Chapter 77
Chapter 77
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 77
Chapter Title: Howling Bus Ride to the Pool
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Woof woof warururu!
Big woof wow wow woof!
Keong, kyung kyung kyungkeheong!
A chorus of barks echoed through the bus.
Jamongi was over the moon, howling along with his brothers in uncontainable joy.
‘Heehee, this is so exciting, so exciting!’
Lying on the plush carpeted bus floor in a loaf position, he stretched his neck long and let out a howl.
Wooo-ooo-hoo-hoo-hoo!
A howl full of delight.
Jamongi’s glee spread to the other dogs.
Mwoooo-hoo-hoo!
Warururu-hoo-hoo-hoo!
Yo-ho-ho-ho!
Yodel-like howls filled the entire bus.
Mongsil was thrilled too.
He sat on his cushion, secured to the floor, wagging his tail like crazy.
[Heehee, exciting!]
Until now, walks for Mongsil had only been a single lap around the neighborhood park with Dad.
This was pure bliss.
Mongsil turned his head left and right, up and down, beaming.
Turning left, he saw elder brother Ttangkongi lying on the same cushion, resting.
But his ears perked up, twitching this way and that to the chorus.
To the right, brother Mongi.
Mongi sat with his butt wiggling, belting out woof woof songs.
Looking utterly delighted.
And little brother Jamongi, flat on his belly but butt bopping as he barked kyung kyung.
If not for the leash tied to the pole, he’d be up and zooming around.
‘Heehee, what are the brothers doing?’
Mongsil adored Gray and Shadow, who had cared for him so tenderly during his hospital stay.
Weren’t they the ones who’d given him hope and courage when there was none?
Mongsil searched for the cats with affectionate eyes.
The cats sat atop the seats, gazing out the windows.
Even in this speeding vehicle, they held their dignity, standing tall.
‘Brothers are so cool.’
Words that would have Gray and Shadow dancing with joy if they heard—Mongsil murmured them in his heart.
‘But where’s Kkakongi?’
He couldn’t spot Kkakongi, who was the same age as him.
‘Huh? He should be with elder brother Ttangkongi or brother Mongi, but no sign. With Choco maybe?’
Mongsil whipped his head around, scanning. Still nothing.
‘Where is he? In Mom’s arms?’
Envy flickered briefly. But Mongsil shook his head vigorously.
‘No. Gray and Shadow brothers are up there, and everyone else is here.’
Mongsil tilted his head a few more times, then rested his chin on the edge of his cushion, listening to the brothers’ chorus.
Then, up front, a cushion heaved.
What’s that? Peeking, a long black tail poked out.
‘Heehee, it’s Kkakongi. But why’s he like that?’
Kkakongi sighed heavily from under the cushion.
‘Ah, for real. This make any sense? No place else to go? Takin’ me to that dang place!’
Kkakongi was seriously miffed.
Heading to the bathtub he hated most—how was that fair?
‘Coulda played in the park with brothers and lil’uns! Mom’s really somethin’! I ain’t goin’, that’s what! Draggin’ me all this way fer this.’
Hating pools as much as baths, Kkakongi had sought a hiding spot the moment he boarded.
But his vest leash tied to the pole kept him from fleeing far.
So his clever hideout: under the cushion.
If he couldn’t see out, no one could spot him.
That was Kkakongi’s plan.
‘Gonna stay right here till we head home.’
Right then, Jamongi barked loudly.
[Teacher! What’re we eatin’?]
“What do you wanna eat?”
[Heehee, wanna eat lotsa yummy stuff. Gets super hungry after swimmin’.]
[Me too. Belly real hungry.]
“Grilled chicken and sweet potatoes.”
[Wow! Really?]
“Yeah, we’ll grill ’em up nice after swimming.”
Woof woof.
Woof woof.
The ecstatic pups barked like mad as the bus rolled on.
‘Ch, chicken?’
Kkakongi’s eyes bulged like saucers. His heart pounded thump thump.
His absolute favorite: chicken.
‘Wh, what now?’
He’d planned to hide till home, but chicken party news had him torn.
‘J, just sit normal-like, no tub. That’ll do. Yeah, head there, find a hidey-hole. Even Gray brother burrows in sand to sleep, he says. And I’m the best digger around.’
Planning to dig into the sand and hide, he felt calmer.
‘Pop out just for eatin’, no one’ll know.’
With that, Kkakongi sneaked up onto the cushion.
Meanwhile, Gray and Shadow gazed out the window, smug.
[When we leap that pool, they’ll be shocked nyang.]
[They’ll look up in awe.]
Recalling their CF shoot puddle jump, they chatted.
[This time, I’ll spin a full circle sideways nyang.]
[Then I’ll somersault and leap over.]
Treating the pool like a puddle, they plotted mid-air flips and landings.
[Sand steam after nyang.]
[Felt so toasty good.]
[Won’t sting the eyes this time nyang.]
[Yeah. Ask Benevolent Brother for those dark shades.]
Post-flip jumps, shades, sand steam—a full plan...
But spotting the rippling full pool, Gray and Shadow gaped.
[Wh, what’s this nyang! Can’t jump that nyang!]
[Huge.]
The cats whipped around, scanning.
[N, no sand nyang.]
[Where’s the sand?]
Shocked, they froze like wind-up toys run down.
After a bit, heads drooping, they trudged off.
[Can’t show off cool moves nyang.]
[No toasty body steam either.]
Gray and Shadow, eager to impress friends, were crushed.
[Just climb up there and flop nyang.]
[Snooze time.]
They sprawled on sunbeds by the grass.
Kkakongi panicked too.
‘Wh, where’s the sand?’
Poking around on short stubby legs, no beach, not even a grain.
Pat pat pat.
Clawing short grass yielded no dirt, no uprooted blades.
Desperate, Kkakongi dashed to the cats’ sunbeds.
[Brothers! No beach sand?]
[None nyang.]
[This spot’s fine though?]
[Warm here too nyang. Lie down nyang.]
Cats, cozy on the warm sunbed, brushed it off. Kkakongi’s eyes quivered.
[Wh, where to hide now!]
Mongsil was no different.
[Wh, what do!]
Seeing the rippling water, Mongsil’s face darkened fast.
He’d pictured fun swims with brothers and friends at the pool park—why the scary stuff?
Mongsil huddled alone in a far corner.
Beaming on the bus, now lips drooping, body curled tighter.
Breathing grew shallow and quick.
[Huh, scary...]
Spotting huddled Mongsil, his guardian rushed over—but Lee Jun stopped her.
“If we interfere now, Mongsil won’t ever swim again.”
“B-but... what if something goes wrong?”
The guardian fretted Mongsil might stop breathing.
“I’ll keep watch.”
As Lee Jun reassured her, Jamongi plunged into the pool.
Mongi followed in his yellow bumblebee life vest, toddling in with a splash.
Splish! Then plop plop as they paddled forward on all fours.
Whoosh. Whoosh.
Cleaving water, they’d lapped the pool twice already.
Super hyped, Jamongi wanted all brothers in.
[Brothers, come in!]
Other pups joined one by one, splashing— but fave big brother Ttangkongi, brother Kkakongi, cat brothers? No reply.
[Gonna fetch brothers!]
Jamongi hopped out.
[Me too.]
Mongi followed.
Dripping pups padded to the sunbeds.
[Brothers, play together!]
Jamongi wagged furiously, splashing the cats’ sunbed.
[G, go away nyang!]
[Wh, why drip water?]
[So fun! Play in water together.]
Jamongi wagged harder, closing in.
Hiss!
Kyaa!
Ignoring hisses, cats vaulted to nearby tree branches.
Jamongi, loving water play, never thought cats hated it.
Figuring he’d woken their nap and pissed them off, he beamed.
[Brothers, play after nap!]
Then to flustered Kkakongi nearby.
[Brother, play together.]
Jamongi’s bright voice sounded like the grim reaper to Kkakongi.
[I, I’m good.]
Kkakongi stuttered for the first time to a lil’ bro.
[C’mon, play. Huh? What’s that?]
Urging Kkakongi, Jamongi stared somewhere.
Kkakongi followed his gaze.
Ttangkongi floated on the water.
[What’s that?]
Curiosity killing him, Kkakongi tilted his head and hopped off the sunbed.
Hated water, but gotta know—he padded near the pool.
[Weird. Like the cushion we slept on, but brother’s sittin’ on it.]
[Really? Heehee, fun! Wanna float too.]
[Me too! Me ride that.]
Kkakongi kept tilting.
[How ain’t he wet?]
Kkakongi loathed baths cuz getting soaked sucked—drips from ears, water in ears, all bad.
Yet Ttangkongi was dry after going in.
[That’s fer dogs.]
“Wanna try?”
[Uh... sure?]
“Give it a go. It’ll be fun.”
Lee Jun set the duck tube boat by Kkakongi, whispering low.
“How’s this? Way cooler than what big brother Ttangkongi’s on, right?”
Sounded true.
[Maybe try?]
With Lee Jun’s help, Kkakongi felt water for the first time in his dog life.
Slosh slosh, floor bobbed up down; sway sway, inching forward.
Splashing water? Not bad—actually refreshing.
[Whoa. Real fun.]
Fear gone, Kkakongi paddled side to side, enjoying the wobbles.
Ttangkongi then Kkakongi floating—far off, Mongsil watched blankly.
[Feet touch bottom on cushion.]
Then Jamongi yelled.
[Mongsil sis! Come here, ride together. So cool and fun. Lie like this, water don’t touch body.]
Jamongi lounged comfy on the cushion, smiling at him.
[Even lyin’, no water up nose.]
Mongsil feared no floor under paws. Feared water in nose choking breath.
But if lying kept water out...
From the corner, Mongsil dashed over, shouting.
[Let’s play together!]