Chapter 65
Chapter 65
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: The Cats' Treat Hunt
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Rumble.
The large, wide door slid slowly open to either side, like a heavy stone gate parting.
A savory aroma wafting through the widening gap tickled the cats' noses and burrowed deep into their nostrils.
Sniff sniff.
["Hurry and open it, meow!"]
["We're going in!"]
Gray and Shadow pawed the ground impatiently, meowing loudly.
The cats, who had seemed ready to crash through the door at any moment, froze in place the instant it actually opened.
["Wh-what is this, meow?"]
["What... what is it?"]
Standing stock-still, the cats craned their necks right, then left, peering inside.
The atmosphere was utterly different from the previous room.
Right from the entrance, cat towers in greens and browns twisted together like a maze.
The floor was covered in plush carpeting the same colors as the cat towers.
It evoked the feel of a vast meadow.
In the center stood a massive tree reaching all the way to the ceiling.
For reference, the ceiling in this room was far higher than in the last one.
["A tr-tree, meow."]
["Heh, a tree."]
The cats grinned at the sight of the tree.
It reminded them of the park that had been their lifelong home.
And moreover...
Rustle rustle.
Treats dangled from the tree like fruit, swaying enticingly.
["Over there, meow! That's where the smell's coming from, meow!"]
["Food hanging there."]
Treats were scattered around the cat towers too, but the cats were already mesmerized by the ones swaying on the tree.
They hesitated for a split second, then bolted forward.
Without a word about who would go first, Gray and Shadow leaped toward the central tree.
Whoosh!
Splat!
Their hind leg muscles stretched out magnificently.
The springy, elastic power in their hind legs unleashed in a explosive burst.
"Wow!"
"I knew cats were good jumpers, but I didn't expect it to look this lively."
Jeong Chan-young, the director stunned by the cats' jumps, turned to Lee Jun beside him.
"They're jumping from a standstill at about five times their body length. If that tree were taller, you'd have seen an even more spectacular leap."
Lee Jun looked up at the cats with a surprised expression too, but what amazed him was different from the director.
'No aftereffects. He's healed perfectly.'
After the car accident, Gray's jumps had only been enough to reach the cat towers.
'And he sprinted full speed on the beach too. He kept up with the other park cats without falling behind—I thought he'd recovered well, but this is beyond that.'
Lee Jun didn't know how high Gray used to jump before the accident.
But this was extraordinarily impressive.
'Amazing.'
Pride swelled in Lee Jun's gaze as he watched Gray.
Thud.
Tap.
The cats landed effortlessly at the tree's peak, then strode boldly out along the straight branches.
Gray headed right.
Shadow took the one next to it.
With tails held high, they walked the slender branches without a wobble.
Watching Gray's tail sway ever so slightly, Lee Jun's smile deepened.
'Good thing he went through all that trouble.'
Up on the tree, Gray felt gratitude toward Lee Jun.
'I can walk, meow.'
Subordinates with injured tails often fell from trees. They said they couldn't keep their balance like before.
But after doing exactly what the Benevolent Brother said, not only was his tail still magnificent, his balance was perfect too.
'All thanks to brother, meow.'
Gray paused mid-stride, turned back, and shot Lee Jun a look of thanks.
'Thank you, meow.'
Lee Jun, reading his thoughts, waved back.
Gray's mouth corners curled up in a grin.
Chest puffed out, Gray advanced to claim the treat.
Bold steps.
Finally, Gray reached the branch just below the dangling treat.
He tilted his head up, sniffed the treat swaying right above his nose, then chomp—he nabbed it.
Pop.
The treat was Gray's in an instant.
Shadow had one in his mouth too.
The cats didn't come down from the tree; they devoured their treats right there.
Crunch crunch.
Munch munch.
The sound of them chomping treats was far faster and louder than in the previous room.
Gray finished his treat in a flash and looked around.
["I want more, meow!"]
["So delicious."]
Sniff sniff sniff. The cats flared their nostrils, sniffing intently.
["Gray, there's one below you."]
["Thanks, meow."]
Hearing Shadow, Gray leaped down.
He landed on a branch with a treat dangling from it.
This time, it wasn't hanging above but right below his paws.
Gray plucked and ate the dangling treat as leisurely as if picking up one from the floor.
Climbing up and down the tree, the cats polished off five more treats.
["Whew, so tasty, meow."]
["Ugh... full."]
The cats flopped down on the tree in a heap.
They lay in comfortable poses, like sprawling on a body pillow, savoring their fullness.
["Let's rest a bit, then hunt, meow."]
["Yeah."]
After about five minutes, the cats sprang up simultaneously, as if on cue.
["Let's start, meow."]
["Go."]
Gray batted the treat dangling in front of him with a paw, knocking it loose.
Pock!
The treat hit the floor and shattered.
Thud~ land!
Gray landed softly on the floor, then made a sad face at the broken treat.
["It's broken, meow."]
Gray gathered the pieces with his pMongchi front paws.
But the savory, sticky, moist filling inside just smeared on his paws instead of collecting.
Gray pouted and licked the filling off his paw.
["This part's the best, meow!"]
When you crunch the crispy treat with your teeth, it pops, flooding your mouth with flavorful, sticky goodness.
He'd wanted to share it with his crew...
As Gray moped, Shadow called out.
["Toss it."]
Shadow tossed a treat, and Gray launched into the air.
["Don't let it break, meow!"]
Gray dashed to where it was falling and snatched it mid-air with a paw.
Snap!
An intact, unbroken treat in his paw.
Gray beamed.
["Caught it, meow!"]
["Nice. Tossing another."]
["Got it, meow!"]
Shadow tossed treats from the tree, Gray caught them from the floor.
Before long, treats piled up on the ground.
The director, who had been watching their teamwork, spoke in a dazed tone.
"Ha, seriously. Their reflexes are no joke."
"Cats have great athleticism to begin with. These two are above average, though."
As Director Jeong praised the cats, Lee Jun replied with a proud look.
"Whew, it's just two cats harvesting treats, but it feels like watching an animal movie starring cats. What amazing creatures."
Director Jeong showered them with his highest praise, then gazed at the cats.
Sniff sniff sniff.
Shadow sniffed from the tree,
Sniiiiif.
Gray sniffed from the floor.
["Nothing here anymore."]
["Over there, meow."]
["Roger."]
Confirming no more treats on the tree, Shadow jumped down.
Pat pat pat.
Then the two dashed to the cat towers.
The cats climbed the cat towers, following the scent.
The cat towers were enormous.
They passed the transparent catwalk zone, then the wobbly suspension bridge-like catwalk zone.
Up they went to a hiding house.
Gray poked his head inside.
["Smells like it's here, meow."]
Shadow, right behind, stuck his head in too.
["Indeed. But where's the food?"]
Sniff sniff sniff. Still with heads inside, sniffing furiously, they shouted in unison.
["It's coming from there, meow!"]
["There!"]
They'd spotted the pouch inside the hiding house.
The cats scratched at the pouch with their front paws.
But the sealed pouch didn't budge.
The cats scratched harder: scratch scratch scratch.
Gray, scratching with both front paws, wobbled unsteadily.
"Whoa whoa, he's falling!"
A staffer yelled.
At that moment, Gray fell.
Not jumped—fell. You could tell from his back.
He wasn't landing feet-first like a leap; he was tumbling backward.
"Oh no!"
"Big trouble!"
Safety mats covered the floor, so he wouldn't get hurt, but the shocked group rushed forward anyway.
Or tried to—no need.
The group gaped at the scene.
Gray, falling back-first, twisted mid-air in an instant, landing gracefully on the floor.
Without a sound.
Then he let out a proud meooow.
Shadow replied with nyaooow.
Then plop—the pouch dropped.
Shadow had knocked it loose from atop the cat tower.
Gray soared elegantly into the air.
His long, lush gray fur sparkled silver under the lights.
Snap! He snagged the pouch with a paw and landed softly.
As if nothing had happened.
Clap clap clap clap clap!
Standing ovation.
Director, staff, even Lee Jun clapped till their palms stung.
"Incredible."
"Goosebumps!"
"I just watched cats jump, but why does it feel so moving?"
Thunderous applause rocked the studio, followed by excited cheers.
Director Jeong clapped till his hands turned red.
"Jackpot. If we nail this, our video could go global!"
The HQ CF had turned out decent, but it paled next to Gray and Shadow's performance.
Knowing this better than anyone, Director Jeong declared confidently.
"Manager Gong. Let's claim this for ourselves."
"Y-yes."
Manager Gong, having witnessed the cats' athletic prowess firsthand, replied in a trembling voice.
'Crazy. These kids—no, cats—are this talented?'
To Manager Gong, cats had been small, cute creatures.
But the cats before her now were predators in miniature.
Superb athleticism, poised demeanor, tenacity in crisis.
They had it all—great beings.
And one more thing: warm hearts for their comrades.
Manager Gong gazed at them, overcome.
Wide open.
Gray held the pouch mouth agape,
Shove shove shove.
Shadow stuffed treats inside at top speed.
["They'll love this, meow."]
["So happy."]
The cats beamed at the thought of sharing such deliciousness with their crew.
***
After filming wrapped, Director Jeong approached Lee Jun.
"Director Lee, thanks for all your hard work."
"What work did I do? I just got a great show."
Lee Jun greeted Director Jeong, then turned to thank the staff—but they were clustered together.
"Gray, take this too."
"Shadow, this is from your big sis. Share it yummy with your friends."
"Kids, this is from your bro. Next time, more."
The staff were loading the cats with snacks.
Lee Jun approached with a smile.
"You guys must be thrilled with all these treats."
["They keep giving us yummy stuff, meow!"]
["Piles of food!"]
Gray and Shadow gave Lee Jun weird looks, then hugged his legs.
"It's because you did so well."
["What do you mean 'well', meow?"]
"You climbed the tree great, grabbed the hanging food perfectly..."
["We always do that, meow."]
["Of course."]
The cats tilted their heads, as if to say what was special about that.
Seeing their expressions, the staff cooed over how cute they were and piled on more snacks.
"And your jumps were amazing. That's why. Because you're adorable and so cool."
At Lee Jun's words, the cats dropped from his legs, reared up on hind legs, and struck triumphant poses.
["I've always been cool, meow!"]
["I am cool."]
Gray pawed at the stacked boxes and asked.
["So you're giving these because I'm cool, meow?"]
"Yeah, exactly."
["Keh heh heh heh, so if I get cooler, more next time, meow?"]
"Probably."
["Kuhaha, then next time, even cooler show."]
["Right, meow. Next time, Gray's full glory, meow."]
["I'll show 'em what Shadow's made of."]
The cats' true titles emerged for once.
Back in leader mode, they proclaimed proudly with stern faces.
***
Director Jeong dove straight into the editing bay the moment the cats left.
Self-imposed lockdown.
"I want to film the next one right away, but I can't wait to edit this. Man."
Director Jeong sighed with an unshakable grin.
A happy sigh.
"How did these Haenguni charms end up in my lap?"
Director Jeong praised Gray and Shadow nonstop as his hands flew.
Five days later, in the editing bay, Director Jeong's bloodshot eyes gleamed as he cackled.
"It's... done!"
On the monitor before the finished edit, Gray and Shadow struck cool poses and yowled.
Meooow!
Nyaooow!
Big subtitles popped up below.
["Off to hunt food for my crew, meow!"]
["Wait there—I'll bring food for you all!"]