Doggie Pool Villa
"This is…."
"Ho ho, what do you think, young master? Isn't it adorable? It's a Shih Tzu breed—they say it was kept by the Chinese imperial family. And get this: the Shih Tzu's ancestors were actually lions! That's why they're nicknamed lion dogs. Surprised, right?"
Lions are felines, though.
Min-hyeok kept that fact to himself.
He didn't want to upset the housekeeper, who was practically the only ally he had in the house.
Besides, now wasn't the time to debate whether Shih Tzus descended from lions.
Min-hyeok's attention was entirely captive to the tiny creature waddling over on short legs, charging at him relentlessly.
"Hey, why's it doing this? It's licking me!"
"Ho ho. It must recognize its owner."
"…Its owner?"
"Your mom got it for you so you wouldn't be lonely. She told me to make sure you take good care of it."
"…Mom did?"
"Hee hee. That's right. Why don't you name it first? You're the owner now."
His adoptive mother had never asked or ordered anything of him, not once.
So to Min-hyeok, those words felt like an enormous mission.
If Mom said that… Dad must feel the same. I have to… live up to their expectations.
Min-hyeok's tightly clenched fists trembled faintly.
The name of the dog didn't even cross his mind.
For the first time since being brought to this massive house, he had earned expectations.
And the chance to meet them was unfolding right before his eyes—that alone sent his emotions surging.
"Hee hee. So, what'll you name it?"
"Hmm…."
A tiny life sparkling with eyes like stars in the night sky. Min-hyeok named the puppy exactly as it came to him.
"…Byul-i. I'll call you Byul-i."
That was Min-hyeok and Byul-i's first meeting.
From that day on, Min-hyeok crammed dog knowledge into his head like it was his job.
"Woof! Woof woof!"
"Ah… So it's not a natural breed—it's a cross between a Pekingese and a Lhasa Apso?"
"Woof woof! Woof woof woof!"
"Ugh. What the—don't pee anywhere you want!"
"Woof!"
"Whoa, s-slow down! Slow down, you dummy!"
At first, it was just about caring for Byul-i to win his parents' approval.
Feeding her, walking her, cleaning up after her. After school, Min-hyeok spent nearly all his time with Byul-i.
"Amazing. Your nose is so flat, and your eyes bulge out… Why did the Chinese emperors keep dogs like you? Jindos look way cooler."
"Arf arf arf! Woof! Woof!"
"Hahaha. Hey, stop licking like that, dummy. It tickles."
But as time passed, their bond began to shift.
"Byul-i! I'm home!"
"Woof! Woof!"
"Hehe. Came to greet me?"
"Woof!"
Byul-i followed Min-hyeok everywhere, and the expressionless boy started smiling like any kid his age.
"What the—?! Flat-faced dogs like you… have a ton of health issues?"
"Woof woof woof!"
"It's true! Your bulging eyes make your corneas… Ugh, this is complicated. Anyway, they hurt a lot…."
"Arf! Woof! Woof!"
"Okay. I'll become a doctor like Mom and Dad, and fix you up whenever you're sick. Sound good? Aren't you grateful?"
"Woof woof woof woof!"
"Hehehe. Stop licking, dummy."
Like getting soaked in a drizzle without noticing, Min-hyeok and Byul-i grew inseparably close.
Min-hyeok thought those smiling days would just keep coming. Until that day.
"Oh my! Young master! Goodness, how long has it been since you came home? You've been through so much."
"Long time no see, ma'am."
A pale face, untouched by sunlight for so long.
But as Baek Kang-hyuk entered the yard holding his adoptive parents' hands, he shone brighter than anyone in Min-hyeok's eyes.
Min-hyeok froze, as if receiving royalty. Baek Kang-hyuk, with his gaunt face beaming wide, approached.
"Hi. You're my little brother, right?"
"H-Hello?"
Min-hyeok had rehearsed this meeting endlessly. But now….
Am I… smiling right now?
Kang-hyuk hyung is back. Is he all better now?
Was I worrying for nothing?
What happens to me now?
Do I… even belong here?
The Baek family's sole blood heir.
The arrival of his blood-related older brother, three years his senior, instinctively tensed Min-hyeok up.
And Min-hyeok's worries melted away like wet cotton candy at Baek Kang-hyuk's next words.
"I've missed you. I always wanted a little brother."
He… wanted a brother?
When Baek Kang-hyuk strode up and hugged him tight, Min-hyeok couldn't tell what expression he wore.
But he stopped worrying about it. In that moment, he learned the truth he'd always fretted over.
The reason he lived in this house.
It was because Baek Kang-hyuk wanted a little brother.
…Thank goodness.
Relief washed over him instead.
The warmth enveloping him felt utterly genuine, without a trace of falsehood.
And that warmth meant he wouldn't be cast out from the Baek family.
"Woof! Woof woof!"
"Ahaha. You must be Byul-i? I've heard a lot about you."
Just then, as Baek Kang-hyuk hugged Min-hyeok tight, Byul-i came bounding over, fluffy fur flying, straight to his legs.
Min-hyeok sighed inwardly in relief at the sight of Baek Kang-hyuk ruffling her fluffy head.
Good. Hyung doesn't hate Byul-i.
Baek Kang-hyuk was as kind as the housekeeper had always said.
But Min-hyeok's relief didn't last long.
"Huh. My eyes… why are they itchy? Mom?"
"K-Kang-hyuk! What's wrong with your eyes? Don't touch them!"
"No… what's this rash on my arm?"
Sneezes, tears, red rashes blooming.
No one knew Baek Kang-hyuk was allergic to dogs until then.
"D-Dad… Am I sick or something?"
"Damn it. Allergies… Honey! I'm taking Kang-hyuk to the hospital now—get rid of that mutt!"
Serious symptoms after just minutes of contact. Baek Jong-hyun bundled Baek Kang-hyuk into the car and sped off.
Get rid… of Byul-i?
Min-hyeok's stomach churned.
He'd started raising Byul-i for one reason alone: to earn his adoptive parents' approval. That's all he'd thought of her as. Or so he'd believed.
"Ma'am. Get rid of this dog right now…."
"N-No!"
"…?"
Min-hyeok realized too late.
Byul-i wasn't just any dog, tied to the Baek name by blood or anything like that.
But to Min-hyeok, she was beyond owner and friend—family, his real sibling, irreplaceable by a single word.
"D-Don't send Byul-i away! Byul-i's my little sister!"
Min-hyeok had never whined or rebelled, not once.
To avoid being abandoned again.
To avoid going back to the orphanage.
But his sharp mind felt heavy as stone, repeating like a parrot: don't send Byul-i away.
"…No."
And his plea was rejected in a single word.
That was Min-hyeok and Byul-i's last day together. The last time he ever asked his adoptive parents for anything.
"Kekeke. Drank a lot today, huh? Muttering to myself like a lunatic…."
His face burned as he realized he'd been mumbling alone about meeting and parting with Byul-i.
"Whew. Cold. Time to head in."
He shut the rooftop door behind him, murmuring to himself.
Hoping, at least in his dreams tonight, he'd see Byul-i.
.
.
.
As Min-hyeok entered the animal hospital, two small shadows huddled just below the rooftop railing exchanged glances.
—Byul-i? Who's that pup?
—Well, well. Looks like there's more than just Ssal-i around here.
—Hrm. Better save the gift for later.
Cheese and Goet-eo, each mouthing one slipper as a present, slipped into the darkness like they'd planned it.
After Hanmaum Animal Hospital's first New Year's party, the staff grew even more united, charging ahead as one.
"Ughhh. My back kills. And it's only March—if it warms up more, we'll be swamped. Good thing we hired extra hands last month or it'd be disaster."
"You did great, Mi-so. Everyone else, head home."
"You too, Director."
"I'll head in first!"
"See you tomorrow."
Everything sailed smoothly that third week of March, like a ship with a tailwind.
Perfect. Wrap-up done. Time to call Ssal-i?
And this week had a major event. We were prepping Ssal-i's big moment.
—Dad!
My genius of a genius, Ssal-i, came thundering down the stairs like he'd read my mind.
"Aigoo, Ssal-i! Running down stairs like that hurts your patella…."
Normally, I'd scold him.
But today, I ruffled his curly fur instead.
"Come here first, Ssal-i. I was just about to look for you."
—Hehe, really? I had something to tell you too, Dad!
"Yeah? You first then—what'd you wanna say that had you rushing?"
The reason I held back even the nagging and petted him.
The big event coming this weekend.
—Dad! Grant Ssal-i's wish!
"Hm? A wish out of nowhere? Those are for special days."
He seemed to sense it, but I played dumb because his reaction was so cute. Ssal-i pouted.
—Chi. You really don't know, Dad? This week is….
"Haha, kidding! March 15th is Ssal-i's birthday! How could I forget? Of course I know."
—Hehe, really?
Ssal-i, born two months before I met him.
That tiny pup had grown into a sturdy adult dog. Still a baby in my eyes, though.
"Of course. I was gonna call the Big Rock crew for a rooftop party, but wanna do something else?"
—Yeah! For my birthday, take me to Doggie Pool Villa!
"Doggie Pool Villa? How do you even know about that?"
Doggie Pool Villa was an all-season private heated pool villa for dogs.
With grassy fields for romping, nosework trails scented with all sorts of animals, safe dog fire pits—it was paradise for pups.
I'd looked it up thinking we'd go someday, but how'd Ssal-i know?
—Uh… w-well. Hehe. I heard patients talk about it. They said it's awesome…. Can we go?
Ssal-i gazed up with sparkling eyes. Who could say no to that?
"Of course. Rooftop party with the Big Rock friends next time—this time, just you and me."
—Hehe. Yay!
I had no idea what thoughts hid behind Ssal-i's beaming grin. Not yet.