The Great Eating Contest
Just as Jang Sora gazed up at the brilliantly luminous moon, hoping that no animals would fall seriously ill over the holiday, the eyes of every animal in the second-floor inpatient ward turned toward the Unruly Trio.
Their eyes sparkled, bright and round, as they hung on the trio's every word.
"So I told him I could eat all of this, all confident-like, and this guy here said he could eat even more," said Kkotnimi the Bull Terrier, his tiny pea-sized eyes gleaming as he addressed the animal friends gathered in a circle around him.
Juhongi the Welsh Corgi patted the floor with his plump paws and jumped right in.
"Hey, listen to me! Just look at this body—who looks like they can eat more? Isn't it me?"
Juhongi shook his thick belly and spun in a slow circle in front of the spectators.
Eating a lot made you strong. And so, being the one who ate the most in the pack was proof you were the strongest of all. That was why Juhongi was putting his round belly on display—evidence that, among the brothers, he had eaten the most.
Kkotnimi promptly stuck out his own thickly swollen belly.
"Don't make me laugh! You punk! I ate way more!"
"Ha! What are you talking about? I ate more!"
The spectators watched with rapt fascination as Kkotnimi and Juhongi argued over who had eaten more.
Hoesaegi, Kkamnyangi, and Sapsaree were among them, along with Aji and Gamja, who were hooked up to IV drips. And they weren't the only ones. Jjaek, whose symptoms had already cleared up but who was still taking his medicine, and his subordinate One-eye had claimed spots of their own, eyes glittering.
Hoesaegi whipped his small head this way and that, inspecting Juhongi's and Kkotnimi's plump bellies, then pointed at Juhongi's with a tiny front paw.
"Juhongi's belly is fatter-ong. Juhongi's belly touches the floor-ong. Juhongi ate more-ong."
Juhongi's expression turned triumphant.
"See? Hoesaegi-hyungnim said my belly is fat."
"No. That's because your legs are short."
Kkotnimi snorted a puff of air and turned to Hoesaegi.
"Hoesaegi-hyungnim, the reason that guy's belly touches the floor is because his legs are short."
"Is that so-ong?"
Hoesaegi tilted his head, and the answer came from Kkamnyangi.
"Seems like it? From where I'm sitting, this guy Kkotnimi's belly looks a lot thicker."
At Kkamnyangi's words, everyone cocked their heads and compared Juhongi's belly with Kkotnimi's.
That was when a desperate Juhongi spoke up.
"H-hyungnims, didn't you see? How much poop I made."
Juhongi dropped his hips into a full pooping pose.
Hoesaegi nodded.
"That's right-ong. Juhongi pooped a whole, whole lot-ong."
Then he added,
"I can't poop as much as Juhongi-ong."
"That guy Kkotnimi pooped a ton too."
Kkamnyangi looked over at Kkotnimi as he said it, and Hoesaegi nodded.
"But Kkotnimi pooped a whole lot too-ong. Amazing-ong."
"That's right-yo. Both of them pooped a whole lot-yo."
Sapsaree backed both hyungnims, and Aji quietly opened her mouth.
"How much did they poop?"
At Aji's question, Sapsaree glanced around, then pointed a front paw straight at Kkamnyangi's head.
"Juhongi pooped as much as Kkamnyangi-hyungnim's face-yo."
The atmosphere in the ward turned chaotic in an instant.
Kkamnyangi, whose head had suddenly been called out, looked back and forth between Juhongi, Kkotnimi, and Sapsaree with startled eyes. Hoesaegi, meanwhile, studied Kkamnyangi's head as he recalled the mess the two of them had deposited on the first floor just a short while ago. As for the animal friends who hadn't been downstairs, they gaped, pouring out gasps of admiration.
"Wow, that's tremendous, it is. That big dog friend is truly remarkable, he is."
"Hmm. Quite the fellow. To think there's a guy who can poop that much—he's no ordinary one."
At One-eye's and Jjaek's admiring praise, the corners of Juhongi's mouth curled into a grin. He showed off his belly even more proudly.
If Lee Jun had seen this, he would have bonked each of them on the forehead and asked whether devouring an entire bag of kibble was something to brag about. Unfortunately, Lee Jun was not in the room. And so the mood settled into one of genuine reverence for Juhongi, who had eaten a great deal and pooped a tremendous amount.
Meanwhile, fierce snorts blasted from Kkotnimi's nose. At the same time, his egg-shaped white face flushed bright red.
Sheesh, that's not right. I pooped more...
Just as Kkotnimi was about to cry out, Sapsaree's words continued.
"Kkotnimi pooped as much as One-eye-yo."
One-eye's face was slightly larger than Kkamnyangi's. Not that it made much of a difference.
In that instant, a smile bloomed across Kkotnimi's face, which had been burning red.
"Eheheheh, as expected, hyungnim has a good eye."
My poop was way thicker.
Kkotnimi thought so as he laughed out loud. But he was the only one who thought it. The spectators simply nodded, agreeing that both of them were amazing.
Watching the two of them strut around, each insisting he was the greater of the two, Hoesaegi turned his head toward the corner, where Little Hoesaegi was panting in short, ragged breaths. He couldn't stop worrying about the one sitting there without a word.
Little Hoesaegi had trudged into the ward with his brothers and had simply been sitting in the corner ever since, leaning slanted against the wall. Even now, with his brothers bragging about how great they were, he hadn't inserted a single word.
Finding this strange, Hoesaegi swiveled his small head from right to left.
"Little Hoesaegi-ong, didn't you eat a lot-ong?"
"Huh? Come to think of it, that guy barely pooped at all."
"That's right-yo. Little Hoesaegi pooped just this much-yo."
Sapsaree, with his excellent memory, held out one front paw—he'd pooped that much.
"Guess he couldn't eat much."
"Seems that way-yo. That's why he only pooped a little-yo?"
The moment he heard Kkamnyangi and Sapsaree, Hoesaegi's face scrunched up.
Little Hoesaegi had lost his name to him in a name battle and become Little Hoesaegi, but they had still shared the same name. The thought that this fellow was the weakest among his brothers, and so had barely been able to eat, soured Hoesaegi's mood.
That's why he was stuck in the corner-ong.
In truth, Little Hoesaegi's belly was so full he couldn't lie down or sit properly, so he was just leaning against the wall, panting. But to Hoesaegi's eyes, it looked as though he'd been pushed aside by his brothers.
"Little Hoesaegi-ong, be stron… oh-ong?"
Hoesaegi's ears pricked straight up just as he was about to offer a word of encouragement. He had assumed Little Hoesaegi was panting because he was frustrated at losing to his brothers. But—
Oh-ong? He's just like Gamja-ong.
The way he was panting. The strange sitting posture, too.
Hoesaegi tilted his head.
"Little Hoesaegi is like Gamja-ong. Huffing and puffing-ong."
At Hoesaegi's words, every gaze in the ward locked onto Little Hoesaegi.
To the animal friends, an IV line meant you were seriously sick. And Little Hoesaegi's breathing sounded just like Gamja's, who was lying down with a drip in his leg. Their expressions were similar, too.
Hoesaegi's eyes went round. Then he dashed for the ward entrance, pouring out words as he ran.
"Li-Little Hoesaegi is sick too-ong. He needs to get poked with the pointy thing. I'll go tell Strong Hyungnim-ong."
"Ah—he's sick? Little Hoesaegi! Are you hurting?"
"Little Hoesaegi is hurting-yo?"
Kkamnyangi tore after Hoesaegi, and Sapsaree ran to Little Hoesaegi. The two brothers did the same.
"Hey, hey, are you hurting?"
"Little Hoesaegi, are you in pain?"
Kkotnimi and Juhongi, who until now had been locked in a contest over who had eaten more and pooped more, approached their brother with panicked faces.
That was when it happened.
Little Hoesaegi suddenly lurched to his feet, shuffled over to where the pads were laid out, and bent his body.
Ugh, ugh-blegh, blegh-blegh-bleeeegh!
Splatter-splatter-splatter. An enormous amount came pouring from his mouth.
Silence fell over the ward in an instant. And Hoesaegi, even more panicked than before, bolted out the door.
"S-Strong Hyungnim-ong, it's a disaster-ong. Li-Little Hoesaegi is going to the Dog Star-ong."
"That's right—it keeps coming out of Little Hoesaegi's mouth."
When the cats, who normally meowed so quietly around the hospital, suddenly yowled at the top of their lungs, Go Gi-jin, who had been tending to the cats in the neighboring ward, flung the door open and came running.
"Why, why're y'all carryin' on like that? What's goin' on?"
Just as Go Gi-jin stepped into the dogs' ward, Little Hoesaegi was crouched in an awkward half-stance.
"Eutta, you rascal—you ate a whole heap, didn't ya."
Go Gi-jin took in the enormous pile of vomit and the even bigger heap beside it, and chuckled. But the animal friends could not laugh.
"I-it's as big as Sapsaree's face-ong."
"Th-that's right!"
Every gaze in the ward turned to Little Hoesaegi, sparkling with respect. Juhongi and Kkotnimi were no exception.
"Whoa. You're the best."
"Yeah. We should've known when that guy was eating so much."
Juhongi and Kkotnimi trudged to the corner of the ward and planted their heads against the wall.
The next day, having been told of the Unruly Trio's latest outrage, Lee Jun scolded all three of them.
"What were you thinking, eating all of that? What if something had gone wrong?"
"What does 'gone wrong' mean-ong?"
"It means you could have gone to the Dog Star."
At Lee Jun's words, the animals in the ward startled.
"If you eat a lot, you go to the Dog Star-ong?"
"That's right. And to the Cat Star, too."
"Hyungnim-ong, is that why you told us not to eat a lot-ong? Because we might go to the Cat Star… ong?"
Hoesaegi asked with his eyes wide, recalling the days about a year ago when he had suffered through a diet.
Then and now were different. Back then, Lee Jun had been worried that Hoesaegi and Kkamnyangi were eating a little more than usual and not moving enough, and would put on weight. In the Unruly Trio's case, he was worried about the real dangers that could follow a binge.
Lee Jun opened his mouth to explain—but Hoesaegi, Kkamnyangi, and even Sapsaree clung to him.
"Euh-heong, Hyungnim-ong, thank you-ong. You saved us-ong."
"Waaah. Hyung-ah. Thank you. Thank you for not letting us go to the Cat Star."
"Euhk, Hyungnim-ayo. Thank you so much-yo. You saved our hyungnims-yo."
When the three of them wailed, the Unruly Trio flinched and teared up.
"I-I'm sorry. I was the one who said we should eat."
Juhongi apologized to his brothers, and Kkotnimi shook his head hard.
"No, I'm more sorry. I bragged that I could eat the most."
"No—I was the one who suggested the bet. We almost…"
Little Hoesaegi, who had eaten the most and suffered the most, trembled all over and looked at his brothers. The bet had been fun—but they had almost never been able to see each other again.
"I'm sorry."
"Are you going to eat that much again?"
"No, sir. We absolutely won't!"
"I won't eat either. My belly hurt so much."
"I could barely even breathe. I couldn't even walk."
"Me too. My belly hurt so, so much. It wasn't good at all."
"Alright. As long as you understand."
Lee Jun said that to the unruly ones, then turned his gaze to Gamja.
"Gamja, are you okay?"
Nod, nod. Gamja dipped his head slowly.
"It was so tasty I ate it… but I was so scared. My belly kept swelling up fat. It hurt… whine!"
"So are you going to eat it again?"
Shake, shake.
"No. It's a really, really scary thing. I absolutely won't eat it."
Gamja said that, then declared it as if making a vow.
"From now on I'll only eat what Mommy gives me."
"Good. That's the right idea. Don't eat just anything—only eat what Mommy and your brother give you."
"Yes."
Gamja, who had been nodding, rolled his eyes around.
"But the stuff the teachers give us… it's tasty, so what about that?"
He meant the treats they received whenever they came to the animal hospital.
In that instant, every gaze in the ward turned to Lee Jun. And they smacked their lips. All of them found the treats at Mongmong Animal Hospital truly delicious. What would the teacher say?
"What about it? If the teacher gives it to you, you just eat it and enjoy."
Wow!
The dogs and cats let out a cheer. Quietly, of course—just loud enough to be heard inside the ward.
"Shall we each have one now, as a little celebration?"
Yes!
Along with their answer, the animals lined up.
"Aji-ong, I'll get yours from Hyungnim for you-ong. You just stay right there-ong."
"Gamja, I'll get yours for you."
Even the friends who couldn't move because of their IV lines were being looked after. A warm atmosphere filled the room as Lee Jun opened his mouth.
"Not Gamja. He can't eat yet."
"Why can't he eat-ong?"
"Well, his belly is still full of food? And you unrul—I mean, Juhongi, Kkot…"
Lee Jun stopped mid-sentence and turned his gaze.
Hoesaegi, who had been standing in line, toddled over to Gamja and hugged him tight—carefully avoiding the front leg with the IV, of course.
"Gamja-ong. I won't eat either-ong. Let's hold out together-ong."
"I-I won't eat either."
Kkamnyangi, who had been at the very front of Lee Jun's line, trudged over to Gamja.
"M-me too-yo. If my friends can't eat, I won't eat either-yo."
"I-I won't eat either."
Juhongi, who had been waiting to receive a treat, stepped out of the line. Then Kkotnimi and Little Hoesaegi too. In an instant, the line had vanished.
How am I supposed to punish them when they do this?
Lee Jun, who had been thinking of banning snacks for a week for the three unruly ones who had competed to devour an entire bag of kibble, let out a hearty laugh. Instead, he decided to give them a reward.
"Alright. Once you've digested everything and get hungry, the teacher will give you a special meal."
Wow!
The dogs and cats beamed.
"Before that, let's each get a shot."
"Hyungnim-ong, do I get one too-ong?"
"No. Hoesaegi and Kkamnyangi and Sapsaree don't get shots. Jjaek and One-eye don't either. The sick friends will get them."
"Got it-ong. Hyungnim-ong? If they get that, they won't hurt anymore-ong?"
"That's right."
His face brightening at Lee Jun's words, Hoesaegi turned to his friends.
"Friends-ong. Hurry up and get the shot and stop hurting-ong."
At Hoesaegi's words, Lee Jun smiled softly.
That's right. Get this one shot each and get better soon.
Just as Lee Jun was giving injections to the hospitalized animals, Cha Da-jeong opened the door and came in.
"Director."
"Hmm?"
"If you're not busy, could you take a look at an X-ray?"
"An X-ray?"
Cha Da-jeong was far better at reading X-ray images than Lee Jun. For her to ask him for help… Lee Jun made a puzzled expression, gave the last patient—Juhongi—his shot, and said,
"All done. What's going on?"
"Well, they brought in Choco saying he seems to have secretly eaten ancestral rite food, but there's something a bit strange."
"Choco? Choco the poodle?"
"Yes. They said that well-behaved kid stole food."
"That can happen. Ancestral rite food is pretty greasy and savory, isn't it?"
Lee Jun's footsteps quickened as he left the ward and walked down the hallway with Cha Da-jeong.