Chapter 13
Chapter 13
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Jamongi's Pillow Surprise
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Office worker Yu Ji-yeon’s face darkened sharply as quitting time approached.
A situation in stark contrast to the office atmosphere.
“Then have a great weekend.”
“See you next week.”
“Come on, let’s head out.”
With the golden weekend ahead, the workers left the office with bright smiles.
Yu Ji-yeon blended in with them and headed home, but her steps grew heavier the closer she got.
“Sigh, I just want to rest…”
What kind of mess had he gotten into today?
Yu Ji-yeon took a deep breath and opened the door.
Pant pant pant pant!
Her puppy Jamongi, flapping his long ears and grinning widely, threw himself into her arms.
Wobble. Yu Ji-yeon staggered back from his overflowing energy.
“J-Jamongi, hold on!”
Yu Ji-yeon endured his exuberant welcome with her body while scanning the house.
Floor clean, dining table fine.
Trash can in place. Bathroom door closed.
‘What’s going on today?’
Suddenly, Jamongi dangling from her leg looked like an angel.
Strength returned to her legs, which had felt like lead just moments ago.
Yu Ji-yeon shuffled inside with Jamongi still clinging and refusing to let go.
“Our Jamongi is being so good today.”
Jamongi felt great at Yu Ji-yeon’s affectionate voice.
He was over the moon just that his noona was finally home after waiting all day.
And now she was praising him right away.
Jamongi released his front paws from around her leg.
He wagged his tail furiously as he headed to his water bowl and lapped it up.
Slurp slurp slurp.
“He drinks water so nicely.”
Yu Ji-yeon smiled as she headed to her room.
But that smile faded quickly when she spotted something white on the floor through the open bedroom door.
What was that? What white thing was in her room?
An ominous feeling washed over her.
No way, had he unrolled all the toilet paper?
Yu Ji-yeon flung the slightly ajar door wide open.
Before her eyes spread chunks of snowy white clouds.
“Arghhh!”
A scream—whether a wail or a cry, she wasn’t sure—echoed through the entire villa.
Flinch. Jamongi took a few steps back, then bolted to the carrier in the corner of the living room.
The carrier, with its door removed, served as Jamongi’s nap spot and treasure chest for his favorite toys.
Then came the lion’s roar.
“Jamongi, get over here!”
Jamongi, who had poked just his face out from his den, quickly pulled it back in.
Then another voice rang out.
“Who did this? You did, didn’t you, Jamongi?”
The scolding was a bit softer than before, so Jamongi peeked out again.
Tilt. Jamongi cocked his head to the side.
Right, left. He slowly rolled his head back and forth a few times, then extended one front paw.
Plop.
A snowy white paw emerged from the carrier and touched the floor.
But it quickly retracted.
Then plop again. This time the paw ventured a bit farther. Whoosh, back in.
After repeating this a few times, peek, Jamongi’s face appeared from the carrier.
“Jamongi, Jamongi, come here quick!”
At the voice again, Jamongi emerged fully.
Unlike usual, his back was hunched way down. His long tail drooped.
Pat pat pat.
Jamongi, who never walked anywhere, moved as slowly as possible.
And arrived at the bedroom.
Yu Ji-yeon held out the burst pillow in front of him.
“What’s this? Huh?”
Swish, Jamongi turned his head to the side.
“Don’t dodge my eyes. Why did you do this?”
Jamongi still avoided her gaze.
“That won’t solve anything. You did it, so you fix it.”
Yu Ji-yeon kept shaking the pillow.
Then it happened.
Jamongi’s downturned mouth suddenly flipped up. His limp tail shot straight up.
And he dashed out of the room.
“Hey, where are you running off to?”
Yu Ji-yeon scolded him, but her voice had softened a bit.
Tap tap tap tap.
Jamongi’s lively footsteps sounded, then thump, he dropped his toy right in front of Yu Ji-yeon.
Then he wagged his tail vigorously side to side.
Front half down, butt way up.
Play pose.
Even his eyes sparkled with life.
Pant pant pant!
Yu Ji-yeon let out a long sigh as she watched Jamongi staring only at her hand.
“You rascal! You think it’s playtime right now?”
But with no strength left to yell, Yu Ji-yeon just flopped onto the bed.
Lick, Jamongi jumped beside her and licked her face.
The look in his eyes as he gazed at her was full of expectation.
“Why?”
Her voice still carried lingering anger.
Whine.
Jamongi’s face fell sharply.
At his pitiful expression, Yu Ji-yeon reached out and stroked his big round face.
The warmth at her fingertips made her chuckle dryly.
“Yeah, what wrong could you have done?”
And she thought.
‘Who would welcome me home if not Jamongi?’
Before Jamongi, Yu Ji-yeon had hated coming home to an empty, silent house, so she’d make plans to stay out late.
Or grab some beer and drink alone to end the day.
But now, even with the hassle and mess to clean up, it felt cozy.
She worried what disaster Jamongi might cause next, but still, it was good.
‘This pillow was old anyway.’
Might as well get a new one.
“Jamongi, wanna go for a walk tomorrow?”
At the word “walk,” Jamongi leaped up and dashed to the living room.
Then thud thud thud, he ran laps around the house.
***
The next morning.
Thud thud thud.
Jamongi raced down the street.
Yu Ji-yeon, gripping the leash behind him, yelled as she was dragged along.
“J-Jamongi!”
But Jamongi didn’t slow down.
His head was filled only with the desire to reach the park as fast as possible.
Soon, Jamongi and Yu Ji-yeon arrived at Evergreen Park.
“Huff huff huff!”
Yu Ji-yeon panted like she was about to collapse.
Jamongi, wagging his tail wildly, was thrilled.
He sniffed around snuffle snuffle and started walking.
Yu Ji-yeon should have been grateful he wasn’t running, but she stayed on high alert.
Jamongi bounded excitedly through the park.
Sniff sniff! He seemed to smell one tree, then dashed over to bury his nose in another. Then raced to sniff the grass.
Sometimes he’d backtrack to mark his path.
With him constantly changing direction, Yu Ji-yeon couldn’t relax for a second.
Taking cute pet photos or videos during walks?
Answering her phone mid-walk?
Those were stories from another world for Yu Ji-yeon, who had to stay hyper-vigilant lest Jamongi bolt suddenly.
The only time she could rest was when Jamongi, having scoured the park, settled down to eat treats.
The park had benches and tables for people to rest, and today too, walkers with their dogs gathered there.
On the benches, owners chatted away.
Below them on the ground, the dogs exchanged stories.
[Hyungnim, that guy’s back again.]
[Who ya talkin’ bout?]
[The one with the noona. The nut who tears up the park like crazy.]
[Iz dat so? Big floppy ears and all skinny and wild-lookin’!]
[Yeah, that one? The hyper dude who flips the whole park upside down!]
[Yep, that’s him.]
No sooner had Kkakongi answered than a booming bark rang out.
[Woof! Hyungs! Hi!]
Jamongi came dashing thud thud thud toward the dog pack.
[Whoa, whoa!]
Startled by Jamongi’s energy, Mongi hopped behind Ttangkongi.
[Hey now! Sit!]
[Yes sir!]
At Ttangkongi’s single command, Jamongi plopped right down.
Oblivious to all this, Yu Ji-yeon sighed in relief as he stopped and collapsed onto an empty bench.
“Ah… I’m wiped.”
“Looks like Jamongi noona’s still having a tough time.”
“Beagles have so much energy.”
People who walk dogs in the same spot get familiar.
Jamongi was now 10 months old.
Yu Ji-yeon, who’d started park walks three months ago, was no exception.
She lifted her head from sMongchiing on the bench and greeted them.
“Oh, hi.”
“Here, have this. You look beat.”
Ttangkongi’s owner handed her a drink she’d brought.
“Thanks.”
Yu Ji-yeon gratefully took it and drank.
“Jamongi still looks full of energy.”
“Yeah… way too much.”
Yu Ji-yeon nodded weakly, recalling last night’s chaos.
“He’s still young. Our Kkakongi caused so much trouble till he was 2.”
“Right. Our Mongi chewed everything as a pup. Especially ankles—couldn’t even walk.”
“Our Ttangkongi did that too.”
“But they don’t rip wallpaper or chew doors.”
“Looking at those cute faces, you’d never think they would.”
“I was shocked by that pic Jamongi noona showed.”
“Yeah. Turning the bed into that? Unimaginable.”
“Our Kkakongi chewed stuff bad, but not like that—just table legs.”
“That’s bad enough.”
Everyone chimed in about Jamongi’s misdeeds.
“But Jamongi’s mild. A beagle I know punched a hole right through the bathroom door.”
“Oh my gosh. And? Was the pup okay?”
“Took him to the vet for X-rays ‘cause I was freaked, but he was fine. Anyway, cute but a handful.”
“Cute, yeah.”
“But he’s so well-behaved here.”
Yu Ji-yeon smiled contentedly.
“Must love seeing his friends.”
As that conversation flowed above, Jamongi looked up at his owner and tilted his head side to side.
He looked quite serious.
[Whatcha lookin’ at? Somethin’ buggin’ ya?]
[Maybe no snack?]
[Oh yeah? Then ask fer one.]
As Kkakongi lifted a paw to nudge his owner’s leg, Jamongi spoke up.
[Hyungs! Can’t we greet our humans?]
[Little bro, whaddya mean? Course we greet ‘em!]
[Totally! So happy when they come back!]
[Right? I love it when Dad n’ Mom leave n’ come home.]
Kkakongi grinned ear to ear, truly delighted.
Woof woof woof.
His bark echoed through the park.
Gray, napping on a rock in the bushes, yowled meowr! in annoyance.
Ttangkongi scolded Kkakongi.
[Hey, bro. Pipe down.]
[Sorreh. Was I too loud?]
Kkakongi lowered his voice right away.
[But Jamongi lil’ bro, why ask that?]
[My noona seems to hate it.]
[Nuh-uh. We love our moms! Don’t ya know?]
To Mongi, for whom joyfully greeting returning family was natural, Jamongi’s words sounded off.
[We guard the house good n’ get praised.]
[Yeah. Good job watchin’ home, they say.]
[You hyungs got it good. I got yelled at yesterday too.]
[No kiddin’?]
[Jamongi bro, whatcha do wrong?]
[Go on, spill.]
[I just waited for noona…]
Jamongi’s voice brimmed with grievance.
Yesterday too, he’d strained to catch every outside sound, wondering when noona would come.
Any noise outside, and he’d dash to the door.
But noona didn’t come.
After repeats, he missed her so much.
Jamongi raced to her scent-filled room.
Lying on the bed wafted her smell.
Lick. He licked the blanket, mattress, pillow.
Then back to the door.
Hungry and thirsty, but he just waited.
Noona still didn’t come.
Anxious, he returned to the room, lay on her-scented blanket, and chewed the pillow nearby.
It calmed him a bit. Chew chew chew, felt better.
Then far off, her footsteps!
Ecstatic, he bolted to the door, tail wagging.
Noona appeared!
Wag wag wag wag, he greeted her.
Drank his water, peed his held-in pee. So happy.
Having poured out yesterday’s tale, Jamongi continued sadly.
[I love noona so much…]
Jamongi was too sad.
His hyungs got love and were happy—why did noona hate him?
But thinking she hated him brought back her gentle strokes, tasty treats.
‘Huh, does noona not hate me?’
Jamongi grew confused.
[Jamongi bro. Tell us. Ya just waited and she got mad?]
Ttangkongi asked the wistful Jamongi gazing at his owner.
[Yeah, waited…]
[Didn’t go in the bedroom?]
[Right, ya went in the big room n’ bathroom too, huh?]
[How’d ya know?]
[I did that once. Man, thinkin’ bout it…]
Kkakongi shuddered, then went on.
[Obvious, bro. Ya did somethin’ bannable. Jamongi, whatcha do? Spill.]
[Me? Nothin’ much?]
Jamongi recounted yesterday’s crime to his hyungs in detail.
The three listeners’ faces grew graver.
[Ya messed up bad, lil’ bro.]
[Totes. No wonder noona hates it!]
[Yeah. In my house, you’d get smacked. How ya raise a mutt like that!]
While Jamongi got chewed out by Ttangkongi, Mongi, and Kkakongi.
Yu Ji-yeon was getting advice from the other owners.
“I think the kid’s stressed being alone all day.”
“How much he must wanna play? Beagle’s a hunting breed, right?”
Spot on.
“Yeah, probably. But I can’t quit my job or move to a house with a yard on my budget.”
Sigh, Yu Ji-yeon felt guilty.
She’d thought she could raise him well, but it wasn’t easy.
“Hey, why not try Meongmeong Animal Hospital?”
“Meongmeong?”
“New place just around here. The director’s amazing with them.”
Oh, great at treatments, huh.
“But Jamongi’s not sick or anything.”
Yu Ji-yeon had been too swamped with work lately to hear Lee Jun’s rumors.
“He’s great at checkups, but more than that, he nails what they’re thinking.”
“Like he speaks their language.”
“Really?”
Dealing with animals all day, he’d know better. Yu Ji-yeon brushed it off.
“Swear it’s true.”
Yu Ji-yeon finally heard about Lee Jun’s feats, belatedly.
“For real?”
“Yep.”
“They just opened today—go check it out.”
“I’ll swing by for food too.”
Yu Ji-yeon left the park with Jamongi.
But oddly, Jamongi, who’d been hyper till then, now walked slowly.
‘Tired already?’
Not even an hour of running.
Thinking something was off with Jamongi, she walked on until the animal hospital appeared ahead.
Yu Ji-yeon smiled.
“Here it is.”