Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Gray's Close Call
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Meooow...!
A cat sat beside the motionless Gray, letting out a mournful cry.
Lee Jun dropped to his knees next to Gray.
He practically sprawled out as he examined Gray.
His left hand went to Gray's nose, his right to his chest.
His touch was cautious, as if the slightest mishandling might shatter him.
Jamongi, who had been standing nearby, sat down beside Gray, mimicking Lee Jun.
Jamongi stared at Gray, blinking and licking his own nose repeatedly.
It was a clear sign of his anxiety.
The crying cat fell silent too.
Its eyes still darted back and forth, but it clamped its mouth shut, determined not to disturb Lee Jun.
But Lee Jun couldn't spare a thought for Jamongi or the other cat.
He hadn't even noticed them.
All his focus was on Gray's vital signs.
Lee Jun watched without even blinking.
Soon, Jamongi followed suit, crouching carefully to peer at Gray from even closer.
The moment felt fleeting, yet stretched on like an eternity for the two of them.
As they held their breath, staring intently.
Thump.
A faint movement stirred under Lee Jun's right hand. Then, a wisp of breath touched his left.
It was so subtle that only heightened senses could detect it.
But that was enough.
The tension drained from Lee Jun's rigid face.
"Good. He's alive."
They had cleared the first hurdle.
Without a moment to sigh in relief, Lee Jun swiftly performed a visual exam, assessing Gray's condition.
The most obvious injury was on the right thigh.
It was swollen and covered in blood.
"Femur fracture."
The words slipped from Lee Jun's lips.
Bloodstains on both thighs suggested they might both be broken.
The other injuries couldn't be ignored either.
Traffic accidents often involved pelvic or spinal damage. Internal organ rupture was a possibility too.
"Whew, at least he's breathing!"
Lee Jun decided to focus on the positive.
He wanted to scoop Gray up and rush to the animal hospital, but he couldn't.
Moving him carelessly might worsen the damage fatally.
Lee Jun stood and scanned the surroundings.
"I think I saw an empty box around here."
He remembered passing piles of recyclables several times while searching for Gray.
"Jamongi, stay here just a sec. Teacher's gonna run right over there and be back quick. If anything happens, bark loud, okay?"
[Yes!]
Jamongi responded immediately to Lee Jun's command.
Less than two minutes later, Lee Jun returned with a box.
He carefully lifted Gray.
There was no strength left in the limp body.
Lee Jun laid him in the box, taking every care to prevent his form from bending awkwardly.
Then he raced to Meongmeong Animal Hospital as fast as he could.
***
Ding-a-ling.
Han Na-hyuk pushed open the door to Meongmeong Animal Hospital.
Thud thud thud.
His purposeful strides carried him through the lobby to the treatment room.
Bang.
Lee Jun turned at the sound of the treatment room door flying open.
Han Na-hyuk stood there, catching his breath.
"Senior, you got here fast."
"Of course. TA, right?"
Traffic accident patients were a race against time.
He had been nearby, meeting Namgung Hyun about the animal medical center, when Lee Jun's call came in. He flew straight over.
Han Na-hyuk stepped inside and looked at Gray lying in the hospitalization cage.
"This guy?"
"Yeah."
"Status?"
"Bilateral femur compound fractures. Abdomen's okay, luckily. Low blood pressure and dehydrated, so he's on fluids and in the oxygen chamber. Bloodwork's running now."
"No spinal fractures or abdominal ruptures. Good. Head okay?"
"Visually, yeah. But we can't rule it out. Could be a concussion."
"We'll know when he wakes."
"Right. Liver function's a concern. He's been missing a week. Labs will be out soon, but let's check the X-rays first."
"Let's do it."
They moved to the exam room. X-rays lit up the monitor.
"Hmm, thorax and abdomen look clean, like you said."
"Relief."
Lee Jun switched to the next image.
"Hips are fine too. Just the right femur fracture."
"Hmm, how many pieces? One, two..."
"Four pieces. We'd need a closer look for details, but that's it for now. And check here—the tail's fractured too."
The X-ray Lee Jun pointed to showed the tail kinked at an odd angle.
"Simple fracture I could handle solo, but this is too much for one person. Hope I didn't pull you from anything important?"
"Nah. Just hashing out medical center stuff with that Namgung CEO."
"Sorry to drag you away."
"Hey, nothing's more precious than life. Of course I came."
Fair enough. Lee Jun was grateful for his senior's matter-of-fact attitude.
"And anyone who wouldn't get that isn't worth partnering with anyway."
"True that."
As they discussed Gray's condition, the bloodwork results came in.
"Ooh, mostly good. Other tests?"
He meant infectious disease panels.
"All clear. Vaccines up to date recently."
"Smart move."
Prep complete, Lee Jun lifted Gray from the cage.
That's when it happened.
Gray's tightly shut eyelids quivered.
Lee Jun's eyes widened slightly.
They fluttered open—just a sliver, like three sheets of paper stacked. But it filled Lee Jun with joy.
"Gray!"
At the familiar voice, Gray's eyes opened a bit more.
Vision slowly focused in his hazy gaze.
But it was still blurry.
Even so, his whiskers twitched faintly. Sniff sniff sniff.
'Familiar scent meow.'
And a beloved one at that.
The scent of the Meongmeong Animal Hospital teacher.
The cry he had screamed from the depths of his heart until blacking out.
'Woof Teacher, I'm here meow! Please save me meow!'
And now, Woof Teacher had truly come.
All the agony of struggling alone in that dark alley corner melted away in an instant.
Though it was really the painkillers Lee Jun had given him, Gray's expression softened anyway.
'Thanks meow, Teacher. Knew you'd find me meow!'
Gray poured his heart into the words.
But no sound came out.
[......]
Gray's mouth worked as if trying to speak.
"Yeah, yeah. You're okay now, Gray."
Lee Jun soothed him.
"Teacher will fix you up."
After wheeling Gray to the surgery room and administering anesthesia, Lee Jun said,
"Gray, sleep deep, and you'll be good as new when you wake."
With that, Gray drifted off—not into the blackout of excruciating pain, but a peaceful slumber.
Lee Jun and Han Na-hyuk began the surgery immediately.
They aligned the shattered bones meticulously.
They fitted a reduction plate to the fracture site and secured it firmly with matching screws.
Normally, they'd X-ray here to confirm before proceeding.
But Meongmeong had no portable equipment. They'd have to move to the radiology room.
For these two, who had done this surgery countless times, such steps were unnecessary.
Click click click.
Their four hands moved in perfect harmony, like a single surgeon.
No moment wasted.
Precise yet swift motions. Unhesitating precision.
Matching Lee Jun's rhythm, Han Na-hyuk was impressed.
'How does this guy get faster every day?'
It had been a year and a half since their last surgery together.
Lee Jun had always been exceptional, but now he was even more refined.
'Hell of a talent.'
Han Na-hyuk relished the seamless, thorough, and rapid surgery with him.
It was over in a flash.
"Senior, I'll finish up. Take a break."
"Yeah, guess I'm getting old. Back's killing me."
Han Na-hyuk stretched his cracking back and watched Lee Jun close.
Watching the near-miraculous speed of Lee Jun's suturing, Han Na-hyuk thought,
'Yeah, working with a guy like this might actually be worth it.'
Frankly, he might have turned down the center director offer without Lee Jun.
As his thoughts wandered, Lee Jun's voice cut in.
"Surgery's done."
***
Perked ears. Sparkling golden round eyes. Plush fluffy tail. Sleek build.
Gray's silvery fur had always gleamed from afar, captivating all eyes.
Now he lay in a small space.
His once glossy coat was dull and matted. His moist pink nose was dry and rough.
But his eyes burned with the same commanding fire from Evergreen Park.
He scanned his surroundings with those piercing golden orbs.
But he couldn't see everything. Something covered his face, and the space was cramped.
Odd wrappings bound his front paws, a long tube snaked up, and something pricked him repeatedly. Annoying.
Yet Gray didn't panic.
The space reeked of a familiar scent.
And one more thing.
Lee Jun had explained everything in detail.
Without that, he might have freaked out by now.
Felt the urge to bolt from this strange, alien place.
'It was really scary meow!'
Gray recalled the moment the huge car struck him.
His body lifted into the air. Then slammed back to earth.
If he'd blacked out then, his head might have hit first.
Luckily, Gray stayed conscious.
But his injured legs from the impact wouldn't move.
Gray thrashed his front paws desperately to aim for the recycle pile.
His efforts paid off—he landed on a box.
From there, wild instinct kicked in. He dragged himself as far from people as possible.
Front legs intact, he hauled his hindquarters along, one front paw step at a time.
That desperate flight had gotten him here, still breathing.
As Gray relived the terror, Lee Jun entered the hospitalization room.
"Gray, any pain?"
[......No meow.]
Gray's voice trembled in response.
"You're not hurting? Your voice sounds pained."
[No meow.]
He couldn't admit it was gratitude choking him up.
"It'll hurt. Gotta stay put for a while. Bones need time to knit before you move. Thrashing around will make it worse—inflammation, big trouble."
Gray stayed silent.
But his eyes brimmed with why?
"If you move before it's healed, you'll never get that handsome look back. Remember your buddy with the limp? Or the one with the crooked tail?"
[Yeah meow.]
"Exactly. Could end up like that."
[For real meow?]
Gray's eyes widened.
He recalled a subordinate with a bent tail wailing in pain for days.
And a comrade who suffered leg agony until he went to the Cat Star.
"So be careful now. Take your meds, and no biting your tail if it itches."
[Got it meow!]
"Good. Oh, your friends were worried sick, from what I heard."
Lee Jun hadn't gone home after surgery, staying to monitor Gray.
But visiting dogs brought park updates.
By the time Lee Jun found and moved him, word had already spread in the park.
The cat with him had told the others.
"I told the dogs you're fine, but just in case, I'll swing by and confirm."
[......Thanks meow!]
"So, I'm stepping out briefly. If it hurts or anything, paw at the door. The lady out there will come check on you."
Lee Jun pointed to Jang So-ra standing outside.
[Got it meow.]
"Back soon."
Lee Jun left the hospital and headed to the park.