She Threw Me Away
A back so broad that even Haeng-un-i the Chihuahua could tumble around on it without falling off, and peeking out from beneath that wide back, a pair of short, stubby legs.
Jamong turned his head to look at Kakkong-i beside him.
"That big brother over there—he looks like you."
Of course, Kakkong-i was slimmer than the dog with his head bowed. What Jamong meant by looking alike was those stubby little legs. Knowing exactly what Jamong had been looking at, Kakkong-i stretched his own legs out in front of him. Not that those short legs reached very far, but he glanced back and forth between his outstretched paws and the legs peeking from beneath that thick back, then waved a front foot.
"Right? That fella... he's got short little legs just like me, don't he?"
Kakkong-i turned his head toward the Rascal Trio. Among the three brothers, the one who caught his eye was Juhongi the Welsh Corgi.
"Him and me, and Juhongi too—us three are alike, ain't we?"
Pride filled Kakkong-i's voice as he pointed out that there were fully three short-legged dogs among them.
"Yeah."
Jamong's eyes sparkled as he went on.
"Hehe, then that big brother must be a really nice one too."
Being close with short-legged Kakkong-i and Juhongi, Jamong felt an instant kinship with this short-legged dog he'd never met before. Which was probably why what Kakkong-i had said a moment ago—he's crying—nagged at him.
"But Kakkong-i, why is that big brother crying? Is he hurt?"
Jamong figured the dog with the thick backside was older than him, so even though they'd only just met, the words "big brother" slipped right out.
"Nah, he ain't hurt. If he was, you think our teacher would've just sat there? He'd've patched him right up."
After Kakkong-i answered, Hoesaegi chimed in.
"That's right-ong. Salgu isn't hurt-ong. He's going to play with us and sleep over-ong."
Meaning he'd come to stay over the Chuseok holiday. In that instant, a pair of large, round ears perked up—then, just as quickly, went slack. But because Salgu had his head buried, no one in the room saw them twitch.
"That's right. That fella's name's Salgu, they said."
Kakkong-i nodded at Hoesaegi's words.
"Big Brother Salgu?"
"That fella's two years old, so yeah, he's your hyung all right."
"If Big Brother Salgu isn't hurt, why's he crying? Did he not get to eat?"
For dogs, not getting to eat was an immensely sad and difficult thing. So if he was crying like that even though he wasn't in pain, he surely hadn't gotten his food. That was what Jamong thought.
Jamong wasn't the only one who'd taken an interest in Salgu. The moment the bowed-head dog had arrived in this room, everyone had taken a liking to him. Hoesaegi and Kkamnyangi's eyes had sparkled at that large, broad head, and Gamja the Shih Tzu had felt a kinship with that squashed-flat nose. That thick torso and those short legs had drawn the eyes of the Rascal Trio and Kakkong-i alike. On top of that, those large round ears nicknamed "bat ears" and those thick, drooping jowls had piqued everyone's curiosity.
With his distinctive looks, Salgu the French Bulldog had won over everyone in the room. So the moment they saw him, they'd all come sparkling-eyed to greet him, saying hello, telling him they were glad to meet him.
But the instant Salgu arrived, he didn't look at anyone. He went straight to a corner, rammed his head against the wall, and started crying.
Everyone was startled and offered a word. Why are you crying? Are you hurt? Hoesaegi, Kkamnyangi, and Sapsaree spoke to him too. But Salgu didn't say a word. He just cried. So they'd been staring at him in bewilderment—and that was when Jamong arrived.
And Jamong had figured out why Salgu was crying.
"Ah, so that's it. That's why the poor fella's cryin' so pitiful!"
Kakkong-i had a great realization at Jamong's words.
"I know that feelin'. When my mama kept makin' me eat stuff that didn't taste like nothin', I was real miserable too."
With that, Kakkong-i clomped over to the dog with his head down and asked,
"Hey, Salgu, you didn't get to eat? That why you're cryin'?"
In that instant, the back of Salgu—who'd been crying facing away—flinched. Seeing that, Kakkong-i patted him.
"Your belly's real hungry, ain't it?"
"......A little."
"Aw, what do we do?"
As Kakkong-i expressed his concern, Hoesaegi spoke up too.
"Salgu-ong, wait right there-ong. I'll go get something tasty from Miss Bow-wow-ong."
"I'll go get it, okay?"
Sapsaree dashed outside, came back, and set a treat down in front of Salgu.
"Salgu, eat this, okay? It's super yummy."
"Yeah, this is real tasty, I tell ya. Eat up and get your strength back."
When Kakkong-i chimed in, the head that had been bowed all this time finally lifted. Salgu raised his face and turned to look at the dogs and cats.
A round, plump face. An extremely thick neck. And beneath it, shoulders spread wide. A face that didn't quite match a body radiating such powerful strength. With eyes swollen from crying, Salgu looked at the treat on the floor and said,
"......Sniff. Thank you for the food."
Salgu chewed the treat slowly, mumbling it around in his mouth. Then, leaving just a tiny bit uneaten, he burst into tears again.
Thinking Salgu was still crying from hunger, Sapsaree comforted him.
"Salgu, just wait a little, okay? You're gonna get a yummy meal."
"That's right, just hang on a bit. When the food comes, I'll give you a little of mine, so quit cryin' now."
"Big Brother Salgu, I'll give you some of my food too. Just wait a little."
Led by Kakkong-i, everyone comforted Salgu, thinking he was still hungry and offering to share their own portions. Seeing this, Hoesaegi spoke up.
"I'll tell Hyung-nim that you need to eat lots of tasty things-ong."
"Yeah, if you tell Hyung-nim that, he'll give you plenty. Hoesaegi, I'll come with you."
As Hoesaegi and Kkamnyangi made to go outside, Salgu shook his head back and forth.
"It's all right, big brothers."
"You can't be hungry-ong. You have to eat a lot-ong."
When Hoesaegi said that, Salgu kept shaking his head as he answered.
"......I can't eat a lot."
"Ong-oh? Are you on a diet too-ong?"
"So you're trying to lose weight. That's tough."
Hoesaegi and Kkamnyangi, who knew all too well the misery of being on a diet, nodded. But Salgu shook his head again, harder. His crying grew louder than before.
"Sniff! I... I ate too much... so she threw me away. That's why, h-hic, I can't eat a lot anymore."
Huh?
Everyone in the room stared at Salgu with round, wide eyes.
"Salgu-ong, what are you talking about-ong? If you eat a lot, what gets thrown away-ong?"
"Me. She threw me away. Mom... threw me away. H-hhhic."
Thud.
The bomb Salgu had dropped silenced the room in an instant. Everyone just blinked, not knowing how to react, until Hoesaegi padded over to Salgu with little thudding steps. Then he gently placed a small front paw on Salgu's back.
"That's not it-ong, Salgu-ong. That can't be-ong."
"That's right. Why would your mama throw you away?"
"He's right. There's no way."
To the friends correcting him, Salgu shook his head from side to side.
"Sniff, no. Yesterday my food got smaller by this much."
Salgu pointed at the leftover bit of treat—about the size of his five claws bunched together.
"And today it got smaller by that much again."
"My noona does that a lot too. Sometimes she gives me a lot, sometimes she gives me a little."
"That's right. Same with me. My mama always forgets how much I eat. So she gives me a different amount every single day."
Kakkong-i said this and gave Salgu's thick shoulder a couple of pats.
"When that happens, you just gotta ask for more. You didn't ask for more, did ya?"
"......I did. But she wouldn't give me any."
Salgu answered through tears, then poured out the tightness in his chest.
"Sniff, M-Mom did this when I was eating. Yesterday, and the day before..."
Salgu let out a long, heavy sigh.
In fact, Salgu's guardian had been sighing for days now as she watched him eat. It was that look on her face that Salgu had sensed as something strange. When he sighed, sounds of hup and ugh and uh-oh burst out from all around the room. Salgu's expression grew even darker. The tears that had paused while he spoke started falling again as he continued.
"Hic, M-My mom used to tell me I was pretty when I ate. So, sniff! She'd watch me eat from right beside me, and when I finished she'd do this and say, 'What a good, pretty Salgu, eating so well. Our little cutie Salgu.'"
Salgu tapped at his own waist with his stubby little legs. He was mimicking the way his guardian used to pat his bottom, but his legs couldn't quite reach that far. Everyone understood perfectly what he was trying to say. They were animal friends who received that kind of treatment from their own guardians, after all. Which was probably why the mood in the room turned solemn in an instant—because they, too, had sensed that something strange was going on, just as Salgu had described.
In the quiet, Salgu's words continued.
"After dinner, Mom always gives me a chew, you know? It's a super, super tasty chew, but Mom didn't give me that either. Yesterday, the day before, and today too—I didn't get to have it."
"Is that true-ong?"
"You serious about that?"
Hoesaegi and Kkamnyangi asked him with startled eyes.
"Yeees..."
This was no ordinary matter. The animals who'd already felt something was off now wore even graver expressions. Not giving a treat you'd always given—that surely meant some enormous problem had arisen. That's what they were thinking when Salgu's story continued.
"Sniff, O-Originally, I, I only went outside once a day, you know?"
Going on a walk every day—Salgu really did live with a wonderful mom. That's what everyone thought.
"But yesterday I went out three times. The day before, three times too. And today, even though it isn't even night yet, I've already been out three times."
Oong? Going outside a lot for walks is a good thing, isn't it? So why is he crying while he says that?
Everyone wore puzzled expressions. Hoesaegi asked on their behalf.
"But Salgu-ong. Going outside a lot is a good thing-ong. It means your mom likes you a whole lot-ong."
"That's right. I was thinkin' the same thing. How great is it to go out?"
"Yeah. I go out twice. Sometimes even three times. Like the big brothers said, going out is really fun. Hehehe."
"Th-That's not it. M-Mom was looking for a place to abandon me."
Everyone was startled by Salgu's words.
"What's this fella sayin' now? Talk sense, will ya? If your mama didn't like you, why would she take you on walks? And several times a day, at that."
Kakkong-i snorted a puff of air and looked to his friends for agreement.
"Ain't that right?"
As everyone nodded, Salgu blurted out,
"No. I'm telling you, no. She just... she didn't even take the usual path, and it wasn't even the usual park—she just went to all these weird places."
New paths and new places were uncharted territory. The dogs who loved exploring huffed and puffed with excitement. Among them, the Rascal Trio's eyes even began to sparkle.
Whoa, that's awesome. I... I wanna go play somewhere new too.
Just as the Rascal Trio were thinking this, Salgu continued through his tears.
"Mom, hic, Mom saw a tiny white puppy and said it was cute. M-Mom..."
He paused, drew a great shuddering breath, and finished what he'd been saying.
"She's going to abandon me and bring that one home instead. My mom is..."
Salgu's voice grew weaker and weaker.
What? No way.
I-Is that true?
Is he serious?
As the animal friends wore grave expressions, Haeng-un-i's heart began to pound.
Oh no... Salgu got abandoned.
Haeng-un-i had been through the same thing as Salgu. One day the treats had started dwindling, and his guardian had begun sighing whenever he looked at him. And then, in the end...
Remembering the moment he'd been left all alone in a strange place, Haeng-un-i trembled, his little shoulders shaking.
Hiiing, it was so scary.
And then someone had scooped him up in their arms and taken him somewhere. When that stranger had picked him up, he'd been truly terrified. But he hadn't had the courage to run away, either—because being alone had been even scarier. Later he found out that person was so, so kind. The place they'd taken him had lots of friends. Of course, there were also a lot of really scary friends. That place had been Uriteul Shelter.
At any rate, Haeng-un-i, who carried the memory of being abandoned, felt terribly sorry for Salgu. Because everything Salgu had gone through was everything he himself had gone through. The treats dwindling, the sighing while looking at you, calling another dog pretty, and then in the end...
"Hing, Salgu..."
He was much better now, but Haeng-un-i was still timid by nature. And yet that timid Haeng-un-i walked over to the much larger Salgu all on his own, and wrapped him in a tight hug.
"Salgu, hang in there."
Like I did.
"A new dad will come for you. A much better new dad..."
At Haeng-un-i's words, Salgu became certain. His mom really had abandoned him. And that only made him miss her more.
"M-Mom... hic, I, I love my mom so much, khhhic. My mom is the best mom in the whole world..."
Sniffling and crying, Salgu finally flopped down flat and wailed at the top of his lungs.
"Salgu-ong, hang in there-ong."
"Yeah, Salgu, hang in there, okay? Hyung-nim will find you a good mom."
"Yeah, Doctor Bow-wow will find you a good mom."
"That's right. Just trust our teacher and don't you worry."
The animal friends each offered Salgu a word of comfort. But they couldn't think of anything more to say, because they'd never been through anything like that. Of course, Haeng-un-i and Sapsaree were the exceptions. The two of them looked at Salgu with pitying eyes, because they knew all too well how agonizing it was to be abandoned.
As Haeng-un-i and Sapsaree gazed at Salgu with the eyes of those who shared the same wound, Kkamnyangi tossed out a remark.
"Hey, what's with all the crying over something like that?"
Salgu's crying cut off at once. He searched for the owner of the voice, then met Kkamnyangi's eyes.
"A tough-looking guy like you, crying over a little thing like that? Can't you tell just by looking? They're trying to get you to lose weight."
When Kkamnyangi tossed this out as if it were no big deal, Haeng-un-i spoke up.
"Big brother, that's not it. Salgu's mom..."
The words abandoned Salgu just wouldn't come out of timid Haeng-un-i's mouth. So an awkward silence hung for a moment, until Sapsaree clomped over to stand in front of Salgu. Then he flopped down, met Salgu's eyes, and said,
"Salgu, if you keep living, things work out, okay? You get lots of good big brothers. And friends are really, really nice! So have hope, okay?"
"Sapsaree's right-ong. Hyung-nim is good-ong. The strong Hyung-nim is good too-ong. Kkamnyangi and Sapsaree are good-ong. And..."
Hoesaegi rolled his round head in a full circle, looking at all the friends in the room. Then, eyes sparkling, he finished.
"All the friends here are good-ong."
Encouraged by Sapsaree and Hoesaegi's words, Haeng-un-i picked up where they left off—in a much stronger tone than when he'd spoken a moment ago.
"Y-Yeah. The place I was at, the big brothers there are really nice, and there's a huge yard, and the teachers are nice too... and there's lots of tasty food."
Haeng-un-i quietly introduced Uriteul Shelter as a good place, then added,
"If you play with friends there, a good mom will come take you home."
"A good Hyung-nim might come take you too-ong."
"You might go to a good noona, like Aji did!"
So don't be too heartbroken. Cheer up.
At the heartfelt encouragement of friends he'd only just met, Salgu—who had stopped crying—burst into tears all over again. He was grateful for their warm hearts, but it also made the fact that he'd been abandoned feel all the more real.
"H-hhhic, I, I love my mom. My mom. I don't want anyone else. My mom is..."
That was when it happened. Kkamnyangi, who'd been sprawled on the cat tree, scrunched up his face, then bolted upright. And then he let out a lion's roar.
It was obvious at a glance that Salgu had gotten the wrong idea all by himself. But no matter how many times it was explained, he wouldn't get it, and the frustrated Kkamnyangi had finally bellowed it out. Salgu still didn't get it.
"N-No. Mom is definitely trying to abandon me."
Hyooh.
In the end, even Kkamnyangi threw up his hands—or rather, all four paws. Salgu was already completely convinced. In a situation like this, it didn't look like anything he said would make a difference. On top of that, everyone around was looking at Kkamnyangi as if he were a cat with no blood and no tears.
At this point, even Kkamnyangi simply gave up. And of course, Salgu looking all the more pitiful for it was a bonus.