Chapter 82
Chapter 82
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: Sapsari Comes Home
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Gray and Shadow thought that Sapsari would live with them from now on.
No, to be more honest, they weren't really thinking much at all.
They just vaguely assumed that since he was by their side now, he'd stay there forever.
But suddenly, they were asked what would happen next?
‘Sapsari has to live with us meow. He was all alone meow. He didn't have any companions meow.’
Gray recalled Sapsari collapsed in agony amid the bushes all by himself, and gently placed his small, dainty paw on Sapsari's back as he lay beside him.
‘He must have suffered so much on his own.’
Shadow, who had lived alone before and endured pain so severe he longed for the Cat Star, wrapped Sapsari in a big hug.
‘We’ll stay together meow.’
‘We’ll be by your side.’
Perhaps sensing the cats' feelings, Sapsari opened his mouth.
[I, I...]
Sapsari let out a deep breath and slowly continued.
[I'm okay.]
Meaning he didn't need them to stay with him.
[No way meow. You still can't walk properly meow.]
[It's tough alone. Meals taste better together.]
Gray was right, and Shadow was right too.
That morning, he'd tried eating while standing without the support brace, and it had been too hard.
‘I barely ate half, but my legs were shaking so much I wanted to collapse.’
From that, it was clear he still couldn't manage things on his own.
‘And food tastes so much better when eaten together.’
Part of it was how delicious the benefactor's food always was, but it tasted even better hearing the cats munch away happily.
Sapsari did think it would be nice to keep living with the cats.
But on the other hand, another thought crept in.
‘Maybe my owner will come looking for me?’
He knew it was unlikely, but Sapsari wanted to believe it.
And the biggest worry was this.
‘I might get abandoned again.’
So better not to hope in the first place.
With that mindset, a strange sense of relief cleared a corner of his heart.
‘I don't want to be alone anymore.’
Feeling the cats' warm body heat, Sapsari thought he wanted to stay together.
"It's been a week now..."
Lick.
The tense Sapsari licked his nose with his tongue.
"Time to take him home."
Nyaa-ho-ho-hong!
Niya-ho!
The cats cheered.
[Sapsari, let's go home meow. Our Alley House is great meow.]
[I’ll give up my cushion for you.]
The cats danced with joy, their paw prints cutely dotting the nonslip mat on the floor.
It was the sweat beading on their tense paw pads that left those marks on the mat.
***
That evening, Sapsari arrived at Alley House, wobbling in his kennel.
His tail clapped tight against his rear upon entering the unfamiliar space.
But that lasted only a moment. The house, papered wall-to-wall with scents he recognized, didn't feel so strange after all, so Sapsari looked around with a swish of his head.
His eyes fell on the cats' wooden treehouses in the wide-open space.
And that was just the start.
There were more cat nooks scattered about, along with their toys.
‘Jealous.’
Sapsari gazed wistfully at the cozy, comfortable space that felt both strange and familiar.
Just then, the benefactor called out loudly.
"Since it's Sapsari's first day here, we're having something special tonight!"
[We’re eating tasty meat meow.]
[Hehe, gotta eat lots.]
Lick. Seeing the cats lick their lips in anticipation, Sapsari grew excited too.
‘I wonder what it'll be. The meat from lunch today? Or the soft meat from last night's dinner?’
Breakfast had been delicious too. He was dying to know what was coming when the benefactor spoke again.
"Kids, while I prep the meat, give Sapsari a tour of the house. We said we'd give him the big water bowl, right?"
[Yes meow, it's Sapsari's meow.]
[Come on. It's over there.]
The cats guided Sapsari.
[This is super soft meow. Walking here doesn't hurt meow.]
Gray demonstrated by dragging his hind legs as he shuffled forward.
Sapsari stepped onto the plush mat and pressed down with his paws.
It seemed like he wouldn't hurt himself even if he fell.
[This cushion is yours.]
Shadow offered a small cushion.
‘Resting my chin on it would feel nice.’
As Sapsari thought that, Gray came huffing along, pushing another cushion.
[This one's yours too meow.]
[Nice. Sapsari's big, so two will do perfectly.]
At that moment, the benefactor approached and petted the cats fondly.
Sapsari watched the benefactor's touch intently.
"You’re all such good kids."
"Real good ones, they are. But that tiny cushion'd make a fine pillow, wouldn't it? Gotta be this size to really use it, aye?"
The strong guy plunked something down with a thud.
It was an enormously large cushion.
[Whoa, it's huge meow.]
[Way bigger than Boat Cushion.]
The cats' eyes went wide as they exclaimed.
"It's for Sapsari. Though you three could all fit on it comfortably."
The cats' eyes sparkled at the benefactor's words, and they cried out in unison.
[Let’s lie down meow.]
[Lie down.]
[Yeah.]
Sapsari, caught up in the moment, barked along.
"Yeah, if you want to do something, just say so."
The benefactor stroked his head, and Sapsari's mouth corners curved up ever so slightly.
But hidden beneath his fluffy fur, no one noticed his smile.
[You first, Sapsari meow. It's yours meow.]
[Yeah, hop on first.]
The cats called out with curious faces.
[Me? First?]
[Yes meow.]
So this is what it feels like to be looked after.
Sapsari happily flopped onto the cushion.
It was big, plush, and soft.
[Feels good.]
[Good meow, so fluffy and cool meow.]
[Like lying on a boat.]
Shadow rolled around on the cushion, reminded of the boat from the swimming pool.
Sapsari happily sprawled out too.
‘Nice.’
Comfortable and cozy. He'd love to live in a place like this.
‘Does having my own cushion mean I'm staying here?’
But he quickly pushed the thought away.
What if not? Better not to think about it at all.
‘Still, right now it's great.’
With kind cats beside him and a plush cushion.
The cats had drifted off, their breathing a soft chorus of purrs.
Listening to them, Sapsari's eyes grew heavy.
Then a delicious aroma wafted in.
The savory, soft meat?
This smell made that pale in comparison.
Sapsari's eyes snapped open.
[Meat meow!]
[Meat, meat time.]
The cats had woken too. They bounded off happily.
"You'd think I was starving you. Come on, dinner time. Everyone here."
"Sapsari, take it easy comin' over aye."
Moments later, biting into the grilled chicken breast, Sapsari was overcome.
[So delicious.]
[Delicious meow.]
Sapsari buried his face in the bowl without a word, lost in the chicken.
After a hearty meat feast, the cats and Sapsari sprawled on the same cushion.
The benefactor spread out a huge cushion right beside them and lay down.
"Kids, come sleep here if you're tired."
[Not tonight meow. Sleeping with Sapsari meow.]
[I have to guard Sapsari.]
"Sapsari's Haenguni. Friends taking such good care of you."
Sapsari agreed, lifting his mouth corners with a little huff-huff laugh escaping.
***
At that moment, Lee Jun's mouth corners lifted too.
‘He's opening up more now that he's home.’
Lee Jun felt he'd made the right call bringing Sapsari home.
The three who'd shared space and sleep for a week all piled onto Sapsari's cushion.
But when they woke, Gray and Shadow were by Lee Jun, with only Sapsari's tail draped over the blanket.
‘That's progress.’
The next day brought even more.
‘Head's on the blanket today.’
Seeing Sapsari's head resting on his blanket, Lee Jun smiled warmly.
This pup never approached first when awake.
Yet in just two days, he'd come this close.
Maybe just shifting in sleep, but it was still progress.
Gray and Shadow loved heading to the yard first thing in the morning.
So Sapsari sat by the window, watching them enviously.
Same on day two.
‘Wanna go for a walk?’
He'd lived alone in a dense, mountainous thicket and faced life-or-death dangers there.
Lee Jun wondered if Sapsari might hate walks.
His eyes narrowed as he watched Sapsari.
‘Start rehab with walks?’
No broken bones, but he needed muscle strengthening.
Severe wounds had led to necrotic muscle removal, and immobility had atrophied his muscles.
Wounds weren't fully healed for hydrotherapy yet.
‘Yard first?’
No harness needed, and with friendly cats around, perfect for Sapsari.
He and Go Gi-jin could watch for accidents.
"Wanna go out, Sapsari?"
Lee Jun asked.
Sapsari just rolled his eyes, saying nothing.
‘Still hates answering, huh.’
But his body responded.
Sapsari wagged his tail while eyeing the door.
"You can walk a little. No, you should. That's how you'll walk strong like before."
Lee Jun called the cats after speaking to Sapsari.
"Gray, Shadow, Sapsari wants to play too."
[Can we play meow?]
[Really?]
The cats rushed to Lee Jun.
"Yeah, but no running like you guys. Remember how Mongsil or Ttangkongi walk?"
[Like this meow.]
Gray walked slowly.
"Yeah, that pace."
[Got it meow. I'll tell Sapsari meow.]
[Sapsari, see?]
[Yeah.]
[Walk slow.]
"Stop if it hurts."
[Remember what Big Brother says meow.]
[Got it.]
Lee Jun smiled listening to them.
‘Not direct talk, but hey.’
He was satisfied with the progress.
[Leg hurt meow?]
[Not yet.]
[Good, tell us if it does.]
[Yes meow, can't hurt meow.]
[Thanks.]
Sapsari answered carefully and even said thanks.
Watching the big dog and two cats stroll along, Lee Jun muttered.
"Looks like friends opening his heart faster than me."
***
[You look mighty fine. How old?]
A dog much smaller than Gray spoke to him.
Overwhelmed by the vibe, Sapsari replied politely.
[Five years old.]
[Is that so? I'm thirteen.]
[I’ll call you Elder.]
[Whatever. Anyway, can you see like that?]
[I like seeing through the fur.]
[Hmm. Name? I'm Ttangkongi.]
[I'm Sapsari.]
[Nice to meet you, little brother Sapsari.]
Hearing "little brother" warmed Sapsari's chest.
[I’ll call you Elder Brother too.]
[Whatever. Our vet guy's alright, eh?]
Caught off guard by the sudden benefactor mention, the answer came quick.
[Uh, yeah. He's good.]
He'd saved his life, after all.
"He does whatever you ask. Thanks to him, I get tasty kibble. And play with friends. Anyway, tell him what you want."
[Got it.]
"Brother, I'm Kkakongi."
[Nice to meet you. Sapsari.]
"Brother's fur so cool like that? Gray Brother's fur all long and straight too, ain't it?"
First time hearing such praise, Sapsari flustered.
[Th-thanks.]
"But aye, can ya see? Ya don't trip 'cause of it?"
Shiny black eyes asked.
[I'm fine. Thanks for worrying.]
"Aw, no thanks needed. Us woof friends gotta look out aye."
[How 'bout askin' the vet to trim the fur so ya can see? I had long fur blindin' me like a pup once, but now it's comfy.]
Like the cats, the dogs truly cared.
‘Great companions.’
The cats used words like companions, subordinates, friends a lot.
So Sapsari naturally thought of them as companions too.
"If Sapsari's okay with it, we'll trim the fur. Or tie it up if you don't want a cut."
He didn't want a trim yet, but experiencing sight like Kkakongi or Ttangkongi appealed.
‘Gray and Shadow see well too.’
Sapsari, who'd loved their sparkling eyes on him, told the cats.
[I’d like to see clearly like you guys.]
He could've told the nearby benefactor, but the cats felt easier.
"Good. Let's tie it first."
The benefactor nearby grinned.
And suddenly, his vision cleared.
"Wow, looking like this, Sapsari, you're handsome. Real sharp."
[Thank you.]
"Huh?"
Oops, he'd greeted back without thinking amid the praise.
Eyes darting in panic, a hand came to his head.
"Alright, we'll take it slow."
Didn't know what that meant, but it felt good.
Hee-hee, smiling to himself when a strange voice came from beside.
"Director, where ya sendin' this smart pup?"
Sapsari, who'd been thrilled, drooped his head. He thought,
‘Maybe 'cause I'm too standoffish.’
Gray and Shadow were super affectionate with the benefactor. But he hadn't thanked him for saving his life, ignored questions usually.
‘I’ve got my own cushion though...’
Head down, Sapsari pawed the floor idly.