Run, Dad! Hurry!
"Run, Dad! Hurry!"
Even with mosaics applied, the submitted photos and videos clearly showed fresh blood. My hand trembled uncontrollably as I tried to order meat, leaving me speechless.
"Aigoo, what a deep thinker."
That's when I heard words that made me doubt my ears from the next table over.
"A true patriot who sees the dangers of environmental destruction and ecological disruption in this era. Real foresight there."
"Whoa, to think there's someone in our neighborhood enforcing justice. Our country's future is still bright, haha."
"Exactly. I've been wishing someone would catch all those noisy cats in heat and kill them off, and here someone is leading by example."
"Excuse me! Even as a joke, isn't that too much?"
The eyes of the smirking men at the next table turned straight to our table, and Kim Mi-so shot up from her seat.
"What? You talking to us?"
"'Catch them all and kill them'? Animal abuse is a crime!"
"Animal abuse? What are you on about, miss? Wipe the grease off your mouth first. Someone might think this is a salad bar."
"Hey, hey, no fighting. Cool it, miss. We were just talking among ourselves—don't pick a fight over animal abuse or whatever."
"It's not picking a fight—your words went too far! And yes, it is abuse. Under the Animal Protection Act, it's a crime punishable by up to three years in prison or a fine of up to 30 million won!"
"Tch, fuck off. I said cool it. What makes you so bold? Huh? Ruining our meal like this?"
"What did you just say?"
The tension boiled over like water poured into hot oil. The men's faces flushed red as they started rising from their seats.
I jumped between them to intervene just as—
BAM!
"Which crazy bastard's talking about snapping a cat in half and turning it into feed?!"
"...?"
The air froze instantly at Kang Ha-neul's cavernous bass as he slammed his hammer-like fist on the table and stood.
A towering frame over 180cm roaring like a beast? Of course it would.
The two flushed drunks blinked, whispered to each other, then—
"Check, please."
—bolted out of the restaurant like the wind.
With the shop frozen solid and after seeing those cat abuse videos, we headed out too. No way we could keep eating after that news.
"...Sorry. I raised my voice too much."
"What do you have to be sorry for, Kang? Those guys were giggling over animal abuse. I wanted to flip the whole table myself. Ugh, if I catch whoever did it..."
Kim Mi-so was still fuming, shadowboxing the air.
"It's bitter, no matter the reason. Mutilating a living cat like that..."
I was suppressing it, but rage welled up in me too.
From 2010 to 2019, out of 3,345 people arrested for Animal Protection Act violations, only 304 cases went to trial—less than 10%. Of those, just 39 got prison sentences.
Even more shocking: 29 of those were suspended. Only 10 served real time.
Less than 0.3% of 3,345 actually served time. No wonder scum like that roam free.
That's just arrests—the unreported abusers number far more. My mouth felt gritty like I'd chewed sand.
"It's so frustrating. Even if caught, they'll write some insincere apology and walk with suspension. And it happened right near our hospital."
Even more shocking that it was in our neighborhood, as Kim Mi-so said, biting her lip.
"...We should at least look after our patients."
"Huh? What can we do?"
"Some of our owners walk their cats in strollers. Next visit, remind them to always use a harness, even in strollers."
"Good idea. Even if we say cats are better off not walked, some insist..."
It's all we can do at the hospital, but hopefully it prevents any harm.
Wishing the cruel cat abuser caught soon, Hanmaum Animal Hospital's first team dinner ended.
The next evening, after work.
Kang Ha-neul finished treatments, Kim Mi-so cleaned up, and as they left, I prepared to go too.
"Maeng-maeng-i ready?"
—Maeng-mae-i's weady!
"Good. Into the cage, Maeng-maeng-i."
—Yesss!
Maeng-maeng-i proudly puffed out his belly and hopped into the cage.
"Ssal-i? All set?"
—Ssa-wi too... weady...
A droopy tail heavy with sorrow.
But we couldn't delay. The longer the parting, the worse the grief.
"Alright. Let's go."
Today, finally returning Maeng-maeng-i home. Birdcage in one hand, leash in the other, we stepped out of the hospital.
—Pwactice fwy every day, and come pway at big bwother's house, okay?
—Yeah! Maeng-mae-i gotta pwactice wots! Go see big bwother!
—Good! Big bro will visit too!
—Yeah!
Ssal-i and Maeng-maeng-i chattered nonstop the whole way to Big Rock. We arrived before we knew it.
—Big bwos! You'we hewe! Kids came?
—Been a whiwe, everyone.
—Maeng-maeng-i wooks fatter? Doc fed ya good stuff?
Nureoguman, Il-nam-i, and Seondeo were all atop Big Rock, like they'd been waiting.
—Yeah! Ate meawwowms and eawthwowms!
"Mealworms, not earthworms. Anyway, Seondeo—nest ready?"
Mealworms and earthworms look similar, but mealworms are insect larvae.
Can't feed earthworms—they'd scream in my ears.
Earthworms are invertebrates like leeches. Feeding them would've traumatized me. Maeng-maeng-i couldn't swallow one whole anyway.
—Of couwse. Can't caww it that. Aww new stwaw. Ahem, and just in case, made a shewtew too.
"Shelter?"
Seondeo rubbed his nose and pointed to a pine beside Big Rock.
—See that howe in the pine? Owd woodpecka' house, empty now. Smart woodies buiwd whewe wain don't get in easy...
I half-ignored Seondeo's rambling belly-puff speech and opened Maeng-maeng-i's cage door. Listening longer, we'd never get home.
"Your bros prepared a lot. Wanna show them what you trained, Maeng-maeng-i?"
—Yes! Wanna show!
Maeng-maeng-i lifted his head proudly and hopped out.
"Alright. Behold Maeng-maeng-i's rigorous week of training. Marsh tit Maeng-maeng-i, forward."
—Maeng-mae-i weady!
Good. He's psyched.
We all swallowed as Maeng-maeng-i's beady eyes gleamed determinedly. I thrust my finger skyward.
"Begin! Stage 1: Horizontal flight!"
—Ta-ya!
Smooth start.
Maeng-maeng-i kicked off and circled us effortlessly.
"Stage 2: Vertical flight!"
—Up!
He nailed vertical, then mixed horizontal-vertical, spins—all stages perfect.
The fruits of dawn-and-dusk drills brought tears again. But I pressed on resolutely. Not done yet.
Last one, Maeng-maeng-i. Ready?
Maeng-mae-i weady!
Our eyes locked, tension shared.
I believe in you. You got this!
This final trick: a spur-of-the-moment high-difficulty move at Maeng-maeng-i's morning request.
My fists clenched at his graceful sunset soar.
"Go! Aerial feeding!"
I gulped and tossed sunflower seeds skyward.
—Up!
Maeng-maeng-i roared, eyes flashing, gliding in.
The seed arced, then drooped against gravity—
Snap!
"Yes!"
—Nicely done. Kid can fwy now.
—Hm. Pass. Titmouse material.
—Maeng-maeng-i so coow!
Big Rock crew cheered wildly at his bold snatch-and-swallow.
—Good job, Maeng-maeng-i!
—Big bwother! Did Maeng-mae-i fwy?
—Hehe, pewfectwy! Best evew!
—Thanks, big bwother!
Ssal-i, who'd spent the week glued to him, bounced around with Maeng-maeng-i on his back in joy.
—Ahem. Stop spinning wiwd. Time to see youw house.
—Oh wight! Home!
—Yeah. Fixed youw owd house—not new. But soft stwaw wike big bwos said...
—Wow! So coow!
—Kid's got eyes. Check the shewtew too.
—Yeah! Coming!
Maeng-maeng-i squeaked happily at Seondeo's nest, fluttering to the old woodpecker hole.
Glad he wikes it.
As Maeng-maeng-i toured with Seondeo, I sidled to Il-nam-i and Nureoguman.
"Maeng-maeng-i's family? Any sign?"
—Yeah. Il-nam-i found twaces.
"Really?"
I turned, but Il-nam-i shook his beak.
—Twaces? Otha biwds saw 'em.
"Where?"
—Day befowe we found Maeng-maeng-i, titmouse famiwy fwew off togetha. That's it. No idea whewe, but fwew as gwoup...
Abandoned, maybe.
No full story, but group flight meant Maeng-maeng-i was ditched.
"...You're taking good care. Ssal-i and I'll visit often for a bit."
All we could do: support his independence.
—No wowwies. Any pwob, Il-nam-i fetches you.
—Yeah. Fwy wight ovew.
Seondeo climbed my shoulder, belly out. Il-nam-i vowed hospital raids anytime. Anxiety spiked.
"...Okay."
Reading my face, Nureoguman patted my shoulder beside Il-nam-i.
—Nureoguman got it. Weawwy.
—Big bwother, don't wowwy. Maeng-mae-i pwactices, meets famiwy soon!
Sky was sunset-tinged leaving hospital; Big Rock now cloaked in dark.
"See ya. Stay well."
—Back tomowwow!
No plans for tomorrow, but...
Ssal-i's windmill tail wag made me think twice.
Thighs won't survive. But Ssal-i... so much maturer now?
When Samwol and kids left after their stay, Ssal-i's tail drooped half a day.
Today, tail straight horizontal—relief.
Big Rock's close enough for visits, thighs be damned... Wonder how Samwol and kids doing? Text soon.
Musing on great mom Samwol and kids as we neared stream exit—
—Hmm?
Ssal-i's tail shot straight up like a spear—clear alert. Then—
"Ssal-i!? What's—hey?!"
Ears perked, Ssal-i whipped around, bolting back the way we came.
—Dad! Big twouble! Big Rock fwiends in dangew!
"What—ugh! Ssal-i!"
—Run, Dad! Huwy!
No time to stop—Ssal-i rocketed ahead, my thighs ablaze.