Fox, Watch Out for Colds
Beep—beep—
“Huff, huff!”
Squeeeak—
“Grrrr!”
I was currently hard at play… no, hard at specialized hunting training.
My opponent was none other than that insolent ball that had struck me last time.
My fangs, possessors of the ultimate attack power, sank mercilessly into the ball, and every time they did the ball shrieked with a series of beeps and squeaks.
Then the ball grew slippery with my spit, slipped free, and tried to roll away from me.
But I was the ultimate fox!
Escaping this body was impossible!
“Kyahng!”
I leapt after the fleeing ball, clamped down, and made it pay the price for its attempt to escape.
Beep—beep—
“Naru, there’s hair stuck to the ball.”
“Grrrr!”
“There, good girl.”
For a moment I thought she was stealing my prey and snarled a warning, but Yerin only plucked the hair off the ball, and I was able to concentrate on my play… no, my training once more.
“We’re going to have to clean. The floor’s covered in hair from Naru playing with that ball.”
“You’re right. The blanket she slept on earlier was completely covered in fur too.”
“Where’s the vacuum? I’ll just do a quick—”
“No, unnie. It’s my place, so I should do it.”
I had no idea what the two of them were talking about, but I kept biting the ball with fierce dedication.
Beep-beep-biri-bak-beep-poo—
Heh heh heh. The screams of terror born of my merciless assault were music to my ears.
Wiiiiiiiiing—
“!!!!”
A sudden, spine-chilling sound made me drop the ball I was holding and snap straight into high alert.
It was a grotesque noise that made every hair on my body stand on end.
When I spun around I saw an unidentified iron lump slowly approaching amid a roar, and I stumbled backward in shock, baring my teeth in threat.
“Grrrr!! Wh-what the hell is that?! A monster!!”
Wiiiiiiiiing—
The monster paid my warning no mind at all and simply kept producing that bizarre roar. Cold sweat trickled down my back as I thought,
With a sound that threatening, could I really win even if I charged it head-on?
“…”
Wiiiing—
Tension crackled between me and the monster while we sized each other up, until Subin, standing beside me, spoke.
“Naru, if you’re scared, want to go wait in the room with unnie for a bit?”
“Wh-what are you talking about? I’m a brave fox! Nothing scares me!!”
“First let’s just turn the vacuum off…”
“Hiyahhh!!”
Gathering my courage, I launched the ultimate strike based on the hunting techniques Boss had taught me and the merciless attacks I had practiced on the ball!
“Kyaaah, Naru?!”
“Kang?!”
But my attack was blocked far too easily, and in the process Yerin, startled, must have pressed something, because the monster began roaring even louder.
Wiiiiiiiiiiing—
Thud-thud-thud—
Instinct screamed danger. I bolted in a panic and dove for the first shelter that caught my eye—under the sofa.
Bonk—
In my haste I smacked my forehead on the sofa once, but I lowered myself again and successfully scrambled underneath.
“She suddenly charged in and I accidentally turned the vacuum up higher…”
While I soothed my racing heart under the sofa and surveyed the situation, my eyes fell on Yerin and Subin, who still hadn’t escaped the monster.
It was risky, but I was a fox with loyalty!
Seizing a moment when the monster wasn’t making noise, I poked my face out and shouted for the two who hadn’t yet fled.
“You two hurry up and get in here!!”
“…Huh?”
“Get in before the monster wakes up again!”
When they still didn’t move fast enough, I grabbed Subin’s nearest arm in desperation and tried to haul her under the sofa.
No matter how hard I pulled, though, I could see Subin was unable to come any farther.
“N-Naru, that hurts. I’m grateful you’re worried, but unnie’s an adult so she can’t fit under the sofa.”
“?!?!”
“Making that shocked face won’t change anything.”
“But this is the safest place?!”
“She’s an adult, so she can’t get in.”
“I’m an adult too… so is she just fat?!”
“No!!”
“Unnie, if you get scratched under there, you lose.”
“I didn’t get scratched! I may have put on a little weight recently, but… no, that’s not the point right now!”
Yerin giggled at Subin’s reaction and came over to the sofa, holding out her hand to me.
“Naru, it’s okay. Come on out.”
“But that monster over there…”
“Don’t worry. Unnie already took the monster down.”
“Huk!”
At the words “took down,” I cautiously peeked at the monster and saw the thing that had been making those weird noises lying toppled on the floor.
Once I was sure the monster really was down, I carefully crawled out from under the sofa, and Yerin brushed the dust off my fur.
Even after emerging I kept glaring at the monster, still on guard.
“It’s not going to suddenly get back up, is it?”
“Unnie will protect you, so relax!”
I let Yerin scoop me up and we retreated to the room. Watching us, Subin pulled her arm free from under the sofa and said,
“Honestly, and she brought the vacuum herself… Anyway, did you see that?”
“See what?”
“The stream you did at dawn is blowing up right now. It’s even on the news.”
“Really?”
“The Association seems to be in an uproar too… Have they contacted you?”
“Dunno. I turned my phone off.”
“You’re really determined to do this the hard way.”
“Hmph. Then they should’ve come for Naru sooner. What’s the point of showing up now…”
“…Will you be okay?”
“I’ve already made up my mind.”
“Got it. Then I’ll be going. When the boss makes a choice like that, the employees are the ones who get busy.”
“Sorry, unnie.”
“Forget it. It’s not the first or second time with you. All right, Naru, unnie’s heading out now, so even if you get lonely don’t cry and wait for me, okay?”
“Wh-what are you talking about all of a sudden! Why would I cry!!”
“Ahaha, next time I’ll introduce you to Injeolmi from my place!”
“Injeolmi?”
“My dog. I’m sure you’ll like her too, Naru!”
“…Ah!”
At the word “dog” I suddenly remembered Boss, who must be waiting for me, and blurted out,
“Th-that’s right, Boss!! I have to go to Boss!!”
“Naru, like I said earlier, if it’s Boss I’m keeping an eye on him, so he’s fine.”
“But Boss must be super worried! And I want to see Boss too!”
Thud-thud-thud-thud—
I hopped down from Yerin’s arms and spun circles around her, chattering, until she thought for a moment and then smiled.
“Okay, I understand. Let’s go right now!”
“Yerin, is it okay to leave? The Association…”
“It’s fine, unnie. You go on ahead.”
“Well, all right.”
Once Subin left the house, Yerin scooped me up again and smiled.
“Shall we go see Boss, then?”
“Boss!!”
Thud-thud—
Back on the mountain with Yerin, even though it had only been a single day I felt like I was returning to my long-lost homeland and dashed joyfully ahead.
The path was a little slippery from the rain, but that didn’t matter at all.
“Naru!! If you run on the muddy path you’ll get… haah… already too late…”
Yerin called something from behind as she followed, but I decided it was fine not to worry about it.
More importantly, when I reached the place where Boss lived, there he was, still perfectly composed despite the dangerous landslide, grooming himself atop a rock.
“Boss!!”
“Meow.”
I happily bounded circles around Boss to show how glad I was to see him, but Boss scolded me for being noisy.
“Haha, hi. You’re here again today.”
Yerin stayed at a polite distance and greeted him. Boss stared at her for a moment, then turned his head away as if uninterested.
Meanwhile I wagged my tail and rubbed my head against him, only for Boss to heave a deep sigh and push me away with a front paw.
“Boss, listen! Something amazing happened in Yerin’s territory!”
I excitedly explained everything that had occurred, and Boss listened quietly.
I told him how delicious the food had been and how the bed had been as soft as a cloud, but Boss yawned and seemed largely uninterested—though for some reason he kept staring straight at me.
So I carefully made a suggestion to that Boss.
“…So, Boss, won’t you come with us too?”
“…”
But at my proposal Boss simply looked away, making his lack of interest clear with his entire body.
Seeing Boss’s decisive attitude, I was struck by a revelation as if by lightning.
As expected of Boss! Even if an easy life is available, he insists on taking responsibility for his own life!!
Come to think of it, nothing in this world comes free.
No matter how much Yerin helped me, if I was going to reach my ultimate goal I would have to boldly give some things up.
And I, too, would create my own territory and pile the Castella I wanted into a mountain and eat it all!!
“It’s Castella.”
Yeah, that!
…
Wait a second.
How did she read my mind!?
“Well, it’s written all over Naru’s face.”
I decided to deliberately ignore Yerin watching from behind and slowly made up my mind.
I had been living so comfortably at Yerin’s house that I had forgotten—nothing in this world comes free.
Of course it was true I had received help this time, but I couldn’t keep living while only receiving help forever.
So, taking after Boss, I would grit my teeth through bloody tears and start over here once more…
“Meow.”
“Kang?!”
Just then Boss suddenly smacked my forehead with a front paw and spoke.
“Whaaat?! Why would you say something like that all of a sudden, Boss!!”
“What’s wrong, Naru?”
“Boss… Boss told me to get out of his territory!!”
“Suddenly?”
“Why would you say that all of a sudden, Boss!! Is it because I left you behind during the landslide? But you said you wouldn’t follow!!”
“Meow.”
“You’re throwing away a useless underling?!”
I was so shocked by Boss’s words that I froze solid.
“H-how… how can you say something so cruel, Boss!! I’m disappointed!!”
Squeeeak—
I shouted with tears welling up, but Boss turned his head and avoided my gaze.
When I yelled, the other cats nearby slowly approached and looked me over.
But none of them stepped forward, as if they all agreed with Boss.
Even Yellowy.
“Urgh!! Urgh!!”
Furious, I clenched my teeth and then shouted,
“Fine! I hate all of you! I’m leaving this place!”
“N-Naru…”
Yerin, who had been watching from behind, fidgeted and glanced at my face, but I stomped roughly down the mountain, filled with rage.
After only a few steps, though, my feet grew heavier and heavier.
“…”
“Naru, Boss wouldn’t have said that. I’m sure…”
“I know.”
“A misunderstanding… wait? You know?”
I already knew.
I knew why Boss had said those words to me.
I already had experience being abandoned by other people.
But this time was completely different.
This time it was actually…
Just then, as I was about to leave, Boss turned his gaze back to me and spoke softly.
“Meow.”
Watch out for colds.
“!!!”
Boss had realized it while listening to me excitedly recount everything that had happened at Yerin’s house.
He had realized where I would be able to live in a better environment.
Yes, I had been abandoned, yet it was completely different.
Tears blurred my vision, and I finally spun around and cried out.
“Owner Boss!!!”
Then I dropped to my knees before Boss sitting on the rock and declared,
“It was only a short time, but I’m deeply in your debt!! This kindness!! I’ll never forget it for the rest of my life!!!”
It sounded like a line that would come out of a seafood restaurant somewhere over the sea, but between Boss and me no further conversation was needed.