Chapter 13: Samwol-i
“Eureka! Found her!”
About ten minutes after the youngest writer launched the drone, they finally spotted traces of Samwol-i.
“Where’s she heading right now?”
“Not sure. I’ll just keep tailing her for now.”
From the mountain village streets to the rice fields.
The drone captured Samwol-i’s footsteps crossing vast open plains, traversing a long bridge over a stream, and heading straight into the nearby hills—without a single pause, eyes fixed dead ahead.
“Let’s chase right after her before she hits the mountains. We can’t lose her.”
Even as Reina urged them to head out immediately, the filming crew exchanged uneasy glances. The most senior sub-writer, Hwang Gil-su, scratched his head awkwardly and spoke up.
“Um… we can drive to about midway on the road, but after that, it’s all on foot. You okay with that, Reina? And Director Baek? We’re used to it, but…”
“I’m fine. You good, Reina?”
“Yep! I’m confident in my stamina. But what do you mean it’s not just Samwol-i?”
“You’ll see when we get there.”
It wasn’t set in stone yet.
But if the lament I’d heard from Samwol-i was true, then wherever her paws were leading, she wouldn’t be alone at the end of the trail. And that meant they absolutely couldn’t just rescue her and leave the rest.
“Huff… huff… Samwol… Samwol-i… where…”
“Director, didn’t you say you were fine and pushed us to go? You look beat…”
“Huff… I’m… huff… okay… huff.”
Of course, no amount of resolve could stop the burning in my lungs.
Unlike the filming crew, hardened by trekking every nook of these hills, or Reina, a spry twenty-something idol in her prime, I was just a fragile thirties vet.
The day before had been a full shift plus two walks… no, three if you counted hauling Nureoguman back to Big Rock. No wonder I was wiped.
“Huff… huff… huff…”
After hiking nearly five kilometers from the car, gasping the whole way, we reached a deserted spot midway up the hills. Reina pointed ahead, whispering just loud enough for us to hear.
“Look, there! I see Samwol-i!”
“And… behind Samwol-i…?”
My hunch had been right.
Just as Reina and the crew described, behind Samwol-i—who was bristling with wary growls—were tiny fluffballs.
“Looks like puppies. Might explain why she never gains weight, even stuffing herself several times a day.”
“Oh my god… she came all this way… just to feed her babies milk…”
Baekseolgi and Injeolmi, spitting images of their mom.
The wiggly furballs, eyes not even open yet, mewled and tangled in a heap.
“Kyaa~ How adorable! Too too too cute!”
Reina mashed her fists against her cheeks, but I pressed a finger to my lips, signaling quiet.
“Shh. Samwol-i’s on high alert. I’ll handle this from here. Crew, film from way back.”
They’d already seen me take point in first encounters on the last shoot, so the crew and Reina nodded and fell back.
“It’s starting! Director Baek Min-hyeok’s absolute communion! It’s practically like talking to animals—pure magic!”
Can we skip comments like that? It’s embarrassing.
I brushed off Reina’s odd narration and approached the low-growling Samwol-i.
—Stay back. Don’t come closer! No one touches my babies!
“Easy, Samwol-i. We won’t lay a finger on your pups without your say-so.”
—Then why’d you follow me all this way…? Wait, you understood me?
I crouched low, meeting her startled gaze.
“Yeah. Hard to believe, I know, but I’m a vet who can hear animals.”
—…Vet?
“Someone who treats animals.”
As her tension eased, I inched closer, continuing gently.
“And we followed because we’re worried about you scavenging human scraps. Animals can get sick from that stuff anytime.”
—Ridiculous. I’ve been fine so far.
Her voice trembled faintly.
Despite her words, she clearly sensed something wrong health-wise. She’d been powering through on sheer will.
“The scraps you’ve been eating probably had chili, green onions, garlic—poison to dogs. Especially that black noodle sludge—jjajangmyeon—didn’t your belly hurt bad after that?”
—……
I’d seen the VCR footage of her scarfing jjajangmyeon. Even novice owners avoid red stuff like kimchi stew or pork stir-fry.
But jjajangmyeon’s a killer. Tons of dogs end up in clinics after sneaking it.
It might not look spicy to humans, but it’s loaded with onions and scallions.
Dogs eating that can get vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite—or worse, breathing issues, blood in urine.
Korean food’s tricky—hard to find anything without chili, onions, or garlic.
A little won’t hurt, right? But for dogs, it’s deadly—potentially fatal.
For a pup like Samwol-i, dumpster-diving scraps, her condition could be dire.
“Food’s one issue, but weather’s another. Summer’s okay outside, but winter? What then?”
—Winter…
“Yeah, winter. Think you can tough it out here with nothing? Snow or rain makes it feel even colder—how’ll you manage?”
—I’ll take care of my babies! What do humans know!
“That’s because we’re human—we know. Human leftovers are dangerous. Spending winters here with pups? Lethal.”
Her resolve wavered like reeds, but pups talk set her off.
“That’s why we want a checkup. You need to be healthy to care for them. If Mom gets sick, who looks after them?”
—That’s…
But I had to convince her.
With this food and setup, disaster loomed.
“Your milk’s drying up already. You gonna let the hungry little ones keep crying like this?”
—……
“You stay healthy, you care for them right. Please—come with the pups for a checkup.”
—……
The crew and Reina just heard cute squeaks. But to me, it was crystal-clear: the pups’ hunger cries.
—After the checkup… what then?
After agonizing, Samwol-i spoke cautiously.
“Then I’ll help find you a good home. Or if you had an old one, track it down…”
—I don’t want to go back. That’s my condition for the checkup.
After no short persuasion, we finally coaxed Samwol-i and the pups into the prepped carriers.
“Kyaa~ These tiny tots are too cute! Aww, sleepyheads. Who’s my widdle babies.”
Even back at Hanmaum Animal Hospital, Reina’s eyes overflowed with hearts at the wrigglers.
“I’ll take them out of the carriers. Oh, you’re filming the exam, right?”
“Yes— we’ll edit as needed, so just do your usual thing.”
“Got it.”
First, exams on the two pups, then a full workup on Samwol-i.
Good… no registration chip.
Dog chips come implanted under the skin or collar-mounted—thankfully, none on Samwol-i.
If everything she’d told me pre-hospital was true, no owner was a blessing.
Results came in time. Reina eyed me worriedly.
“Director, how’d the exams go?”
“All I can say is… impressive.”
“Impressive? What do you mean?”
I smiled faintly at Samwol-i watching us intently from the ward.
“Samwol-i’s done something amazing. Skin and bones herself, but both pups are even, well-fed. Light on weight, but no health issues.”
“Oh! Thank goodness! Total relief!”
She dabbed her eyes like it was her own kid—Reina was all heart.
“Ahem. And Samwol-i? She’s healthy too, right?”
“Samwol-i… elevated liver enzymes, malnourished and skinny—but otherwise stable. Proper care and nutrition, she’ll be fine.”
“How’d she raise them so well? I could cry.”
Hidden under “mom,” Samwol-i was young—barely over two.
Truly amazing. Even humans struggle with that.
Dogs nurse every four hours usually. That meant Samwol-i trekked ten kilometers daily from town to hills.
Dumpster dives for scraps, nurse, eat, nurse—repeat.
Sixty klicks a day, maybe more, all for one thought: feed the babies.
The Animal Kingdom team had seen her toil—sniffles echoed like an a cappella choir.
“Sniff. We’ll make this vid epic. Whoa, why’s my eyes misty? Huh!?”
Hwang Gil-su, fanning his face, suddenly remembered something and wiped his eyes, turning to me.
“Give us a heads-up when treatment’s done, Director? We’ve got a designated shelter for temp fostering. Or hey—plaster their faces huge on posters, see if owners turn up…”
“Oh, right—I forgot to mention.”
Time to keep my promise to Samwol-i.
“Scanned Samwol-i and the pups—no chips. Not abandoned; born stray.”
“No… ownerless? She was wary at first, but sweet with people—I figured owned or recently dumped. Gave me her paw earlier?”
Sly fox.
Senior sub-writer Hwang looked dopey but had sharp moments. Couldn’t let suspicion brew.
“Nah, no chip means probably not. Was gonna bring up fostering anyway.”
“Wait— you taking them in, Director?”
No way.
Walking Ssal-i alone wiped me out daily.
“Not me—some clients here are great fits for adoption.”
Bald-faced lie.
But with my deal with Samwol-i, a white lie was fine. Just find good homes.
Hwang’s lips rounded in surprise, then he nodded.
“Oh… you’re finding adopters personally? Awesome—saves us shelter hassle. Haha, double win.”
“Glad that works. I’ll let you know when they’re adopted.”
“Haha, yes—thanks, Director.”
My promise to Samwol-i?
A home without abuse.
And I’d keep it, best I could. For that heroic mom.