Ssal-i's Ability
I hauled the heavy carrier back to the hospital.
In the patient waiting room, now silent after closing time, I collapsed into a chair like my legs had given out.
"…Mutual fault? You've got to be kidding me."
Lawyer Go Bon-seok's explanation had been straightforward.
There was no doubt that I'd been stabbed—it was clear-cut aggravated assault.
But smashing that bastard's jaw also qualified as injury, making it mutual fault.
"They say the most advantageous thing in our country's laws is a guy with a foul temper who can't actually fight."
Should I have just subdued his wrist like in a cartoon while he held the knife?
I was sighing deeply at the absurdity of the mutual fault ruling when—
—Dad!
With a clatter of paws on stairs, Ssal-i came bounding down.
His ears were sharp as ever.
He'd heard me return from all the way up on the third floor.
"Ssal-i, running down the stairs like that will wreck your knees…"
I started to scold him but trailed off.
Sure, his Sapsal mix with Corgi looks could fool you sometimes, but I knew Ssal-i wasn't just any dog—he was a haetae.
'No, even haetae can have bad knee joints, right?'
Over the past month, I'd surfed the internet like a dolphin in breeding season, but naturally, there was no info to find.
Whatever the case, his basic form was definitely Sapsal mix!
I thought I'd remind him again, but quick-witted Ssal-i beat me to it.
—Hehe, I'll use the elevator from now on for real. I can even press the button properly now!
"Good boy, Ssal-i. Elevator from now on, okay?"
—Yessir!
As he hopped into my lap and wagged his tail like a propeller, my worries and fatigue washed away like grime in a bath.
I lightly scratched his fluffy, curly back when—
—Dad, something wrong? You look down.
"Aigoo, my Ssal-i's worrying about me now?"
—Of course! I'm your son!
Ssal-i tilted his head, gazing up at me intently.
"Ah, about that injury from last time. They say it's mutual fault."
—Mutual? What's that?
Ssal-i huffed seriously, his forelock fluttering. I couldn't hold back a chuckle.
"Basically…"
I ruffled his head and explained it simply. Ssal-i growled low.
His face turned fierce like a tiger's—he was seriously riled up.
"It's fine. Even if it's mutual, what he did was aggravated assault. I'll just pay a fine."
—No way! He hurt the cats and tried to hurt you! How's that mutual? I can't stand it!
Yeah, my Ssal-i doesn't stand for that.
Still, having someone in my corner felt strangely good.
'Man… it's been forever since I felt this. Thought I'd never again.'
Someone unconditionally on my side, I mean.
"Can't be helped. The lawyer will handle it. Don't worry—let's head up. Tonight, your favorite…"
—Dad, you can't even eat right now? I'll fix it. Full moon's tonight again.
His nostrils flared, fur around his eyes whipping back, those eyes gleaming sharply.
Sapsal owners know their dogs' eyes hold an irresistible beastly glint.
"Ssal-i, you don't mean…"
A month ago, under the full moon.
Ssal-i had shown a bizarre transformation I could hardly believe even seeing it.
Back then, saving the cats, police statements, treatment—I was too busy to dwell, but it left me confused about his true nature for a while. Honestly.
'…And a bit scared.'
Hearing animals talk was supernatural enough. But my dog transforms?
No one, no matter how tough, wouldn't freak out. For real.
"You're not gonna eat him, right? Turn into a lion or tiger or something?"
—Daaad!
"Huh?"
To my cautious question, Ssal-i snorted and barked sharply.
—Even haetae can't do that! Maybe later, but right now, only animals I've touched.
"Right, yeah."
I vaguely recalled him saying that when he turned into Il-nam-i the egret, but honestly, that day's memories were fuzzy.
A normal pup suddenly becoming an egret, a squirrel, a raccoon—who could stay sane? You think?
—Hmph. Anyway, Dad, haetae powers grow stronger every full moon.
"I remember. So what's your plan?"
To my careful probe, Ssal-i flashed a sly, uncharacteristic grin.
—I'll give him nightmares. Ones he'll never forget.
"Ssal-i, you sounded a little villainous there."
—Daaad!
No, really.
"You idiot. Know how much lawyer fees we've blown? Over a hundred million, you punk!"
"Aigoo, honey, he wasn't hurt bad. No dead animals, just injuries—why chew him out? Forgot what Min-ho's hospital said? The king's DNA…"
"Damn that DNA crap again! King's DNA got you repeating three times? Back in my day—ugh, shouldn't even say it."
"What era is this? Good colleges mean retakes are standard. Min-ho, get to your room and study. I'll have auntie bring snacks. Hang in there, okay?"
"…Yeah."
Kim Min-ho slunk into his room, defeated. Door shut, he dove under the covers, cursing.
"Fuuuuck!"
But cursing didn't ease the choking frustration.
Like suffocating without air.
To fix that, tormenting furballs was best.
Even that got hard, and Kim Min-ho snapped again.
"College! Why! Keep! Pushing! It! Just give me money, damnit!!"
He punched wildly, but at a stuffed pillow. No stress relief.
Housebound most days, even that left him panting.
"Why can't this shithole country have donations like America? Even with money… Huh, what's that?"
Venting heat, he opened the window for cool air—and spotted a tiny bird perched there.
Sparrow-sized.
Annoyingly pure white.
"Escaped pet? Dumbasses. Not enough with dogs and cats—birds now. Fuck off!"
He banged the window, yelling, but the snow-white titmouse just blinked cutely with beady eyes.
A weird feeling flickered in Kim Min-ho's mind.
"Nah, birdbrain thinks it's home. Come in. White's ugly anyway."
Telling his dad about a barking, talking egret had earned him a stinging slap—still smarted.
Now white animals pissed him off.
Special—
Window and screen shoved aside, the white titmouse hopped in with a cheerful chirp.
"Heh. Ballsy little thing. Yeah, small ones are better. Chop 'em up, flush 'em."
Not cat-sized, but perfect prey.
Grinning darkly as he shut the window—
—Long time no see, punk.
"Gah?!"
The tiny beak parted cutely, and Kim Min-ho recoiled in horror.
A voice from the white titmouse.
Unmistakably that freakish beast—dog-barking bird.
"Y-you're that dog… dog-bird?!"
—Bird now, punk.
"Aaaah!"
PTSD hit; he spasmed to flee on reflex.
—Where to?
Peck!
Lightning-fast, faster than anything, it landed on his crown, pecking the baihui point dead center.
"Urghhh~."
Kim Min-ho groaned grotesquely and crumpled.
Pupils dilated, sprawled on the floor. The titmouse murmured low.
—Deep sleep. Until you change.
With that, it chirped out the window.
Kim Min-ho, pecked into deep sleep by the titmouse, jolted awake like doused in ice water.
"Hah. Another dream? What kinda dogshit… Wait, fuck… another one?"
Recently, nightmares plagued him. But he could tell dream from reality.
The white titmouse flying in? Maybe fuzzy, but now—he was back at that cursed construction site a month ago.
Definitely a dream.
"Dream perks, huh. No lisping, fuck. That foreman punk punching civilians—tch."
After Baek Min-hyeok smashed his jaw, Kim Min-ho skipped treatment.
For sympathy if it went to trial.
"Hold up. Really a dream?"
Shattered jaw intact, but he pinched his cheek hard just in case.
"Kuh. Heh heh. That's a dream for ya."
Relief washed over—no pain. And before him: hammer, pipe, scissors, cutter knife.
All his abuse tools, piled like gifts.
"Yeah, dreams gotta deliver. Fuckers stressed me out— this'll vent it. Time to hunt prey…"
Convinced it was a dream, he grinned darkly, reaching for the hammer—
—Hey. Good vibes? Share. Solo fun's no fun.
A low, chilling voice crawled up his spine.
"…?"
No presence, just voice.
He whipped around—shock turned to a sly grin.
"Who’s this? Furball?"
The black cat whose tail he'd cut twice.
The dumb thing hadn't recognized him after a cologne swap. Kim Min-ho swelled with superiority.
"Humans adapt, huh? Beast talking like people—old news. How'd you slip the zip ties? Oh, dream—don't matter."
Standing, the black cat backed away fearfully. Ecstasy trembled through him at the dominance.
"Heh. Good kitty. Missed you. If I'd stopped at you that day, no trouble. Overdid it—tch. Anyway, let's play. Over here… Huh?"
Reaching for the tools—confusion hit.
"What the fuck? Why can't I grab 'em?"
Like grasping holograms—no touch.
The black cat halted, yellow eyes gleaming, advancing.
Step by step.
Cautious, but heavy.
—Human. You're mistaken. This dream's star ain't you. Us.
"What bullshit… Us?"
Even knowing it was a dream, chills prickled his neck.
Electric dread. He scanned around.
—Keh heh. Day like this. Fun.
—Fair fight, no tools. Our claws are on paws—not tools. Got it?
—Claws hurt worse? Keh heh.
Streetlamp eyes—glowing blue—glinted coldly.
Black cat, then calico tangle, orange, blue-striped. All his victims.
"You fucks… Think furballs scare me? Fine. I'll kill you all barehanded, you shits!"
—Aw. We too small?
—Keh heh. Still small?
"Wha… wha…?"
Mouth agape, eyes rolled up.
Cats ballooned—heads craned skyward.
"Wh-what the hell…?"
Forms unchanged.
But swelling bodies—no longer cats.
'Ti… tiger-sized. No… impossible.'
Giant beasts.
No fences, no barriers—like a zoo breach. Paralysis gripped him. But—
"Pft. Puhahaha!"
He burst laughing.
"Fucking dream. Bigger furballs? Whatever. Dreams don't hurt."
Dreams were dreams.
Shitty one, but it'd end. He decided to enjoy.
—Yeah? Don't hold back then. Let's go, guys.
Tiger-sized black cat led like a panther, glossy black fur shining. Others slunk behind.
Kim Min-ho spread arms wide.
Imagine their horror phasing through—mock their screams.
"Keh heh. Come on. See what happens. Bite, claw—do your worst. Won't…"
Slash!
"Gaaah!"
—What's wrong? Just a scratch.
"D-dream but it hurts! Why, fuck! S-stay back! Stay back!"
Hot iron searing.
Leopard-larger black cat's diagonal slash—unbearable agony. He thrashed.
—Why not? You didn't hold back.
Black cat grinned brightly, tail swishing.
"W-wait! Just a sec! Gaaah!"
Surrounded, shredded alive—he blacked out feeling every rip.
.
.
.
"Ha… fuck. What a shit dream."
Drenched in sweat, eyes snapped open. Heart still pounding, unrested.
But dream was dream.
Relief rising, he sat up—
"Furballs. Once settlement's done, kill every one I see…?"
—Up quick?
—Keh heh. Throat next, boss.
"Wh-what? N-no. Nooo!!!"
He'd woken—still in the dream.
"Yes, Lawyer? What? Suddenly? Withdrew settlement, admitting all crimes? Even unrevealed ones?"
- Yes. Fired all lawyers, plans to turn self in. Heard from Kim Min-ho's mom directly. Smooth sailing, no issues…
Through the call with Lawyer Go Bon-seok, Ssal-i's tail swished beside me—sky-high now. Scratch me.
Call ended, I obeyed.
Scratch scratch—
"Wow, Ssal-i. How'd you do it? In just one day? Dad couldn't even imagine."
—Ahem. Told you to trust me. What? You didn't?
"Hey, no."
Of course not.
Kim Min-ho with two ex-judge lawyers boasting 100% suspended sentences, plus top firm team—then dawn, racing to confess in tears? Sane?
"Just shocked. People can't change, they say. But total turnaround in a day…"
—One day for us. Not for him.
"Time dilation magic? Dreamed a few days?"
Thinking mental time chamber, but Ssal-i averted eyes, mumbling.
—Kinda. Might've been longer… Depending.
"Oho, Ssal-i… You were a real villain today."
—Dad! How can you say that? Used every ounce of energy!
"Haha, kidding. Bad guys get what's coming. Rehab's a bonus."
Next full moon—what power for Ssal-i?
Maybe I could turn animal too.