***
Evergreen Park.
Cats dozing lazily snapped their eyes open all at once.
*Sniff sniff. Sniff sniff sniff.*
[Huh?]
[Sniff sniff, this smell...]
[L-Leader!]
Gray nodded to his startled, joyful comrades.
[Dalkomi meow!]
*Nyao-hoong!*
*Nya-hoo!*
As the cats cheered in unison, a familiar voice called out.
[Leader~ Guys!]
The comrade they’d guessed at—and Gray confirmed—was approaching.
*Hop hop hop.*
Dalkomi, usually pMongchi and waddly, bounded toward them with vibrant energy.
[Dalkomi!]
[Dalkomi, missed you so much.]
[You okay?]
[Are you alright?]
The cats surrounded Dalkomi in a circle, each chiming in.
[Mm-hmm, I’m good now.]
Dalkomi met their sparkling eyes one by one and replied.
[Missed you guys.]
[Me too!]
[Hee hee, you look great.]
[Ahem, you look well, Dalkomi.]
After greeting his comrades, Dalkomi stood before Gray.
[Leader, thank you.]
[Ahem, I didn’t do much.]
[I heard from the teacher. You worked so hard for me.]
[No meow. These guys did the hard work.]
Gray credited his comrades, smiling wide.
[All good now?]
[Yes. Thanks to the teacher.]
Thanks to Lee Jun, they’d switched back to the old-style litter box.
No more misery from runny noses.
[Teacher, thank you.]
Dalkomi turned, grinning at Lee Jun.
“Yeah. Go play with your friends.”
At Lee Jun’s kind voice, Dalkomi turned back.
[My owner cleared my nose. And sprayed soothing bubbles so it doesn’t sting.]
*So that’s how cats see nebulizer mist.*
Lee Jun burst out laughing at Dalkomi’s vivid description.
[Now I can come visit you and the friends.]
[What? You mean back here for good?]
Gray’s voice rose.
Before hearing the answer, words tumbled out.
[No way meow! I-I... We can’t clear your nose. Can’t do bubbles either!]
“Puhahaha!”
Lee Jun finally cracked up.
[Wh-why laugh meow? Weak cats like Dalkomi need care meow. B-brother says tell her proper meow.]
Gray jabbered hastily, pointing with a paw at Dalkomi’s owner standing a bit away.
“Hoo, how’d you know she’s Dalkomi’s owner?”
[Smells the same meow. Her scent’s on Dalkomi, and his on her spot.]
*Yeah, that’s how they live, intertwined.*
Lee Jun smiled.
[The teacher helped set it up—park visits once a week.]
[Oh... that’s it meow.]
[Yes.]
[Wooow! Awesome.]
[Dalkomi, perfect.]
[Me too, so happy.]
Dalkomi bashfully dipped his head.
[Dalkomi! Dalkomi!]
As comrades cheered, Gray told Lee Jun,
[Brother, thanks meow!]
“No need. Just stay healthy.”
Lee Jun petted Gray.
His mouth curled up blissfully at the touch.
“Gray, bring a couple friends tomorrow. Two or three?”
Gray!
Just yesterday, Gray hated being called Gray.
But with Dalkomi lively among them—maybe facing death no more—it sounded wonderful now.
So he didn’t question the order to bring just two, instead of all the hungry ones as usual.
Brother says so—must obey.
[Got it meow!]