Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Gray Appears
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While Lee Jun and his friends were busily grilling pork belly,
a pair of sharp eyes was fixed on them.
Meoooow.
A stylish gray-furred cat with a matching cool name.
It was Gray.
Gray had been tailing Lee Jun to get to the bottom of a rumor circulating around the neighborhood.
“Our words are understood, meow?”
It was the hottest topic in the park lately.
The dogs were already noisy enough, but whenever they gathered, they’d blabber on about it, making it impossible to ignore.
Gray had dismissed it at first as the dogs showing off their bonds with humans.
But as the leader of the cats, he needed to verify the facts.
However.
Sniff sniff sniff.
Gray’s pink nose twitched.
The savory aroma of pork belly sizzling enticingly on the grill wafted into his nostrils.
It was an irresistible smell.
Gray’s eyes narrowed into slits on their own. The corners of his mouth curled up.
“Smells delicious, meow.”
Inhaling the pork belly scent deeply, Gray stuck out his tongue and licked the air.
Meoooow!
Then a new smell teased his nose.
“Meow?”
Gray’s fluffy tail shot straight up, then quivered gently.
A ripple ran through his silky fur.
Grrrowl.
It was his stomach rumbling.
Come to think of it, he hadn’t eaten anything today.
Already hungry, the rich, oily pork belly aroma mixed with the soft, savory scent of steamed eggs made it unbearable.
Drawn to sniff even closer, Gray padded toward the table where Lee Jun sat.
The barbecue joint where the rumored human had settled had an outdoor deck.
The three were seated there, making it easy for Gray to approach.
But no one noticed him arrive.
“In that case, I’ll make my presence known. Might as well check if the rumor’s true, meow.”
Gray called out.
[Give me food, meow!]
At his sharp cry, all three heads turned toward him.
“What, what is that? Huge for a cat.”
One gaped in shock.
“That one’s handsome. His eyes look just like our Goldmoon.”
Another smiled warmly.
And the star of the rumor...
“What’s that expression, meow?”
It brimmed with kindness and curiosity, mixed with concern.
“You hungry?”
Lee Jun’s words made Gray’s golden eyes gleam.
“It’s true, meow. Good thing I followed him, meow!”
Confirmed that conversation was possible, Gray raised his voice.
[I’m hungry, meow!]
“Aigoo, you must be starving.”
Gray hopped right up to the table.
[I want that yellow thing, meow!]
“That’s too Sogeum-iy. Can’t have it.”
[Then this one, meow!]
“That’s no good either. Too greasy.”
Denying him those tasty things!
Indignant, Gray smacked the table hard with his big front paw and yowled loudly.
[I’m hungry, meow!]
“Gray! No tantrums—sit! Just wait a bit! I’ll go grab something for you, so hold on.”
“He’s giving me food, meow.”
Gray knew the place Lee Jun pointed to.
People often came out of there with food they liked.
His irritation eased a little.
“But it’s a shame I can’t have that yellow fluffy deliciousness, meow!”
A shame was a shame.
And one more thing—he needed to correct the weird name.
[I’m Gray, meow!]
Gray tilted his chin skyward and cried out.
Awoooooh!
But the rumored human ignored the mighty roar and vanished into the convenience store.
Moments later, he returned holding something.
Sizzle—the sudden savory, slightly fishy scent wafted up.
Gray’s eyes sparkled.
“I’ve had this before, meow.”
The delicious memory lingered, and he licked his chops.
“Here, eat up.”
Gray looked up at the human.
The man’s face was full of smiles. Warm smiles.
A warmth he’d felt once before.
When was that?
Forgetting his hunger, Gray kept staring at the face.
Then words came.
“This is better for you than that. No matter how much you stare, I can’t give you the other.”
Snapping to, Gray shoved his head into the can and lapped up the contents.
[Delicious, meow!]
Chomp chomp chomp—as Gray ate noisily, the rumored human said,
“There’s more, so eat plenty.”
After polishing off two cans right there, feeling satisfied, Gray rubbed his head against the man’s leg.
[It was delicious, meow! Thanks, meow! You’re a kind human, meow.]
Leaving his greatest thanks, Gray headed toward the park.
“He even said thanks after eating and left. You’re a good one, Gray.”
Gray halted abruptly.
He really didn’t hear me earlier.
Turning back, Gray locked eyes with the rumored human.
He yowled.
[Awoooooh! I’m Gray, meow!]
“Yeah, yeah. Gray. Cool name. Take care, Gray.”
The rumored human gazed at him with gentle eyes still.
A decent guy.
Thinking so, Gray entered the nearby park.
As Gray arrived, ten cats appeared and bowed their heads.
The one in front meowed.
[Has Gray, lord of Evergreen Park and our spiritual pillar, arrived?]
The rest followed.
[Arrived?]
[Arrived?]
[Cut it out, meow.]
Silence fell instantly at Gray’s words.
[Didn’t I say to be quiet after sunset, meow!]
[Sorry.]
The first cat bowed deeply and meowed, so softly it was barely audible unless up close.
Of course, the cats’ sharp ears caught it fine.
A yellow cheese-colored cat saw Gray’s upturned mouth and asked.
Very softly again.
[Leader, did something good happen?]
[It did, meow.]
[It did?]
[May we ask what?]
Again, the yellow one inquired.
[Remember what those noisy ones were saying, meow?]
[Noisy... oh, the dogs, sir?]
[Yes, meow. Remember them making a fuss about a human who talks to dogs, meow?]
[Yes, I remember.]
[I remember the dogs blabbing foolishly. But why?]
This time, a white cat with only black paws and tail leaped down from a tree.
[It was true, meow!]
[You saw it?]
[I did, meow.]
[He... talks?]
[Hohoho, see? I said it was true. Leader~!]
From nowhere, a cat striped in reddish-brown all over approached daintily, meowing in a nasal whine.
Three more cats followed her.
With these four, twenty-eight jewel-like eyes sparkled at Gray.
[Exactly, meow!]
[Really?]
[I know~ If we’re hurt, we just ask him to fix it. Leader~ Who’s this amazing person?]
Gray was cautious.
First impressions were good, but that wasn’t everything.
Plus, he was a vet.
Gray recalled his past trip to the animal hospital.
Lured with food into a strange cage, starved, then suddenly falling asleep. Waking up...
“This body, meow.”
Gray glanced down.
Where valuables should be, only fur grew thick.
Sigh. With a heavy breath, Gray looked up at his comrades.
Every one had a shortened ear.
“Our ears flew away too, meow.”
The same could happen again.
“He didn’t seem like it... meow.”
But letting his guard down could cost his comrades.
Deciding to observe more, Gray spoke.
[I can’t say yet, meow.]
Meoooow!
Meow!
Meow!
Meow meow.
The cats voiced their displeasure.
[I’ll watch if he’s good or bad and tell you, meow!]
Silence blanketed the park instantly.
Gray’s feelings had reached them.
Gray leaped up to a tree branch.
Meaning he’d rest.
The cats quietly withdrew.
Stuffed full, time for a nap.
Settling into rest pose atop the tree, Gray thought of the human he’d just met.
“I wondered if a human who understands us really existed, but he does, meow. Pretty good human, meow. No, very good, meow.”
Gray’s mouth curved contentedly as he sprawled out.
***
While Gray pondered, Lee Jun and his crew were talking about him too.
“That guy was super confident, huh? Local boss cat?”
“Seemed like it.”
“Right? See the shine on his coat? Glossiest stray cat I’ve ever seen.”
“Even at the clinic, you don’t see ones like that. Right, Woo-jin?”
“Yeah. Wow. What cat has that kind of presence? Thought it was a leopard standing there. For real.”
“Leopard? He was just cute. Listened well too.”
“Cute?”
“Super cute. Anyway, you getting naengmyeon?”
“Nah, I’m good.”
“Cool. Lee Jun, you?”
“Me? Water naengmyeon.”
“I’ll do water and buckwheat both.”
“Both? You’re demolishing it.”
“Too good. Kay Food’s naengmyeon is the best, seriously.”
To prove it, Kwak Su-ho finished two bowls clean.
“Phew, living now. I can hold back on anything but food.”
“Mystery, man. You’ve got the biggest mouth of us, yet you’re out of town half the year.”
“He likes it, so what?”
“True enough. So, Su-ho, what now? Heading out right away?”
“Dunno. Since I’m here, might stick around. Seeing that guy earlier made me wanna film street gentlemen again after so long.”
“Sounds good.”
“Yeah, how about a ‘Top 100 Cats of Korea’ series? City cats, island cats, seaside, mountaintops, valleys.”
Kwak Su-ho pondered Lee Jun’s idea.
Then Choi Woo-jin’s phone on the table lit up.
Choi Woo-jin tapped the screen and read the message.
“Jun, you free next week?”
“Next week?”
“Yeah, I just messaged Teacher Ju. Wants to schedule a consult during your off time?”
“Yeah?”
“You said weekdays after 8’s fine?”
“Yeah.”
“OK. One sec.”
Choi Woo-jin sent a message, and a reply came right away.
“Must’ve been waiting. How’s Friday?”
“Yeah. Book it then.”
“Thanks, Director Lee!”
“Haha, no problem. It’s what we do, right, Doctor Choi?”
“Sure is. Thanks anyway.”
“I’m the thankful one. You coming all this way.”
“What? Of course I’d come.”
“Exactly. Now, finish these drinks and head back to rest. Su-ho’s not lost in thought—he’s drunk.”
“Yeah. Let’s bounce before he becomes a nuisance.”
“You cold bastards.”
Soon after, the three left the barbecue joint and headed down the main road.
Passing the park they’d gone by on the way, Gray’s eyes slowly opened.
And the gray cat Gray began following behind Lee Jun.