A New Rival
"Alright, I'm opening it now."
"..."
"..."
Seung-wan and Do-hee nodded silently at Do-jin's words.
Having been warned beforehand by Do-jin that Ttorang-i was highly sensitive, they were trying their best not to provoke her.
Seeing the tension and fear in their eyes, Do-jin let out a bitter smile.
You don't have to worry that much.
Ttorang-i was indeed sensitive, but she wasn't aggressive.
If he had to classify her, she was more of a timid coward.
Perhaps because she had been abused and ultimately abandoned by her previous owner, she was constantly intimidated and anxious about everything.
After a moment of thought, Do-jin chose not to comfort the two.
He figured they would understand the moment they saw Ttorang-i, without him needing to explain.
Clack.
Even though the door of the large dog crate—which was vastly different in size from Bo-ri's cage—swung open, Ttorang-i did not come out.
"Why... why isn't she coming out?"
"Is she still sick, perhaps?"
"Shh."
Do-hee and Seung-wan spoke anxiously at the unresponsive crate, but Do-jin simply placed a finger to his lips.
He had a good idea of why Ttorang-i was staying inside.
Slide.
Do-jin carefully moved the crate to a corner of the studio.
There was a reason why he had brought Ttorang-i specifically to the studio, despite the many empty rooms in the Three Meals House.
Sniff, sniff.
After the crate was moved, Ttorang-i remained still for a while before slowly sniffing the air and poking her head out.
She was assessing her surroundings.
Do-jin and the other two watched her in silence.
Woof?
Scanning the area with anxious eyes, Ttorang-i spotted Do-jin and cautiously stepped out of the crate.
"Welcome. This is going to be your home from now on."
Woof?
At Do-jin's words, Ttorang-i looked around warily once more and slowly began to sniff her surroundings.
Wiggle.
Ttorang-i's tail gave a slight twitch.
It wasn't quite wagging yet, but at least it was no longer tucked tightly between her legs like before.
Finding this fascinating, Do-hee quietly asked Do-jin.
"She seems to be adjusting faster than I thought. Since you said she was sensitive, I was worried she wouldn't come out of the crate for days."
"She probably would have if I'd put her anywhere else."
"Huh? Is there something special about this place?"
As she spoke, Do-hee looked around.
It was a space partitioned by a temporary wall in the middle of the classroom, with one side used as a broadcasting booth and the other half as an office.
Aside from being spacious, it was just an ordinary studio.
The only things different from usual were the large dog cushion Do-jin had brought in and the crate he had just relocated.
Unable to find anything special no matter how much she looked, she turned to Do-jin with an inquiring gaze. He smiled and explained.
"This is my studio. I've been living and working here for months, so the space is thoroughly permeated with my scent."
"What does that have to do with it?"
When Do-hee still didn't get it, Seung-wan, who was standing next to her, chimed in to help.
"Ttorang-i was abandoned. How anxious do you think she'd be if she were suddenly moved to a completely new environment? But since this place is full of a familiar scent, she feels relatively safe."
"Ah... So that's why you brought her here even though we have so many empty rooms. When you said you were bringing Ttorang-i, I wondered if we'd have to build a playroom for her like we did for Samsaek-i and the others."
"Cats and dogs have different lifestyles."
"Still, in the long run, we'll need to make a room for Ttorang-i too. Right now, she's very anxious, so we're staying together, but they said she still needs a space of her own."
This was advice Do-jin had received from the veterinary clinic staff.
"It's widely known that cats, with their independent natures, need their own space, but many people don't realize that dogs need personal space too."
"That's true. I just assumed she could live alongside me."
When Do-jin scratched his head in embarrassment, the staff member smiled warmly, as if to say it was perfectly fine.
In truth, she had only learned this after working at the clinic; she hadn't known before either.
"Pets basically need both a living space and a personal space. While the living space is for play, socialization, and bonding with the owner, the personal space is for stability, rest, and sleep."
She went on to share other canine traits that people often overlooked.
In Ttorang-i's case, the list of precautions was even longer due to the trauma of abandonment and the fact that her body was still recovering.
Following their advice is definitely showing results. Her anxiety is visibly decreasing.
Though her movements were extremely tentative, Ttorang-i had managed to sniff her way around the entire studio.
Now, she was inspecting the cushion Do-jin had placed next to the crate.
"Oppa, wasn't that your cushion? You kept carrying it around, so I thought it was yours."
"It's Ttorang-i's. It was brand new, so I carried it around for a few days to mark it with my scent."
And Do-jin's efforts yielded successful results.
Ttorang-i, who had been pacing anxiously, finally walked over and sat down on the cushion.
Of course, her eyes remained fixed on Do-jin, showing she wasn't completely at ease yet.
But to Do-hee, even this much was amazing.
"Wow, my oppa is incredible! You could be a dog trainer! What was that show called? There Are No Bad Dogs? You should go on that. Who knows, maybe Kang Hyung-wook will take you in as his disciple."
Thwack! Thwack!
In her excitement, Do-hee hit Do-jin without mercy.
Watching a dog scarred in both body and mind calm down in real-time had made her completely oblivious to her own actions.
Ugh!
Feeling the considerable impact on his forearm, Do-jin's face contorted in embarrassment.
Do-hee was a perfect woman in every way, but she had a habit of hitting people she was close to when she talked.
The problem was that when she got overly excited like today, she couldn't control her strength. Until now, Do-jin had just been happy to see her happy and had never stopped her.
Seung-wan had tried to stop Do-hee a few times before giving up, so now there was no one left to restrain her.
Except, today, there was someone to stop her.
Woof! Woof!
"Oh my gosh!"
Startled by Ttorang-i suddenly leaping forward and barking at her, Do-hee quickly hid behind Do-jin.
Equally surprised, Do-jin stepped forward, holding out his palms.
"Whoa, whoa. Ttorang-i, what's wrong? Stop."
Snort!
As if understanding Do-jin's words, Ttorang-i let out a loud snort, glanced at him, and trotted back to her cushion.
"..."
"Wh-what was that? Ttorang-i was barking at me just now, right?"
"Pfft, yep. She was telling you to stop hitting her owner."
Unlike the flustered pair, Seung-wan, who had been quietly observing the situation, pulled Do-hee back.
She had noticed Ttorang-i pause on her way back to the cushion the moment Do-hee spoke to Do-jin.
Once Seung-wan separated the two, the dog relaxed and returned to her cushion.
"Wait, what? Me? Hitting Oppa? When?"
"Just now. And I've told you a million times, you keep hitting people you're close to when you talk. To Ttorang-i, it probably looked like you were attacking Do-jin."
"Oh... really?"
With a look of disbelief at Seung-wan's words, Do-hee crept closer to Do-jin and raised her arm.
She was mimicking the gesture of hitting Do-jin, and Ttorang-i's reaction was explosive.
Dash.
Woof! Woof!
The moment Do-hee stepped toward Do-jin, Ttorang-i spun around, and as soon as Do-hee's hand went up, she charged forward, barking fiercely.
Fortunately, Do-hee was able to quickly dive into Seung-wan's arms.
"Oh my goodness!"
"Pfft! See? What are you going to do now? You won't even be able to lay a finger on Do-jin anymore."
"Hmph..."
At Seung-wan's teasing, Do-hee glared at Ttorang-i with a pout.
Once again, Do-jin stepped in to calm the agitated Ttorang-i down, but...
"Look at her! She's smirking at me, isn't she?"
While enjoying Do-jin's gentle strokes, Ttorang-i somehow seemed to be wearing a smug grin directed right at Do-hee.
"Pfft, hahaha! Is she? Maybe she is, pfft!"
"Seung-wan! Are you seriously going to keep laughing? This is serious! If Ttorang-i keeps doing that, how am I ever supposed to get close to Oppa?"
"You can't. Can't you tell? You just lost Do-jin to Ttorang-i."
"What? No way. I am not losing my boyfriend to a dog! Besides, isn't Ttorang-i a male?"
"Huh? Ttorang-i is a female."
"What?"
Do-hee, who had been bickering with Seung-wan, whipped her head around at Do-jin's words.
The playful gleam in her eyes was instantly replaced by genuine shock.
"Ttorang-i... isn't a male?"
"I thought so too, but when I went to the clinic, they told me she's female. Since she ran away whenever she saw people before, I guess nobody knew."
"..."
At Do-jin's words, the anxiety in Do-hee's eyes deepened.
Whether it was just her imagination or not, the moment Do-jin said she was female, Ttorang-i seemed to smirk at her once again.
Her tail, which hadn't budged before, was now wagging slightly every time Do-jin's hand touched her.
Watching this with amusement, Seung-wan suddenly asked a question that came to mind.
"By the way, why is her name Ttorang-i? It's not very pretty, and it doesn't really suit her gender."
"Ah, about that..."
Do-jin gave a bitter smile at Seung-wan's question.
"Ttorang-i's previous owner abandoned her in a ditch. They even tied her leash to a nearby post so she couldn't follow them. An elderly villager found her and started calling her Ttorang-i."
"Ah..."
At this unexpectedly tragic story, both Seung-wan and Do-hee were left speechless.
But Do-jin wasn't finished.
"I heard it was really dangerous. It was during the rainy season, and the ditch was overflowing with water. She couldn't escape because of the leash and was dying... By the time the elder found her, she was almost completely exhausted."
"..."
Do-jin's words left both of them deeply shocked.
They knew she had been abandoned, but they never imagined it had been such a horrific situation.
They had assumed the owner had simply unleashed her and quietly walked away...
I'm starting to lose faith in humanity.
Seung-wan clenched her teeth and took a deep breath to calm herself.
Getting worked up now would only make Ttorang-i, who was still trying to settle down, anxious.
Instead, Seung-wan's gaze drifted to the action cam Do-jin was wearing.
There were also cameras set up in various places around the room.
Once they decided to bring Ttorang-i in, they had agreed to film this moment and upload it.
Just like with Samsaek-i, they planned to use the rescue footage captured by chance, along with an introduction video for their new family member...
The comment section is going to be flooded with curses. Whoever did this is going to live a long life from all the hate.
Since they didn't know the owner's face or personal information, they couldn't retaliate directly.
But they intended to let the public know exactly what happened.
So that if the culprit ever stumbled upon the video, they would know exactly what kind of monster they were.
"I've decided! I'm going to become best friends with Ttorang-i!"
"Huh?"
"I'll treat her like my little sister and work hard to get close to her! Right now, she only follows you, Oppa, but if we become friends, she won't mind me getting close to you, right?"
"...Well, I suppose so?"
Seung-wan, who hadn't expected Do-hee to be agonizing over this so seriously, found her quirkiness hilarious.
Who else but Do-hee would seriously view a dog as a romantic rival?
Amused by her eccentric best friend, Seung-wan asked another question.
"But is Ttorang-i fully grown? She seems a bit small for a Golden Retriever."
"Yes, she's an adult. She's a mixed breed, so she's probably smaller than a purebred Golden Retriever."
"Oh? Ttorang-i is a mixed breed?"
This time, Seung-wan was slightly surprised.
Although the dog looked a bit scruffy now with her fur shaved, the Ttorang-i she remembered looked like a Golden Retriever through and through.
But Do-jin's subsequent explanation made Seung-wan realize why she had made that mistake.
"She's a Golden Doodle, which is a cross between a Golden Retriever and a Poodle. I heard it's a pretty famous crossbreed in Australia, but not very common in Korea."
"Ah, a Poodle..."
A mix of a Poodle and a Golden Retriever could easily cause confusion.
Since both breeds are large and shaggy, a mix wouldn't necessarily stand out as obviously different.
Do-jin continued his explanation.
"The vet told me that Ttorang-i's previous owner probably wanted a smaller dog. Apparently, Golden Doodles can be small, medium, or large depending on the parents. But as you can see..."
Do-jin trailed off, looking at Ttorang-i.
While Ttorang-i was slightly smaller than an average Golden Retriever, she was still well within the size range of a large dog.
"And they found out during her treatment that she has a genetic condition called hip dysplasia. The recovery rate is low, and the medical bills are supposed to be very high."
"So they wanted a small dog, but ended up with a large one that turned into a money-draining burden."
"That's horrible... How could they abandon her just for that..."
Just as Seung-wan and Do-hee were expressing their sympathy at Do-jin's words...
Woof?
Ttorang-i, who had been quietly enjoying Do-jin's petting, suddenly flinched and raised her head.
Sensing something was off, Do-jin was about to turn his head when...
Thud!
Hiss!!
Dropping down from out of nowhere, Samsaek-i landed on Do-jin's shoulder and began to hiss fiercely at Ttorang-i.
Looking exactly like a cat whose territory had been invaded, Samsaek-i was furious. Do-jin hurriedly tried to calm him down.
Although Ttorang-i was far larger and older, she was still in a fragile state and needed stability.
Contrary to Do-jin's expectations, however, Ttorang-i reacted aggressively as well.
Woof! Woof!
Hiss!
Grrr, woof!
Meow-ow-ow!
With both animals baring their teeth and refusing to back down an inch, Do-jin was caught in a tight spot.
Somehow, he had ended up right in the middle of their confrontation.
His hand was currently resting on Ttorang-i's head, while his shoulder served as a perch for Samsaek-i.
It was impossible to take sides.
In the end, Do-jin cast a pleading look at the two women behind him.
It was a silent plea for them to at least take Samsaek-i away, even if they couldn't handle Ttorang-i.
"Oh! Oh, wait. Samsaek-i, come here."
Fortunately, Do-hee caught on to Do-jin's look and started to approach him.
Sniff?
Meow?
The two animals, who had been locked in a tense standoff, suddenly froze.
...Woof!
...Meow!
And they began to glare warily at the approaching Do-hee.
"Huh?"
Seeing this, Seung-wan, who had been wearing a serious expression, burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"...Why are you guys doing this to me?"
"Pffthahaha! Even they seem to know. That you're their biggest rival."
"Hey! You want to go? Fine! I'm declaring war! All of you, get away from my oppa!"
"Bwahaha! Do-hee's pissed! She's so mad she might lose her boyfriend to animals!"
The video, ending with Seung-wan's laughter, was edited and uploaded to the channel a few days later.
And that video became the very first on The Abandoned Three Meals Life to hit one million views.