Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Nuri's Farewell
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“I once had those same worries as a guardian.”
Lee Jun’s calm voice cut through the heavy air that had settled in the exam room.
“You too, Director?”
“Yes.”
“……May I ask what choice you made, Director?”
At the guardian’s question, Lee Jun shook his head slowly and continued.
“It’s hard to put into words. I didn’t wrestle with the same dilemma as you until after I let that friend go. Back then, all I could think about was keeping him alive.”
“Then……”
“It was only after sending him off that I wondered if my selfishness had made him suffer. Did he even want the treatments I forced on him to keep him alive?”
“……I want to know that too. What Nuri wants.”
Lee Jun gave a faint smile at the guardian’s words and went on.
“It took me a long time after he left to even think that way. I just kept blaming myself, convinced it was my fault he went like that.”
Lee Jun had been tormented by guilt for a while after Kongdori went to the Dog Star.
He’d scour every paper on his illness, beating himself up for his ignorance in sending Kongdori off too soon.
That period had forged his current skills, so Lee Jun saw it as Kongdori’s gift.
“Then one day, looking at his photos, it hit me. Oh, he was in so much pain.”
“Really……”
“But whenever he saw me, he’d always smile. So I never realized how much he was hurting. It was only after he was gone that I went through his photos from puppyhood, and there it was—in the pictures, Kongdori…… That’s his name, by the way. Anyway, from some point on, even though he was smiling in the photos, the fur between his eyes was sticking up. His face was scrunched in pain. But I didn’t notice. His mouth was smiling.”
“Could Nuri be the same?”
The guardian asked back, thinking of Nuri.
The listless Nuri he’d glimpsed now and then, the pained expression, the blank face.
Yet whenever the family called, Nuri always smiled.
‘Is Nuri putting on a brave face right now?’
As if reading the guardian’s thoughts, Lee Jun shook his head.
“That’s exactly how Kongdori felt. If I’d known how much pain he was in, what would I have done?”
“Well……”
The guardian trailed off, but both he and Lee Jun knew exactly what went unsaid.
“Kongdori wanted me by his side to the end, without me overthinking it. That’s why he hid his pain.”
“Ah!”
The guardian’s eyes lit with understanding of what Lee Jun meant.
“If Nuri feels the same as Kongdori, will you cheer him on to the end? That’s what I think my role is.”
“I’ll do everything I can to help.”
“Thank you, Director.”
“Shall we go see Nuri together?”
“No. If I go now, I’ll just cry. I’ll stay here.”
Lee Jun left the guardian in the exam room and headed to the ward.
“Nuri…… are you in a lot of pain?”
[No, woof. I’m okay now, woof.]
“Good. Mom’s been so worried about you.”
[……]
At the mention of Mom worrying, Nuri just blinked.
“Mom wants you not to hurt. She wants to be with you, but she’s worried it’ll be too hard on you.”
Tears welled up in Nuri’s blinking eyes at Lee Jun’s words.
[I……]
Nuri started to answer the teacher’s question but closed his mouth.
He’d already decided in his heart, but he didn’t know what Mom would think.
“Don’t think about anything else—just say what you feel.”
[……I’d like to look at Mom, Sis, and Dad a little longer and take them in with my eyes, woof. Then it wouldn’t be so scary, woof.]
As Nuri slowly voiced his thoughts, the teacher’s large hand gently cupped his forehead.
Feeling the warmth, Nuri continued.
[Thanks to Mom, woof. ……I can bear any pain, woof. But if it hurts Mom to see me like this…… that’s what worried me, woof.]
[Such a good boy, meow.]
[Good boy.]
Gray and Shadow, sharing their warmth beside him, pressed even closer.
It felt like their way of cheering him on.
“Mom’s only worried you’re in pain.”
[So I hid it when I hurt, woof.]
“Your mom’s sad that you’re suffering alone like that.”
Blink, blink. Nuri slowly blinked up at the teacher.
“So if it hurts, say it hurts. That’s what your family wants from you.”
[Won’t seeing me in pain make you sad, woof?]
“Of course it’s sad, but it’s sadder when you hide it. So from today, tell us when it hurts, and tell us what you want too.”
With his favorite teacher stroking his forehead with a big hand and his cat friends sharing warmth beside him, Nuri’s heart felt cozy.
[……If Mom, Dad, and Sis are with me, going to the Dog Star wouldn’t be scary, woof.]
[I’ll watch over you too, meow.]
[I’m here.]
“And anything else you want? Tell me everything. I’ll pass it on to Mom.”
[Just seeing Mom, Dad, and Sis is enough, woof.]
“Think if there’s more. Things you want to say to Mom, walks you want to take, food you want to eat. Let’s do everything you want before you go.”
Nuri’s eyes sparkled as he answered the teacher.
[I have something to say to Mom, woof.]
“And more?”
[Things to say to Sis and Dad too, woof. And then……]
Once the words started flowing, Nuri’s bucket list poured out.
“Wow, to do all this, you’ll have to stick around a good long while, Nuri.”
[Right, live long, meow.]
[Got it, woof.]
Strength entered Nuri’s voice as he replied.
***
Nuri visited Meongmeong Animal Hospital once or twice a week for IV fluids, and today was one of those days.
When a commotion sounded from outside, Nuri’s ears perked up.
Sniff, sniff. Hope lit in Nuri’s sniffing eyes.
‘Haenguni I get to see the little ones before I go, woof.’
Soon, as expected, the teacher’s voice came, bringing Nuri’s little siblings.
“Nuri, your friends are here.”
The ward door burst open, and pMongchi Ttangkongi waddled in slowly.
[Brother Nuri, long time no see.]
[Ttangkongi bro! Woof!]
[Looking better means the vet’s been feeding you good stuff, huh.]
Anyone could see Nuri was gravely ill.
Ttangkongi hugged him tight and offered words of blessing.
[Yeah, woof. Eating lots of really good stuff, woof.]
[That guy’s the best, right?]
[Yeah, woof. Such a great teacher, woof.]
[So, Brother Nuri, how’re you holding up? Not hurting?]
Nuri and Ttangkongi had shared nearly their whole lives—twelve long years of friendship.
Ttangkongi’s eyes grew misty gazing at Nuri.
[I’m okay, woof. Teacher’s keeping the pain away, woof.]
Nuri looked back at Ttangkongi with eyes full of affection.
[That’s a relief.]
Unlike his calm words, Ttangkongi drew close and hugged Nuri tight.
Nuri patted Ttangkongi’s back with his free front paw, unburdened by the IV line.
[Ttangkongi bro.]
[Yes, Brother?]
[Tell Mom you love her, woof. Say it today, tomorrow, every day, woof.]
[I will.]
[Eat all the food you want, woof.]
[Got it.]
[Thanks for coming, woof.]
[What’re you saying? A brother’s gotta visit his big bro. And isn’t this all thanks to the vet?]
[Yeah. He’s truly grateful, woof.]
Nuri was so thankful to the teacher for calling his siblings when he lacked the strength to go to the park.
After that, several park siblings he was close with visited Nuri, and he gave each the same parting words as to Ttangkongi.
[Bro, I’ll do as you say. Thanks.]
Kkakongi thanked him for the good advice,
[Big bro! Sob!]
while soft-hearted Mongi ended up in tears.
After saying goodbye to his park friends on the way home, Nuri greeted the cats too.
[……This feels like the last time, woof.]
The cats who’d watched over Nuri said nothing—no “not yet” or “it won’t be”—just hugged him tight.
[Thanks, woof. You guys kept me from feeling lonely or scared, woof. Take care, woof.]
[Bye, meow!]
[Don’t hurt.]
Nuri said goodbye to the teacher too.
[Teacher, thank you…… woof. You kept me from being lonely or hurting, woof.]
“Yeah. And you won’t hurt from now on.”
The teacher gently picked up Nuri and carried him out of the ward.
[Teacher, I have words for Mom, woof.]
“Yeah, I’ll tell her everything. Say it all.”
[Thanks for everything. Thanks for letting me live in our home. Thanks for loving me. Thanks for all the yummy food. And then……]
Nuri had so many thanks for his family that his heart raced.
So much to say, and fear of not finishing before going to the Dog Star made his words tumble faster.
[Thanks for park trips to see friends, for Dad’s fresh car rides to the Sogeum-iy-water place, for warm clothes in the cold……]
“Nuri, take it slow. No need to rush—slowly, okay?”
His heart had been so urgent, but the teacher’s words suddenly made everything cozy.
[I’m just thankful for everything, woof. Mom hugging me like this feels so, so good, woof.]
Nestled in Mom’s arms, Nuri spread his front paws wide and hugged back, just like the cats had.
“Nuri! Mom loves hugging you too.”
Nuri’s eyes went wide.
[Whoa, Mom understands me, woof!]
The teacher spoke to the joyful Nuri.
“Yeah, so at home, say everything you want too.”
[Got it, woof. Thanks for telling Mom my words, woof.]
Hugging Mom as they left the hospital, Nuri waved bye-bye with a front paw.
[Bye, meow!]
[Rest easy.]
Gray and Shadow waved from the cat tower, not coming down until the teacher left that evening.
That night at home, with the whole family watching, Nuri closed his eyes.
His face as he departed for the Dog Star looked utterly happy.
***
Jingle. The door opened, and Nuri’s guardians entered the animal hospital.
“Welcome back?”
“Yes, we sent him off peacefully. I’m glad we went in person after hearing you, Director.”
“Thank you, Director.”
Mom greeted Lee Jun, followed by Nuri’s sister.
“Nuri must’ve been happy. He wasn’t alone till the end.”
“I think so. Our Nuri left with this smile.”
Nuri’s sister showed Lee Jun the photo.
Nuri’s face in it was serene.
“Looks like he’s dreaming sweetly.”
“Right?”
Lee Jun nodded at the guardian’s words.
“And here…… Nuri went so peacefully. I worried he’d cry out in pain, but he was so quiet. Right before, he looked at us and gave a little bark—like saying goodbye.”
The guardian played a video recorded on their phone, and Nuri in it looked as peaceful as described.
[……So happy, woof. So thankful, woof! And thanks for bringing me to Meongmeong Animal Hospital, woof. Thanks for letting me meet the teacher……]
Nuri closed his eyes gently without finishing his last words.
Lee Jun stared blankly at the video before speaking.
“Nuri’s saying thank you to his family right up to the Dog Star.”
“Sob, breathing must’ve been hard, but he didn’t just go peacefully. We knew…… Nuri stared at us with bloodshot eyes…… Must’ve hurt his eyes, right, Doctor?”
Nuri’s sister finally burst into the tears she’d held back.
“No, it was good. He took in his family with his eyes right up to the end. Nuri was happy.”
“No. We were happy because of Nuri. From the day we met, he gave us endless love. Even when I got mad, or was too busy to play, he was always there, watching me. Smiling brightly.”
“Nuri was happy, that’s why he could smile like that. So smile thinking of those happy times. Nuri wanted his family to smile.”
“Yes. Nuri loved when we smiled.”
“I remember, Mom. When the family laughed, Nuri would grin and run laps around the living room.”
Nuri’s guardians smiled, reminiscing.
Lee Jun smiled with them, and it felt like Nuri’s laughter echoed.
[Happy…… woof!]