Temporary Shelter
Jang Pan-ho, who had shown his intention to Lee Jun, gave an awkward smile.
After hearing the word “Temporary Care” from his daughter yesterday, it had lingered in his mind like a ghost.
He had been tossing and turning in bed, turning over the idea of temporary protection in his head.
Could he really bring this small creature home?
In a house where every corner still carried the traces of Janggoon—thick, vivid, impossible to forget.
He could almost hear the dog’s bell-like tail wagging as it trotted over, that bright, sunflower smile lighting up the room.
There wasn’t a single spot in the house without Janggoon’s memory.
Imagining another dog roaming those same rooms made something tight and painful rise in his chest.
Jang Pan-ho realized he had no courage to bring home a dog other than Janggoon.
So he had spent the entire night inventing dozens, hundreds of reasons not to take the small Yorkshire Terrier puppy in.
The Bulgwang-dong house had been his home since Janggoon slipped into his palm.
Another dog would surely upset Janggoon.
He might even cry, whispering that he had been forgotten.
Jang Pan-ho had thought that too.
He had been carefully holding back his grief for Janggoon, but if this little one came and started wandering, would the dam break and flood everything?
There were already too many things he couldn’t do for Janggoon, and the guilt was crushing him.
How could he love this little one?
How could he hug her?
If he couldn’t pour out love, he should have never shown interest in the first place.
This won’t do. That won’t do. Nothing will do.
He wasn’t ready to accept any dog other than Janggoon.
Having a Sapsari like a friend was already a blessing, a miracle.
That was enough. That was what he had told himself.
But only after the words “I’ll do temporary care” slipped out did the realization hit him.
Why had he been lying awake, inventing reasons?
‘Heh heh… I see. That’s why. This little one had been on my mind all along.’
Jang Pan-ho remembered yesterday, when the bicycle had passed the small life form, his heart had already tilted toward her.
The small life form—Haru.
At that moment, while Jang Pan-ho was trying to sort through the chaotic thoughts in his head, Lee Jun spoke.
“Are you… okay?”
Lee Jun hesitated, then continued.
“If Dr. Jang and his wife can take care of Haru, I would be truly grateful. There is no better temporary guardian for her than your home.”
Seeing Lee Jun smile as he answered, Jang Pan-ho smiled too.
The worry he had carried all night without sleep had vanished the instant he saw the little one.
It wasn’t that he had decided; it was that he had already decided and blurted it out.
‘…’
Anyway, after deciding the thing he had been agonizing over all night, his heart felt strangely light.
The unease that had settled in his chest had become still, like a quiet lake.
He even had time to replay what Lee Jun had said.
‘What a thoughtful director. He never says anything lightly.’
“Are you okay?”—meaning “Can I do temporary care?”—and “There is no better temporary guardian” were two completely different things.
Saying there was no better place was, after all, an expression of trust.
“Other than that, if Haru stays with us old folks, there won’t be much time alone. Even if we leave the house, it’s only a couple of hours.”
“That’s wonderful. Where else could there be something better for Haru right now?”
“Hoho, I can take care of her as you say. And walking… Oh, that’s rude. Haru might not like walking,”
since she had been shivering alone on the street, Yoo Yeon-ju might be afraid of the outside world. Lee Jun read her thoughts and gave a deeper smile.
It was because Yoo Yeon-ju’s heart to understand Haru was showing.
“Director, when can we take Haru?”
“She’s still not fully recovered from dehydration, so I want to give her a few more IV fluids. After that, we can just give medicine. How about taking her after two or three days?”
“You have to follow the director’s advice. Actually, I want to take her right away today, but it’s more important for Haru to get healthy.”
“Let’s follow the director’s advice. And anyway, Haru won’t need anything at home, right?”
Jang Pan-ho’s voice was excited as he answered his wife.
“Oh, that’s right. Look at me. I was thinking of taking her without anything prepared. I need to prepare what Haru needs while she’s here.”
“Let’s do that.”
Yoo Yeon-ju hugged Haru a little tighter while looking at them with a happy smile, then turned her gaze to Jang Sora.
“Manager Jang, please pick out what Haru needs. A bed, a food bowl, a water bowl… Oh, and some food too. Something Haru can eat well. Wet food, and snacks. And what else is needed? I can’t think of anything because it’s been so long.”
“Crhuhm, you should give her vitamins too, and a pee pad is needed, and stairs. Manager Jang, give two stairs—one to put on the bed, one on the sofa. What else is needed?”
“No, you don’t have to go that far…”
Jang Sora said hesitantly.
It was because she felt it might be too much of a burden for those doing temporary care.
Jang Pan-ho saw through Jang Sora’s thoughts.
So he looked at her and smiled broadly.
“We’re just wanting to do it for us old folks. Ah, and since we have to visit the animal hospital, please give us a crate and a leash.”
“You should give a few clothes too. Oh, right. Director, we need to implant a chip, right? Haru didn’t have one. But how about the contact number…”
Yoo Yeon-ju looked at Lee Jun because she didn’t know how to put the guardian’s contact number on the temporary guardian form for Haru.
“We’ll register the two of you as guardians first. Then, when a formal adopter appears, we’ll change it then.”
“I see. Then the guardian name will be us, and we can use our contact number.”
“Yes.”
Jang Pan-ho didn’t like the word “formal adopter,” but he didn’t have the courage yet.
So he sighed out the uncomfortable feeling.
“Huuu.”
“Don’t worry. A good adopter will appear.”
“Yes. She seems to have been well trained for potty training. And no biting. And she’s cute and pretty. She’ll definitely be adopted soon.”
Following Lee Jun, Jang Sora too. It seemed the assumption that the original guardian would appear was gone from their words.
‘Tsk, little one. How did you end up out of the house?’
Jang Pan-ho looked at Haru in his wife’s arms with pity.
‘She was too skinny. I need to feed her well when I take her home.’
Pity was pity, and even though it was temporary, if he decided to take her in, he would feed her well.
Jang Pan-ho thought while looking at the skinny, emaciated Haru.
“Two of you, if you’re not busy, would you like to walk Haru around the second floor walkway once? There are kids there too, so while you’re here, play with the kids.”
“Is it okay?”
“Of course. And I have appointments to make, so I need to go in.”
“Oh, this. We’ve been keeping the busy director too much.”
“No. Then please take Haru for a walk. Ah, and our kids love Haru. If you take her, the kids will play with her well.”
Lee Jun said that and went into the director’s office. While watching Lee Jun leave, the Jang Pan-ho couple said quietly.
“The director is really something. He went to so much trouble for us. He deliberately said ‘walk’ to see the kids, right?”
“It seems so.”
“You like it? While with Haru, you’ll see our cute kids too. Shall we go?”
Jang Sora guided the couple to the second floor.
Before the couple entered the playground, Jang Sora said.
“You can put Haru down on the floor. She gets along well with the kids.”
The couple nodded and entered the second floor playground, and Hoesaegi, Kkamnyangi, and Sapsaree greeted them with great enthusiasm.
Mung-mung-mung!
Meow-hong!
Nyaong!
The three sang a chorus of joy, nyaong.
Yao-ok.
Jjaek and One-eye greeted them a bit more friendly than when they first met yesterday. However, they didn’t approach.
“Heh heh, little ones. You liked me so much even though you saw me yesterday?”
Jang Pan-ho’s mouth curved up to his ears as he stroked Sapsaree, and Yoo Yeon-ju holding Haru was the same.
As per Jang Sora’s words, Haru got along well with the animal friends in the playground without any issues. While watching Haru playing with the animal friends, Yoo Yeon-ju said to Jang Pan-ho.
“Look at Haru. I thought her expression had brightened a lot in just one night, but it must be thanks to them. She looks so comfortable.”
“Because it’s Mongmong Animal Hospital.”
One word was enough to answer. Yoo Yeon-ju fixed her gaze on the animals playing nicely and responded.
“Yes.”
One hour later, as the Jang Pan-ho couple left Mongmong Animal Hospital, they had the same faces as the animal friends they had been playing with on the second floor playground. Smiling brightly.
And that expression didn’t loosen until they got home.
Jang Su-jeong, seeing her parents’ bright faces, said with surprised eyes.
“What happened? Why are you in such a good mood?”
“Hmmm, you didn’t go home? What time is it now, still here?”
“Aigoo, Father! It says I’m going tomorrow. If I go to Gwacheon, Mom won’t eat for a while.”
“Yes, eat a lot. Are you going to eat jjigae again for dinner today?”
“Of course. Today, I’m going to add ramen to the leftover from yesterday. Mom, there are mandu too, right?”
“Yes, there are. Then, shall I boil a whole jjigae?”
“Aigoo, no. But what really happened? It seems like such a good thing?”
To Jang Su-jeong’s words, Yoo Yeon-ju smiled and said.
“Su-jeong-ah, your father gave permission.”
“Permission? No way… Father, you decided to do temporary care?”
Jang Pan-ho, who had already changed into indoor clothes and come out, avoided his daughter’s gaze and answered.
“It’s pitiful…”
Jang Pan-ho’s words didn’t continue. His daughter ran over and hugged Jang Pan-ho tightly. Then she shouted.
“Wow! Our father is the best! So cool! The best, the best!”
“What the heck, did this kid eat the train conductor’s lunch! Your father’s ears are going to fall off!”
“Ah, I don’t know! Father is the best, the best.”
Not finding his daughter’s cuteness unpleasant, a smile didn’t leave Jang Pan-ho’s face.
“But when do you bring our youngest?”
“Youngest?”
“Then, shall we call him makdong-i?”
“Hmmm, this director calls her Haru. She’ll stay for a few days and go home.”
“Oh! That’s good too. But I don’t want Haru to stay at our house for a few days and then go, so we’ll call her maknae. No, Haru? After seeing her face, I’ll decide. Makdong-i or maknae.”
“Why are you naming it? We’re the ones bringing it.”
“Hehe, is that so? Then, Father and Mom will name it. Anyway. When will you bring it?”
“The director said it’s good to get two or three days of IV fluids. She seems to have some dehydration.”
The answer came from Yoo Yeon-ju.
“Yes? Then, we need to prepare to pick up our maknae. Mom, I’ll go to the pet shop in front of the house for a bit. Ah, no. I’ll go to Mongmong Animal Hospital and buy things. Then, sneak a peek at our little ones too!”
Jang Su-jeong clapped her hands loudly as if she had received a great realization.
Then she went into the room and came out, holding car keys.
“Father, I’ll go to that Mongmong Animal Hospital. When I go, our maknae’s things…”
“Your father already bought everything.”
“Eh? What did you buy?”
Jang Su-jeong looked around the living room.
“Nothing?”
“I took the bus today and couldn’t bring anything. I’ll bring it tomorrow with the car.”
“Already? Wow! As expected, our father’s drive is amazing!”
“Hmmm, for that little one to stay, everything is needed.”
“Exactly! Father, I’ll go now and bring it. Father, put in a call. Your daughter is going to pick her up.”
“No need! There, the teachers are busy. I’ll go tomorrow and bring it, so don’t bother the teachers either.”
The father saying he’ll go again tomorrow, Jang Su-jeong’s eyes widened looking at Jang Pan-ho.
‘When was the last time my father looked so full of energy?’
The lively father’s appearance was very good for Jang Su-jeong.
A while later, laughter didn’t stop at the table where the three were sitting.
“Father, shall we take vacation on the day our maknae comes? Even half a day.”
Normally, thinking about such a thing, he would say to work or something, but the father was the one who would say to take a break.
But.
“Yes. On that day, we need to decide the name too.”
Smiling faintly, the father, Jang Pan-ho thought.
‘I hope the maknae makes our father full of energy like before.’
Jang Su-jeong thought that even if a Yorkshire Terrier came home, it would fill the hole in her father’s heart a little.
On the other hand, she thought,
‘If Mom and Dad, they’ll definitely make Haru happy! Like how Janggoon used to smile and run around.’