We'll Take Her
Jang Pan-ho had no idea what Lee Jun and Yoo Yeonju were thinking. He simply reveled in the days spent with Haru at his side.
Every morning when he woke, he called for her at once.
"Haru, my girl. Did you sleep well?"
The moment his voice rang out, the blankets stirred. Something wriggled beneath the covers, and then a tiny head popped into view.
Woof!
Haru barked with gusto and nuzzled her little head into Jang Pan-ho's chest. He chuckled, stroking the fur that caught the morning sun and shimmered gold and silver.
"Heh. You little rascal."
The coat that had been so dry and brittle when they first rescued her now gleamed with a healthy sheen — the surest sign she was eating well. Proud of her, Jang Pan-ho scooped her into his arms.
"Let's see. Will our Haru grow into a silver Yorkie, or a gold one?"
"I think she'll be a silver Yorkie."
Like our Janggoon.
Yoo Yeonju swallowed those last words and went on.
"Well, as long as Haru is healthy, what does her coat color matter? Don't you think?"
"Heh, you're right, my dear. Health is what counts. Indeed — not being sick, that's the important thing."
"That's right."
The couple smiled as they looked at Haru. And when they smiled, Haru smiled even brighter, her tail beating a happy rhythm.
Haru's back fur was still black. At Mongmong Animal Hospital, they had estimated her age at a little over a year. Yorkshire Terriers go through seven coat changes in a lifetime, shifting from silver to gold, and sometimes to the coppery shade called steel blue. Young Haru would go through that process too — though of course, some Yorkies kept their black coats even after they'd grown into little old lady and grandpa Yorkies.
"Haru, if you want to grow big and strong, you have to eat, right? Shall we have breakfast?"
Whether she understood or not, Haru's tail wagged even faster. When they set her down, she bounced down the stairs, hop-hop-hop. Watching her, Jang Pan-ho muttered to himself.
"I wish we had something like they have at Mongmong Animal Hospital, instead of stairs like these."
Stairs she could patter down as if she were walking, rather than hopping on those tiny legs.
"Dear, ask Sujeong if they make something like that — stairs she could use more comfortably."
"You mean like this?"
Yoo Yeonju shaped a set of pet steps with her hands, and Jang Pan-ho nodded.
"That's it. Exactly."
"I saw those at Mongmong Animal Hospital."
"Did you?"
"Yes. Manager Jang recommended one, but I'd never seen it before, so I just asked for the kind we'd always used. I should have bought it."
"We'll go to the hospital tomorrow and get one of those instead. Simple as that."
"All right. Let's do that."
The couple poured into Haru everything they had never been able to give Janggoon. They never stinted on praise. They stroked her and scooped her up at every opportunity. They watched her eat and cheered her on. At the playground at Mongmong Animal Hospital and the one at Evergreen Park, they never took their eyes off her while she played with her friends. Whenever Haru glanced back, they waved, letting her know they were still right there.
Haru lived each day overflowing with joy. Naturally, her face grew brighter by the day.
A few days later, the couple visited Mongmong Animal Hospital to pick up Haru's medication.
"Her numbers have dropped even further since the tests two weeks ago. And Haru looks brighter every time I see her. She seemed so happy when you brought her to play the other day, and today she looks even better."
Lee Jun's praise brought smiles to both their faces.
"Is that so? That's a relief. We worried she might get bored, living in a house with nothing but old folks."
"That's right. We made sure she ate well, but we felt a little sorry we couldn't run around and play with her."
"Oh, come now. Do you know how rare it is to find people who do this much? You're doing wonderfully. Ah, and there's someone who would like to adopt Haru..."
Thud.
Jang Pan-ho felt as if a massive boulder had just come down on him. He had only heard that a prospective adopter had appeared.
He knew, of course, that Haru needed a forever home. But he had thought of it as something far, far off — the way parents of a one-year-old vaguely fret about the college entrance exam. It had never felt real.
Jang Pan-ho's words died in his throat. Yoo Yeonju, standing beside him, spoke instead.
"I-is that so? Already?"
"Yes. Haru's so adorable, I suppose — we've had quite a few people interested in adopting her. Small, pretty dogs who are already house-trained tend to find homes quickly."
"Ah... I... I suppose they would."
Regret clung thickly to Yoo Yeonju's voice.
"And Haru's transformation has made her even more popular."
"Her transformation?"
"The photos and videos you sent us. They've been quite a hit."
Haru's adoption was being handled by Uriteul Shelter, and Uriteul regularly posted photos and videos of animals waiting for homes as part of their adoption outreach. Fresh content was needed so the animals wouldn't get buried under the flood of other adoption posts. Hoping even one more animal would find a home, Uriteul poured their hearts into every piece of promotional material.
But Jang Pan-ho resented that system. Why did they have to promote their Haru? Why did they have to let people see her?
He didn't even realize why he was thinking that way as he blamed the people at Uriteul. And it didn't stop there. Hmph. If I'd known it would come to this, I never would have sent those pictures of our Haru. If he hadn't, none of this would be happening. He blamed himself, too.
While Jang Pan-ho stewed in resentment and regret, an appointment was made.
"They're asking if they can visit tomorrow at three."
"What should we do?"
Yoo Yeonju asked Jang Pan-ho. Her eyes trembled as she looked at him.
"Ahem. Well, Sujeong hasn't even come to see her yet, so after that..."
He wanted to put the appointment off, so he used their daughter as an excuse. Yoo Yeonju fell in beside him at once.
"Y-yes, that's right. Our daughter said she wanted to see Haru, too."
"Ah, please don't worry — visiting doesn't mean they'll decide on the spot. Some prospective adopters change their minds once they actually meet the animal. And Uriteul's policy is to have people meet at least two or three times before making a decision."
"Is that so?"
Yoo Yeonju's voice brightened in an instant.
"Ahem. In that case... tomorrow should be fine."
Jang Pan-ho answered with a little more ease on his face. Even if they came, they wouldn't be taking Haru away.
Lee Jun contacted Uriteul and set up the appointment.
"They said tomorrow works. So tomorrow the prospective adopters and a staff member from Uriteul will visit your home."
That day, the car ride home from Mongmong Animal Hospital was quiet. Ordinarily the car would have been full of laughter, the two of them talking about everything Haru had done. Now Yoo Yeonju did nothing but stroke Haru's head until the fur shone, and Jang Pan-ho drove with his eyes fixed on the road.
The awkward atmosphere followed them home.
As the couple sighed, Haru slipped away somewhere, little by little. Companion animals are uncannily good at sensing a shift in their guardians' hearts. Haru had felt the sudden change in the house and gone into hiding.
"Honey, I think Haru's watching us. Reading the room."
Yoo Yeonju sighed as she said it, and Jang Pan-ho sighed with her.
"Nngh..."
He got up and went looking for her. He didn't have to go far. Haru had hidden in the master bedroom, under the bedcovers.
The bulge in the bedding made Jang Pan-ho's heart ache. The little one. I suppose that's the place she feels safest. And didn't that mean she liked being in his arms? That spot where she slept beside him?
Would whoever adopted Haru do that for her? If they make her sleep alone, it'll be hard on her... She loves being petted while she sleeps.
Jang Pan-ho gave the bulge a gentle, affectionate pat. It wriggled, then slowly stretched longer — Haru uncurling from her tight little ball.
"You little rascal."
She loved his touch this much. Could she really be happy somewhere unfamiliar?
In a corner of his heart, the same thought rose again: he wanted to tuck her in comfortably tonight, and tomorrow night, and every night after that. But another thought circled and would not leave, and it twisted his face. If this little one stays by my side and something happens to her... I can't let that happen. Our Haru will be loved wherever she goes.
If Haru stayed with him, she might get into an accident. That was the root of his hesitation about adopting her.
"Hah. Yes. Better she go to a good person. So she can live a long, happy life. Right, Haru?"
He patted her as he murmured his wish. And the wish went on. Someone who will cherish Haru, walk her every day, and never skimp on good food. No — if money's tight, I can buy the food myself, so that doesn't matter. As long as they give our Haru love without holding back. Yes. That's all they need to be.
Late into the night, Jang Pan-ho hoped the guardian visiting the next day would be a good person. But it wasn't a hope he held with his whole heart. Hmph. If they're lacking, we won't give our Haru to them. If they don't dote on her, we'll refuse. Yes. That's what we'll do.
He steeled his resolve with that thought.
And the next day, over breakfast, Yoo Yeonju spoke.
"Honey... what if Haru likes those people? Honestly, I think I'd feel hurt."
It was something he had never once considered — that Haru might like someone other than the two of them. Of course, Haru liking the staff at Mongmong Animal Hospital was an exception.
Jang Pan-ho's face hardened, and he answered at once.
"Hrm. I don't think that will happen."
It was just a feeling. As he answered, he looked at Haru, and their eyes met — she was sitting by the window. Haru smiled immediately, as she always did. No — even more brightly than usual.
But Jang Pan-ho had seen it. Before their eyes met, her expression had been gloomy. The little one. She's been down ever since she heard those words yesterday.
Perhaps she thought they were trying to send her away. And if she was smiling extra brightly to plead with them not to...
"Hmph."
Jang Pan-ho did not like this situation. But he didn't let it show.
The anxious, uncomfortable hours ticked by, and then the doorbell buzzed. They were here.
"Please, come in."
"Hello. It's a pleasure to meet you."
"Hello."
After a brief exchange of greetings, the guests settled in the living room.
"She's so cute. She's just as small and pretty as I imagined."
The prospective adopter beamed at Haru, then went on.
"I heard Haru is well house-trained. She doesn't have any other illnesses, does she? Oh, right — they said her liver is a little off, but that medication should take care of it. How much longer does she need the medicine? And what kind of food have you been giving her? I'd like to feed her a raw diet... Oh, wait. Could I take a picture? Oh my, where did she go?"
While the prospective adopter was talking, Haru had slipped away somewhere. She was nowhere in sight.
"..."
When Jang Pan-ho said nothing, Yoo Yeonju answered.
"Ah, just a moment."
She called for Haru.
"Haru! Come here."
Yoo Yeonju started to get up, but Jang Pan-ho rose instead.
"I'll bring her."
She'll have gone up on the bed in the master bedroom and hidden under the covers. Just as he guessed, Haru was under the bedding.
"Haru..."
He patted the bulge in the blanket. The mound shrank even smaller. She was curling into herself.
Jang Pan-ho smiled bitterly. Only yesterday, a pat like this would have made her stretch out. Am I that frightening?
Looking down at the tiny lump that seemed no bigger than a handful, his chest ached.
"Haru, someone has come to see you."
He scooped her up and carried her out. Yoo Yeonju's gaze was fixed somewhere — on the prospective adopter's phone.
"Isn't it pretty? That's Haru's bed. Wouldn't she look so cute sleeping in it?"
"So she'd be sleeping separately from you?"
"Yes, that's the plan."
What? This fragile little one, sleeping alone?
He hadn't liked this so-called adopter from the moment she stepped through the door, and those words made him like her even less.
Then the woman looked at Haru and smiled brightly.
"Haru, let's take a picture. I bought you a pretty outfit to wear!"
She turned to Yoo Yeonju.
"I can put it on her, right?"
"Ah... yes."
The prospective adopter rummaged through her bag and spread out the clothes.
"This is... a trench coat? They make these?"
"Yes, they're popular these days. It'll look so good on her, don't you think?"
"But this doesn't stretch. I think it would be uncomfortable for Haru."
Yoo Yeonju said it with startled eyes, and the woman replied.
"Oh my, would it? I bought it because I thought it would be pretty..."
"It looks like it would be tight on her body and her front legs, too."
"I didn't think that far. Then, Haru, want to try this? It's a sleep onesie..."
The prospective adopter seemed like someone who wanted to do a great deal for Haru. The direction was a little different from Jang Pan-ho and his wife, that was all. She didn't seem like a bad person. But she did not sit well with Jang Pan-ho. Hrm. I don't know if I have any right to judge, but... something about this doesn't feel right.
While he was thinking that, the prospective adopter reached toward Haru in his arms. In that instant, Haru curled herself into a tight ball. Then she looked up at Jang Pan-ho with those big eyes.
Those wide, trembling eyes overlapped with another pair — the eyes Janggoon had turned on him when Jang Pan-ho had left him at the hospital and come home.
She's asking me for help.
He could not turn away from eyes like these. In that moment, a firm decision settled in Jang Pan-ho's heart.
And the moment the guests left, he called Lee Jun.
"Director. May we take Haru in? No — we will take her."
In that instant, Yoo Yeonju's face lit up. And then...
Woof, woof, woof!
Haru bounded around the living room, barking at the top of her lungs, her tail-copter spinning wildly.