Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: A Home for Haenguni
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Lee Jun had reacted positively to the idea that small dogs were easy to adopt.
But when the Chihuahua came up, his expression darkened, prompting Namgung Hyun to ask.
“Having a tough time? It stood out the most among the small dogs.”
“It’s small and cute. But that pup… the treatment costs a lot, so I’m not sure if anyone will take it.”
Namgung Hyun gave Lee Jun a puzzled look at his words.
“Treatment costs? It did look weak. What’s wrong with it?”
“Both knees seem uncomfortable.”
“You mean patellar luxation, right?”
“You know about it.”
“I’ve heard it’s common in small dogs. Is that why you say adoption will be tough?”
“Pretty much.”
Lee Jun answered curtly.
To Namgung Hyun, though, it sounded like, ‘There are plenty of healthy ones, so who would spend money on surgery for this dog?’
The two fell silent for a moment.
After a brief quiet, Namgung Hyun spoke up.
“I thought it’d be good if that little scaredy-cat found a home soon…”
Namgung Hyun made a bitter face and continued.
“I saw it last week, too.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yeah, I went in to clean the small dog area, and it was trembling all alone in the corner.”
“It’s timid, and its legs hurt, so it probably couldn’t play with the others.”
“It gets ignored because it’s in pain?”
“That too, and it avoids the others. If someone bumps the sore spot, it’ll hurt more. It’s self-defense.”
“Poor thing.”
“Yeah.”
“It looked so pitiful, hanging back from the others all by itself. Turns out it was because it hurts.”
“Timid personality plays a part too.”
“Hmm… What if we get the surgery done? Think it could get adopted?”
“Well, I can’t guarantee it, but the chances would go up compared to now, right?”
“Surgery would improve its adoption odds over doing nothing?”
“Y… Yeah.”
Lee Jun nodded slowly.
“I’ll cover the surgery costs. Director, will you operate on it?”
“Huh? What do you mean…?”
Lee Jun blinked at Namgung Hyun.
“That pup. It’d be great if it found a good home. It’s not adjusting here anyway.”
“It won’t adjust going forward either. Its legs hurt, so it’ll be scared whenever someone comes near.”
“Tsk, poor little pea-sized thing. Adopted or not, we should get it surgery.”
Namgung Hyun’s words and expression rang true with sincerity.
“I shouldn’t have mentioned it and burdened you.”
“No. I’m doing this because I want to, so don’t worry about it, Director.”
“Still. Surgery isn’t cheap.”
“Don’t worry about it. Really.”
“Hmm, alright then. The Chihuahua… We don’t even know its name yet. Ah, let’s call it Haenguni. Just catching your eye is Haenguni for it.”
Being called Haenguni for meeting him.
Namgung Hyun felt pleased.
‘This director really has a knack for making people feel good.’
“Haha, is that so?”
“Yeah. I only petted Haenguni briefly before surgery, so I’m not sure of its condition. It might not hurt at all and be fine.”
“That’d be great.”
“Yeah. So let’s do some tests first, then talk after.”
“Sounds good.”
***
Break time ended, and the workday continued. Lee Jun handled checkups while Namgung Hyun kept volunteering.
Checkups started with examining the morning’s surgery patients.
Lee Jun kept his morning promise.
Chomp chomp chomp.
The pup wolfed down a can of food in no time and shook its head.
[Ew, I was starving.]
“Tasty?”
[Yes! Super tasty, Doctor. I want more.]
“You can have more tasty stuff for dinner.”
[Wow! Really?]
“But you have to behave. No pulling this off. No licking.”
Lee Jun pointed to the e-collar he’d put on to prevent licking the incision.
[Okay, I will.]
He went to Nureongi too.
Nureongi saw Lee Jun and bared its teeth briefly.
Grrrr.
“Oops, no treat then!”
Nureongi shut its mouth right away when Lee Jun pulled out a bag.
“That’s right. Good dog.”
Lee Jun recited precautions to Nureongi too.
“If you follow what I said, you can have these until the stitches come out.”
[I’ll try.]
“Good. I believe you.”
Lee Jun gave Nureongi the promised treat as agreed.
Nureongi’s eyes went wide at the soft sticks in the food bowl.
[…I can eat all this?]
“Yeah, it’s yours.”
[Mine…?]
“Yeah. Yours.”
Nureongi carefully took one soft stick with its small mouth.
It chewed oh-so-gingerly.
Its mouth corners curved up, eyes bending into half-moons.
After finishing one row, Nureongi stared at the treats and licked one.
Its tail wagged furiously. A sign it was super happy.
Unlike other dogs that demolished treats instantly.
“Eat up.”
[Tha… nks.]
“And tone down that attitude.”
[…Got it. When you coming back?]
The wary Nureongi showed goodwill toward Lee Jun.
A smile bloomed on Lee Jun’s face.
‘This is when it feels rewarding.’
Stitches needed removing in a week, but everyone had refused Nureongi, shaking their heads.
So Lee Jun planned to visit next week too.
“Next week.”
[Okay.]
Anticipation gleamed in Nureongi’s eyes as it replied.
Finally, Lee Jun entered the small room.
Namgung Hyun, who’d been waiting, followed.
Chihuahua Haenguni sat awkwardly on a small cushion.
Not quite sitting, not quite standing.
Haenguni’s eyes met Lee Jun’s, and it teared up, mouth moving.
“Hurts?”
[…Yeah.]
“This shot’ll make it stop hurting.”
Lee Jun gave Haenguni a painkiller injection.
He set a can of treats in front of Haenguni.
Its face brightened instantly.
“You wanted this, right?”
[Yes.]
“Let’s eat after it stops hurting.”
Obviously it wouldn’t eat in that much pain, but he placed the can beside Haenguni anyway.
Haenguni gazed at the can and grinned.
Lee Jun gave a wry smile at the sight.
‘I want to ask how it ended up here, but…’
It wouldn’t be a good story.
The pure-smiling Chihuahua was adorably cute. Long-haired, chocolate-colored—everyone would find it charming.
‘A dog like this getting lost in the boonies doesn’t add up.’
No one seemed to be looking for it either.
People post flyers or register lost pets on SNS and shelter sites for help, but nothing.
‘Found in the nearby mountains says it all. Hope I’m wrong, though.’
Oblivious to Lee Jun’s thoughts, Namgung Hyun smiled and said.
“First time seeing Haenguni smile.”
Namgung Hyun’s lips curved up too.
Soon, Haenguni’s face relaxed. Its hunched posture eased.
The painkiller had kicked in.
Lee Jun opened the treat can beside Haenguni and offered it.
[Mmm, looks tasty.]
Haenguni ate the treats ultra-carefully. Slowly, but finished the whole can.
“Eats so cutely. My Banji would’ve scarfed it in one bite.”
Namgung Hyun beamed, charmed by Haenguni.
“Haenguni, the doctor’s gonna do some checks.”
[What checks?]
“Your legs hurt.”
Haenguni blinked at Lee Jun’s words.
[They don’t.]
“Good. Can the doctor touch your legs?”
Flinch. Haenguni startled and stepped back.
“I’ll touch super gently, no pain.”
Shake shake.
Haenguni shook its head no.
“Don’t you wanna play with the other pups?”
[…I do. But scared it’ll hurt, so I can’t.]
Much more natural reply than before.
It knew Lee Jun was the good guy giving tasty food now, and less pain meant more confidence.
“The doctor’ll make it not hurt.”
[…Really?]
Haenguni looked up at Lee Jun with eyes full of desperate hope.
“Yeah.”
After soothing Haenguni and palpating the knees, Lee Jun’s face hardened.
“As I thought?”
“Can’t diagnose for sure without X-rays, but it’s past grade 2. Right knee grade 2-3, left grade 3.”
“Needs surgery?”
“Yes. Left like this, it’ll worsen. Could damage the cruciate ligament, or even affect the hip in bad cases.”
“Please, Director.”
Namgung Hyun, resolve firm, requested the surgery from Lee Jun.
“No charge for surgery. Just find Haenguni a home.”
“I can’t. I asked you. I should cover costs.”
“No. Can’t burden you with that much. Our Yard’s where I’ve volunteered forever. I’ve done lots of surgeries like this. It’s on me.”
Namgung Hyun was stumped.
‘I figured the director would say that, but he means it. What now?’
He pondered how to resolve it.
Lee Jun pondered too.
He’d planned to operate once he knew Haenguni’s legs hurt.
Surgery wasn’t the issue. But one problem.
‘Surgery means hospitalization and rehab.’
Meongmeong Animal Hospital couldn’t do 24-hour care or rehab.
He’d always been at 24-hour facilities before.
School hospital, locum at 24-hour clinics.
No issue admitting post-op then.
But Meongmeong wasn’t 24-hour.
A day or two, fine.
Couldn’t stay up endlessly treating.
‘Gotta expand the hospital soon.’
For 24-hour inpatient care and one-stop rehab.
‘Talk to senior about Haenguni.’
Decision made, he told Namgung Hyun.
“Gonna see the chief of staff.”
Lee Jun went to his senior, who was struggling with Nureongi.
“Lee! Good timing. Nureongi okay?”
“Worried about infection since we can’t disinfect like others?”
“Yeah.”
“I talked it down good. No worries.”
His senior laughed at Lee Jun’s words.
“You say it like it’s real. Like you actually talked to Nureongi. Ju said you chat fully with Dalkomi too.”
“How’s Dalkomi?”
“Fully recovered. You’re a miracle worker.”
Senior thumbs-upped.
“Need to discuss something.”
“Discuss?”
“More like asking for your help.”
“What?”
“Examined the Chihuahua—patellar luxation.”
“The one you operated on today?”
“Yeah. Both knees dislocated. Thinking of fixing them.”
“You do surgery, I handle admission?”
“And rehab.”
“Sure.”
“Thanks.”
“Thanks nothing. I owe you. If more Dalkomi cases, hit me up.”
“Anytime.”
Lee Jun explained to Namgung Hyun after.
Without questions, Namgung Hyun said straight.
“Please take good care of our Haenguni.”
‘Our Haenguni? Bonded already?’
Lee Jun eyed Namgung Hyun holding Haenguni.
Namgung Hyun stroked its forehead repeatedly.
Very gently.
His gaze shifted to Haenguni.
Cuddled in Namgung Hyun’s arms, Haenguni looked comfy.
“Honestly, Banji passed recently, so I hadn’t thought of getting another.”
“Makes sense.”
“But I’d planned to adopt from here someday.”
“That’s too kind.”
“Your words firmed my resolve.”
“Huh? What’d I say?”
“Find Haenguni a home.”
“Oh, right. Yeah.”
“I’ll take Haenguni.”
Now Lee Jun’s eyes widened.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you.”
One pup found a good home.
Lee Jun bowed sincerely.
“Now Haenguni’s my dog.”
“Of course.”
“Pet treatment’s on the owner. Please do Haenguni’s surgery right.”
“…You leave me speechless.”
“We’ll need your help plenty more. Can’t keep getting freebies or I won’t ask again. All for my benefit. Haha.”
Namgung Hyun laughed heartily.
“Your name’s Haenguni now. Whaddya think, Haenguni?”
[Yes.]
Haenguni grinned happily.
“The guy holding you will raise you from now on.”
Haenguni, thrilled at the name, darkened suddenly.
[Again? Back to the mountains?]
Shoot. Spot on.
Lee Jun’s brows furrowed slightly.
Haenguni and Lee Jun’s sour faces darkened Namgung Hyun’s too.
“Why? Does Haenguni hate me?”
Namgung Hyun totally misunderstood.
The mood shifted right after Lee Jun introduced him.
“No. Scared of being abandoned again.”
“Ridiculous. Animals in my house enter as they please, but leave only when they die.”
Gasp! At the chilling words, Lee Jun narrowed his eyes at Namgung Hyun.
‘Spending habits, speech— what does he do? Not bad guy, though…’
Model-handsome too.
But Lee Jun never focused on owners.
Patients mattered to him.
Lee Jun relayed Namgung Hyun’s sincerity to Haenguni.
[Really?]
“Yeah. Promises never to abandon you.”
[Heh…]
Relaxed, Haenguni leaned its little head on Namgung Hyun.
***
Good news made checkups smooth.
Animals chatted, mood great.
Lee Jun had a satisfying volunteer shift.
Return time came.
As everyone packed gear onto the bus, Namgung Hyun approached Lee Jun holding Haenguni.
“Director, see you next week.”
“Yes. Thanks to you, everyone’s thrilled.”
“I’m happier meeting Haenguni. Thanks for helping me decide.”
“Don’t know where to put myself with that.”
“It’s true. Um… Could I get your contact? First tiny dog for me.”
“Oh, sure. Call if questions or issues.”
Lee Jun handed a business card; Namgung Hyun slipped his into Lee Jun’s hand.
Lee Jun’s eyes widened at the card.
Namgung Hyun smiled politely at him.
“In that vein, I have a proposal.”