Chapter 27
Chapter 27
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: No Farewell for Brother Namul
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[Because of me, Brother Namul left without even a goodbye...]
After spilling the words she'd been holding back so tightly, Strawberry stared blankly ahead.
But her vision was blurred, and she couldn't make out anything in front of her.
“It wasn't your fault.”
At Lee Jun's gentle voice, Strawberry's ears twitched slightly upward.
His warm tone brought back memories of Milk noona speaking to her so kindly.
Whenever she got scolded by Mom, noona would always come over, hug her, and comfort her.
And right beside her, Namul oppa would quietly sidle up, pressing against her side, and sit there as if it were nothing.
‘Namul oppa, I should've played quietly like Milk noona said... I'm sorry.’
Strawberry still vividly remembered the moment when Namul oppa's body went limp.
Hah... hah... hah...
Suddenly, Strawberry opened her mouth wide and panted heavily.
Her eyes darted around wildly.
That was when it happened.
Whoosh.
Something warm enveloped her head.
It was Lee Jun's large hand.
“It's okay. It's okay.”
Lee Jun wrapped his arms around the trembling Strawberry. And in a soft voice, he poured out words of comfort.
“It wasn't your fault. So it's okay.”
[B-But I hugged oppa... hah... hah... That's why oppa... I did that to oppa... hah... hah...]
“No, Namul was already sick. It's okay.”
‘It's okay.’
The power of those words was incredible.
Hearing them over and over made it feel like things really were okay.
Lee Jun kept repeating ‘it's okay’ until Strawberry calmed down.
The magic of that mighty ‘it's okay’ seemed to work on Strawberry too—her ragged breathing steadied in his arms.
Eventually, it returned to normal.
Then, as he patted her, Lee Jun continued.
“Namul went to the Cat Star because he was sick. So it wasn't your fault.”
[...But oppa wasn't sick?]
Milk noona had been sick. That's why she and Namul oppa had stayed by her side while she lay there.
“You think it was different from Milk noona?”
At Lee Jun's words, Strawberry blinked.
[H-How did you know?]
“Cats are like that. They eat well and play right up until they suddenly head to the Cat Star, like Namul.”
[Still... If I hadn't hugged oppa so tight... he would've been okay...]
It might have been that way.
‘But a heart attack would've come eventually.’
That was hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
“Strawberry, do you remember what Milk noona said to you when she went to the Dog Star?”
Lee Jun couldn't know exactly what words had passed between the animal family members.
But from the story of Milk asking the park dogs to look after Strawberry, he could guess.
She must have told her to eat well and stay healthy.
[...Yeah.]
“What did noona say?”
[To play fun with Namul oppa, eat well, and not get sick...]
Strawberry still blamed herself for Namul's death.
Her eyes were hazy.
Pupils holding nothing at all.
Looking at Strawberry, Lee Jun saw himself reflected—the pain he'd felt after sending Kongdori off.
“Strawberry, can you tell me what happened that evening?”
The question Kwak Su-ho had asked him when he was agonizing after Kongdori's death slipped from Lee Jun's lips.
[What?]
“Tell Teacher about what happened that day? Slowly.”
At Lee Jun's words, Strawberry recalled that day.
It had started as a joyful evening, but ended up a day of utter torment.
[Mom made something yummy. She said oppa looked weak. We ate chicken, and it was delicious. Oppa ate it well too.]
Strawberry had been so excited. She'd eaten lots of chicken and felt full of energy.
Her excitement had her racing around the living room.
As she dashed about, she spotted oppa lying there.
[Milk noona would come hug us when we lay down.]
Strawberry loved that so much.
So she ran over and hugged Namul tight.
But then Namul suddenly went limp.
Just like Milk noona when she went to the Dog Star.
Strawberry screamed.
Then the family came rushing in...
[I hugged too tight... If I'd just hugged lightly... My strength was too much...]
Strawberry stammered, her voice trailing off to a mumble at the end.
[...So that's why you can't eat. Eating gives strength, so no eating.]
Oh no!
‘Namul had already passed before Strawberry approached. She just didn't know.’
It was such a sad, heartbreaking thing.
“Strawberry, when you hugged Namul oppa that time—did he lift his head? Did his body tense up?”
At Lee Jun's question, Strawberry tilted her head.
[Uh... no?]
“You said his body just went limp, right?”
[Yeah.]
“Oppa had already gone to the Cat Star before you hugged him.”
Whoosh!
Strawberry pulled away from Lee Jun's arms.
Her eyes shook wildly from side to side.
[N-No way! Oppa ate with me. He smiled watching me play after eating!]
“Namul was happy. He went to the Cat Star watching his cute little sister.”
At Lee Jun's words, Strawberry stood there dazed, saying nothing.
“Strawberry, Namul oppa went to the Cat Star smiling. After a good meal, watching his precious you smile.”
[...Really?]
“Yeah. If it were me, I'd have been over the moon.”
[Still. Milk noona said goodbye to us, to stay well. We told noona to go well too. But I couldn't say anything to oppa...]
Seeing Strawberry on the verge of tears, Lee Jun let out a sigh of relief.
‘Phew, we passed that hurdle.’
Now that the guilt was gone, he hoped she'd realize Namul had lived happily and passed peacefully.
But Lee Jun's words about Namul being happy didn't quite sink in for her.
His gaze turned to the hospitalization room.
‘Time to get some help, then.’
Lee Jun opened the door to the hospitalization room and went in.
Strawberry, who had opened her heart to him, followed.
The room smelled familiar, so it didn't feel too strange.
‘Scary oppa smell? What's that about?’
Strawberry tilted her head as she entered.
Then a voice came from inside.
[Strawberry, long time no see-nyang.]
[Whoa? Scary oppa!]
Strawberry's feelings upon seeing Gray were mixed. Glad to see him, but scared too.
Seeing a familiar face in this strange animal hospital made her happy. Reassuring, even.
But remembering how Gray had scolded her still frightened her.
How many times had he yelled at her for being noisy in the park?
Each time, those huge eyes had flashed.
Even now, under the light, Gray's golden eyes gleamed.
But that ‘nyang’ after so long was delightful.
“Gray, you heard what she said, right?”
[Heard it-nyang!]
Another ‘nyang’.
Strawberry waddled over to Gray's cage and plopped down.
Then she spoke up herself.
[Namul oppa went to the Cat Star.]
[Sad-nyang.]
[Yeah. Really sad.]
[Then why's your face like that-nyang?]
[What?]
[Your owner starving you-nyang?]
[No.]
Strawberry shook her head vigorously.
[If you're like that, your oppa will be sad-nyang.]
[You know oppa?]
[Of course-nyang. You bragged about your Namul oppa everywhere—how could I not know-nyang?]
[Oh...]
[Namul was happy-nyang.]
[How do you know, oppa?]
[He ate well and smiled at you, right-nyang?]
[Yeah.]
[That was his goodbye-nyang.]
[What?]
[Jealous-nyang.]
Instead of answering, Gray let out a wistful remark.
[Plenty of my crew around here went to the Cat Star suddenly-nyang.]
[The park cat oppas?]
[Yeah-nyang. Some say goodbye, but lots I never knew where they ended up-nyang.]
[You don't know?]
[Yeah-nyang. They went alone, lonely-nyang.]
Gray recalled that recent incident.
If the teacher in front of him hadn't found him, he'd have been the same.
Remembering that feeling, Gray spoke slowly.
[Must've been scary-nyang.]
His feelings reached Strawberry, who sat quietly.
[Namul went smiling to the Cat Star-nyang. With you watching, in a home with family-nyang.]
Gray tapped the cage door with his front paw.
Thump thump. Meaning: open it.
The door wasn't locked to trap him.
Just closed so he could rest undisturbed.
Lee Jun opened the cage door.
Gray stepped out and placed a paw on Strawberry's back as she sat in front of it.
[You were your oppa's pride-nyang.]
[Eek!]
[So eat well-nyang.]
Strawberry slowly nodded and leaned against Gray.
Seeing them, a smile spread across Lee Jun's face.
‘That's something I could never do.’
Feeling the deep bond between animals, Lee Jun left them and slipped out of the room.
***
The next evening, Strawberry and Ttangkongi pushed open the door to Meongmeong Animal Hospital.
Their guardians followed behind.
“You came together?”
“Strawberry's mom wanted to thank Director-nim, so I tagged along.”
“Director-nim, yesterday Strawberry ate right when we got home. Wagged her tail, smiled... Thank you so much.”
“Glad to hear it.”
“See? Our director's amazing, right?”
“Yeah, seriously. I regret not bringing Strawberry sooner.”
While the guardians greeted Lee Jun, Ttangkongi and Strawberry headed to the hospitalization room.
Thump thump.
Ttangkongi boldly knocked on the door, and Lee Jun chuckled as he went over to open it.
“Came to see Gray, huh.”
[Yep.]
Ttangkongi looked up at Lee Jun.
[Vet teacher, thanks. Our little sis is back to life thanks to you.]
With that, Ttangkongi slipped inside.
Strawberry grinned at Lee Jun too before following.
[Captain, thanks. Little sis got her spirit back thanks to you. Won't forget this favor.]
[Thanks, oppa.]
[Hmm, I'm the thankful one-nyang. I'm here because of you all-nyang! No need to thank me-nyang.]
[Hmm, thanks are thanks anyway.]
Even as he listened to the guardians outside, Lee Jun kept an ear on the room, a smile on his lips.
‘The more I know them, the cooler they are.’
Seeing those guys just warmed his heart.
Made him want to do even more for them.
Just then, a ‘ding’ from the bell.
He turned to see Jamongi's guardian opening the screen door.
“Jamongi, come on in.”
[Hee hee, Director-nim!]
Jamongi marched in neatly and rubbed against Lee Jun.
Everyone in the hospital smiled warmly at the sight.
“Jamongi's so well-behaved. Love that.”
“That's all thanks to his noona training him right.”
At the guardians' words, Jamongi's guardian laughed.
“Not me—Director-nim turned Jamongi into a model pup. Before, he was a real hand... ho ho, well, you know.”
While Jamongi's guardian boasted, Jamongi asked Lee Jun.
[Can I go see Gray oppa?]
“Sure.”
March march, as Jamongi headed to the room, he said.
[Gray oppa, how you feeling today? All good now?]
Having seen him near death, Jamongi worried a lot about Gray.
[Jamongi dongsaeng here-nyang?]
Gray was fond of Jamongi too.
[Jamongi dongsaeng?]
[Elder oppa here?]
No one pointed out Jamongi's odd way of addressing Ttangkongi.
Jamongi spotted Strawberry next to Ttangkongi and said in surprise.
[Strawberry oppa! Not hurting anymore?]
[Jamongi dongsaeng, thanks. Our sis is alive thanks to you.]
[Thanks. You worried about me, huh.]
[Hee hee, no biggie.]
Jamongi was thrilled.
He'd just done it for Teacher, and now the oppas were thanking him.
‘Hee hee, Gray oppa thanked me too.’
Jamongi's mouth kept curling up.
[We gotta thank our vet teacher. All thanks to him, right?]
[Right-nyang. All thanks to our Woof Teacher-nyang.]
[Hee hee, love our teacher.]
[Thanks to Teacher.]
The four chorused praise for Lee Jun, chatting animatedly.
One cat and three dogs, their talk full of warmth.
Soon after, the dogs each placed a treat in front of Gray.
[Oppa, yummy stuff. Eat and get better quick.]
[Hmm, Gray dongsaeng. Hurry and heal.]
[Oppa, get well soon.]
[Thanks-nyang!]
Gray followed the dogs out of the room to the waiting area as they left.
Then, to the dogs heading out the door, he said.
[Careful going home-nyang!]
[See ya.]
[Oppa, we'll come again.]
[Oppa, next time play together.]
The dogs bid Gray farewell and left the hospital.
Even after his new dog friends vanished from sight, Gray sat by the window for a while.
Waving his cute front paws side to side.