Chapter 7
Chapter 7
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Friends Reunite After Hours
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Another busy day at Meongmeong Animal Hospital had come to an end.
"Manager Jang, it's time to head out."
Lee Jun glanced at the clock and spoke up.
"Yes, Director."
A short while later, Jang So-ra finished preparing to leave and spotted Lee Jun still sitting in the exam room.
Unlike her, who had already changed out of her uniform, he was still dressed in scrubs and a gown.
"You're not heading home, Director? Waiting for a patient?"
As her body instinctively turned back toward the break room, she asked.
"No, I have plans to meet some friends tonight, but I might be running a little late."
"Ah, I see."
"You worked hard this week."
"Oh, it was nothing. The animals were so well-behaved, it made everything easy."
A smile deepened at the corners of Lee Jun's mouth as he heard Jang So-ra's words.
"They're good kids, but it's still tough work. Go on and get some rest."
"Yes, you too, Director. See you next week."
After Jang So-ra left, Lee Jun returned to the exam room and continued organizing the charts.
Lee Jun was the meticulous type when it came to charting.
For instance, he'd jot down even offhand comments from the owners like, "I don't know why he trembles sometimes," or "He hasn't eaten well for a few days," or "He threw up."
Comparing those notes with the exam findings helped catch diseases early.
But now, on top of the info from the owners, he had direct input from the dogs and cats themselves, which meant even more to record.
Tap-tap-tap-tap.
For a while, the only sound in the exam room was the clacking of the keyboard.
About an hour passed like that.
With a jingle of the bell, a man strode in carrying a large backpack.
"Welcome..."
Lee Jun started to greet him out of habit as he stepped out of the exam room, but the corners of his mouth lifted into a grin.
He had no family, but two friends who were like brothers to him—and one of them was standing right there.
It was just a few steps away, but Lee Jun quickened his pace.
"Kwak Su-ho!"
His voice brimmed with joy as he called out the name.
"Congrats on the opening."
"Thanks. Flying all the way here just because your friend opened a clinic."
"Of course I had to."
Kwak Su-ho had planned to return from Africa in about three months.
But when he heard his closest friend Lee Jun was opening an animal hospital, he couldn't just sit around.
Not with Lee Jun of all people.
Kwak Su-ho decided to come home right away.
"You eating properly out there? You look like a total street bum—no offense."
"What's that got to do with eating?"
"Just look at yourself. What were people saying to you on the way here?"
"Like what?"
Kwak Su-ho paused to think.
"Now that you mention it, no one sat next to me on the subway."
"You're Haenguni they didn't chase you off."
"What?"
Kwak Su-ho shrugged it off nonchalantly and looked around the interior.
"Looks even better than the photos."
"Not bad, right?"
Lee Jun's mouth curved up at his friend's praise.
"Yeah, feels cozy somehow. The light green color, maybe?"
For some reason, Meongmeong Animal Hospital reminded Kwak Su-ho of the African savanna. He chuckled inwardly.
'Thinking that in the middle of Seoul.'
Even he found it ridiculous.
As he shook his head at himself, his gaze landed on a picture of Mongi beaming alongside a grinning Lee Jun.
"Whoa, who drew this? It's awesome."
"A little owner made it for me."
A smile tugged at Lee Jun's lips as he answered.
'So much gratitude packed into that drawing.'
It hadn't been long since the opening, and already a grateful owner like this—what a nice surprise.
"They must've been really thankful."
"Yeah, something like that."
"Missed my shot. I thought I'd be the first."
Kwak Su-ho rummaged in his backpack and pulled out a rectangular package.
"Here, take this."
"What's this?"
"Opening gift."
"A painting?"
It looked like a framed picture.
He peeled off the bubble wrap, and sure enough, it was a framed artwork.
A man in a white coat stood with a cat and dog flanking him, while behind them loomed elephants, lions, leopards, hippos, and more.
But every one of those animals was a small, adorable baby version.
All the baby animals gazed up at Lee Jun with happy smiles.
Lee Jun's eyes lingered on one spot as he studied the painting.
A schnauzer.
The dog in the picture was Kongdori.
And the cat next to Kongdori was one Lee Jun recognized too.
'Kwak Su-ho's Goldmoon. So where's Chacha?'
As he gently stroked the frame, Lee Jun spotted green and yellow dots by the hippo.
His eyes were drawn to the bright colors, and he let out a soft chuckle.
The yellow and green dots weren't dots—they were birds. Chacha.
'Yeah, that's just like him.'
Even a bird wouldn't perch on Lee Jun's shoulder or an elephant's back in Kwak Su-ho's paintings.
No matter how big the animal, nothing ever sat on top of them.
That was the signature style of Kwak Su-ho's art.
Lee Jun's smile grew wider.
Seeing it, Kwak Su-ho let out a relieved sigh.
Truth be told, he'd agonized over the painting.
Whether to include Kongdori or not.
But knowing what Kongdori meant to Lee Jun, Kwak Su-ho couldn't leave him out.
The Lee Jun he knew would want to introduce his animal hospital to Kongdori.
"Thanks, Kwak Su-ho."
"Hey, all I've got is time."
Lee Jun gave a playful smack to the shoulder of his friend, who brushed it off casually.
"I know exactly how busy you are."
Kwak Su-ho posted photos and drawings of animals on YouTube, mostly wild ones.
His works often featured orphaned baby animals.
These days, he was so famous that people lined up to buy his paintings before he even finished them.
"If you get it, then come visit me in Africa sometime."
Lee Jun grinned, knowing exactly what Kwak Su-ho meant.
"Yeah, someday."
"Speaking of, when's Woo-jin showing up?"
"Not sure. He said he'd be late today—clinic ran long, I guess."
"Oh?"
Just then, someone appeared walking past the window.
"There he is."
"Yeah. But why does that guy look so wiped out?"
As Kwak Su-ho said, Choi Woo-jin plopped straight into a lobby chair the moment he walked in.
"Ugh, I'm dead."
"Hey, it's been a year since you saw your friend—no hello?"
"Hello? We video-called last week. Looks like you nailed the landing here, though."
"Always with you."
"Anyway, Lee Jun, you're blowing up."
"What're you talking about?"
"You know, Su-neunim."
Choi Woo-jin burst into laughter as he said it.
"Hey, that was just some owner."
"Su-neunim?"
The words popped out of Lee Jun and Kwak Su-ho's mouths at the same time.
"Our amazing Lee Jun made a splash."
Choi Woo-jin slouched deeper into the chair, exaggerating his expressions as he recounted the post from Dubu's owner on Ggui Cafe.
"Whoa, that happened? If it was that big a deal, why didn't you tell your big bro right away?"
"Who's my big bro?"
"Who else? Me, obviously."
"What're you on about?"
"Lee Jun, impressive. Already making a name for yourself."
Kwak Su-ho ignored Choi Woo-jin's grumbling and showered Lee Jun with praise.
"Dubu's owner just thought well of me."
"Hey, you think it's easy winning over an owner's heart? A little kid seeing you that way—that's huge."
Kwak Su-ho pointed to the painting on the wall.
Choi Woo-jin's eyes naturally followed.
Having collapsed into the lobby chair upon arrival, he hadn't noticed the wall art yet.
"What's over there?"
As he stood and headed toward the exam room, the painting caught his eye.
"It's a picture."
"A gift from an owner."
"This one?"
"Yeah, from Lee Jun. Doesn't that dog look super happy?"
"Yeah, it does."
Choi Woo-jin stared at the painting in silence for a long moment.
Lee Jun picked up the framed gift he'd set by the reception desk and approached.
"Su-ho, where should I hang this?"
Choi Woo-jin's head turned at Lee Jun's words.
"Oh, another frame. Frames the hot new trend for gifts?"
His eyes widened as he took in the artwork inside.
There was Lee Jun's Kongdori, Kwak Su-ho's Goldmoon, and his own parrot Chacha—all beaming back at them.
"...That's one hell of an opening gift."
"That's what I thought. Where to put it?"
"Somewhere everyone can see it. All those smiling faces—people will feel better just looking at it."
"Yeah, it'd be great if all the patients who come in smile like that. The owners would love it too."
Choi Woo-jin, gazing enviously at the painting, suddenly remembered something and turned to Lee Jun.
"By the way, Lee Jun—is that story true?"
"What story?"
"What else? That you examined and treated Dubu all by yourself."
"Oh, that? Yeah."
"Must've been heavily sedated or something. No—even if it was weak, how do you get an IV line in solo?"
"Nah, it was fine."
"You're saying that's for real?"
Choi Woo-jin's eyes went wide.
"Good kid."
"No way. Not a dog—a cat? How..."
Choi Woo-jin trailed off, shuddering.
Lee Jun chuckled and teased him.
"What, bit by another patient cat today?"
"No, not today... Ugh."
Choi Woo-jin sighed, recalling the day's events.
"What happened?"
"A severely dehydrated one came in—feral as hell, thought I was gonna lose it. Cat trashed the exam room, climbed the bookshelf, hissing like crazy... Ugh."
"You're something else. Scared of cats but still a vet."
"I'm not scared, okay? It was just super sensitive."
"Sure, sure. Cats have always kinda hated you."
"Don't ignore it?"
"Nah."
"Then ask to skip cat consults. You handle dogs and exotics fine."
"Well, normally Ju handles cats. Problem is when she's off."
"Today was Ju's day off, huh."
"Yep. Oh, Lee Jun—when are you free?"
"Free when?"
"We've got a chronic FLUTD cat at our clinic. Super sensitive one. Ju wants your help examining it."
"Sure."
"Yeah."
"Anytime after hours works. Sundays too—just give me a heads-up."
"Thanks. Man, if I could talk to cats, I'd ask why they get so pissed. Seriously."
"You could."
"Huh?"
"Just ask why they don't like you."
Both men let out awkward laughs at Lee Jun's words.
"You're delirious. Let's eat."
"Yeah, my stomach's stuck to my back. Let's go."
"Su-ho, anything you wanna eat?"
"Yeah, let's get whatever you crave."
"Pork belly's all I need."
Kwak Su-ho mimed taking a swig.
"Kimchi stew too."
"Alright, let's grab some food."
The three men left the animal hospital and headed to a barbecue joint.