Chapter 90
Chapter 90
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: Diet Determination
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The cats that returned home barely touched their dinner before promptly falling asleep.
Snore, snore!
Grunt, grunt!
The living room vibrated with the cats' snoring.
"Oh dear, you lot, sleeping with your bellies all exposed like that is gonna cause trouble."
Even as Strong Brother placed a colorful towel printed with the two cats' faces over their bellies with his large hand, they didn't notice.
It was a towel they usually loved for its soft, cool texture.
The cats ran even in their dreams.
Flap, flap, flap.
Gray flailed his four legs and mumbled.
[I'm cool-nyang!]
Shadow, sleeping right beside him, kicked his legs too.
[I'm Shadow!]
In their dreams, the cats showed off their coolness.
The next day, Gray and Shadow were already sitting at the dining table before Strong Brother even called them for breakfast.
It was a table perfectly sized so they didn't have to lower their heads to eat.
Engraved all over the table were images of the two cats snatching treats in stylish, agile poses.
The cats stuck their front paws into the holes meant for their bowls and stirred them around, shouting.
[I'm hungry-nyang!]
[It's because we ran so hard yesterday. Gonna eat a lot.]
[That's right-nyang. Gonna eat a lot-nyang.]
The cats smacked their lips as they waited for their food.
"You ate a ton when you got home yesterday, slept it off, and now you're hungry again?"
[That's right-nyang. Give us lots of food-nyang!]
Gray answered confidently.
"Just wait a bit."
The cats stared intently as Strong Brother went to the kitchen to prepare their meal.
If they had even a little energy right now, they would've dashed over, scratched at his legs, and whined for food faster.
But with no strength in their legs and bellies too empty, the cats could only mew pitifully.
[G-Give us food!]
[Quickly-nyang!]
As soon as the food bowls hit the plates, the cats ducked their heads down.
Then, just as Gray was about to bring his tongue to the kibble, he jerked his head up in surprise.
[B-Brother-nyang!]
"What's up?"
[There's too little food-nyang.]
[My food's too little too.]
Shadow looked over in shock and cried out too.
Sapsari ignored the cats' commotion and munched away steadily: chomp, chomp, chomp.
The cats' eyes narrowed.
[Sapsari, did you eat my food-nyang?]
[Seems like Sapsari ate it.]
As the two cats pointed at him, Sapsari startled and lifted his head to look at them.
[I-I didn't eat it!]
Gray snorted with an 'hmph' at Sapsari's honest-looking expression, then crunched on his kibble.
Shadow tilted his head once before putting kibble in his mouth too.
A brief moment passed, followed by slurp, slurp sounds.
It was Gray licking his empty bowl after finishing.
Thump, thump, thump.
Beside him, Shadow pawed at his bowl.
Like Gray, Shadow had licked his bowl clean and was tapping it in case any crumbs fell.
Then slurp again.
He licked the bowl, but nothing touched his tongue.
[Aw, all gone.]
[Yeah-nyang. Guess we need water-nyang.]
[Let's do it.]
It was a trick they used back when they were starving with nothing to eat.
Filling up on water.
Gray and Shadow each claimed a water bowl and lapped it up: gulp, gulp, glug.
[Gulp! Belly feels full now-nyang.]
[Whew, now I can live.]
Gray and Shadow's bellies sloshed with every move.
Watching them, Lee Jun tilted his head.
"I only cut the kibble by 5%, but why the fuss? Anyway, I was worried they weren't drinking enough water lately. Good thing."
Lately, the cats had been lying flat on the floor without moving, so their water intake had noticeably dropped.
Lee Jun smiled contentedly seeing them drain a full bowl each.
With his morning routine done, Lee Jun called the cats.
"Kids, let's go."
[I'm right here-nyang!]
[We're already ready.]
Meow! The cats replied from inside the carrier bag at the entryway.
Usually, they'd whine about the heat and refuse to go, dragging their feet until Lee Jun stuffed them in.
"What's gotten into you? You were the ones saying it was too hot outside and you'd stay home. Guess you really mean to exercise."
"Yeah, right."
But the cats had other plans.
'What flavor today-nyang?'
'Gonna ask for two.'
They smacked their lips thinking of the treats they'd score from Big Sis at the clinic.
At the animal hospital, sure enough, she approached with the treat box.
"Aww, my pretties. Rough trip coming in? Hot out there?"
[Give us yummy stuff-nyang!]
[I'm eating two today.]
The cats boldly stuck out their paws.
"What do you want today, kids?"
Point! Point!
The cats indicated the treat pouches they wanted.
"Hehe, got it."
That's when Strong Brother spoke up.
"Manager Jang, don't give them all of those—split one between the two."
"......Oh my, what was I thinking? Forgot they've been on a diet since yesterday."
Unaware of what was said, the cats gazed at the treats with sparkling eyes.
Snap!
Gray's pupils shook as he saw the treat split in half.
He spotted the powder and tiny bits crumbling to the floor as it was cut.
[It's okay-nyang. I can chew it-nyang.]
[Yeah. We'll cut and eat it ourselves.]
Shadow said it worriedly too.
Yet the cats subtly backed away, fearing the scraps might fall and make their share even smaller.
"Alright, here you go quick."
Jang So-ra offered the halved treats to each cat, and they were shocked.
[Give me the next one-nyang.]
[I'll eat mine later.]
But it was no use. Plop, plop.
The treats went into the cats' mouths.
Once in, they had to eat.
The cats chewed the treats stuck in their mouths, then stuck out their paws again.
Point. Point.
Perfectly natural.
But then came thunder from a clear sky.
Click.
The treat box closed.
"Kids, that's it. Later, okay?"
Gray knew what "that's it" meant. He understood "later" too.
No more treats now.
The closed box proved it.
[N-No way-nyang!]
[Why only half? I planned for two.]
Devastated, the cats flopped to the floor and grumbled.
"You're losing weight, right?"
[Yeah-nyang. Gonna lose weight-nyang. So why no yummy stuff-nyang?]
[Treats. Can't run without energy!]
[Right-nyang. Brother said we gotta run to lose weight-nyang. But can't run hungry-nyang.]
[Yeah. Gotta eat treats to lose weight!]
The cats couldn't fathom why no treats.
Gotta eat lots, get energy, run to lose weight.
[Does Brother hate me getting cool-nyang?]
[Yeah. Hates us zipping around!]
As if they'd just figured out why Brother said small portions, the cats glared at Lee Jun with triangular eyes.
Then.
Whoosh! Brother's hand grabbed them, shaking their heads this way and that.
"What on earth goes on in these tiny heads of yours......"
But unlike usual, Shadow and Gray didn't react normally.
Normally, they'd purr happily at Lee Jun's touch.
But hangry and furious, the two kept glaring triangularly.
'Brother must hate us for sure-nyang.'
'Obviously 'cause we don't hunt and just pig out every day-nyang.'
Even as Lee Jun shook their bodies, the cats spun wild delusions.
But only for a moment.
"Cute kids. One treat each before walkies, so eat then."
Their expressions flipped at Lee Jun's words.
[He said treats-nyang! Brother's the best-nyang!]
[Yeah! Brother's a good brother!]
Meowww!
Myaaow!
The cats meowed happily, as if they'd never whined.
But only briefly—Gray waddled off grumbling.
[No energy-nyang. Gonna nap in the ward today-nyang.]
The ward was the quietest spot in the hospital when no patients were admitted.
No light, perfect for naps.
[Let's go together. Nap till treats.]
Shadow headed to the ward too, and Sapsari followed.
[I'm going with the brothers too.]
Snort!
Grumble!
Pillowed on Sapsari with his toy in mouth, Sapsari dozed off to the cats' snores soon enough.
Snore, snore.
The three snores droned on for ages.
As the sun dipped low, Gray's eyes snapped open.
[Let's go-nyang!]
[Got it.]
As if on cue, Gray and Shadow trotted out and sought Lee Jun.
[Brother, treats-nyang!]
[Eating treats then park.]
[M-Me too!]
Sapsari ran up, tail wagging.
"You bums wouldn't budge, but treat time wakes you up."
[Treats-nyang! Two-nyang!]
[Gonna eat two.]
The cats stuck out paws and yelled.
"Here."
Treats placed on their outstretched paws, and the cats cheered.
[O-One whole one-nyang!]
[Hehe, all mine.]
Overjoyed at a full one, they forgot demanding two and rejoiced.
Nom nom nom.
Yum yum yum.
Licking up every speck of powder, the cats dashed to the glass door.
Thud thud.
Bang bang.
Standing at the entrance, the cats meowed.
[Brother, park-nyang.]
[Gotta go lose weight.]
Lee Jun lit up at their cries.
'Hoo, these guys are serious.'
Truthfully, Lee Jun thought with them lounging all day, park walks would end as a one-day event.
But the cats showed resolve.
Grinning, Lee Jun called Sapsari.
"Sapsari, your brothers wanna go to the park."
[Got it. Brothers, hop on.]
Now calling the cats brothers, Sapsari jumped up, dashed to the door, and crouched low.
"Who's riding today?"
[Me today.]
Shadow hopped on Sapsari's back.
At the park, unlike yesterday, the cats walked the playground slowly.
[Like you said, Sapsari, slow walk is less hot-nyang.]
[Good.]
Sapsari, matching pace beside them, chuckled gruffly.
[Now run.]
[Yeah, let's run-nyang.]
"Don't run too fast."
As Brother said, the three ran slowly.
[H-Hard-nyang!]
[Huff!]
After one lap, on the second, the cats panted miserably but didn't quit.
But after two laps, just shy of three, they collapsed.
[L-Legs won't move-nyang!]
[Ugh......!]
"Good job."
Brother offered water bowls.
The cats gulped it down greedily.
[Ahh! Live now-nyang!]
[W-Water's so good!]
Spent, the cats sprawled flat.
"Kids, don't overdo it. Diet slow is fine."
But the cats' will was ironclad.
[No-nyang. Hate slow-nyang. Fast-nyang.]
[Me too, hate slow. Fast is best.]
"You guys really are Korean cats—love going fast."
The cats burning with resolve turned 180 once home.
Thump thump!
Bang bang!
[F-Food too small-nyang!]
[Why so little food!]
Kyaaarowr.
The cats pounded their tables and roared.
"You said you wanna lose weight fast? So I cut kibble 5%, then made it 10%."
[When did I say fast-nyang? And you said exercise burns fat-nyang!]
Gray's paw thumped the table harder.
"I said go slow on diet, but you insisted fast?"
At Brother's words, Gray and Shadow's eyes went wide.
They remembered saying that.
[W-Was that what it meant-nyang?]
[Really?]
"Yeah."
Thud! Gray plopped on his butt.
[D-Didn't know-nyang.]
"So let's go slow."
Gray shook his tiny head.
[No-nyang. Promise must keep-o...... nyang?]
Mid-sad mew, Gray stared intently at something...
Kyaaang!
Screeching wildly, he pounced on Shadow.