What Am I Seeing?
“I'm Baek Min-hyeok, director of Hanmaum Animal Hospital.”
“Allow me to reintroduce myself. I'm Oh Ha-yoon.”
Cancelling the interview on the day of was absurd enough, but the real problem was that she had already arrived.
In the end, there was no choice but to proceed with it.
“I understand that Ms. Oh Ha-yoon is the daughter of O Tae-san, president of the Veterinary Association. I'm curious why you've applied to our hospital instead of the Taesan Animal Hospital chain. Compared to Taesan, every condition here is vastly inferior, isn't it?”
I didn't beat around the bush or test her unnecessarily.
“Taesan Animal Hospital... no, the Taesan Group has its hands in everything—treatment, grooming, sales, supplies, hotels, training. They're the only company in the country with the infrastructure to run every possible pet-related industry, including pet cafes and pet cemeteries.”
Oh Ha-yoon seemed to have anticipated the question. Without a hint of fluster, she smiled brightly and continued.
“I know that Hanmaum Animal Hospital's systems, equipment, and staff fall endlessly short in simple numerical comparisons. But in preference surveys, you dominated. That's why I...”
“It feels like Hanmaum's lead in preference comes from reasons outside of management. And applying here for those reasons alone doesn't quite convince me.”
Even with the pressure I intended, Oh Ha-yoon didn't blink.
She looked as if she'd expected exactly this.
“The scandal from my older brother—who was a year ahead of you in school—flipped the preference surveys. But I don't think Hanmaum overtook Taesan in those surveys solely because of that. That's what I want to learn.”
Her porcelain-white oval face held smooth, monolid eyes.
O Hyeok-su... no, she feels more like O Tae-san.
If O Tae-san was a tiger, Oh Ha-yoon was a serval.
Her looks resembled O Hyeok-su's, but her aura was closer to O Tae-san's.
But what confidence brought her here?
She must know I was a regular panelist on Animal Kingdom, so she had to realize I had no backing.
Whatever the case, as I decided to end it here without even needing Ssal-i's secret interview—
“...that's exactly what I told my father.”
“......?”
“That I was applying because of those reasons. But that's not why I applied. It's the opposite.”
What was she saying?
Oh Ha-yoon smiled brightly after dropping words that were hard to grasp.
“Please, go on.”
“I can't bring over the equipment used at Taesan Animal Hospital, but I know better than anyone how their systems work. If Hanmaum needs that, I can help within the limits of what I know, anytime.”
Was she planning to deliberately leak internal secrets and drag us into legal trouble?
Or using her status as the Veterinary Association president's daughter for implicit pressure?
Her intentions were impossible to pin down.
“I realize my motives for joining Hanmaum might seem impure. So if you can't trust me, please just look at my resume.”
There was nothing to fault in her resume, even if I wanted to scold her arrogance.
Honestly, she was talented enough to be welcomed anywhere, not just our hospital.
If she just wanted to poach Hanmaum's strengths, she wouldn't go this far.
Why, then?
Offering Taesan management know-how, why did she want to join Hanmaum?
“I still don't understand. Why go to such lengths to join our hospital?”
“...I want to know.”
Oh Ha-yoon's lively voice grew calm.
“What makes a good veterinarian. That's why I came to Hanmaum Animal Hospital... no, to you, Director.”
A vet who treats appropriately without over-treatment.
Skilled yet kind.
That's the common definition of a good vet.
Funny thing is, I don't even know what kind of vet I am.
A vet who values animals over their own life.
That's how the public sees me, but I'm just one ordinary vet who can hear animals' voices.
If her words were sincere, what exactly had she seen in me?
“To be honest, I don't really know what kind of person you are, Director. I don't even know if the image in the media is real. As you know, my father and brother are very different from their public images. Especially now... though it's starting to come out little by little.”
As if reading my thoughts, Oh Ha-yoon continued matter-of-factly.
“That's why I want to see for myself. I want the chance to witness with my own eyes what the public calls a good veterinarian and learn from it.”
“......”
The interview with Oh Ha-yoon wrapped up after another ten minutes or so.
Everyone was curious about the result. As soon as she left, Kang Ha-neul and Kim Mi-so approached.
“How was it? Was the interview okay?”
“Director... I'm sorry. I should've checked the resume properly...”
Kim Mi-so, who had screened the resumes in my place, bowed her head like a criminal.
“I asked you to review them because I was busy. It's my fault for not checking beforehand.”
“But...”
“Hm. I'm not one for prejudice, but she's definitely suspicious. Seeing how O Tae-san treats his son, I doubt his daughter is much different. Plus, with O Hyeok-su tarnishing their image, they'd want to push her forward. Sending her to our hospital instead makes no sense, no matter how I think about it.”
Exactly.
Whether assuming her words were all true or all lies, it was equally baffling.
“For now... we'll have to think about Ms. Oh Ha-yoon. Everyone, head home. It's way past closing time.”
After sending Kang Ha-neul and Kim Mi-so off, it was Ssal-i's turn—the one who'd done the secret interview.
—Dad!
Ssal-i, who now carried a more adult dog's vibe, flung his heavier body onto my lap.
“What did you think, Ssal-i? Not what Mi-so or Teacher Ha-neul said—what did you feel?”
—Um... can I be honest?
“Of course. I trust what our Ssal-i says most.”
—Hehe, okay then...
Ssal-i stopped wagging his pinwheel tail and made a thoughtful face.
Then he flopped onto his back, belly up, as if asking for rubs.
—Honestly, she seemed like a nice noona to me.
“Really?”
—Yeah. She kindly wiped when I had to pee, and even when I teased her, she didn't get mad or annoyed. She wasn't all smiley like Teacher Ha-neul, but no bad vibes.
“Hm...”
—Why, Dad? Did you not like her?
“Well, I...”
* * *
Even if Ssal-i passed her, we didn't hire Oh Ha-yoon right away. Kang Ha-neul and Kim Mi-so's concerns were too great.
“Today's shoot isn't too far, thank goodness. Once winter hits, even moving far is such a hassle, right?”
So we spent the week interviewing additional applicants, going about our usual routine.
And today was Animal Kingdom filming day.
“Director, are you listening? Heyyy~ There's a person right here~.”
“I'm sleeping. Reina, you should rest your eyes too.”
“How can you answer if you're sleeping!”
“S-singers aren't supposed to talk much, right? Saves the vocal cords.”
“Forget it. Don't talk if you don't want to.”
“Thanks.”
“Wow, Director, you're too much! So sweet to animals, but zero interest in people...”
Since the new year, I started wearing an eyemask and sleeping the moment I got in the van.
But that didn't stop Reina's chatter. I vowed to wear earplugs from the next shoot.
“We've arrived. Everyone, get ready and come out.”
The youngest PD announced our arrival.
Stepping out after stretching, I saw a single-family home's yard littered with toys and water bowls.
It was easy to guess today's star was man's best friend: a dog.
No doghouse in the yard, so they must keep him indoors.
As I scanned a few more details and headed inside—
Woof!
A light yellow Shiba Inu came bounding toward us with a hearty bark.
An elderly woman followed, crying “Aigoo~”
“Our Tofu is skittish but loves people. Thanks for coming all this way.”
“Hello, ma'am. I'm Baek Min-hyeok, the vet from Animal Kingdom.”
“Hi! I'm Reina. Tofu is so cute! Look at that tail wag! Aww, such a sweetie!”
“Ho ho. Our Tofu is very gentle. Wait just a moment? I'll grab my coat and head out.”
With the leash in Tofu's mouth as he circled the yard excitedly, it seemed walk time.
The door clanked open again, and sure enough, the reporter emerged fully geared: thick gloves, hat, scarf. In her hands: poop bags and treats.
“The reason I reported Tofu is because of walks. Better to show you directly. Tofu, come here. Give to Grandma.”
—Okay! Here!
Tofu wagged his tail and handed the leash to the reporter.
Unusual. Shoots usually start indoors.
Heading straight out for a walk? In this winter weather?
“Tofu must love walks. Does he only poop outside?”
“No, he does it indoors too, but aigoo, this guy insists on walks rain or snow.”
The reporter smiled through her steamy breath. The natural wrinkles by her eyes showed her life's rings like a tree.
“But... Tofu doesn't listen on walks. That's why I reported him.”
A dog who doesn't obey.
Common walk issues for pet dogs:
Struggling because of sniffing.
Stopping movement.
Barking excessively.
One of those three.
“He's doing great right now, though?”
“He listens near home. But near the main road... Aigoo! Doing it again? Tofu! This is TV, don't embarrass us. Grandma's struggling here.”
—Hehe. Outdooors~
But as we hit the asphalt main road after the dirt path, Tofu's behavior far exceeded my expectations.
What... am I seeing right now?
Reaching the road, Tofu immediately flopped onto his back, staring at the sky.
And...
Drag drag drag~
The reporter grunted, dragging the sprawled Tofu like a starfish.
“Pfft.”
“Kkh.”
Laughter bubbled softly from the crew.
If it were someone forcing a reluctant dog, I'd yell at them to stop, TV or not.
But not here. Because...
“Aigoo, so tiring. Tofu, get up now. Okay?”
—Hehe. Walks are fun. A bit more, Grandma, you got this!
With him even steering with his back legs, Tofu was clearly enjoying it.