Hey! Hello, Friends!
Solbangwool coolly greeted Hoesaegi and Gkamnyangi, then continued on his way. Watching him amble slowly ahead, his plump rump swaying with each unhurried step, Hoesaegi and Gkamnyangi felt their pupils tremble ever so slightly.
I said hello, and he just walked off-ong.
Hoesaegi was flustered that Solbangwool had brushed off his greeting so casually.
I-I got snubbed by that chubby little—!
Gkamnyangi had suggested they play, but he hadn't even gotten a reply.
The two of them were used to being treated with respect wherever they went. So they assumed Solbangwool's cool reaction meant they'd been dissed.
But Solbangwool hadn't ignored them at all. Cats he'd met once before had said hello, and he'd simply returned the greeting. That was all. With no other intention whatsoever, Solbangwool glanced back over his shoulder as he walked and added,
"I'm walking around smelling things. If you like that, you can walk with me."
In that instant, the cats' eyes flashed.
Solbangwool is doing scent-training-ong.
So this guy was training the whole time.
Solbangwool had merely agreed to play because Gkamnyangi had asked. Misreading that completely, Hoesaegi and Gkamnyangi trotted over to his side.
"Solbangwool-ong, if you really want to play with us that badly, we'll walk with you-ong."
Hoesaegi answered Solbangwool while thinking, I'll watch how he trains-ong.
"Suit yourself."
Gkamnyangi, a little sulky that Solbangwool hadn't answered him right away, replied in a cool, indifferent voice. Inwardly, though, he was thinking the same thing as Hoesaegi.
Let's see how this Solbangwool guy does his scent training.
Hoesaegi and Gkamnyangi followed behind Solbangwool, watching his every move with keen attention. Whenever a tree appeared, Solbangwool would approach it and sniff, sniff, sniff. He smelled the grass, too, and buried his nose in the dirt. Then he'd amble onward, only to turn around, come back, and press his nose to a wildflower he'd already smelled, sniffing it all over again.
The cats watched him with sharp, assessing eyes.
He's memorizing the scents-ong.
This guy is extremely thorough.
The moment Solbangwool moved on, Hoesaegi and Gkamnyangi trotted over and jammed their noses into the wildflower.
Bonk!
Their foreheads collided. Hoesaegi and Gkamnyangi looked at each other, then lowered their heads again.
Thwack.
This time their shoulders bumped. Neither one was giving an inch.
One way or another, they both smelled the wildflower and filed it away in their memories. Solbangwool had sniffed it carefully twice, so there had to be some deep training purpose behind it.
Solbangwool walked on, smelling everything around him. Hoesaegi and Gkamnyangi copied every action he made as he passed. That meticulous stretch of time continued for a while—until a familiar sound drifted over from somewhere.
Myaoong! Kyaoh! Kuwakuwaong!
It was the sound of cats fighting.
"Sounds like a fight broke out-ong."
"Yeah? Why would they be fighting?"
Hoesaegi and Gkamnyangi tilted their heads. A fight, in Cat Town of all places—where fights almost never happened.
The cats naturally turned their steps toward Cat Town. Then they took off at a run.
"Y'all missin' yer friends, huh?"
Far off, Go Gi-jin was watching them with fond pride—not that they noticed.
When the two arrived at Cat Town, five cats came into view, huffing and arguing. The one wearing the angriest expression was Ddoddo. In front of him, Sogeum-i had her eyes wide open in a glare, and beside her stood Norangi, shaking his head.
Hoesaegi approached the cats and asked,
"What's going on-ong?"
The cats startled and whipped their heads toward the sound.
"B-Boss!"
Norangi ducked his head in shock. Following his lead, the other cats bobbed their heads down in rapid succession.
"K-King Boss!"
"King Boss!"
After the cats greeted them in chorus, Norangi added,
"Boss, Kkam Boss. We didn't realize you'd arrived. Forgive us."
In other words, they hadn't even sensed their presence.
The corners of Hoesaegi's and Gkamnyangi's mouths lifted. Then they quickly dropped them again, composing stern expressions.
"That can happen-ong."
Hoesaegi omitted the part about how of course they couldn't sense his presence, and felt quite pleased with himself. Still, he needed to figure out what was going on.
"But what's going on-ong? Why is Ddoddo so angry-ong?"
"Looks like Ddoddo did something to Sogeum-i?"
Gkamnyangi, who'd been reading the room, chimed in.
"N-no, Kkam Boss. I didn't take anything!"
"Yes, Ddoddo ate my treats!"
Ddoddo and Sogeum-i spoke at the same time.
In that instant, Hoesaegi and Gkamnyangi's eyes met in midair.
It's a missing-treats case-ong.
Hoesaegi, you're amazing as always! How did you guess the treats had gone missing?
The cats recalled the conversation they'd had on the way to the park, and the corners of their mouths curled up. The fact that they'd been sneaking a look at Solbangwool's training was already wiped clean from both their minds.
Ahem, ahem, ahem.
Hrm, hrm, hrm.
The cats put on deliberately solemn faces and looked over each cat one by one.
"First of all!"
Hoesaegi raised a front paw. Every cat's gaze locked onto that small, round gray puff of fluff.
"Tell us exactly what happened-ong. That's how we'll solve this case-ong!"
A look of utter confidence. A faint aura gathered around Hoesaegi, who had been putting himself through rigorous training all this time. Sensing it, the cats' faces brightened.
Sogeum-i, who'd been upset about losing her treats, perked up with the hope that she'd finally learn who the culprit—no, the culprit-cat—was. Ddoddo was delighted that he might finally clear his name. Norangi was glad the unsolved missing-treats case might actually get solved. The other cats were just happy they might escape this stifling standoff.
Not only Ddoddo the suspect, but three other cats had also been named as prime suspects. Everyone welcomed Hoesaegi's arrival. Everyone except Jeombaki—the cat with three paw-sized yellow spots dotted across his white back and a big, round face—who'd secretly eaten Sogeum-i's treats. His complexion darkened in an instant. But he was tucked tightly among the cats who'd gathered to watch, so no one noticed Jeombaki's front paws trembling.
"I'll explain. Here's what happened. I left the food and treats Meongmeong Teacher gave me in my Hiding Cubby."
Lee Jun always packed spare food for the park cats to eat when they got hungry—kibble, treats, anything that would keep.
"But after I walked a lap around the park I got hungry, so I opened my treat jar to have some—and there was barely any left! It had been completely full!"
Hoesaegi looked at Norangi.
"Norangi-ong. Has this happened before-ong?"
"Th-this is the first time. I'm sorry, Boss."
Norangi's face went rigid as he hung his head low.
Back when Hoesaegi had ruled Neulpureun Park, food had been scarce, but they'd looked after one another and gotten by just fine. And now, when they had plenty, something like this happened. Norangi blamed himself, convinced it was his own incompetence.
"That's not true-ong. Leader Norangi is doing just fine-ong."
After encouraging Norangi, Hoesaegi asked Sogeum-i,
"Sogeum-i-ong, why do you think Ddoddo ate them-ong?"
"W-well, when I got there, Ddoddo was smacking his lips right under my Hiding Cubby. And there were treat crumbs stuck to his mouth!"
A reasonable point. But Ddoddo's already-round eyes went even rounder as he shot back,
"That's not true! I ate my own!"
"So he says-ong."
Sogeum-i wasn't the only one who'd received treats. Every park cat had gotten some, and each had their own treat jar. So Ddoddo could very well be telling the truth.
"N-no. Ddoddo always gobbles up his treats the second he gets them, so he never has any left."
"That's not true, I did have some. I just ate less this time."
After talking back to Sogeum-i, Ddoddo turned toward Hoesaegi.
"Meongmeong Teacher gave me extra 'cause I eat a lot. Hehe."
He was happy about getting extra treats.
Hoesaegi's golden eyes studied the smiling, talking Ddoddo with care.
His pupils aren't shaking-ong. His front paws aren't twitching-ong. And his body isn't trembling-ong.
By every measure, Ddoddo didn't look like he was lying.
Hoesaegi said to Ddoddo,
"Ddoddo-ong. Come over here-ong."
"Okay."
Ddoddo padded over and stood in front of Hoesaegi.
Watching this, Gkamnyangi guessed what Hoesaegi was about to do.
Now he'll smell that guy's breath and check his pawprints.
Just as Gkamnyangi thought, the moment Ddoddo stood before him, Hoesaegi brought his nose to Ddoddo's mouth. Then he sniffed, sniffed, sniffed. At the same time, his gaze was on the ground Ddoddo had just walked across.
See, I knew he was smart.
Watching Hoesaegi put every last thing they'd discussed into practice without forgetting a single detail, Gkamnyangi smiled with satisfaction. But there was one thing Gkamnyangi had overlooked.
His paw pads are bone-dry-ong.
If Ddoddo had been nervous, his paw pads would have sweated and left the ground damp. But looking at the few steps Ddoddo had taken, the dirt was dry and dusty. Hoesaegi had checked that, too.
Ddoddo didn't lie-ong.
Then who had secretly eaten the treats?
"Sogeum-i-ong, bring me your treat jar-ong."
"Yes, King Boss."
Watching Sogeum-i scramble up to her Hiding Cubby, Hoesaegi said,
"Nobody smack your lips-ong. And don't lick around your mouths, either-ong!"
"Yes, sir! King Boss!"
Hoesaegi's golden gaze swept over the answering cats. Soon Sogeum-i came down with the treat jar, and Hoesaegi buried his nose in it, drawing the scent in deep. Then he committed it to memory. Gkamnyangi sidled over and did the same.
"We have to investigate thoroughly-ong. So we're going to inspect everyone here-ong."
At Hoesaegi's words, everyone nodded. As expected, their King Boss Hoesaegi was fair.
While they were thinking that, Hoesaegi said,
"I'll inspect from the back-ong. Gkamnyangi-ong, you inspect from the front-ong."
"Got it."
A cross-inspection. Meaning they were going for even greater accuracy.
The two of them went around smelling around each cat's mouth, one by one. The moment Hoesaegi sniffed the first cat's muzzle, his pupils flashed.
Same smell as the treat jar-ong.
But pointing it out immediately was what an amateur would do. Hoesaegi walked on as if nothing had happened. The culprit-cat had already been identified, though, so the rest of the inspection was just for show.
Just then, Solbangwool came ambling into view.
"Friends, what are you doing?"
In that instant, Hoesaegi's eyes sparkled.
Finally, a chance to one-up Solbangwool-ong.
It would have been even better if Sapsaree were here, but Hoesaegi lifted his chin and said,
"We're looking for the culprit-cat-ong."
"Ooh! Really? Want me to help?"
"No need—we have to find the culprit-cat who secretly ate the treats-ong."
He'd already found the culprit-cat. Now, who would that plump Solbangwool point to? Thinking he'd like to compete with Solbangwool, Hoesaegi changed what he'd been about to say—that there was no need for help.
"I'm good at that kind of thing. So, what's going on?"
"Norangi-ong, tell him-ong."
"Yes, Boss."
Norangi recounted everything that had happened so far, and Solbangwool, just as Hoesaegi and Gkamnyangi had done, smelled the treat jar and the area around each cat's muzzle. Then he shook his head.
"This is hard."
At Solbangwool's reaction, the cats' faces dimmed a little. Wasn't this the same Solbangwool who'd found Sogeum-i's lost toy not long ago? And now he was saying it was hard. Then finding the culprit-cat must be genuinely difficult. While the cats were thinking that, Hoesaegi spoke with a look of complete composure.
"I already know-ong."
"R-really? You found them?"
"That's right-ong. It's you, Daebak-ong. Daebak ate Sogeum-i's treats-ong."
In that instant, one cat flopped onto the ground. A cat covered in brown stripes from head to tail, with a big, round face. Daebak pleaded,
"I-I'm sorry, King Boss. I was just so hungry, I..."
"I-it was Big Bro Daebak?"
"So Daebak ate them."
"Tsk tsk, he wasn't around at breakfast this morning. Guess he got hungry."
The cats murmuring as they looked at the culprit-cat, Daebak, began one by one to praise Hoesaegi.
"I knew it. I knew our King Boss would find them."
"Hehe, our King Boss is the best. The best!"
"I knew our King Boss would clear my name."
"King Boss is the best!"
"King Boss!"
As the cats heaped praise on him, Hoesaegi looked even more at ease as he opened his mouth.
"I'll leave Daebak's punishment to Norangi-ong."
"Y-yes, Boss!"
Beside them, Solbangwool slowly shook his head and muttered,
"They all smelled pretty much the same around the mouth. How'd he find him? That's impressive."
He'd said it in a very small voice, but Hoesaegi caught it immediately. He'd been paying extremely close attention to Solbangwool.
"Solbangwool-ong! If you train harder, you'll be able to find them too-ong."
Pat, pat, pat. Hoesaegi's face was utterly sunny as he patted Solbangwool's thick shoulder with a tiny cotton-puff paw.
What Hoesaegi had overlooked was this: a great many of his subordinates ate the same treats, and most of them ate the same kibble, too. The first cat he'd smelled had simply happened to be the culprit.
Gkamnyangi, who'd been gathering information by smelling the cats from the front, was startled when Hoesaegi identified the culprit-cat in one shot. And a little disappointed. In his own skills.
I couldn't really tell either, just like that Solbangwool guy.
But he couldn't let it show. Gkamnyangi walked up to Hoesaegi and tapped his shoulder. Then he spoke, deliberately pitching his voice a little brighter.
"Hoesaegi, that was awesome!"
"Gkamnyangi-ong, thank you-ong."
Hoesaegi assumed Gkamnyangi had found the culprit-cat too, but had deliberately stepped aside.
Gkamnyangi is deep-hearted-ong. He yielded so I could receive the Evergreen family's greetings-ong.
As he thought that, looking at Gkamnyangi, his eyes were full of trust and affection.
Meanwhile, a dejected Gkamnyangi quietly slipped away. A master of stealth to begin with, Gkamnyangi put his long-honed skills to work, and not a single soul noticed he'd left.
As Gkamnyangi trudged away from Cat Town, a strange movement caught his eye. Jeombaki—the big-faced cat with three plump yellow spots on his back—was sneaking off somewhere in a hurry.
Hmph. What's that guy up to?
To the eyes of a stealth master like Gkamnyangi, Jeombaki's gait was definitely suspicious.
Looks like he's hiding something.
Gkamnyangi followed Jeombaki. And true to his reputation as a master of stealth and tailing, he caught up in an instant.
"Jeombaki, where are you rushing off to?"
"Eek!"
Jeombaki nearly jumped out of his skin. He hadn't sensed a thing—and there was a cat right behind him.
"K-Kkam Boss!"
Jeombaki plunged into despair. Kkam Boss knew about his crime and had come to catch him.
Flump.
Jeombaki flattened himself on the ground, trembling as he begged for forgiveness.
"P-please forgive me. I-I was just so hungry... I swear I'll never rummage through another cat's treat jar again. Kkam Boss, please, please forgive me."
So there had been another culprit-cat.
Come to think of it, he did smell kind of like Sogeum-i's lunchbox.
Having arrested another culprit-cat—Jeombaki—Gkamnyangi recovered his lost pride.
"Kahaha! I knew my instincts were still sharp!"
"Gkamnyangi-ong. Well done-ong. As expected, we're amazing-ong."
The words also carried the meaning that they were even more amazing than Solbangwool. Hoesaegi and Gkamnyangi looked at each other and smiled. It was a smile overflowing with a victor's ease.
Meanwhile, Solbangwool had left Cat Town and was ambling along, muttering to himself.
"There were three cats who smelled the same as the treat jar... Anyway, it was a really tasty smell."
That was when a drop of drool fell from Solbangwool's mouth onto the ground as he walked. That's how rich and savory the smell had been. And that smell was exactly what had caused all the trouble.
Sogeum-i was notably smaller than the other cats. The kibble she ate was a little higher in calories than what the other park cats got. Which meant it smelled richer, and a little more pungent. Daebak and Jeombaki had surrendered to that rich, fishy, lingering smell and hadn't been able to resist raiding Sogeum-i's treat jar.
And Chadol, who lived right under Sogeum-i's Hiding Cubby, had to smell that tempting scent every single day. After Daebak and then Jeombaki both raided Sogeum-i's treat jar, Chadol couldn't hold out either, and ended up dipping into it himself.
Daebak, Jeombaki, and Chadol. Those three were the culprit-cats who'd raided Sogeum-i's treat jar. That was why Solbangwool had tilted his head at Chadol before he left.
Completely oblivious to all of this, Hoesaegi and Gkamnyangi wore expressions of the utmost pride and satisfaction.